Gender and Participation Specialist

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world's leading conservation organizations, seeks a Gender and Participation Officer (GPS) for the GEF-UNDP funded project "Towards Joint Integrated, Ecosystem-based Management of the Pacific Central American Coastal Large Marine Ecosystem (PACA), based in our office in Guatemala. We are looking to hire a passionate, creative, and dedicated professional, always willing to push the boundaries, a great team player and overall, a good human being, who understands and appreciates the value of leading by example.

We are driven by the WWF Core Values:

COURAGE:  We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it's needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.

INTEGRITY:   We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability, and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve.

RESPECT:    We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future.

COLLABORATION:  We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation.

This person´s main responsibility is to ensure the generation of the outputs and outcomes specified in the Project Document (PRODOC) of the project "Towards Joint Integrated, Ecosystem-based Management of the Pacific Central American Coastal Large Marine Ecosystem (PACA Project)", following the required quality standards and staying within time and costs restrictions. This position will report to the Project Manager and will coordinate and exchange with the relevant colleagues from the project team and of WWF Mesoamerica and the wider WWF network, especially on gender and participation topics.

This person will have three basic functions to be performed under the lead of the Project Manager and with the technical advice of the Principal Technical Advisor (PTA):

1. To guarantee the incorporation of social and gender perspectives in the implementation of the project.
2. To ensure effective engagement and participation of the key stakeholders and direct beneficiaries of the project.
3. Support the Marine Resources Specialist (MRS) in the development of the Transboundary Diagnostic Assessment/Strategic Action Plan (TDA/SAP) process following the methodology established in the GEF International Waters portfolio.

1. Key responsibilities

1. At the beginning of the project, organize the training for the project personnel and partners (including members of the technical committee and the TDA and SAP development teams) in gender issues, cultural sensitivity, and use of inclusive language. Subsequently, provide induction in these areas to new people who join the work team.
2. Coordinate the implementation of the Gender Action Plan (Annex 7 of the PRODOC) and the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (Annex 5 of the PRODOC).
3. Prepare and implement the strategy for gender and inclusion including awareness-raising, participation, and articulation among key decision-makers and stakeholders (output 2.3). Ensure that there is synergy among the awareness-raising, communication, and knowledge-transfer strategies.
4. Based on international best practices and relevant national policies, prepare guidelines and guide the team to:

• Development and implementation of participatory processes and multi-level dialogue among key stakeholders.
• Culture-sensitive practices, social inclusion, and gender mainstreaming.
• Organizing sustainable, inclusive, and gender-sensitive events (meetings, training sessions).
• Using inclusive, intercultural-sensitive, and gender-inclusive language in project activities, materials, and communications.

1. Ensure that the project´s experience notes, results notes, and learning systematization documents address gender and social matters.
2. Guarantee the application of the following policies, strategies, and guidelines:

• Global Environmental Facility (GEF) policy on public involvement and the corresponding guidelines.
• GEF policy on gender equality and the corresponding guidelines.
• GEF policy on stakeholder engagement.
• GEF principles and guidelines for engagement with indigenous peoples.
• United Nations Development Program (UNDP) gender equality strategy
• Guide to gender mainstreaming in UNDP-supported GEF-financed projects.
• UNDP information disclosure policy.
• Stakeholder response mechanism which is part of the UNDP´s accountability mechanism
• WWF´s Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework (ESSF).

1. Ensure prompt delivery of outputs and the generation of project outcomes.
2. Support the development of the workplan and resources to implement the TDA/SAP process (outcomes 1 and 2).
3. Support the implementation of the TDA/SAP process with all the members of the project team.
4. Ensure that the annual work plan with the corresponding budget for project output 2.3, integrates the gender action plan and the stakeholder engagement plan.
5. Keep an adequate and fluent communication and collaboration with project key stakeholders and partners, the rest of the members of the project team, and relevant members of WWF Mesoamerica.
6. Promote communication and sharing experiences among project partners, stakeholders, and direct beneficiaries from the countries.
7. With the Knowledge Management Specialist, systematically document project lessons on (i) the application of the TDA / SAP process, (ii) advancing governance in the Pacific Central American Coastal Large Marine Ecosystem and (iii) visibility and strengthening of the role of women in shared coastal and marine resources management.
8. Contribute to the monitoring of indicators, related to gender and engagement of key stakeholders and beneficiaries, providing inputs in order that these subjects be analyzed and included in the quarterly report, the Project Implementation Report (PIR), Monitoring Report (MTR), and terminal evaluation.
9. Other functions and activities as required.

1. Minimum Qualifications

• Citizen of Guatemala or from another country with residence in Guatemala.

Education and Experience

• Master´s degree in social sciences, local development, gender studies, sociology, or anthropology.
• Must have at least 7 years of working experience in gender issues, interdisciplinary teams, and participatory processes in development projects.
• Must have training in gender.
• Previous working experience in the key issues of the Pacific Central American Coastal Large Marine Ecosystem and formulation, implementation, or evaluation of GEF projects is desirable.

1. Skills and Abilities    

• Written and oral fluency in Spanish and English
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in the development of participatory methodologies and capacities for dialogue, training activities and interaction with different audiences
• Working knowledge of instructional design methodologies to deliver effective solutions in a variety of formats.
• Demonstrated negotiation and diplomatic skills to work with all different stakeholders of the project.
• Discipline to implement established procedures and policies.
• Organizational skills and creativity to propose improvements to the project and to resolve technical problems.
• Availability to travel to and within all PACA project countries (Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama) as well as other countries if necessary.
• Excellent use of Microsoft Office.
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Identification and alignment with WWF's core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration:
  • Demonstrating courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
  • Building trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
  • Welcoming other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
  • Making conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.

Upload your complete application in a single PDF document, that contains:

• On the first page, a cover letter summarizing your work experience and ability that meet each of the minimum qualifications described in section III, at the end of the letter include your salary expectation.
• On the second page, include your CV with at least three contacts of work references.
• Application deadline: Sunday, February 1st, 2026 or before in case we do have enough candidates to close the process.
• Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone.
  
   

WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability.

WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.