GBV & Harmful Practices Technical Expert (Sector Expert)

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced technical expert to strengthen the quality and credibility of programme assessments focused on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), child marriage, and other harmful social norms that restrict sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). In this consultancy role, you will work as a senior specialist on third-party monitoring and evaluation assignments, applying your knowledge of the Horn of Africa context to help teams understand whether programmes are achieving meaningful, safe, and lasting change for affected communities.

Your day-to-day work will involve reviewing programme results, designing ethical and survivor-sensitive data collection methods, and contributing sharp thematic insight to technical reports. More broadly, your expertise will guide decision-making for donors and implementers who need rigorous evidence on what works to eliminate harmful practices and protect the rights of women and girls.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead technical assessments of programme performance, identifying the extent to which outputs, outcomes, and broader impact align with objectives on FGM/C, child marriage, GBV, and harmful norms affecting SRHR.
• Design and refine evaluation methodologies, indicator frameworks, and data collection tools that are grounded in survivor-centred principles and do no harm.
• Develop consultation approaches and guidance that enable meaningful, safe participation of survivors, women, girls, community leaders, and other stakeholders, including through safeguarding-appropriate protocols.
• Review programme documents, monitoring data, and field reports to assess contribution to intended results and to identify unintended effects or risks.
• Conduct thematic analysis across diverse sources—quantitative and qualitative—to surface patterns, successes, gaps, and recommendations for programme improvement.
• Contribute written analysis and technical content to consolidated reports for multilateral and European Union-funded assignments, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and depth of contextual understanding.
• Collaborate with other technical experts and local partners to validate findings and ensure recommendations are practical and culturally sensitive.
• Support capacity building of field teams and enumerators on ethical enquiry into sensitive topics, including referral pathways and safeguarding obligations.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Gender Studies, Public Health, Social Work, International Development, or a directly related discipline; a doctoral qualification is strongly preferred.
• At least ten years of progressively senior technical experience in programme design, research, monitoring, or evaluation specifically addressing GBV, FGM/C, child marriage, or harmful norms linked to SRHR.
• Demonstrated ability to apply survivor-centred, feminist, and safeguarding-sensitive approaches in the design and implementation of research and evaluation.
• Strong qualitative and quantitative analytical skills, with competence in using evidence to formulate clear, actionable recommendations for non-specialist audiences.
• Excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of relevant languages spoken in the Horn of Africa is an advantage.
• Regional experience in the Horn of Africa (for example, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia/Kenya) is strongly preferred, including facility with the socio-cultural, legal, and policy landscapes relating to gender and harmful practices.
• Prior experience working on European Union-funded programmes, other multilateral initiatives, or third-party monitoring assignments is a significant advantage.
• Capacity to independently manage time within a consultancy framework and meet strict reporting deadlines.