Role Title: Global Lead, Comprehensive Sexuality Education – IPPF

About IPPF

International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all.

Led by a courageous and determined group of women, IPPF was founded in 1952 at the Third International Planned Parenthood Conference. Today, we are a movement of 120 autonomous members with a presence in over 146 countries.

Our work is wide-ranging, including comprehensive sex education, provision of contraceptive, safe abortion, and maternal care and responding to humanitarian crises. We pride ourselves on being local through our members and global through our network. At the heart of our mission is the provision of – and advocacy in support of – integrated healthcare to anyone who needs it regardless of race, gender, sex, income, and crucially no matter how remote.

Volunteerism is central to our healthcare delivery. It underpins the vital work of our members and their teams, whether through community outreach and distribution of contraceptive care or the regional Youth Action Movements championing change.

Working for IPPF

IPPF offers a unique opportunity to contribute to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights globally. Meaningful work, a supportive environment, professional growth, and the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and communities around the world. Working for IPPF offers a compelling value proposition that encompasses various aspects:

• Mission-Driven Organization: IPPF is a globally recognized leader in sexual and reproductive health and rights. By joining IPPF, you become part of a mission-driven organization dedicated to empowering individuals and communities, advancing gender equality, and improving access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare services.
• Impactful Work: Working at IPPF allows you to make a significant impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide. You contribute to efforts aimed at reducing maternal mortality, preventing unintended pregnancies, combating gender-based violence, promoting comprehensive sexuality education, and advocating for the rights of marginalized communities.
• Global Reach and Influence: IPPF operates in over 150 countries, providing a unique opportunity to work on a global scale. You collaborate with diverse teams, partner organizations, and governments to drive change, shape policies, and implement innovative programs that address the sexual and reproductive health needs of communities worldwide.
• Professional Development: IPPF offers a supportive, inclusive work environment fostering professional growth and development. You have access to training, mentoring, and opportunities for advancement, enabling you to enhance your skills, broaden your expertise, and thrive in your career.
• Collaborative Culture: IPPF values teamwork, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. You work alongside passionate and dedicated colleagues who share a common vision and work collectively towards achieving IPPF’s goals. The organization encourages respect, diversity, and inclusivity, creating a supportive environment that values different perspectives and experiences.
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: IPPF is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of its work. As an employee, you contribute to building an inclusive and equitable organization that respects and values individuals’ backgrounds, experiences, and identities.
• Strong Organizational Support: IPPF provides comprehensive support to its employees, including competitive compensation packages, benefits, and resources that enable you to excel in your role. The organization prioritizes employee well-being and work-life balance, recognizing the importance of a healthy and fulfilling professional life.
• Continual Innovation: IPPF embraces innovation and creativity in addressing the evolving sexual and reproductive health landscape. You can contribute to cutting-edge programs, research initiatives, and advocacy efforts that push boundaries, challenge norms, and drive positive change.

The Role

For many years, IPPF has been a flag bearer for Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), recognized by external experts and standard setters such as UNESCO. Over the years, we have delivered leading guidance and been a major contributor to global standard setting. CSE is intrinsically connected with adolescents and youth work, however, it becomes increasingly apparent that these are two huge portfolios in their own right, and both require full-time attention. CSE also becomes more demanding as it becomes a major target of opposition and is linked to the attacks on gender. This position has been developed accordingly.

This is especially important in light of the new strategy, where our success in CSE will no longer be measured in purely quantitative terms where large numbers in one place often mask a lack of progress in others, or where small numbers may mask a highly innovative and effective approach to CSE which brings more sophisticated outcomes related to norm change, to gender equality, to the integration of pleasure. For this reason, the results framework of the new strategy will not measure CSE in quantitative terms but will develop a more sophisticated mixed-method approach to evaluating the impact of our CSE.

This is an exciting job that will be at the heart of transforming how we deliver CSE, better leveraging its role in wider norm change, seeking to be braver according to how much each context can stretch, and developing a solid monitoring system. The job holder will not be alone but will be working with and in support of four interconnected Centres of Excellence on CSE to drive the Federation’s success in CSE and adhere to the safeguarding reporting and monitoring requirements of this role.

Job Purpose

To ensure that IPPF’s CSE programming is groundbreaking at all levels, unleashing the power and knowledge existing in the Federation on CSE and facilitating connections externally, to drive health, well-being and equality for all adolescents and young people, particularly those excluded by their societies, and be a thought leader in the sector.

Role Deliverables

• Lead on key CSE related institutional relationships and ensure IPPF’s reputation as a leader is effectively maintained.
• Create opportunities to build relationships that benefit the Federation and enable us to do better while leveraging on IPPF’s value-add to drive improved CSE for all.
• Link the four Centres of Excellence together and leverage their respective strengths to support the results framework.
• Implement a mixed method approach to monitoring IPPF’s CSE achievements with Centres and with Performance, Learning and Impact colleagues.
• Expand IPPF’s evidence base to build a stronger CSE contribution foundation in/to health, well-being and equality outcomes.
• Lead the provision of response tools to Federation members that counter opposition tactics to CSE.
• Integrate teachings and tactics into IPPF’s approach to CSE incorporating other focus areas such as, but not limited to, gender equality and lifelong health according to context.
• Assess the need for new or updated CSE technical guidance documents and oversee their development.
• Provide a technical perspective on the formulation/monitoring of policies and innovative/ transformative programme approaches.
• Disseminate best practice learning and emerging approaches to key stakeholders and partners through the most appropriate channels.
• Contribute organizational insights and successes to global SRHR sectoral work as IPPF’s representative of such bodies.
• Identify new opportunities and funding for IPPF in the areas of CSE and assist in the development of proposals.
• Support and enable a safe environment, adhering to the safeguarding reporting and monitoring requirements of this role.

Qualifications

• Advanced technical knowledge/understanding of CSE, with advanced technical knowledge of youth perspectives and gender highly desirable. Youth leaders are encouraged to apply.
• Strong understanding of SRHR.
• Significant experience working in a complex organization dealing with a breadth of fast changing and controversial issues.
• Significant experience in supporting learning approaches and research experience is desirable.
• Comfortable representing the organization at high-level events and fora, and taking leadership in external groups to drive wider change.
• Experience developing tools and guidance, which are drawn from both cutting-edge theory and the actuality of practice.
• Experience in supporting NGOs or partners to drive change at the national level, including an understanding of the challenges and capacity needs of national organizations working in highly restrictive environments for SRHR/CSE.
• Highly honed facilitation skills, with the ability to bring diverse actors together across cultures and geographies, to create an aligned and powerful force for change.
• Experience in resource mobilization bid writing.

Skills:

• Fluent in English and any other IPPF language, which are Arabic, French and Spanish.

Your Ethos:

• Demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to safeguarding in a local and international context.
• Demonstrate ability and willingness to work in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual and intergenerational environment that is anti-racist and respectful of others.
• An intersectional (pro) feminist passionate about sexual reproductive health care rights + justice, including safe abortion.
• Supportive of people’s rights regardless of sexuality or gender identity or expression and supportive of workers’ rights and access to health care in sex work.

IPPF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers, contractors and partners to share this commitment. Anyone employed with IPPF agrees to sign and adhere to IPPF’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding (Children and Vulnerable Adults) Policy.