The Organisation
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.
We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.
Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.
We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Role Gender & Influencing Specialist Grade D1
Department and Location Tamale Date March, 2020
Reports to Reports to: Project Lead
Purpose: How does this position support Plan International’s strategy and mission?
Plan International is an independent non-profit organization that advances children’s well-being and equality for girls. Working in building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years and present in 70 countries, Plan International strives for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children while working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.
Plan International Ghana is looking for a Gender and Influencing Specialist to effectively work with a team of professionals and deliver high quality programming and results for a project titled “Women’s Innovation for Sustainable Enterprises (WISE)”. The WISE Project seeks to leverage the enormous potential and agency of Ghanaian women entrepreneurs aged 19 to 55 years in rural and peri-urban areas by employing both demand- and supply-side interventions to contribute to increased realization of rights to economic empowerment, well-being and inclusive economic growth in 3 districts in the Bono and Ahafo regions (Sunyani Municipal, Tano North and Techiman Municipal) and 2 districts in the Northern Region (Kumbungu and Tolon). The project will start in February 2020, has a duration of 4 years, and a budget of over 5.5 million EUR.
Dimension of Role:
The Gender & Influencing Specialist will be responsible for leading the project’s gender equality strategy supporting women as meaningful economic actors and building a supportive environment for women entrepreneurs at the family, community, institutional and market levels for their economic empowerment.
As an integral member of the project team, she / he will ensure that a gender transformative approach is integrated in both demand and supply-side interventions to contribute to the ultimate outcome of increased realization of rights to economic empowerment, well-being and inclusive economic growth for women.
The post-holder will be based in Tamale but travel to project districts where the WISE project operates for approximately 60% of her/his time.
Typical Responsibilities:
Gender Transformative Analysis and Programming: Lead the delivery of robust gender equality assessments to further define and validate the project’s strategy to deliver gender transformative programming and results. A strong understanding of project cycle management and women’s economic empowerment are essential to provide relevant technical guidance.
Lead and coordinate the project’s gender equality strategy which combines high quality programmes and bold, credible influencing to catalyse large-scale transformative change for women in the project locations.
Lead the implementation of WISE project gender equality strategy which aims to ensure Plan staff and key partners have the tools, skills and capacities to fulfil core WISE gender standards relevant to the needs of the beneficiaries and operating context. This includes providing training, mentorship and ongoing capacity development for staff and partners.
Coordinate a gender-integrated market assessment of women-friendly entrepreneurial, value chains and emerging “green businesses / sectors” in the five target districts.
Provide technical guidance on the community and policy side interventions which aim to support women to develop their entrepreneurial roles and expand perceptions and attitudes of male family members and community leaders around the productive capacities of women.
Provide technical guidance on service and institutional side interventions, aiming to facilitate a suite of gender-responsive business services and products through women-friendly business hubs (HerHubs), which will serve as a ‘one-stop shop’ for women to access gender-responsive services to start and grow small enterprises.
Coordinate gender-responsiveness audit for HerHubs and train staff and stakeholders on gender equality, gender-responsive service delivery, protection and women’s economic empowerment.
Contribute to regular project narrative reports and communication materials in a timely manner, ensuring that implementation of gender transformative programming is clearly articulated and supported with high quality data, results and lessons.
Project cycle management processes and tools (including detailed implementation plans) effectively implemented to achieve project results and comply with donor requirements, government, and partnership agreements.
Work with program staff and technical advisors to identify the technical support needs of the project and ensure this support is provided.
Performs any other duties that may be assigned from time to time.
Social Behaviour Communication Change and Public Mobilisation: Recognizing the agency and technical expertise of women entrepreneurs, lead the development and technical review of training and capacity building, behaviour change communication, and community outreach activities.
Scale up gender equality actions on the WISE project from local to national levels and build on strong community engagement which will ensure the WISE project delivers the political analysis, robust evidence, grassroots support, and high-level engagement needed to change gender behaviours, systems and structures for the benefit of women and girls.
Provide technical guidance on the design, development and roll-out of training for women entrepreneurs who will be mobilized and sensitized through Village Saving and Loans (VSLA) groups and receive foundational skills in business management, life skills, gender equality, sexual reproductive health and rights, and prevention of sexual gender-based violence and child, early forced marriage.
Lead the roll out of targeted awareness interventions to engage male family members by establishing ‘male champions’ groups, also inclusive of traditional and religious leaders, to promote principles of gender equality, address the root causes of inequality and harmful traditional practices, and foster a supportive environment for women entrepreneurs at the family and community level.
Provide technical guidance of the project’s Social Behaviour Change Communication efforts to promote gender equality and positive masculinities supportive of women’s economic empowerment.
Identify how the general public, including women and young women especially girls with whom we work, can be mobilised effectively to contribute to gender objectives of the project
Develop, review and implement training programs as relevant to project’s gender equality strategy.
Partnerships, Communication, Coordination and Influencing Policy: Foster and maintain productive and professional relationships with and between all project stakeholders (women entrepreneurs, government, private sector and non-profit). Leverage partnerships and evidence produced under the project to inform policy, advocacy and influencing efforts.
Expected Outcomes:
Engage multiple partners and stakeholders to facilitate the delivery of gender-responsive services and products across the five main services areas of HerHubs.
Facilitate the provision of services, improve linkages and build the capacity, particularly of local actors, to offer gender-responsive, sustainable support to women entrepreneurs
Foster strong coordination and collaboration with women entrepreneurs through open and transparent communication, participation and joint decision-making, and respect for their agency and technical expertise.
Work closely with Local NGOs, CSOs, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, Association of Ghana Industries and others to analyse internal and external evidence and data to build WISE thought leadership, establish clear policy positions and use these to identify opportunities to challenge and strengthen policy and legal frameworks at national and regional levels.
Lead the analysis of political environments and stakeholders in order to identify the most strategic targets who can bring about the change, including the private sector, government, civil society, and local/religious leaders.
Lead the identification of strategic communications channels and outlets that can best influence WISE targets and bring wider attention to chosen issues.
Work with WISE team to use Plan International’s expert voice, evidence-based positions, and illustrations of successful programme interventions to inform and engage policy makers via key media and social media outlets.
Best practices and lessons learned are documented, shared, and integrated into programming and used to inform policy and advocacy efforts.
Support performance on Gender Equality
The WISE project has a Gender training/induction plan;
All staff and key partners on WISE are trained on Gender Transformative Economic Empowerment Programming;
All staff know and utilize Plan’s gender analysis tools, including the Gender Marker
The WISE team identifies and shares experiences on gender programming;
Supports staff in defining SMART gender performance objectives for the purpose of gender sensitivity assessment.
Dealing with problems:
Strategic thinking, listening and negotiation,
Informs, motivates and advises staff on gender issues,
Be a champion for gender equality practice and effective programming among staff
Communications and Working Relationships:
The Gender and Influencing Specialist reports directly to the WISE Project Lead and will work with the Project Lead in ensuring the productive and functional relationships with the project team, women entrepreneurs and beneficiaries, implementing partners, private organizations, government departments, Global Affairs Canada, and the wider Plan International Ghana and Plan International Canada teams.
Medium contact with Plan International partner organizations to provide technical guidance, support and mentorship on gender transformative programming
Maintains medium contact with other staff from the Program Unit and country office to offer support for understanding and implementation of the WISE related activities
Knowledge, Skills, Behaviors, and Experience Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:
Qualification and Experience
A Master’s degree in Gender Studies, Development Studies, Sociology
Minimum of 5 years solid experience in designing, implementing and monitoring gender transformative programming in the NGO/voluntary sector, particularly in economic development, agriculture support and/or enterprise development
A proven track record in conducting project-based gender equality analyses, especially those that employ participatory methodologies
Experience of developing, implementing, and monitoring gender equality strategies
Experience in influencing and advocacy
Demonstrable experience in training development and delivery for diverse groups of women, men, community members, partner organizations and project staff.
Understanding of contemporary Women Economic Empowerment issues in Ghana
Understanding of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Women’s Protocol and other human rights instruments.
Knowledge
Good knowledge of women rights issues at country level and globally, and instruments
Good knowledge of children rights, the CRC and other relating right instruments,
Knowledge and Understanding of the links between gender equality and children rights
Knowledge of gender analysis programme frameworks and their applications to child rights programming
Knowledge/understanding of feminism and its application to the project
Skills
Strong training and presentation skills
Technical and research skills in gender equality with a focus on women’s economic empowerment
An aptitude for reviewing synthesizing and analyzing information / data and producing high quality reports, communication materials and studies.
Ability to provide guidance to research and policy development
Communication Skills (both oral and written skills)
Ability to build internal and external networks
Good organisational and project management skills
Behaviours
Promotes innovation and learning
Communicates effectively and enthusiastically
Behaves consistently in his/her approach to work and decision-making
Physical Environment and Demands:
Travel requirements
This position entails a minimum of 60% travel within the WISE project locations.
Level of Contact with Children:
Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction
Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children
High level contact: Frequent interaction with children
Low level contact: the job responsibilities of this position require minimum contact with children and it is expected that children shall be protected at all times.
PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE
We are open and accountable
Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people
We strive for lasting impact
Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children
More Information
- Job City Tamale
