Job Title: Gender Policy Advisor
Department: Pan-African Programme
Location: Acord Headquarters- Nairobi- Kenya
Reporting To: Pan-African Head of Policy and Advocacy
Organisational Context
ACORD (Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development) is a Pan-African organisation working for Social Justice and Development in Africa.
ACORD is implementing a Pan-African Programme mainly focused on food sovereignty and cross-cutting thematic programmes on Conflict, HIV & AIDS and Gender.
ACORD operates in 18 African countries. ACORD’s response to the challenges of
Africa is firmly based on a belief that people themselves are the agents of
change and actors of their own development. People’s ability to take action on
the causes of poverty is what will transform Africa’s future.Department: Pan-African Programme
Location: Acord Headquarters- Nairobi- Kenya
Reporting To: Pan-African Head of Policy and Advocacy
Organisational Context
ACORD (Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development) is a Pan-African organisation working for Social Justice and Development in Africa.
ACORD is implementing a Pan-African Programme mainly focused on food sovereignty and cross-cutting thematic programmes on Conflict, HIV & AIDS and Gender.
This belief underpins ACORD’s practical work, its research methodologies and policy advocacy. ACORD works in partnership with local civil society associations and communities and in alliance with likeminded organizations in Africa and the rest of the world.
ACORD was created in 1976 as a consortium of non-governmental development organizations from Europe and Canada to implement long term development programs.
Following an organizational change process, the strategic leadership of ACORD was relocated to Africa and as of today the ACORD Head Office is located in Nairobi-Kenya.
Job Summary
The Gender Policy Advisor is responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of the gender thematic programs in line with the overall ACORD Strategic Plan, the Pan-African programme, and Gender thematic strategies and Programming guidelines.
S/he will provide technical and methodological support to ACORD’s country and area programmes across Africa in relation to gender work.
S/he shall actively contribute to define strategies advancing gender work at Pan-African level through research, partnership, alliance building and advocacy initiatives.
S/he shall provide leadership in cross-learning and knowledge generation for thematic alignment in relation to ACORD’s gender strategic priorities across the organisation.
Specific Responsibilities
1. Strategy and Planning
- Coordinate
the further development of the gender thematic strategies in line with the
overall ACORD Strategic Plan and Programming guidelines;
- Provide
leadership in the implementation of the gender thematic strategies through
the gender working groups;
- Support
the development of clear policy and practice change (PPCs) targets on
gender within Area Programmes, as well as at regional and pan African
levels, through a process of critical analysis and reflection;
- Provide
leadership and technical support in the development and implementation of
viable work plans for the area programme and pan African levels, in line
with country and area strategies and the overall gender thematic
strategies;
- Facilitate
the institutionalization of gender equality across the organisation;
- Coordinate
the development of the annual budget for multi-country and Pan African
gender thematic programmes and ensure their adequate implementation;
2. Technical and Methodological Support on
Gender Theme
- Support
cross-cutting research and advocacy work around the gender theme;
- Enforce
the implementation of the rights-based approach and the social exclusion
analysis and other methodological tools that would be developed or adapted
in the implementation of the gender thematic strategies;
- Coordinate
capacity building initiatives on the gender theme for ACORD staff and
partners;
3. Contribution to the Delivery of the
Pan-Africa Programme
- In
collaboration with the Pan-African Head of Policy and Advocacy, define
strategies to deliver on objectives in respect to gender theme within the
Pan-African Programme;
- Map
out and build alliances with organisations working on gender issues at
Pan-African level and Internationally;
- Contribute
to policy analysis and positioning of ACORD through the Pan-African
programme;
- Contribute
to research and advocacy initiatives related to gender within the
Pan-African programme.
- Ensure
thematic alignment with other themes namely Conflict, Food sovereignty and
HIV and AIDs
- Mainstream
gender into the Pan-African programme
4. Specific Gender Research and Advocacy Work
- Keep
abreast of research and policies development on gender
- Gather
relevant intelligence on issues of gender so as to keep ACORD and its
partners on top of the knowledge in the area and inform meaningfully the
advocacy and lobby work
- Develop
and maintain sustained Partnerships and Alliances with Civil Society
organisations and Social Movements at regional, Pan-African and Global
levels to advance ACORD’s work on gender in Africa;
- Develop
and implement a lobbying and advocacy strategy and plans at regional and
Pan-African level toward critical actors and “change makers” in gender
- Prepare
advocacy materials and in cooperation with the gender working groups
coordinate the mobilization and capacity building of popular mass movement
across Africa on issues of gender
- Raise
sustained public profile of ACORD and its agenda through creating,
developing and maintaining good relations with the media
- Provide
methodological support to the ACORD’s thematically aligned gender work at
national and regional level and build the capacity of the gender thematic
working groups
- Facilitate
and consolidate learning and knowledge generation and the thematic
alignment of ACORD’s processes and methods across Africa in relation to
gender.
5. Fundraising and Donor Reporting
- In
collaboration with the Partnership Development Unit, identify new funding
sources and generate concept notes and proposals in line with the gender
thematic strategies;
- Develop
quality reports on ACORD’s overall gender work;
- Contribute
to the internal review of reports from country and area programmes on
gender related work
6. Documentation of Best Practices and Learning
- Promote
the development of practical tool kits to guide gender thematic work;
- Promote
capacity building initiatives strengthening synergy and exchange among
gender working groups;
- Contribute
to organize annual learning events on program practices and approaches in
relation to the work on gender;
- Promote
replication of documented best practices on gender work among partner
organisations in Africa and internationally;
- Capitalize
on success stories promoting gender work to internal and external
audiences.
7. Monitoring and Reporting
- In
collaboration with the Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator, organize
the review of the gender thematic programmes;
- Coordinate
reporting processes on the gender thematic work and prepare consolidated
annual and bi-annual report on ACORD’s work on gender;
- Document
lessons learned from review processes in order to continuously improve the
quality of gender work within ACORD.
8. Supervision and Collaboration
- The
Gender Policy Advisor is under the direct supervision of the Pan-African
Head of Policy and Advocacy.
- The
Gender Policy Advisor will work closely with other colleagues in the
Programming department: HIV & AIDS Thematic Manager, Conflicts
Thematic Manager, Livelihoods Policy Advisor, Monitoring & Evaluation
and Knowledge Management Coordinator, Head of Programmes Operations &
Development, Programmes Operations & Development Coordinator and the
Area Programme Managers.
- S/he
shall also work closely with colleagues in other departments- Partnership
Development, Human Resources & Administration and Finance.
- S/he
shall manage the gender team and coordinate/facilitate the functioning of
the gender thematic working group.
Qualification and Experience
Education/Qualification
Education/Qualification
- Masters
in Social Sciences or Sustainable Development, Gender or similar field
Experience:
- Five
(5) years working experience in gender work with an International
Non-Governmental Organisation (INGO) at Management level;
- Strong
experience in strategic planning and policy formulation
- Strong
experience in lobbying and media work
- Experience
in popular mobilisation and policy advocacy at international level
- Experience
in alliance and partnership building
- Bilingual:
English-French spoken and written is an essential requirement for the
position
Technical expertise
- High
level of conceptual, strategic thinking
- Communicating
with impact with various stakeholders
- Excellent
Communication (written and oral) and Public Relations skills
- Very
good understanding of gender issues at the level of Policy influence in
the Pan-African scene
- Highly
conversant with Civil Society and Social Movement approaches on gender
work at Pan-African level
- Good
organisational, research, negotiation and analytical capabilities
- Ability
to identify, obtain and analyze information from a variety of sources
Required Competencies:
- Strong
Leadership skills;
- Strategic
Decision Making
- Adaptation
skills: ability to work well in a multicultural environment
- Highly
motivated, responsible, self-directed, resourceful and flexible
- Collaboration
and Team work;
- Problem
solving skills;
- Partnership
and Negotiation skills
- Creativity
and Innovation
- Able
to manage work load and meet deadlines
Download the application form at this link and apply to:
Human Resources & Organisational Development Manager
ACORD Nairobi, ACK Garden House,
P. O. Box 61216, 00200,
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 2721172, 2721185/86
To apply, please complete the application form attached and e-mail it with a detailed Curriculum Vitae and cover letter to recruit@acordinternational.org with the Job Title in the Subject Box.
Closing Date: 28th October 2011
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