Syrian Gender and Inclusion Consultant
The International Fund for Public Interest Media Consultancy
Ad Hoc, approximately 25 days per year
About the International Fund
The International Fund for Public Interest Media is a multilateral fund dedicated to supporting and financing independent journalism. The International Fund provides core grants to media outlets and develops strategic partnerships to develop new solutions and create lasting change to support public interest information where the need is greatest. We operate in low and middle-income markets across four regions: Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
About the Role
The Fund is seeking an experienced gender consultant - either an individual or an organisation - to provide expert support across two phases of its Syria programme: the grant due diligence process and ongoing grant management. The consultant will work closely with the Fund's grantmaking team to ensure that gender representation, inclusion, and workplace equality are meaningfully integrated into how grants are assessed, designed, and monitored.
Key Responsibilities
Grant Selection Phase
Conduct structured Gender Marker conversations with each shortlisted finalist, guided by the Fund's Gender and Inclusion Marker tool
Produce a written diagnostic assessment for each finalist organisation, identifying strengths, gaps, and recommended conditions or objectives to be incorporated into grant agreements or monitoring plans
Share findings with the Fund's grantmaking team to inform final grant design and conditions
Grant Management Phase
Work closely with selected grantees to support the development and implementation of gender-inclusive workplace policies and practices
Provide advisory support to grantees on gender-sensitive editorial practices and content production
Conduct gender audits of grantee organisations as needed, identifying areas for improvement and providing actionable recommendations
Monitor progress against gender-related grant conditions and objectives, in coordination with the Fund's programme team
Contribute to the Fund's broader ecosystem-level gender work in Syria, including participation in convenings and engagement with relevant sector actors
Person or Organisation Specification
Demonstrated expertise in gender equality, inclusion, and workplace policy within the media or journalism context in Syria
Deep knowledge of gender dynamics in Syria, including the specific political, cultural, and social factors shaping women's rights, participation, and safety in the current transitional context
Direct experience working on gender issues in Syria, including an understanding of how the transition since December 2024 has affected women's participation and visibility in public life and media
Familiarity with the structural barriers facing women journalists in Syria specifically, including digital harassment, safety risks, regression in women's participation , and the compound effects of funding contractions on women-led organisations and initiatives
Familiarity with gender auditing methodologies and the development of gender-inclusive organisational policies
Strong facilitation and advisory skills, with experience conducting sensitive organisational assessments
Ability to engage constructively with media organisations across a range of starting points, from those with strong existing gender policies to those at an earlier stage of this work
Arabic language skills essential and good working knowledge of English
Ability to work flexibly across a two-year programme period on an ad hoc basis
Contract Details
Approximately 75 days across a two-year programme period, with a higher concentration of days in Year 1
Applications are welcome from both individuals and organisations
All consultants will be required to complete a conflict of interest declaration prior to commencing work
To Apply
Please send a CV or organisational profile and a brief cover note explaining your relevant experience and your approach to gender and inclusion work in Syria to Oumou Dieng ([email protected]) by 8 July 2025