Social Development Consultant
Beijing
- Organization: AIIB - Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
- Location: Beijing
- Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
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Occupational Groups:
- Social Affairs
- Closing Date: 2025-03-03
Application close date
03/03/2025
1. Project Background
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB/Bank) is committed to enhancing gender equality, maximizing the benefits and impacts of its investments and supporting gender-focused investments. The Bank's existing policies and sectoral strategies have been geared toward promoting gender equality. In particular, the Water Sector Strategy pays attention to and inclusion of women and vulnerable groups in all types of water infrastructure investments through lens of environmental and social (ES) impacts to be assessed, mitigated and monitored through dedicated ES instruments. The AIIB’s first Gender Action Plan (GAP) was publicly released September 24, 2024. The objective of the GAP is to support Bank staff in working closely with clients to integrate gender considerations within infrastructure investments in a consistent and systematic manner. The ‘GAP Operational Program’ was also prepared to outline the detailed and specific engagement activities necessary to achieving the objective, with time-bound delivery targets for the next three years. As part of this program, the Bank’s Sustainability and Fiduciary Services Department (SFD) completed the study “Gender Integration in Energy Infrastructure” (2024), which aimed to review, compare, and summarize best practices for gender mainstreaming in the energy sector, including relevant guidelines and approaches adopted by the Bank and other MDBs. Building on the completed analytical work, SFD plans to engage an international consultant ("the Consultant") to conduct an operational analysis aimed at developing a package of possible gender interventions and best practices in energy sector infrastructure investments, organized by subsectors and financing modalities.
2. Objectives of the Assignment
To develop a comprehensive guidance package on gender interventions for practitioners in the energy sector and its subsectors, including the various power generation modalities, transmission and distribution, storage, electrification, and renewable energy solutions. Additionally, best practices in gender integration will be categorized by financing modalities, such as project finance, corporate finance, multi-tranche financing facilities, results-based lending, on-lending, and others.
3. Scope of Services
The assignment will include the following tasks: • Assess the unique characteristics of energy sector investment operations, and its subsector operations, particularly when related to gender integration, including sector practice, clients, project design features, capacity and constraints etc. • Map out and analyze both positive and negative gender-related impacts, as well as potentials and opportunities for women empowerment in energy sector and its subsector operations. • Map out and develop, based on general practice experiences, gender interventions, including common as well as good practices, to address the identified impacts and capitalize on opportunities for gender mainstreaming within the energy sector and its subsectors. • Recommend sector-specific strategies to strengthen gender integration in energy operations, by subsector operations. • Develop tailored sector-specific requirements aligned with the unique characteristics of various subsectors and financing modalities. • Create a comprehensive guidance package, based on above, on gender integration in energy operations, including tools, templates, indicators, technologies, and resources to support gender-informed and gender-responsive practices.
4. Consultancy Output / Deliverables
• Operational analysis: Analysis report, covering all subsectors, to support mainstreaming gender considerations in the energy sector. • Guidance Note: Develop a guidance note on gender integration in energy sector infrastructure projects, providing recommendations and practical tips for gender-sensitive approaches tailored to subsectors and financing modalities, informed by and in line with the minimum requirements of gender integration in operations. • Good practices: Identify and document successful examples of gender integration in energy sector projects across various subsectors. This could include case studies highlighting effective gender-sensitive approaches, innovative solutions, and measurable impacts on gender equality. Emphasize lessons learned and replicable strategies, particularly those aligned with ESF requirements and financing modalities. These good practices should serve as a resource for training, capacity building, and informing future project designs to enhance gender mainstreaming efforts. • Supporting Tools: propose and develop a set of tools for project planning and implementation r to integrate gender considerations into operations in the energy sector, such as templates, indicators, and methodologies. • Presentation: Deliver a virtual presentation of key findings and recommendations to extended Bank staff.
5. Implementation Arrangement
The Consultant will report to the SFD-assigned team that will also be the point of contact for contractual issues. The Consultant must submit to the SFD-assigned team all draft and final documents related to the outlined deliverables in English. The files must be in editable format (i) either Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx, for reports) or Microsoft PPT (.ppt or .pptx, for presentation decks) as well as (ii) PDF files. The Consultant must ensure that all graphics and diagrams can be read clearly and legibly.
6. Support to the Consultant by the Bank
The Consultant is expected to work closely with SFD’s Gender Team in further defining and executing this assignment.
7. Knowledge Transfer and Training
The Consultant will be expected to deliver two gender sensitizing workshops (one for extended staff and one for SFD/IO staff) with emphasis on the lessons learned from AIIB-financed projects and other MDB best practices on gender-sensitive approaches during the project cycle.
Qualification Requirement
The following requirements are a broad description of the likely expertise needed for this consultancy assignment. The Consultant may propose additional experts in the Technical Proposal as may be needed to fulfil this TOR. The Consultant may mobilize supporting experts and administrative staff, including translators and editors, as necessary to execute the scope of services. The Consultant is encouraged to engage diverse team compositions, including a mixture of genders. The Consultant is expected to have: A practical understanding of the multilateral development bank (MDB)’s approach to gender mainstreaming including operational approaches and internal procedures. Previous proven experience in completing similar analytical studies and consulting assignments under the MDB, bilateral donor or a private sector organization or as a consultant. Recognized professional expertise in gender equality in infrastructure projects, including energy sector. Proven ability to carry out complex tasks as part of multi-disciplinary teams, and capacity to work under pressure to meet strict deadlines. Experience working on capacity building (development and/or delivery) for other MDB operational staff will be an advantage. Demonstrated experience of working in a multi-cultural and international environment. Proficient oral and excellent written communication skills in English. Advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in social or related discipline.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.