Gender Consultant
Global Schools Forum
- Nairobi
- Contract
- Full-time
GSF’s strategy currently covers these core areas:Knowledge Accelerator: We focus on creating, codifying and sharing evidence and best practices to enhance member knowledge and capabilities. Our efforts also include providing thought leadership and influencing policy on a global scale.Funding Catalyst : We are focused on sub-granting to facilitate testing and scaling initiatives. This includes creating new on-granting vehicles for our members, such as financing low-fee private schools and advocating for foundational learning. Additionally, we aim to connect our members with funders and vice versaPartnership Builder: We facilitate partnerships among our members, connect them with global actors, and foster collaborations with governments to scale innovations. Additionally, we broker research partnerships to enhance our collective impact.Community Convenor: Fostering connection, trust, and relationship building among GSF members is essential for creating a vibrant and supportive community. By encouraging open communication and collaboration, we can strengthen the bonds between members, ensuring that everyone feels valued and included. This sense of belonging not only enhances individual experiences but also fortifies the GSF community as a whole, paving the way for shared growth and success.We are a small, fully-remote global team with colleagues based in the UK and across Africa and Asia, reflecting the communities in which we work.Our Values are central to everything we do as a team, as a global community and in our engagements with partners, funders and the global education community:Collaboration: We leverage each other's strengths and knowledge to drive and amplify purpose driven collective action.
Intentional Inclusivity: We cultivate and celebrate diversity of backgrounds, culture, perspectives, and approaches promoting inclusivity and mutual respect.
Continuous Improvement: We commit to continuously learning, improving, and innovating, while sharing best practices and failures.
Honesty and Transparency: We conduct ourselves with integrity, openness, accountability and kindness.Role PurposeGlobal Schools Forum (GSF) is implementing a multi-country programme to scale locally led, evidence-based childcare solutions for children 0-5 years across Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique. The programme combines catalytic funding, technical assistance, and ecosystem engagement through two pathways:Impact at Scale Programme: The Impact at Scale Labs is an 18-month, intensive programme that supports promising childcare solutions to move from tested models to scalable and sustainable solutions. It combines catalytic funding, tailored technical support, structured testing, and peer learning. Delivered through phased support - from diagnostics and strategy design to testing and scale implementation - the Labs supports organisations to strengthen their capacities, generates and distils evidence of what works, and refines pathways to scale. Participating organisations are also supported to also build strategic partnerships, mobilise follow-on funding, improve service quality, and embed their models within public and private systems for long-term impact.
Impact at Scale Bootcamp: The Impact at Scale Bootcamp is an 8-month, light-touch programme designed to support earlier-stage childcare organisations to build their readiness for scale. While it does not provide funding, the Bootcamp supports organisations to clarify their models, identify key constraints, and develop practical strategies, positioning them for scale opportunities.The programme aims to strengthen childcare models that improve child development outcomes, women’s economic participation, and system integration. Gender is central to this agenda as childcare operates at the intersection of women’s unpaid care responsibilities, labour force participation, income generation, and child well-being. Recognising this, the programme integrates gender responsiveness as a core and cross-cutting priority.To support this agenda, GSF seeks to engage a Gender Consultant to provide deep technical expertise, practical guidance, and hands-on support across all programme phases.The Gender Consultant will lead the design, integration, and operationalisation of gender-responsive approaches across the Labs and Bootcamp, ensuring that gender is embedded as a core driver of programme models, quality, scalability, and impact.This role goes beyond advisory, requiring hands-on support to embed gender responsiveness across all stages of the programme - from outreach and selection to diagnostics, design, MEL frameworks, model refinement, testing, and scale. The consultant will translate gender insights into practical improvements in childcare models, including service delivery, workforce structures, and business models, while strengthening the capacity of partner organisations and GSF teams to sustain gender integration. Ultimately, the role will ensure measurable improvements in outcomes for women, caregivers, and children.Responsibilities
A. Gender strategy and programme integration
Review programme design, tools, and delivery frameworks to identify opportunities for gender integration
Develop a Gender Integration Strategy aligned to programme outcomes, with clear priorities and practical guidance
Define integration points and embed gender responsiveness across all Lab and Bootcamp phases
Integrate gender indicators and support development of disaggregated data systems, tools, and methodologies
Coach GSF team members to internalise gender integration
Provide ongoing advisory support to ensure alignment and continuous improvementB. Gender insights, analysis & action planning
Design qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches to measure gender responsiveness across all programme phases
Analyse findings to identify gender responsiveness structural barriers, inclusion gaps, risks (including safeguarding), and opportunities for innovation
Validate insights with stakeholders and ensure findings inform programme iteration and decision-making
Translate insights into prioritised, organisation-specific action plans and practical recommendations aligned to programme phases
Synthesise learning into practical guidance to support implementationC. Technical support & model sstrengthening
Design and deliver capacity-building modules on gender-responsive childcare
Provide hands-on, tailored support to strengthen childcare models through a gender-responsive lens
Support integration of gender into organisational testing plans, strategies, scale plans, partnerships, safeguarding and inclusion frameworks
Contribute to key programme processes from a gender responsive lens, including Advisory Committees, strategy workshops, and testing plansD. Knowledge & evidence generation
Facilitate peer learning and Communities of Practice to strengthen shared learning on gender responsiveness across cohorts
Develop practical tools and resources, including checklists, guidance notes, and a toolkit on integrating gender responsiveness into childcare programmes
Document and generate evidence on what works in gender-responsive childcare models
Contribute to case studies, practice/policy briefs, childcare standards, scaling playbooks, and policy and advocacy efforts
Strengthen the use of gender data for decision-making, learning, and adaptation across the programme lifecycle
Showcase learnings and evidence on gender-responsive childcare products and models through regional and global conferences, convenings, and sector platformsPerson Specification
Demonstrated experience in childcare, early childhood development, or the care economy
Experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa, with strong contextual and cultural understanding, preference for East Africa based consultant
Strong expertise in gender-responsive programming and gender analysis
Experience designing and applying gender-sensitive MEL frameworks and tools
Proven ability to translate gender insights into practical programme improvements and tools
Familiarity with scaling social innovations
Experience providing hands-on technical assistance, coaching, and capacity building
Strong research and analytical skills (qualitative and quantitative), including development of knowledge products
Excellent facilitation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills
Strong written and verbal communication
Ability to engage diverse stakeholders, from grassroots to policy level
7–10 years’ experience integrating gender into development programme
Advanced degree in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related fieldTerms and ConditionsSalary: £250-£300 per dayContract: This is a consultancy contract offering 3-5 days per month for a 12–18-month period. There is flexibility to increase the number of days during key phases.Location: GSF is a fully remote organisation. For this consultancy, we prefer applications from East Africa to meet the needs of the scope of work. Local work authorisation in your country of residence is required.Anticipated Start Date: End May/Early June
Responsible to: Programme Lead – Impact at Scale Labs (Early Years)
Responsible for: This post does not have any responsibility for line managementHow to Apply
Application deadline: Friday 24th April 1700 (EAT)To apply for this role, please click the Apply for this Job buttonYou will need to upload your CV and the following;Technical proposal that shares your approach and methodology, no more than two pages
Financial proposal that shares your daily rate and estimated LOE
Two examples of relevant work (reports, tools, frameworks)Please note, we will not consider any applications unless they include a CV, the required proposals and relevant work examples as mentioned.Recruitment Process
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted shortly after the deadline
First-round interviews 28th April –30th April
Second-round interviews, week commencing 3 MayIf you apply, we will process your personal data for recruitment purposes only and in accordance with our Data Privacy Policy.GSF is committed to cultivating a fair and inclusive workplace, where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of race, age, disability, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or faith.Please let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may need during the application or recruitment process by emailing info@globalschoolsforum.org