Gender Specialist needed to work at Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA)

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Gender Specialist to join our dedicated and talented MEDA team in Kenya in our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

Project Summary

Since 2014, MEDA has partnered with small and medium-sized businesses, small entrepreneurs, and farmers to increase the economic growth of rural counties across Kenya. Through our projects we provide business consulting and service provider assistance, access to finance and investment capital, and opportunities to access debt or equity financing for investment partners and financial service providers. More information about our projects in Kenya can be found here: www.meda.org/country/kenya/

Position Summary 

The Gender Specialist will take lead in the implementation of the gender strategy intended to support the achievement of the project outcomes for both women SEs and Women Led SMEs. The position will work closely with other project team members within program and cross cutting departments.

  • Job Status:  Full-time, Contract
  • Start Date: As soon as possible
  • Location: Nairobi, Kenya

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Ensure proper implementation of the gender strategy, guidelines and framework is in place to guide project.
  • Collaborating in writing annual work plans and donor reports (Semi- Annual and Annual) and posting the reports in the MEDA’S repository.
  • 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 in line with the requirements from Global Affairs Canada.
  • Develop monthly, quarterly and annual implementation plans for gender equality and mainstreaming in coordination with other project staff.
  • Training partners (Lead Firms, Business Associates, Business Development, Providers) and MEDA staff on Gender issues.
  • Support project partners to implement Gender mainstreaming activities. (GALS, GEM).
  • Undertake/facilitate development of project success stories and document lessons learnt.
  • Evaluate and document Gender best practices for assimilation in project implementation.
  • Ensure Gender tools are updated and used during project implementation.
  • Timely and updated filling of all Gender related documents in the MEDA repository.

Any other duties and/or requirements as assigned

REQUIREMENTS 

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Gender and Development Studies or other related course. Master’s degree in Social Sciences or related field preferred.

Experience: Minimum 5 years’ experience working in non-governmental organization focusing on gender.

Additional Qualifications:

  • Appreciation and support of MEDA’s faith, vision and values
  • Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development and MEDA’s approach of creating business solutions to poverty
  • 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
  • Communication: Fluency in written and spoken English and Swahili
  • Willingness to travel 40% of the time to the project areas for project monitoring.
  • Ability to use technology in day-to-day task execution.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 10 @ 4:00 pm East Africa Time.

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer and accommodations are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring accommodation make their needs known in advance.

For all details: https://www.meda.org/about/join-our-team/current-opportunities/

You may also like...