Terms of Reference (TOR) for Short-term Consultant (STC)
Gender Equality and the Private Sector
Gender Secretariat in East Asia and the Pacific (EAP)
February 2018
Background
IFC—a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in the toughest areas of the world. In FY17, we delivered a record $19.3 billion in long-term financing for developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to help end poverty and boost shared prosperity.
The IFC Gender Secretariat team works across investment and advisory services to enhance gender-smart private sector development. We help companies close gender gaps by building the capacity of colleagues and clients to drive gender-aware and inclusive business growth. The three pillars that enable us to achieve these goals are 1) providing evidence/research on the business case for gender equality, 2) providing direct client advice and investments as well as 3) creating private sector peer learning platforms that enable companies to distil best practice and learn from each other.
The IFC Gender Secretariat team in EAP implements this agenda throughout the region, including with direct client advisory and broader private sector engagement on gender in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Myanmar, Solomon Islands, and Vietnam.
Objective
The objective of this assignment is to contribute and selectively lead in the design and early implementation of an IFC advisory project focused on improving the recruitment, retention, and promotion of women in private sector employment in the private sector of Vietnam and the Mekong region.
Deliverables
Specifically, the consultant will work with the EAP Regional Gender Lead to complete the following:
- Updated scoping and literature review on gender equality and the private sector in Vietnam, with a focus on priority topics of the IFC intervention.
- Draft Project Implementation Plan proposing a set of activities in the following three areas over the coming 3-4 years.
- Understanding the care economy and female labor force participation and career development in Vietnam. Women’s traditional responsibilities caring for children and elderly family members can influence decisions related to jobs and career development. Employers seeking to attract and retain more women also have an interest in understanding how urbanization and demographic changes are
- Women in non-traditional jobs. There are high levels of occupational segregation in Vietnam along gender lines. Companies operating in traditionally male dominated sectors such as energy may struggle to access talent, including women. The proposed project will build on IFC experience with the renewable energy sector across the region, including the Powered by Women initiative in Myanmar to apply lessons and bring relevant data and approaches to Vietnam and Laos.
- Gender diversity strategies for individual IFC clients or potential clients. Many IFC investment clients are seeking to maximize gender diversity in their business as a strategy for innovative leadership, capturing markets, accessing and retaining talent, and enhancing their reputation.
- Advisory delivery to at least 1 client. Advisory is expected to include comprehensive diagnostics, likely including use of the EDGE (Economic Dividends for Gender Equality) tool to help the client identify challenges in achieving greater gender diversity at all levels of their business and developing an action plan.
- Provide overall support to IFC’s expanding gender agenda in the Mekong region.
Selection Criteria
Preferred candidates have 8-10 years of experience in one or more of the following fields:
- Human Resource Management
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Gender / Equal Opportunity
Direct experience in or with the private sector is required.
Excellent writing and communication skills in English and Vietnamese is required.
Candidates should be based in Hanoi.
Relevant resources
For more background on IFC’s work to promote gender-smart practices that pay off for businesses, women and their households, and development, see the following recent publication. This assignment seeks to build on this body of work and apply localized tools to the Vietnam and Mekong markets.
- Investing in Women: New Evidence for the Business Case [1]
- Tackling Child Care: the business care for employer-supported child care [2]
- The Business Case for Women’s Employment in Agribusiness [3]
- Not Just More But Better: Fostering Quality of Employment for Women [4]
Reporting
The consultant will report to Amy Luinstra, EAP Gender Lead.
Timeline
The assignment is for 100 days from March 2018 until October 2018, with possibility of extension.
Deadline for applications and contact
If interested, please send a cover letter and a CV to My Phan Ha Le ([email protected] [5]) by March 5, 2018.