Introduction
Since 2023, the Scottish Government has funded the Climate Just Communities (CJC) project in Zambia, a flagship programme under its Climate Justice Fund in Zambia. The CJC project is ending in March 2026, but Scottish Government is running a Request for Proposals for a final year of support to CJC communities from April 2026 – March 2027. The project will develop and deliver, through a participatory approach, a series of interventions that build inclusive and climate change resilient communities in some of the most climate-vulnerable districts of Zambia.
The objectives of the project are to:
a) Empower communities to identify their own priorities to be addressed through climate justice support and build resilience to the local material and social impacts of climate change;
b) Empower the most marginalised within communities (including but not limited to marginalisation for reasons related to gender, age, disability or indigenous status) to participate and take action in building resilience to the local material and social impacts of climate change;
c) Empower communities to advocate for climate justice and local equity;
d) Create long-term, sustainable change within communities in line with the pillars of climate justice.
NIRAS Group (UK) Ltd is tendering to deliver this follow-on phase of the CJC project in Zambia. To deliver the assignment, NIRAS has developed a consortium of national and international organisations. Local Zambian NGOs function as the Community Delivery Partners (CDPs), responsible for delivering interventions and facilitating community participation at district level.
The project, if awarded, would be implemented across four of the most climate-vulnerable districts in Zambia: Luangwa, Sinazongwe, Shangombo, and Sioma. CJC Zambia to date has delivered interventions to over 30,000 direct beneficiaries in areas including water access; climate-resilient agriculture and livestock management; natural resource management (NRM); disaster risk reduction (DRR); economic development (access to finance, business development), gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), and climate advocacy.
Role Description
The GEDSI Lead will be part of the core project team and will be overall responsible for delivering the project’s approach to gender, equality, disability and social inclusion. The Lead will work in close collaboration with the project disability inclusion advisors at Disability Rights Watch (DRW) and CBM UK.
The GEDSI Lead is a 100% FTE role based in the NIRAS Zambia Office in Lusaka from 1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027. Upcountry travel is expected at no less than 30% FTE.
The GEDSI Lead will report to the Team Leader.
Key Responsibilities:
· Overall responsibility for mainstreaming gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) considerations into CJC Zambia as guided by the CJC GEDSI Strategy.
· Providing Quality Assurance from a GEDSI lens of project deliverables as needed.
· Working closely with the International and National Disability Inclusion Partners and Intervention Leads, to implement the GEDSI Strategy and ensure that all programme interventions are designed and implemented with sensitivity to the needs of women, youth, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.
· In close partnership with Disability Inclusion Advisors, lead overall delivery of the GEDSI activities in the project workplan, providing technical backstopping and guidance to CDP staff in the execution of GEDSI-transformative activities in target communities, including, for instance:
o (i) Mentorship for representatives of marginalised groups in the Community Management Committees (CMCs) and other CJC structures;
o (ii) Following up/mentorship of GEDSI Champions and implementation of community level GEDSI awareness campaigns and GEDSI action plans;
o (iii) Engagements with traditional leaders to support the removal of barriers to inclusivity in CJC for marginalised groups; and
o (vi) Overseeing the integration of the Gender Action Learning System (GALS) into the CDP programming and supervising short-term technical assistance engaged to support this, including holding ward-level quarterly review meetings to evaluate GALS activities and address any challenges.
o (vii) Provide support to DRW in the delivery disability inclusion activities, including establishing/strengthening district-level Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPD) networks; conducting ward-level meetings with people with disabilities to receive feedback on CJC support; collaborating with traditional leaders, advocacy champions and local government on issues affecting people with disabilities; and supporting DRW in ensuring an inclusive approach to provision of assistive devices, reasonable accommodation and surgical eye camps.
· Provide inputs into learning products and communications on GEDSI.
· Work closely with the CDPs to identify CDP level GEDSI Focal Points in all CDPs, provide ongoing training to them, as well as hold them accountable to coordinate GEDSI activities and report on them in CDP reports.
· Ensure capacity building in GEDSI is re-enforced so that all GEDSI Focal Points at district level are appropriately trained, if they have not been trained before, and understand the GEDSI intervention and their role.
· Contribute to quarterly client reports, providing updates on progress against the GEDSI workplan.
· Participating in other tasks as requested by the Team Leader.
Key Deliverables
Deliverables will be determined on a quarterly basis and reflected in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
It is expected that the MEAL Lead will lead the preparation of client technical progress reports on a quarterly and annual basis, in close collaboration with the Team Leader and Project Manager.
Appraisal Process
KPIs will be produced, against which performance will be measured on an annual basis during an appraisal process.
Required Expertise
· Master’s Degree.
· 5 years’ or more experience in the integration of GEDSI on development programmes.
· Strong facilitation and capacity building experience, including on GEDSI.
· Experience in participatory methods and community engagement.
· Strong attention to detail and report writing skills.
Application Process
To apply, please send your CV to FINANCE.ADMIN.ZM@niras.com by 23:59 on 27 January 2026.
