Application Cycle Concluded
The listed deadline for this opening was July 29, 2026. Application criteria, required documents, and preparation guidelines below remain active for upcoming academic cycles. Explore active live openings below.
About this opportunity
SPARK is hiring a Senior Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor for a home-based consultancy with travel to Morocco and Tunisia. The contract runs approximately 60 to 75 working days during the programme inception phase, expected between September and December 2026, with a start date of September 1, 2026. The consultancy fee is negotiable based on qualifications and experience. Applications close August 7, 2026. The advisor will provide strategic and technical guidance during the inception phase of a programme aimed at strengthening women's entrepreneurship in Morocco and Tunisia. SPARK is selecting and supporting in-country implementing partners (IPs) through tailored financial and non-financial support. These partners will design and deliver interventions that address barriers facing women entrepreneurs, including skill-building in business management, financial literacy, and digital tools, plus mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and soft skills training. At the societal level, partners will run community sensitisation dialogues, promote positive narratives about women's economic participation, and build networks for business linkages and safety. SPARK is an international non-governmental organisation that creates opportunities for young people in fragile and conflict-affected contexts through entrepreneurship development and higher education. It strengthens local ecosystems, supports entrepreneurs, and builds institutional capacities to drive inclusive economic growth and sustainable employment. This role sits at the intersection of gender transformation and economic development, requiring someone who can shape strategy, improve tools, and coach staff. Morocco and Tunisia both have growing entrepreneurial ecosystems, though women face distinct barriers in each country, including limited access to finance, social norms around women's work, and gaps in digital and financial literacy. The consultant will work remotely but travel to both countries for partner selection, capacity building, and kick-off clinics. French and Arabic are widely spoken in both countries, so language skills beyond English are valuable. The working environment in the region is formal but relationship-driven, and experience with local contexts will help the advisor move quickly.
Responsibilities
- Advise on the programme's gender-transformative strategy, including criteria for co-designed projects by IPs, grounded in the realities of female entrepreneurs in Morocco and Tunisia
- Support the development and enhancement of IP selection tools from a gender-responsive, transformative, and social inclusion angle
- Support the partner selection process
- Support capacity assessments and capacity building plans for selected IPs from a gender-responsive, transformative, and social inclusion angle
- Support the co-design process with selected IPs
- Support recruitment of SPARK staff from a gender lens
- Identify opportunities to strengthen inclusion of underrepresented and vulnerable groups
- Support preparation of in-country programme kick-off clinics
- Support knowledge management, including regional networking and learning events
- Provide GESI training and coaching to SPARK staff
- Inform programme learning and adaptive management based on the programme's MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) data
- Support continuous strengthening of SPARK's partnership approach by promoting gender-responsive and socially inclusive partnership models, tools, and organisational practices applicable across SPARK's programmes
Benefits
- Consultancy fee to be agreed based on qualifications and experience
- Home-based work with travel to Morocco and Tunisia
- Contract of approximately 60 to 75 working days during the inception phase
Requirements & Qualifications
- Master's degree in Gender Studies, International Development, Social Sciences, Public Policy, Economics, or another relevant discipline
- At least 10 years of professional experience in gender equality and social inclusion within international development programmes
- Clear track record in gender transformation and women's empowerment
- Proven experience supporting entrepreneurship, MSME development, private sector development, or women's economic empowerment initiatives
- At least 5 years of experience designing and delivering organisational capacity strengthening interventions
- Experience working with international donors, preferably the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union, or comparable bilateral or multilateral organisations
- Experience in Morocco, Tunisia, or Northern Africa more generally is highly desirable
- Excellent analytical, facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and report-writing skills
- Excellent written and spoken English
- Knowledge of French and/or Arabic is considered a strong asset
How to Apply
- Prepare a motivation letter outlining your suitability for the assignment and an updated Curriculum Vitae.
- Submit your application by the deadline of August 7, 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
- Click the Apply button below to submit your application.
Ready to start your application?
Submit your materials before the official deadline.
Verify all official guidelines and eligibility criteria directly with the host institution before submitting. Prepare your transcript evaluation, referee letters, and motivational statement early to avoid deadline bottleneck delays.
Official Application Strategy & Recommended Tools
Selection Committee Priorities
- •Academic/Professional Alignment: Ensure your statement explicitly ties your past work in to Organization's strategic goals.
- •Leadership Evidence: Selection panels heavily weigh demonstrated initiative, community impact, or research output.
- •Financial & Language Prerequisites: Confirm if Medium of Instruction (MOI) certificates can substitute for formal standardized language test fees.




