Gender Mainstreaming Adviser

Result of Service

Output 1 – Consultations completed (By end of 10 January 2026)
• Consultations with project partners and focus groups of young women and review of project documents completed.
• Presentation of key insights during a partner reflection session to inform project planning. Output 2 – Gender mainstreaming strategy and SOP drafted (By 31 January 2026)
• attended workshop with Mastercard Foundation and partners
• Draft Gender Mainstreaming strategy and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) prepared Output 3 – Gender mainstreaming SOP completed (By end of February 2026)
• Final Gender Mainstreaming Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) prepared incorporating inputs from ITC and partners
• Inclusion of clear sections on: o Training design and delivery o Entrepreneurship and financial inclusion o Communications and visibility o Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting
• Training for consortia partners delivered

Work Location

home-based in Uganda

Expected duration

3 months

Duties and Responsibilities

About ITC: The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and World Trade Organization based in Geneva. ITC's mission is to enable small business export success in developing and transition- economy countries, by providing, with partners, sustainable and inclusive development solutions to the private sector, trade support institutions (TSIs) and policymakers. About the Uganda Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) Project The Uganda Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) Project is a three-year initiative implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) in partnership with the Bayimba Foundation and funded by the Mastercard Foundation. The project aims to unlock the potential of Uganda's creative economy as a driver of dignified and fulfilling work for youth, with a particular focus on young women. The programme targets over 84,000 youth, of which the majority are women, including persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups, across key creative subsectors such as music, film, fashion, digital content creation, crafts, and performing arts. Through a combination of training, business development services, and access to finance, the project seeks to enhance employability, entrepreneurship, and market participation in these industries. ITC serves as the consortium lead, providing strategic direction, quality assurance, and technical assistance on areas such as safeguarding, gender inclusion, market access, and monitoring and evaluation. The Bayimba Foundation, a leading Ugandan cultural organization, acts as the primary implementing partner, working with national stakeholders—including NextCom, Steadman Global, and Wowzi—to deliver activities across Uganda. The project adopts a systems-strengthening approach that connects creative talent with market opportunities while embedding safeguarding, gender equality, and social inclusion as cross-cutting priorities. By empowering creative entrepreneurs and building institutional capacity, the initiative contributes to Uganda's broader goals of youth employment, innovation, and cultural transformation. The Gender Mainstreaming Adviser will provide technical expertise to ensure gender equality is fully integrated across the Uganda CCI Project's design, implementation, and monitoring systems. The consultant will develop a Gender Mainstreaming Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), in consultation with ITC and partners. OBJECTIVES The consultant will report to the Project Manager – Uganda Creative Industries Project and will work closely with the Head of the ITC SheTrades Initiative, and SheTrades associate programme officer. Close coordination will be maintained with the ITC Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Officer (HQ), the Bayimba Foundation, NextCom, Steadman Global, Wowzi, and the Safeguarding Consultant. A. Gender Analysis and Technical Support
• Hold consultations with project partners to identify current gender mainstreaming practices and gaps
• Review project activities and delivery arrangements and propose gender mainstreaming approaches throughout the programme. B. Development of Gender Mainstreaming SOP
• Draft and validate a Gender Mainstreaming Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) providing clear guidance for implementing partners on integrating gender into: o Training design and delivery o Entrepreneurship and access-to-finance activities o Communications, outreach, and governance structures o Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting processes
• Ensure the SOP aligns with ITC SheTrades' Reach–Benefit–Empower–Transform (RBET) framework and Mastercard Foundation's gender equality principles, and is compatible with the project's Safeguarding Strategy, including references to the role of Safeguarding Focal Points and community referral networks.
• Facilitate a validation workshop with consortium partners to review and finalize the SOP, including discussion of translation needs or contextual adaptation for different local languages, where applicable. Copyright Clause: The consultant has to ensure that she has obtained the necessary permissions with regard to intellectual property rights required to perform her services under this consultancy contract and for the subsequent dissemination by ITC in any form. Documentary proof is to be submitted to ITC. Should any license fee be due for the use of copyrighted materials of third parties, the consultant shall request the prior written permission from ITC. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons - of all genders - equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind.

Qualifications/special skills

• Postgraduate degree (MA/MSc/MBA, PHD or other). - Advanced degree (or equivalent) in Economics, Development, Business, International Relations, Economic Development or related field; - Extensive relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree. Required Experience: At least ten years of professional experience in gender, international trade, sustainable development or related field. Desirable experience
  • Demonstrated experience in gender analysis, SOP or strategy development, and partner capacity building.
  • Proven understanding of inclusive programming in Africa, in particular Uganda.
  • Strong facilitation, coaching, and report-writing skills.
  • Employed or has strong engagement in women's chamber of commerce or other Women Business Association with strong networking skills and outreach capacity. Skills:
  • Strong research (analysis & synthesis) skills
  • Excellent presentation and verbal communications skills
  • Ability to work reliably and independently with minimum supervision.
  • Being adaptable, and culturally sensitive to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Languages

• Fluency in English (spoken and written).

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS' BANK ACCOUNTS.