Job Title: Regional Gender Advisor, Aga Khan Foundation
The Position
AKF is seeking an experienced Regional Gender Advisor to provide technical expertise, leadership and guidance for the Foundations for Education and Empowerment (F4EE) in Africa, a partnership program co-funded by Global Affairs Canada and Aga Khan Foundation. The programme has three components: Foundations for Learning (F4L), Advancing Gender Equality through Civil Society (AGECS) and Advancing Canadian Champions for Development (ACCD). The Regional Gender Advisor will provide active support to F4L and AGECS components as well as strengthen the regional programme portfolio, and advance AKF’s diversity and inclusion goals. This Position will be based in Nairobi.
Project Background
F4EE will be active in five countries (Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda) and will improve education systems at the pre-primary and primary levels, in addition to strengthening women’s empowerment, and gender equality. F4EE will strengthen the delivery of quality, gender-responsive, and inclusive pre-primary and primary education, and other social development services, and reduce gender and social barriers to the utilization and uptake of education and other sustainable development services.
The Regional Gender Advisor will:
- Provide overall direction on gender equality targeted and integrated interventions for the project across F4L and AGECS components and countries.
- Lead and provide oversight to gender analyses and assessments, and provide technical support to gender equality focused research, monitoring and evaluation.
- Contribute to the programme implementation plans, taking a lead role on the integration of gender equality in F4L and AGECS.
- Design and deliver realistic and pragmatic project gender equality strategies and programming interventions that will lead to positive gender equality outcomes across AGECS and align with donor and AKF policies on gender equality.
- Facilitate the ongoing review and engagement by key partners on the implementation of the project gender equality strategies and programming interventions and report on progress to the F4EE’s Project Oversight Committee.
- Provide technical support to ensure the F4L strategies and programming are gender responsive and lead to positive gender equality outcomes for all.
- Provide technical support and coordination for the AGECS sub-projects during design, implementation, and evaluation.
- Contribute to the delivery of the Women’s Leadership Academy, in partnership with Aga Khan University in Nairobi, including supporting the selection of candidates and mentorship of graduates.
- Distill gender equality related lessons learned from programme implementation and ensure these are documented, shared, and used in subsequent adjustments to programme implementation.
- Promote the culture of sharing lessons learning and networking on gender equality across the F4EE teams and implementing partners.
- Assess gender mainstreaming and gender equality focused programming capacity needs amongst F4EE implementing partners and arrange for or provide capacity enhancement as required.
- Provide guidance and technical support to the F4EE Teams to conduct evidence-based policy dialogue on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
- Provide technical support to enhance the gender equality focused work and gender- responsiveness of Higher Education Institutions involved in delivering AGECS.
- Build relationships and maintain coordinated communications with AKF country, regional and global teams, donor unit in Canada and AKDN implementing agencies and other local partners.
- Liaise with international, national, and local partners and stakeholders on gender equality issues related to F4EE.
- Participate in project steering committees, other relevant meetings, and stakeholder fora.
The Requirements
Education:
Advanced university degree in international development, social sciences especially gender studies, and/or other relevant disciplines. Additional educational background in education/early childhood development is an asset.
Experience:
- Minimum of ten years of experience in sectoral gender equality and gender transformative programming and implementation in governance, civil society, education, and early childhood development programs (including significant experience in capacity building on gender mainstreaming).
- Knowledge of gender equality issues and effective interventions, particularly in relation to education, early childhood development, civil society, and women’s rights organizations.
- At least five years’ field experience in developing countries, preferably in Eastern or Southern Africa.
- Specialized experience on gender equality and women’s empowerment in the regional context, and demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and/or reporting gender analysis for development programs.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-country and/or multi-agency teams and assignments in a collaborative manner, remotely across digital platforms.
- Experience conducting qualitative and/or quantitative research and knowledge of research methods, gender sensitive and ethical approaches.
- Demonstrated capacity to respect and safeguard vulnerable populations.
- Be able to travel to F4EE countries.
Competencies:
- Ability to work well in teams and particularly teams that span across multiple geographies.
- Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge through training, capacity building and mentoring.
- Capacity to work independently, take initiative and manage a variety of activities simultaneously while meeting strict reporting deadlines and keeping colleagues and senior managers well informed.
- Ability to facilitate collaborative and participatory processes with partners and stakeholders.
- Excellent analytical, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills in a cross-cultural context.
- Excellent written and oral communications skills in English; ability to work in local languages relevant to the countries of project implementation is an asset
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae (CV), including three referees, cover letter that outlines why you are best suited for this exciting opportunity by 28th October 2022.
AKF is committed to advancing gender equality and inclusion through our programming and operations. AKF requires all employees to review and abide by the AKF Gender Equality Policy.
AKF recognizes the importance of safeguarding and is committed to ensuring it manages a wide range of risks such that beneficiaries, staff, other associates, and the organization are kept safe from harm.
Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
To learn more about us, please visit https://the.akdn/
Sector: Social Development
About the Agency
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), alongside its sister AKDN agencies, has implemented innovative, community-driven solutions to development challenges for over 50 years. It brings together human, financial and technical resources to address some of the challenges faced by the poorest and most marginalised communities in the world. Special emphasis is placed on investing in human potential, expanding opportunity and improving the overall quality of life, especially for women and girls. It works primarily in six areas: Agriculture and Food Security; Economic Inclusion; Education; Early Childhood Development; Health and Nutrition; and Civil Society.
Region: Eastern Africa
Location: Kenya
Salary: Salary and package to attract the best candidate
