Gender Expert Lead

Job Overview

A fast-growing Clean Energy FinTech platform is expanding its presence across agricultural markets and last-mile communities in Nigeria. The organization enables consumers, traders, and micro-entrepreneurs to access reliable solar and clean energy solutions through flexible financing, trusted supplier networks, and field-driven distribution models.

As part of a donor-supported initiative focused on women and youth participation in agrifood markets, the company is seeking a Gender Expert Lead to design and embed gender-responsive approaches across its agricultural energy access programs. This role will be central to ensuring that young women agricultural traders and women field agents are not only reached, but meaningfully supported to grow sustainable livelihoods using clean energy technologies.

In this role, you will own the integration of gender equity into program strategy, field execution, monitoring, and learning. You will work closely with Sales, Finance, Operations, Growth, and Leadership teams to deliver measurable outcomes for women, meet all donor commitments, and build long-term organizational capability beyond the grant period.

This is a high-impact, hands-on role for a field-oriented operator who combines strong gender expertise with practical execution, stakeholder management, and data-driven learning.

Key Responsibilities

Gender Strategy & Program Design

• Lead the design and implementation of gender-responsive strategies for agricultural and cold-chain energy programs.

• Translate gender objectives into practical field processes across recruitment, onboarding, training, aftercare, and beneficiary tracking.

• Ensure all market-facing activities—agent engagement, trader onboarding, and community sensitization—are aligned with the realities of young women in informal markets.

• Advise on culturally appropriate approaches for engaging women with limited mobility, literacy constraints, or caregiving responsibilities.

• Support inclusive market penetration strategies that leverage women’s networks, associations, and unions.

Program Delivery, MEL & Grant Execution

• Own delivery of all gender-related impact targets, including recruitment, training completion, asset adoption, business growth, and retention outcomes.

• Ensure timely and accurate fulfillment of all donor reporting requirements, including gender metrics, documentation, and evidence.

• Track and manage gender-sensitive KPIs such as agent progression, asset utilization, repayment behavior, and business performance of women traders.

• Maintain high-quality documentation including beneficiary records, training logs, field visit reports, safety records, and visual evidence.

• Drive Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) outcomes in collaboration with data and operations teams.

• Identify risks affecting women’s participation or safety and proactively recommend corrective actions.

Training, Coaching & Capacity Building

• Design and deliver training programs for women agents and women agricultural traders, including financial literacy, entrepreneurship, solar product usage, energy efficiency, and safe working practices.

• Train internal teams, field agents, and partners on gender sensitivity, safeguarding, and inclusive communication.

• Establish coaching, mentoring, and peer-learning structures to improve performance, confidence, and retention among women participants.

• Strengthen community learning circles that support problem-solving and long-term engagement.

Safeguarding, Safety & Inclusion

• Lead implementation of gender-sensitive safety and safeguarding systems across field operations.

• Ensure consistent adoption of codes of conduct, safeguarding guidelines, and grievance mechanisms.

• Operationalize safe-space protocols, safe travel practices, and confidential reporting channels.

• Monitor and respond to safety incidents, escalating risks and recommending operational improvements.

• Engage families, community leaders, and market stakeholders where cultural dynamics require broader support.

Learning, Insights & Continuous Improvement

• Capture field-level insights on barriers and enablers affecting women’s adoption of productive-use energy solutions.

• Develop internal briefs, case studies, and lessons-learned reports for leadership and donor partners.

• Use MEL insights to recommend improvements to pricing, training models, recruitment strategies, and after-sales support.

• Support leadership in embedding successful gender approaches into long-term organizational strategy beyond the grant lifecycle.

What Success Looks Like (First 90 Days)

Quantitative Outcomes

• Gender-related recruitment, training, and participation targets met or exceeded.

• High completion and retention rates among women agents and traders.

• Accurate, timely submission of all gender and MEL reporting requirements.

• Improved asset adoption, utilization, and business performance indicators for women participants.

Qualitative Excellence

• Demonstrates ownership of gender outcomes across program execution.

• Builds trust quickly with women traders, field agents, community leaders, and internal teams.

• Proactively identifies risks and adapts programming based on field evidence.

• Communicates insights clearly through concise, data-backed updates.

• Establishes systems that outlast the grant period.

Skills & Competencies

Gender & Program Expertise

• Strong grounding in gender equity, women’s economic empowerment, and social inclusion.

• Experience translating gender theories of change into practical, field-ready execution.

• Ability to guide evidence collection and ensure gender-sensitive indicators are correctly tracked.

• Familiarity with safeguarding, inclusion, and community-based engagement models.
  
  

Analytical & Reporting Skills

• Strong ability to analyze qualitative and quantitative gender data.

• Experience producing clear reports, case studies, and donor-ready documentation.

• Comfort using digital data collection tools and productivity software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Leadership & Collaboration

• Strong facilitation, training, and stakeholder management skills.

• Ability to influence cross-functionally without formal authority.

• High cultural competence, empathy, and discretion.

• Adaptive, solutions-oriented mindset suited to fast-paced field environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Sociology, Public Policy, or a related field.

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in gender programming, market systems development, or women-focused livelihood initiatives.

• Demonstrated experience working with women in informal markets, agricultural value chains, or last-mile distribution.

• Strong understanding of gender norms in Nigeria, particularly around mobility, safety, entrepreneurship, and household decision-making.

• Experience with donor-funded programs, documentation, and evidence generation.

• Comfortable conducting regular field visits and engaging community leaders and informal market stakeholders.

Location: Lagos / Hybrid

Role Type: 10–12 month full-time contract (renewable based on performance and funding)