Gender Officer at Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA)

Job Summary:

The Gender Officer will take lead in the implementation of the gender strategy intended to support the achievement of the M-SAWA’s outcome for both women SEs and Women Led SMEs. The position will work closely with other project team members both at the programmes and cross cutting departments.

Location and Duration of Position: 1-year renewable contract. This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Eligible candidates: Kenyan Nationals

Main Responsibilities:

• Ensure that the gender strategy, guidelines and framework is in place to guide project implementation and ensure that all activities promote gender and provide equal opportunities among project beneficiaries.
• Guide project execution to ensure that activities are implemented according to MEDA’s gender strategy
• Contributing gender perspectives to the design, implementation and evaluation of project activities
• Work on the integration and mainstreaming of gender across the different project sectors
• Create a capacity building plan on gender equality principles for MEDA staff and key stakeholders
• Work with project clients (SMEs and SEs) to identify emerging challenges and promote best practices in gender -equitable participation
• Contribute to improving the business environment for SEs and SMEs as well as bringing a gender perspective to mitigation strategies as outlined in the Risk Register.
• Identify and strengthen engagements and collaborations with Kenyan organizations that focus on gender equality
• Collaborating in writing annual work plans and donor reports.
• Contribute to assessing concept notes, grant awards and MOU’s/contracts for SMEs to ensure that gender-equitable criteria are met.
• Participate in the initial site visits for SMEs in the M-SAWA’s project pipeline to ensure strong integration of gender into the SMEs initiatives.
• Continuously assess gender context, assumptions and changes in the working environment to ensure that the project focus, strategies and activities on gender equality remain relevant and to propose adjustments when needed.
• Develop monthly, quarterly and annual implementation plans for gender equality and mainstreaming in coordination with other project staff.
• Ensure that project components and activities implemented are gender sensitive as outlined in the project implementation plan and in line with the requirements from Global Affairs Canada

Qualification, Experience & Skills:

• Must have at least Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Gender and Development Studies or any other related course.
• Masters qualifications in Social Sciences or related field will be an absolute advantage.
• Have at least five years of relevant working experiences in a non-governmental organization focusing on gender issues.
• Understanding of: business decision-making in competitive market environments; inclusive sub-sector development and value chain development facilitation methods.
• Sector experience in any of these : agriculture/agribusiness, construction and extractive sectors is a requirement.
• Must be able to work comfortably and effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds and to maintain constructive working relations in multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to make timely and considered recommendations or decisions based on analysis of available data, information and evidence
• Willingness to travel 40% of the time to the project areas for project monitoring.
• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s faith, values, mission and purpose.