Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor 9 views

Direct supervisor: Engagement Lead

Supervision: Project Implementation

Job Grade: Managerial

Location: ACE Offices, Addis Ababa

Position Type: Permanent

Post Deadline: April 15, 2026

Role

POSITION OVERVIEW

ACE Investment and Impact Advisors is a women-owned and led independent advisory firm that is dedicated to promoting innovation for better development outcomes and social change. Our firm brings a strategic cross-domain perspective with deep expertise in driving public-sector delivery capabilities and private-sector development by partnering with government, private-sector, and development partners. We envision becoming the preferred partner to government, private sector, and development partners as a change catalyst to transform investments and impact life and boldly embrace our core values of promoting equity, & inclusion, professionalism, meticulousness, partnerships, and impact orientation. With our diverse team of experts and multi-sectoral outlook, we are strategically placed to provide bespoke services across sectors and industries.

We are seeking a highly qualified Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of GESI concepts and principles and will be able to apply them to different contexts, projects, and organizational systems to promote gender equality and social inclusion in our projects as well as within the organization.

ROLE OBJECTIVE

The Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor will lead the integration of gender equality, social inclusion, and safeguarding principles across ACE Advisors’ programs, projects, and internal systems. The role ensures that GESI considerations are systematically embedded in project design, implementation, and evaluation, while aligning organizational practices with international standards and best practices. The expert will conduct gender and social analyses, develop gender-responsive interventions, and support the development of policies, manuals, and operational tools that promote inclusive and equitable development outcomes across ACE’s work.

The GESI Expert will also provide technical guidance and capacity-building support to project teams, partners, and stakeholders to strengthen the practical application of GESI principles in programs and institutional processes. This includes developing and delivering training, contributing GESI inputs to proposals and reports, monitoring safeguarding risks, and establishing systems to track gender-disaggregated data and inclusion outcomes. Through ongoing knowledge sharing, analytical support, and coordination across projects, the expert will help ensure that gender equality, safeguarding, and social inclusion remain central to ACE’s advisory services and to the impact and sustainability of its development initiatives.

SCOPE OF WORK

• Design and implement GESI and safeguarding strategies and activities at the organizational level as well as for clients’ programs, and projects, ensuring that they are aligned with international standards and best practices.
• Conduct gender analyses and develop gender-responsive interventions, programs, and policies, and manuals to guide organization practices (internal and external).
• Provide technical support and guidance to project teams, partners, and stakeholders on GESI issues and assess the safeguarding needs of projects and programs.
• Develop and deliver capacity-building activities and training sessions on GESI and Safeguarding to project teams, partners, and stakeholders, as well as provide orientation to new recruits.
• Contribute to the development of proposals, concept notes, and reports in relation to GESI, including conducting desk research, providing technical inputs, and drafting sections related to GESI.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of GESI strategies and activities, and provide recommendations for improvements in internal operations as well as in project implementations.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments related to GESI; Seek, Acquire, Develop and Share Gender and safeguarding (women, youth, etc.) tips for staff and stakeholders on a regular basis.
• Develop gender and safeguarding assessments and outcome analysis, disaggregating gender-specific data and analysis across programs and projects.
• Ensure safeguarding risks are assessed, develop mitigation strategies, monitor and update status on regular basis during the implementation of programs.
• Ensure strategic cohesion, coordination of implementation, and knowledge sharing within the gender and safeguarding across organizational pillars and projects.
• Develop systems to prevent and also to report any incidents or safeguarding issues in coordination with Human Resource Management.

REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s degree in Gender studies, Social Development, International Development, or in any other related social science fields.
• At least 10 years of experience working on GESI issues in international development and local contexts and streamlining GESI principles in programs and projects.
• Strong knowledge of GESI and Safeguarding concepts, principles, and best practices.
• Experience developing Social Safeguarding, Gender & inclusion standards, guidelines, specifications, tools & activities.
• Strong professional network across gender, social development, government, civil society, and development partner ecosystems.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving skills, strong communication & interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Fluency in English and Amharic (both written and spoken).
• Coaching orientation instinctively works alongside counterparts rather than for them.
• Relationship building and cultural sensitivity.
• Demonstrated initiative, resourcefulness, and sound professional judgment.
• Willingness and ability to travel to project sites and meetings as required.
• Strong computer literacy, including proficiency in MS Office applications and web-based management information systems.