We are looking to work with an external consultant to carry out a short review of our Gender Justice portfolio, to inform the future delivery of our strategy.
Read the full invitation to tender
We’re seeking someone with strong analytical skills, experience in the gender justice sector, and the ability to summarise findings clearly and simply.
The work will take approximately 12 days, from October to December 2025, with a budget of £9,000.
Background
Our strategy, launched in 2020 and extended to 2027, includes Gender Justice as one of five A Fairer Future priorities. The review will assess progress to date, examine the changing context in 2025, and identify opportunities to strengthen our work in this area.
As we reach the midpoint, and look to the direction of the strategy beyond 2027, we want to: assess where we are in 2025 and how well our funding is meeting our stated funding outcomes; revisit the context for Gender Justice work in the UK and to what degree our outcomes are meeting the challenges seen by the sector.
We will use what we learn about the changing context for Gender Justice, and what progress our work and funding has made so far, to inform our future work.
Review questions
The review will explore:
- How the context for Gender Justice has changed since 2022
- Whether the current portfolio meets stated outcomes
- The impact of Esmée’s funding since 2020 and areas of challenge
- Gaps in the portfolio and potential opportunities
- Opportunities for intersections across outcomes
- Alignment with other funders and potential partnerships
- Emerging areas for proactive work aligned with other Esmée priorities
Method and approach
The consultant will act as a critical friend, providing independent insight and challenge. The review will involve:
- Desk research: policy changes, funding shifts, and sector developments
- Learning review: analysis of grants and investments 2020–2025
- Stakeholder engagement: two group discussions and up to three interviews
- Report writing: including anonymised notes and draft outputs
- Debrief session: presentation to Esmée staff
Deliverables
- Report for staff and trustees
- PowerPoint deck or executive summary highlighting key findings
- Anonymised notes from interviews and relevant research
Read the full invitation to tender
Registering your interest
If you are available for this project, email communications@esmeefairbairn.org.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 1 October 2025, including:
- CV (including day rates)
- Links to examples of your work
- Details of any potential conflicts of interest
