Background

With a comprehensive rights-based framework underpinning its conservation and sustainable development efforts, IUCN recognizes that protecting and promoting women’s rights and advancing gender equality, including through women’s empowerment and addressing genderbased violence, are not only globally agreed imperatives in their own rights but fundamental to meeting its mission. The Human Rights in Conservation team spearheads efforts to drive and support gender-responsive actions across the Union, with members and through a wide array of projects and partnerships, including a 20-year programme with USAID called AGENT – Advancing Gender in the Environment. Recognizing women as agents of change and the value of diverse knowledge, experiences and capacities of women and men alike, AGENT envisions a world that approaches environmental work at all levels with gender-responsive policy and action. One key area of work under AGENT is understanding and addressing gender-based violence and environment linkages. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and managed by IUCN, the RISE grants challenge is a first-of-its-kind grant fund that supports activities designed to address gender-based violence and environmental linkages in environmental and climate-related programmes and produce knowledge on promising interventions. RISE grantees and other key partners and stakeholders, participate in a community of mutual learning to share best practices and learning.

The RISE Consultant will report to the RISE Manager – Senior Gender Programme Officer, as well as the AGENT Chief of Party – Senior Gender Programme Manager and focus on 1. Supporting the development of the RISE grants challenge call for proposals and selection stages. 2. Support eligibility and technical screening processes. 3. Assisting due diligence and pre-award assessments, negotiations, and final proposal package preparations in close coordination with the RISE Manager and Senior Program Finance Officer and in accordance with IUCN and donor policies and requirements. 4. Support RISE winner’s announcement events. 5. Coordinate RISE orientation and peer learning sessions. The position requires grant-making experience, knowledge of IUCN granting requirements, and exceptional communication, analytical, and administrative/financial analysis skills. The duration of the RISE Consultant role will be approximately three years. Deliverables are dependent on project resources and timelines.

Key activities and deliverables are as follows

Grant cycle deliverables

• Review and analyse background documentation on the RISE grants challenge mechanism, including the RISE application and award stages.

• Review the call for proposals and application guidelines, ensuring alignment with revisions or amendments in objectives and requirements set by donors and IUCN for up to three rounds of RISE calls for proposals (one per year).

• Develop a database and related support tools for eligibility screening, technical screening and due diligence, aimed at enhancing efficiency and transparency in applicant evaluation for up to three rounds of RISE granting cycles (one per year).

• Facilitate due diligence processes for up to 25 projects during the duration of this contract, including the review and negotiation of proposal packages to ensure compliance with donor and IUCN requirements.

• Provide additional flexible Level of Effort (LOE) support to assist IUCN in internal processes as needed, offering on-demand assistance to address evolving requirements and challenges pertaining to the RISE grants challenge.

Orientation and peer learning deliverables

• Develop a comprehensive agenda for each of the 2025-2027 RISE grants challenge orientation and onboarding sessions. This includes identifying key topics, coordinating facilitators, and outlining the agenda structure. (approx three months each year)

o Deliver a detailed timeline encompassing planning, coordination, and execution phases for the orientation sessions. Ensure alignment with overall project milestones and deadlines.

o Deliver the established agenda by coordinating with presenters to ensure readiness and adherence to IUCN RISE grants challenge requirements. Facilitate briefings and provide necessary support to maintain session coherence. o Develop an orientation after action report to capture and document key insights, discussions, and outcomes from the orientation sessions. This documentation serves as a reference for future planning and strategic decision-making.

o Design and administer evaluation surveys to gather feedback on the effectiveness and relevance of the orientation sessions. Analyse survey results to inform continuous improvement efforts.

• Develop and deliver quarterly peer learning sessions during the duration of this contract, identifying learning sessions aimed at enhancing knowledge sharing and capacity building among RISE implementing organizations (approx. once per quarter – four times per/year).

• Facilitate the conceptualisation and coordination of up to 12 events for the RISE grants challenge focusing on collaboration and knowledge exchange with the RISE grants challenge implementers.