Gender Specialist at Colleges and Institutes Canada

Job Summary

General Expectations

The Gender Specialist is expected to lead gender equality (GE) focused efforts related to KBEST implementation in Kenya. This includes developing and leading the implementation of gender strategies, leading GE activities, and providing assistance to project partners and stakeholders. Drawing on professional experience and academic knowledge, the Specialist will enhance the understanding of CICan and its partners of key GE themes, particularly related to the Blue Economy, and work with the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) team to enhance the measurement of gender objectives in KBEST.

This role includes the planning and implementation of a range of activities across multiple educational and government partners. The position will work under the direction of the Kenya-based Senior Technical Advisor (STA) and will provide guidance to the other KBEST team members as well as external stakeholders. The position is also expected to work closely with Canadian-based staff.

This position requires the ability to perform a variety of complex tasks, It also requires excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills as well as the ability to work both independently and collaboratively on a team

The position is expected to involve some travel within Kenya.

Responsibilities

• Lead GE aspects of KBEST and advocate for the full integration of GE in the Blue Economy themes in all program areas in alignment with the Canadian Feminist International Assistance Policy and related GAC guidelines.
• Lead the development of the KBEST GE strategy and update it on an annual basis based on changes to KBEST partnerships, the Kenyan context, current global trends, and other relevant developments and innovations in GE and related fields (i.e. women’s economic empowerment, women’s rights, gender-based violence, sexual harassment, etc.).
• Guide CICan to ensure that project activities are aligned with the GE strategy,
• Work collaboratively with the broader CICan team in Kenya, Canada and elsewhere to strengthen the organization’s expertise on gender, including participation in the CICan gender community of practice.
• Work closely with the project’s MEL team to develop appropriate GE monitoring and evaluation indicators and learning questions and support data collection and analysis.
• Ensure that MEL has an ongoing GE focus and that this is captured in reporting through the development and use of gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation, results-based management and outcome mapping tools
• Plan and conduct gender focused research as needed and requested, including desk and field-based research as part of the project’s gender analysis, implementation phase and baseline study, inter alia.
• Lead GE reporting for mid-year and annual reports by reviewing partnership narrative reports to synthesize data on GE accomplishments and by collecting and integrating CICan-led data and analysis from Gender consultations and training into reports
• Guide/oversee/develop and coordinate the continuous improvement of CICan project gender mainstreaming approaches and tools
• Collaborate with Canadian and Kenyan partner staff to ensure gender work is integrated in project partnerships through support to partners and guidance on GE and youth strategies
• Oversee the development and implementation of gender-sensitive programming, including work planning, reporting, and capturing lessons learned/best practices.
• Provide input into program budget planning for gender project activities
• Provide technical assistance, including training and advice, for gender mainstreaming, GE programming to staff, consultants, and project partners, including government institutions, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and private sector partners as needed
• Work closely with implementing partners including community-based organizations and women’s right organizations to ensure that the project is aligned with local priorities and is anchored with local partners.
• Develop guidelines for project partners on GE issues and suggestions on how they can integrate these in teacher training and teaching materials
• Monitor the risks associated with the implementation of the GE strategies for the duration of the projects
• Contribute to the development of project communication materials
• Participate in the development and implementation of policies, procedures and strategies at both project and institutional levels
• Represent CICan to gender networks and professional associations.
• Participate in program committees to represent gender themes.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned

Reporting

• The employee will work under the direction of the Kenya-based KBEST Senior Technical Advisor. The employee is expected to work with a high degree of independence and autonomy.

Qualifications

• Full fluency in English and Swahili
• Kenyan citizen or legally permitted to work in Kenya. Note: CICan will not provide a work permit or sponsor individuals
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in gender studies, development, or a related field
• At least 5 years of professional experience working on gender integration on international development projects, ideally in the education, TVET and /or Blue economy sectors
• Experience working with community-based organizations, women’s rights organizations or similar in Kenya, ideally in the coast or lake regions
• Experience combining formal expertise on gender programming with experience of applying these to specific development sectors, plans, and policies
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and disseminate significant amounts of information
• Strong MEL skills and ability to develop effective indicators and MEL tools and demonstrated experience conducting research with a gender focus
• Experience working with government ministries at national and county level