Gender Equality & Social Inclusion Advisor at World University Service of Canada

Working hours: Full time / 40 hrs per week

Reports to: East Africa Director

Salary Range: Aligned with experience

Background:

Working out of our office in Nairobi, Kenya, the Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor will play a strategic role across the East Africa Portfolio. Specifically, he or she will provide gender and social inclusion analysis, lead in the development of GESI strategies, build gender mainstreaming capacity across project teams, and ensure that WUSC programming addresses the unique needs of women, men, boys and girls. The current WUSC portfolio in East Africa focuses on girls’ education, and includes:

Learning through Education and Access to Employment Pathways (LEAP), funded by Global Affairs Canada and operating in Kakuma refugee camp, Kalobeyei settlement, and nearby Kenyan communities in Turkana county.
Kenya Equity in Education Project (KEEP) funded via DFID’s Girls Education Challenge, and operating in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps, as well as hosting communities in Turkana and Garissa counties
Adolescent Girls Education in Crisis Initiative (AGENCI), funded by Global Affairs Canada and operating in northern Uganda and South Sudan.

In addition to supporting WUSC’s existing programs, the GESI advisor will provide inputs to the design of new projects as the portfolio expands. The role will require regular travel to field sites in Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan, as well as occasional international travel for conferences, workshops and meetings.

The GESI Advisor will also develop resources and conduct training for WUSC staff, partners and volunteers to enable them to contribute to WUSC’s gender equality and social inclusion goals. Finally, the GESI Advisor will work to promote and maintain an organizational culture that advances gender equality.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• GESI Advice & Coaching to WUSC Programs and Projects
• Provide high-quality technical assistance to diverse teams across the east africa portfolio, including program delivery teams, building a solid evidence base for the implementation of gender-transformative approaches
• Support program staff in the development or revision of program/project-specific GESI strategies, plans and activities;
• Assist program staff in integrating GESI into project planning and management approaches (including results based management tools) and propose strategies to increase project/program impact on GESI;
• Identify strengths and weaknesses in existing GE practices, leading the development of improved systems, processes, and tools for improving our results in GESI;
• Facilitate the use of GESI data to promote evidence-based learning, reflection and decision making within programs/ projects;
• Work with program managers & M&E Advisors to ensure that M&E systems are established to ensure that GESI results are captured and reported to relevant stakeholders;
• Create GESI resources (including training) and tools (ie. tipsheets) to assist staff in effectively prioritizing and integrating GESI in their work;
• GESI Advice to new Programs
• Work with the Program Development unit to ensure the integration of GESI in new program design, including: initial rapid gender equality & empowerment assessment, initial GESI strategy, identification of GESI activities;
• Ensure compliance of projects with donor requirements related to gender equality, social inclusion and empowerment;
• Recommend financial and human resources necessary to execute program/ project GESI gender analyses and strategies;
• Support new project inception planning, particularly the development of the program/ project-specific GESI analyses, strategies and planning;
• Support project teams in the recruitment and capacity building of project-specific gender equality advisors and officers

Internal & External Learning on GESI

• Participate in designing research and learning components of projects to build evidence around what works best with regard to GESI focused initiatives within our programs’ contexts.
• Liaise regularly with program-specific gender equality resources (staff/ consultants) at WUSC HQ and other country offices to share best practices, tools, and organizational approaches to GESI;
• Support the establishment of systems that enable a “community of learning” within and across programs to enhance lesson sharing and impact.
• Participate in GESI-related working groups and maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other relevant international NGOs.
• Engage with regional and global GESI communities of practice to ensure that projects are up to date with best practice as it evolves.

Qualifications & Competencies:

• Strong analytical, research and writing skills;
• Proven ability to communicate clearly and build strong working relationships in intercultural environments;
• MA/MSc or equivalent in International Development or a related field (human rights) required - coursework in Gender Equality in International Development is preferred;
• A minimum of 5 years of GESI-specific work experience in development programming required; ideal candidate will have both theoretical and practical background in GESI and skilled in GESI analysis and methodologies;
• Knowledge of accountability, protection, women and children’s rights frameworks and best practices;
• Proven ability to work productively with a variety of stakeholders to run participatory processes and meet tight deadlines with an emphasis on producing quality products;
• Excellent capacity building skills, with demonstrated experience in effective training, coaching and facilitation;
• Proven experience fostering organizational culture and accountability conducive to gender equality outcomes;
• Experience designing and conducting gender analyses and developing gender strategies;
• Experience with a range of institutional donors, including GAC and DFID
• Effective interpersonal and influencing skills, including the ability to build relationships, network, communicate and represent organizational views at a senior level are essential;
• Flexibility, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple priorities;
• Commitment to local capacity building and the ability to engage local stakeholders in policy design and implementation;
• Passion and commitment to gender equality and youth empowerment.

Languages:

Complete fluency, oral and written in English essential.