Saudi Arabia enjoys a very high human development & ranked 38 out of 188; with an adult literacy rates of 99% for females and 99% for males for ages 15-24 years (2009-2014); yet international indicators point to the progress that needs to be achieved. For example, the Gender Inequality Index ranked Saudi Arabia 50 out of 188 countries; and Saudi Arabia’s Human Development Index has a value of 0.779 for females in contrast to 0.884 for males; with the lowest rank of 1.3% on the Global Women Leader Index (GWLI) which measures civil service leadership; and a labor force participation of 20.1% for females versus 79.1% for males. Indeed, it is important to note that the employed males in the labor force (Saudi and non-Saudi) constitute 83% versus 16.7% for females and the 2016 statistics point to the distribution of Saudis versus non-Saudis in the labor force (15 years and above) standing at 47.5% of non-Saudi males as opposed to 35.6% of Saudi males, and 10.1% of Saudi females versus 6.7% of non-Saudi females. Moreover, among the Saudis, female unemployment stands at 33.7% compared to 5.4% for males within a total unemployment figure of 11.6% for 2016. In this regard, women’s low economic participation is correlated to women’s low representation in leadership positions. While women’s participation in the public sector is increasing, rates of leadership are staggeringly low. A limited number of women assume decision making roles. In 2016, only 6 females were in Level 13 versus 548 males. Moreover, 42 females were in Grades 11-13 versus 2,385 males. Thus, these low rates of women’s participation in leadership positions exclude women’s voices and needs from important decision-making processes.

In recent years, the Kingdom paid particular attention to advancing the socioeconomic and political

development of women based on the rights granted to them in the Basic Law of Governance and the successive development plans. As part of its commitment to the advancement of a gender balance in the civil service and women’s empowerment, the Saudi Government has committed within its Vision 2030 launched in September 2017 to “Empower women and materialize their potentials; and improve performance, productivity, and flexibility of public authorities;” to increase “women’s participation in the workforce from 22% to 30%;” and to achieve the National Transformation Program’s 2020 goal of raising the proportion of women in Grade 11 and above of the civil service from 1.27% in 2016 to 5% by 2020.

To contribute to the achievement of Vision 2030 targets, the Ministry of Civil Service is undertaking an Initiative entitled “Women’s Empowerment in the Civil Service Sector and the promotion of Women’s Leadership.” The main objective of the Initiative is to increase the percentage of women's participation and representation in the civil service at all levels of employment and in all job categories including women's leadership positions, and capitalize on their available capabilities to expand their employment options thus increasing their participation in order to achieve a gender balance in the civil service. The Initiative

consists of three projects: a) Project to empower women leaders and increase their representation in decision-making positions; b) Project on Achieving a Gender Balance in the Civil Service; and c) Project Strategy for Telework in the Civil Service.

The overall aim of the Initiative on achieving a Gender Balance in the Civil Service (hereafter called the “project”) is to facilitate an enabling environment (legislative frameworks, policies and regulations); gender-sensitive institutional practices and work place culture supportive of the actualization of Vision 2030 targets on women’s empowerment.

The Initiative’s Development Goal is to achieve the following: Females in civil service institutions (selected pilots) by 2020, are empowered and their participation increases, at all levels and in all job categories, through equitable and diversified representation; capacities and opportunities; and supportive legislative frameworks to contribute to Vision 2030 Targets on achieving a prosperous economy, prosperous opportunities, increasing participation of women in the labour market and reducing unemployment rates (Enabling environment and institutional levels trickling down to the individual level).

To facilitate the implementation of the proposed Development Goal, the Initiative is designed around a set of concrete outcomes: Outcome 1: Gender-Balanced Enabling Environment in the Civil Service Enhanced to Promote Women’s Empowerment (enabling environment level); Outcome 2: Gender-Sensitive Structural and Institutional Frameworks including Human Resources Systems’ & Practices Developed & Strengthened to Ensure Gender Balance in the Civil Service (institutional level); and Outcome 3: A Positive Mind-set towards Women’s Employment by Decision-makers, Civil Servants, the General Public, and Women Promoted (individual and community level).

The overall purpose of the assessment is to equip selected pilot civil service institutions with the right gender-sensitive capacities to become an active contributors in the implementation of the Project toward Vision 2030 gender-related targets by 2020. The central theme of the gender needs’ assessment is to assess from a gender lens the staff capacities of pilot civil service institutions’ staff as follows:

• To conduct a gender needs assessment with the participation of pilot civil service institutions’ staff and management.
• To produce recommendations which strengthen the pilot institutions’ staff gender-mainstreaming capacities.
• To provide the appropriate gender training that best meets the needs of the participants

Duties and responsibilities:

• Document review, interviews with project staff, and basic training needs assessment as part of staff interviews;
• Assess efforts and progress to date on mainstreaming gender and the knowledge of the staff of gender issues. Based upon this assessment and after consultations with the project staff the consultant will develop a training programme;
• Determine pre-training participants' needs;
• Develop tailor made guidelines for gender mainstreaming in terms of design, implementation, and evaluation. These guidelines will be based on results of the assessment;
• Develop organizational change package;
• Develop proposed guidelines for implementing Gender into programmes and projects based on assessment;
• Based upon the assessment, the appropriate training methodology that best meets the needs of the participants should be identified and training content should be designed. Proposed methodology to utilize participatory, adult learning methodology will be used comprising presentations, brainstorming, case studies, group discussion, role-plays, plenary discussion, games and energizers. The training consultants will jointly prepare handouts/reading material.  
• The assessment will be conducted in Arabic
• Assist the participants to formulate a training follow-up action plan;
• Upon completion of workshop, evaluate the effectiveness of the training and make recommendations for improvement;
• Develop proposed guidelines for implementing Gender into projects based on the training outcomes;
• In a two-day workshop provide general gender sensitization and awareness to key Human resources personnel and project staff. Familiarize participants with basic gender concepts and raise awareness on gender constraints based upon results of Needs and Interest Assessment and familiarize the participants with the basic elements of gender-sensitive participatory monitoring;
• Train selected staff to develop a common understanding of the Project’s Gender Policy and practice. This will assist staff and partners in the translation of the Gender Policy into concrete action and to familiarize them with tools and skills necessary for effective mainstreaming of gender issues into operations;
• Draft the training report; and

Methodology:

Based upon the assessment, the appropriate training methodology that best meets the needs of the participants should be identified

• The candidate should have sound experience in gender training, should be able to lead dynamic gender training sessions, and to develop appropriate strategies to deliver the required training.
• The candidate should have a demonstrated ability to prepare training modules
• Proven experience in developing strategies for effective gender mainstreaming; and
• Fluency in Arabic is essential.

• A postgraduate university degree in Social Sciences or other relevant disciplines, preferably with a specialization in gender and project cycle management;
• A minimum of 5 years practical experience in the field of gender equality and gender mainstreaming with demonstrated expertise in gender integration in one or more of the following priority program sectors: economic development/growth/empowerment;
• Experience designing and implementing gender analyses and gender assessments (including collecting and analyzing data);