Project Summary:

Creative’s Bringing Unity, Integrity, and Legitimacy to Democracy (BUILD) is a USAID-funded project designed to support electoral and political processes in Somalia by fostering increased citizen participation; building the capacity of civil society, election management bodies, political parties and other relevant government and non-government bodies to support various elections and their cycles taking place between 2016-2021. Implemented in partnership with the International Republican Institute (IRI), BUILD is a five-year project in its third year of implementation.

Position Summary:

The Women Political Empowerment Expert is responsible for the capacity building of women in political parties, including organizing and managing various trainings, workshops, and other activities in and outside Mogadishu. S/he is also responsible for helping setup and management of the functioning of the women’s support departments in the Political Party Resource Center which is being established and run by the BUILD program. The position is expected to start as soon as possible.

Reporting & Supervision:

The Women Political Empowerment Expert will report to the Objective 3 Team Lead.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Strengthening the representation and the role of women within political parties, with a particular emphasis on bolstering the presence of women within party leadership structures and increasing the number of women candidates for local and national offices (through leadership training for women party activists and advocacy with party leaders);
• Increasing the chances of women candidates to win elections in local and/or national legislative bodies through training women candidates, helping women candidates address the challenge of campaign funding, and supporting civil society groups that carry out gender-focused voter education;
• Advocating the adoption of gender quotas in political institutions through working with political parties, civil society groups pushing for quotas, international organizations, legislators, and other politicians who may support quotas, and once quotas are in place, supporting strong implementation and the refinement of quotas through both civil society monitoring and political action; and
• Increasing the effectiveness and capacity of women elected officials through training newly elected women officials; assisting in the formation of networks of women politicians, including women’s political caucuses; and connecting women officials and politicians to women civil society leaders and activists.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Experience working with political parties/entities in high risk and volatile work locations;
• At least five (5) years of relevant work experience, including experience with a Contractor or international NGO on political party training and resources with emphasis on women’s political participation;
• At least five years of experience providing party assistance to complex, high-speed, and challenging elections support projects in developing countries;
• Knowledge of operating procedures and security procedures in high-risk environments,
• Experience in conflict, post-conflict, or transitional state environments;
• Demonstrated ability to live and work in a challenging environment;
• Proficient oral and written communication skills in English;
• Strong organizing skills;
• Practical experience working in apolitical party is strongly desired; and
• Previous experience in Eastern Africa and working with USAID strongly desired.

Desired Skills & Qualifications:

• Experience working in Somalia.