Job Vacancy: Women’s Economic Empowerment & Gender Specialist

Organisation: Plan International
Position: Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) & Gender Specialist
Number of Positions: 2
Location: Unguja & Pemba, Zanzibar; Mainland Tanzania (Location TBC)
Reports To: Team Leader – Business Development Services
Grade: 13
Employment Status: Full-Time
Closing Date: 26th July 2026

About Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. The organisation believes in the power and potential of every child but recognises that poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination often prevent children—especially girls—from achieving their full potential.

For over 85 years, Plan International has worked with children, communities, partners, and supporters across more than 80 countries to create a just world where all children and young people can thrive.

Project Background

Plan International Tanzania is recruiting Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) & Gender Specialists for the Advancing Gender Equality in Tanzania (PAMOJA) Project.

The PAMOJA Project is a World Bank-IDA financed initiative implemented by the Government of Tanzania through the Prime Minister’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups (MoCDGWSG).

The project covers:

40 district councils across 10 regions in Mainland Tanzania
8 districts across 4 regions in Zanzibar

The project aims to:

Advance women’s economic empowerment.
Strengthen gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response services.
Build the capacity of approximately 7,500 Community Microfinance Groups (CMGs), mainly women-led groups.
Improve governance, financial literacy, and business skills among women entrepreneurs.
Support women to access sustainable financing and build resilient, climate-informed businesses.

The employment offer is conditional upon contract award.

Role Purpose

The Women’s Economic Empowerment & Gender Specialist will ensure that gender-transformative approaches are integrated throughout the project, including:

Market and training needs assessments.
Curriculum development.
Training of Trainers (ToT) delivery.
Mentorship frameworks.
Women’s economic empowerment initiatives.

The role requires strong knowledge of socio-cultural barriers affecting women in Zanzibar and the ability to integrate GBV-sensitive approaches into economic empowerment programmes.

Key Responsibilities

Gender Integration & Technical Support

Lead integration of gender-transformative approaches across assessments, curricula, ToT content, and mentorship frameworks.
Ensure business models consider women’s safety, household responsibilities, and decision-making power.
Provide guidance on community-based processing hub approaches.
Integrate GBV prevention and response considerations into economic empowerment activities.
Conduct Gender Equality and Inclusion Analysis.
Contribute gender analysis to market, value chain, and Training Needs Assessments.

Women’s Groups & Community Engagement

Support development of institutional modules on:
- Governance.
- Leadership.
- Collective financial management.
Strengthen women’s group dynamics and participation.
Provide gender training to:
- Community Microfinance Groups (CMGs).
- Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).
- Ward and community structures.

Stakeholder Coordination & Governance

Support engagement with communities and local government authorities.
Strengthen grievance mechanisms.
Establish and strengthen multi-stakeholder forums and local governance structures.
Support dialogue among stakeholders on gender-sensitive services and budget commitments.
Promote Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) from ward, district, and regional levels.

Safeguarding & Protection

Strengthen gender-responsive systems related to:
- Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH).
- Safeguarding.
- Human rights due diligence.
- Labour standards.
- Community protection.
Ensure alignment with global performance standards and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Essential Requirements

Applicants must have:

Bachelor’s Degree in:
- Gender Studies.
- Sociology.
- Development Studies.
- Social Work.
- Related fields.
Minimum 5 years’ experience in:
- Gender-transformative approaches.
- GBV integration in economic projects.
- Women’s group dynamics.
Successful completion of at least two similar assignments within the last three years involving women’s and gender economic empowerment issues.
Deep understanding of socio-cultural barriers affecting women in Zanzibar.
Experience working in Zanzibar.
Experience working with:
- Community Microfinance Groups (CMGs).
- Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).
- Ward and community gender structures.
Experience working with the World Bank or other international donors.

Desirable Skills & Experience

Experience integrating GBV prevention within World Bank or similar donor-funded programmes.
Working proficiency in Kiswahili.
Strong English writing and presentation skills.
Established relationships with women’s networks and community structures in Zanzibar.
Knowledge of green economy financing mechanisms.
Familiarity with blue economy and community-based empowerment models.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Plan International is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. The organisation promotes equal opportunities regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion, belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Plan International strives to maintain a workplace culture that supports:

Gender equality.
Girls’ rights.
Inclusion.
Racial justice.
Diversity of ideas and experiences.

Safeguarding Commitment

Plan International is committed to protecting children and vulnerable groups. Successful candidates will undergo pre-employment safeguarding checks in accordance with the organisation’s policies.

Plan International also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and may request information from previous employers regarding findings or investigations related to sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment.

Plan International will never request payment from candidates during recruitment.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications through the official Plan International Careers portal.

CLICK/TAP HERE TO APPLY:

To apply for this job please visit jobs.plan-international.org.

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