Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Specialist

Cagayan de Oro (Northern Mindanao), PHILIPPINES

Desjardins International Development (DID) is seeking a GESI specialist based in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, for the implementation of a project aimed at strengthening the socio-climatic resilience of women agri-entrepreneurs in the region, who are particularly exposed to natural hazards. The project will focus on the coffee and cacao value chains in the province of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental. The project is structured around three complementary pillars: (1) promoting the adoption of gender-sensitive, climate-resilient and disaster-risk-reducing (DRR) land-use solutions, including sustainable agroforestry and landscape management approaches; (2) strengthening the economic resilience of women agri-entrepreneurs through improved business capacities, market access, and financial inclusion; and (3) enhancing value-chain (VC) driven and gender responsiveness of local communities and institutions through more inclusive and effective DRR and management systems.

Reporting to the Project Director and working closely with other thematic specialists and officers of the project, as well as with project partners and stakeholders, and target value chain actors, the selected candidate will provide technical leadership and support to guide effective integration and achievement of GESI results across the 3 pillars of the project. The GESI Specialist will provide technical guidance on GESI standards and approaches; support the implementation of the GESI strategy, resource mobilization, advocacy, monitoring and learning. The GESI Specialist will champion the project's GESI Strategy including reporting and accountability.

General Responsibilities

Assess collaboratively the situation of women, youth and indigenous people (IP) as farmers and actors of the 2 targeted VC, members of communities, members of DRR Management Councils (DRRMC) to identify and analyze GESI-based disaster and climate risks, analyze and diagnose their needs and constraints, and identify specific approaches to address these.

Ensure that GESI dimension is taken into consideration in the development and implementation of all project activities across the project's three pillars that will engage in women in adopting DRR solutions while breaking down socio-economic barriers that limit their power and ability to act on addressing GESI-based constraints to DRR, climate resilience, and economic empowerment.

Validate and update the project's Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) and support additional gender and social inclusion assessments related to targeted value chains, as required.

Implement the GESI strategy to support women across all components and pillars of the project, including gender transformative strategy, monitor and update/adjust it as needed.

Raise awareness among all stakeholders about the barriers to women's financial inclusion, women's rights and develop practical recommendations to improve the inclusiveness of project interventions.

Design and deliver training sessions and coaching for project staff, implementing partners and local stakeholders on different thematics related to GESI including about GESI-sensitive data collection and analysis, across the project's three pillars.

Develop practical tools, guidance notes and training materials for integrating GESI in the three pillars.

Support stakeholders, cooperative, service providers, Local Government Unit (LGU), financial institutions and partners in the development and adaptation of products and services taking GESI into account to better meet the needs of women, youth and IP.

Ensure the strengthening of leadership of women entrepreneurs including women farmers in the value chains, as well as women members of DRRMC to support their capacity to make decision and to act to meet their needs and priorities.

Implement tools for monitoring and evaluating the GESI strategy as well as conduct analysis and interpretation of GESI-related data to inform project planning and decision-making.

Monitor trends and initiatives in gender mainstreaming to identify innovations and best practices in the sector.

Document success stories, best practices, and case studies highlighting gender-transformative impacts for knowledge and communication products' dissemination.

Represent the project in the provincial-level Technical Committees and GESI-related forums.

Work with the project team in preparing the project operation reports, annual reports, and project annual work plans.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Gender Studies, Sociology, Human Rights, International Development, social sciences, or a related field. A graduate degree is an asset.

Minimum of five (5) years of experience in managing GESI components and women's economic empowerment within international development projects.

Demonstrated experience in results-based management (RBM) tools and managing data collection systems and databases, desegregated by gender, ethnicity, and age that respects data privacy or complies with the Data Privacy Act.

Prior experience navigating GAC policies and FIAP priorities as a bonus.

Be good at interpersonal communication, have influencing skills, and a team player.

Be able to work in a predominantly Indigenous Peoples and Bisayan culture.

Very good analytical skills and ability to synthesize information and produce quality reports.

Experience supporting project reporting and donor compliance requirements including meeting deadlines.

Demonstrate professional rigour, great autonomy, attention to detail and meticulousness.

Strong facilitation, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

Demonstrated commitment to learning, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Good knowledge of the Office suite (Word, Excel and Power Point) and web tools.

Excellent command of English, both written and spoken, is required. Conversant in local language (Bisaya) or any of the IP dialects in Northern Mindanao is an asset.

Prior experience working in the region is highly preferred.

Experience in one or more of the following areas is considered a strong asset: climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, agricultural value chains and agroforestry.

Employment conditions

Fixed-term contract of 24 months, with the possibility of renewal based on performance;

Tentative start date (flexible): beginning of October 2026;

Full-time position;

Reports to the Project Director;

Position based in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines;

This position is intended for residents of the Philippines. The provisions of the Philippine Labor Code will apply.

Submit CV & Cover Letter by email to : [HIDDEN TEXT]

Deadline: 18 September 2026,

Email Subject Line: Application – GESI specialist – [First Name Last Name]

Please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

About DID

For more than 50 years, Développement international Desjardins (DID) has been strengthening the economic autonomy of disadvantaged populations living in developing and emerging countries by promoting their financial inclusion and financial education. DID works to create sustainable economic opportunities for these populations while increasing their capacity to take action.

About Landscape Alliance

Landscape Alliance (formerly CIFOR-ICRAF) is a key strategic partner of DID and plays a central role in promoting sustainable and inclusive development across agricultural landscapes. By fostering collaboration among communities, producer organizations, private sector actors, research institutions, and public stakeholders, the Alliance supports innovative approaches that strengthen climate resilience, improve livelihoods, and encourage sustainable land use practices. Through this project, the Alliance will work closely with DID and local partners to support implementation, learning, evidence generation, and the achievement of project outcomes.