Gender Specialist 108 views3 applications

PROJECT: Improving smallholder livelihoods and resilience in the SNNP Region of Ethiopia through climate smart agricultural economic development (ISLR-CSA) Project and other Farm Africa projects

BACKGROUND

Effective agriculture has the power to change lives. It underpins prosperity, food security and stability the world over. Farm Africa focuses on transforming agriculture and managing natural resources sustainably. We champion a holistic approach that boosts yields, protects the environment and connects smallholder farmers to thriving markets.

Farm Africa is a specialist international non-governmental organization working in promoting Climate Smart Agricultural economic development of small holder farmers in resource-poor rural areas to improve livelihood, nutrition and food security and then contribute for poverty Reduction as well as realization of the II GTP in Ethiopia.

Farm Africa Ethiopia has recently been awarded an additional Irish Aid grant for a project titled ‘Improving smallholder livelihoods and resilience in the SNNPR Region of Ethiopia through climate smart agricultural economic development (ISLR-CSA) project in consortium partnership with SoS Sahel, Self Help Africa, and Vita.  . The overall goal of the project is to contribute to poverty alleviation and resilient, sustainable livelihoods in the Southern Nations Nationalities People Region (SNNPR) through climate smart agricultural economic development. Specific objectives of the project are to: promote climate smart agricultural policy, approaches and practice in agricultural economic development in the SNNPR, improve food and nutrition security and strengthen livelihood. The phase of the project needs to ensure key project activities are transitioned to communities and/or local government to continue smoothly in the longer term.

The Farm Africa managed ISLR-CSA project is operational in Boloso Bombe, Hadero Tunto, and Halaba special districts of SNNPR. Farm Africa will take a lead role for the project implementation, quality assurance, technical backstopping, monitoring and evaluation, partner management, knowledge management and donor reporting.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Gender Specialist will ensure and provide technical assistance in ensuring gender role and issues are taken into consideration to be part of inclusive development. The Gender Specialist will take a lead role in active participation in coordination of Gender Action research and women social empowerment, gender analysis & learning meetings.  The position holder will lead the integration and streamlining of gender and in particular women into Farm Africa CSA projects activities and other agriculture related projects within Farm Africa.

The Gender Specialist is principally responsible for the execution and monitoring of the approved gender action research and women social empowerment plan of the ISLR-CSA Bridging phase project plan and women empowerment activities. The Gender Specialist works hand in hand with the Project and consortium Knowledge Management Coordinator, other key project leads and field team members. The role requires multiple field visits in SNNPR and possibly other regions and close collaboration with community and local government offices.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONISBILITES

Key areas of responsibilities are:

1. Provide technical Advice and empowering support to Project staff and local partners on gender  and social empowerment framework, tools and resource mobilization through the lens of climate smart agriculture

• Providing day-to-day technical and capacity building support to the field Project staff in implementing gender empowerment and gender action research components and related activities of the bridging phase Irish Aid funded ISLR-CSA Project
• Provide technical support in integrating gender equality strategies across Farm Africa CSA project results;
• Analyze and understand the gender roles under social, economic and religious context and how that affects the dynamics of agriculture. Focus specifically on the situation of rural women, female jobless youth from a gender perspective, using credible source of evidence including information from women agencies, rural women and men, and organizations working on women empowerment and produce analytical thematic strategies in order to ensure high quality, innovative activities, including direct interventions, policy work, advocacy and popular campaigning;
• Support field level project implementation teams to increase rural women’s involvement in CSA and improvement in their livelihood activities and to liaise with family and community members;
• Conduct gender Action Research/ women needs assessment of the Farm Africa CSA Projects as well as provide substantive inputs to the capacity assessment of the key partners on gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment in CSA and develop the gender analysis and consequent capacity building/learning plan;
• Provide project team with gender mainstreaming/integration and women’s empowerment tools, gender action research framework/TOR/guide and updates on current gender equality trends in Ethiopia;
• Develop and conduct trainings for field level project teams, Development Agents, and data collectors as well as in country team/key partners as needed,  in order to apply practical tools on gender action research, women social empowerment, and gender mainstreaming policy frameworks;

2. Facilitate and Conduct gender Action Research/analysis and integration into all Project thematic/result areas and activities

• Develop & share gender Action Research  framework and women social empowerment or gender integration in CSA guiding document and learnings for implementation teams
• Lead the development and dissemination of Cohort Gender Action research and women empowerment evidence base of assessments and data collection tools  in conducting gap assessments relating to gender equality;
• Support field project teams with applying Cohort study on women social empowerment/Gender action research, gender analysis for Project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation to understand why and how issues affect women and men differently and unequally within particular Project working context and what options exist to address them;
• Facilitate collection and analysis of sex-desegregated data through ISLR-CSA project
• Ensure availability of an up-to-date information on all critical issues related to implementation of gender equality commitments in line with Farm Africa gender approach and other key documents
• Develop and coordinate partnership with local women’s organizations and other stakeholders in target woredas.

3. Provide inputs to advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts

• Develop data base on gender equality and women social empowerment and mainstreaming gender in CSA that are essential to gender sensitive CSA programming for gender equality such as researches, statistics and information about policies, programs, services, networks, trainings, and capacity building resources and opportunities;
• Conduct gender analysis and provide project/program level quantitative and qualitative information on the key gender gaps to support the project/program teams to use the findings into Farm Africa Project proposals and visibility plan and its implementation phase
• Ensure balanced number of women and men have access to CSA extension services provided by the projects
• Provide proactive and substantive technical support gender sensitive CSA awareness raising and advocacy events, trainings, workshops and drafting knowledge products;
• Provide inputs to the development of knowledge management products related to gender equality and women’s rights in the Project areas.

These essential functions are not to be interpreted as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job related duties as required. All work responsibilities are subject to having performance goals and/or targets established

DURATION & HOURS: 18 months

Job Requirements

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education, Qualifications & other knowledge

Essential

• Undergraduate degree or Master’s degree in Gender Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, Social Science, Social Development, Sociology, International Development or equivalent social/ gender disciplines
• Knowledge of women empowerment and gender integration in sustainable agriculture and value chain development
• Good understanding and firm belief in gender equality and issues in rural communities

Desirable

• Post graduate degree in gender, women’s economic empowerment or rural livelihoods

Experience

Essential

• A minimum of five years’ of relevant progressive experience in development contexts, preferably with solid experience on gender mainstreaming/integration related to Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resource Management/Ecosystem Based Adaptation & NR conservation, Business, and sustainable livelihood, women social empowerment
• Specific experience of working on women livelihood improvement in rural areas, women empowerment, gender policy design, promoting gender awareness, building capacity in gender and developing strategy and guidance.
• Demonstrable experience of participatory development approach

Desirable

• Previous NGO work experience in women empowerment and gender analysis
• Experience with writing reports in maintaining good gender lenses
• Experience in facilitating, Action planning, gender gap assessment and monitoring   processes

Skills & Abilities

• Practical skills in designing and implementing gender integration/mainstreaming framework,  policy, and rollout  strategy at project/program/ institutional level
• Willingness to reside in rural/marginal areas, ability to work with minimum supervision
• Computer literacy, excellent record keeping and report writing
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Good team building skills and the ability to work in a multi partner approach
• Proven analytical and problem solving skills
• Budget and financial management, training need assessment and training facilitation
• Willingness to reside in rural/marginal areas, ability to work with minimum supervision
• Strong sense of integrity and personal commitment to the goals and values of Farm Africa
• Good community level facilitation and coordination skills
• Knowledge of local languages

Our VALUES

Investing in smallholder farming is the number one way to combat poverty in rural Africa. Farm Africa is a leading NGO specialising in growing agriculture, protecting the environment and developing businesses in rural Africa.

EXPERT. Deep expertise and insightful evidence-based solutions are at the heart of everything Farm Africa does.

 GROUNDED. Positive change starts with Africa’s people, so our experts work closely with local communities, engaging them in every level of decision-making.

 IMPACTFUL. We take a long-term view so we can deliver lasting changes for farmers and their families.

 BOLD. We model innovative new approaches and are not afraid to challenge strategies that are failing.

How to Apply

 Those who meet the above requirements should submit their short CV (maximum of 3 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 1 page) addressing [email protected] with the subject Gender Specialist for ISLR-CSA project by September 27, 2019.

Documents cannot be returned and due to large number of applications, only short listed candidates will be contacted. Applications are especially welcomed from female applicants.