Gender & Youth Advisor at Save the Children

As a member of senior management of DFAP program, the Gender & Youth Advisor will take the overall responsibility and provide technical guidance to oversee the implementation of DFAP gender, youth and vulnerable groups’ integration strategies. S/he is expected to build the capacity of Program staff and partners on how to mainstream gender and youth livelihood activities in the program cycle, provide support for M&E, learning and documentation in relation to Gender and youth. Documents and communicate gender programme achievements against agreed strategic objectives and milestones for a wide range of internal and external audiences. Ensure the key strategic documents related to gender and Youth livelihood program are understood and internalised by those who are either contributing to the evidence base or responsible for representation of organisational objectives at district, regional or national level. S/he is expected to work closely with the whole program team to ensure that gender is at the core of all project components and vision of SCI

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Development of Content and Approaches:

• Oversee the implementation of DFAP gender, youth and vulnerable groups’ integration strategies and adapt and improve strategies as needed.
• Provide necessary guidance to ensure DFAP team apply gender and youth analysis to current program activities and with new program design.
• Responsible for ensuring and/or promoting in the DFAP activities the equitable participation by men, women, boys and girls and the reduction of gender inequalities to achieve nutritional outcomes and strengthen resilience to food insecurity.
• Work closely with other technical leads of the program to provide support to projects throughout the project cycle.
• Stay abreast and informed of USAID agency-wide, Food for Peace, and other relevant gender principles, policies, regulations, monitoring and evaluation principles, and indicators.
• Identify the need for and supervise the implementation of activities designed to promote greater access, inclusion and empowerment for traditionally excluded groups (adult women, young males, adolescent girls etc.) in the areas of economic development, health and governance and at the household and community levels.
• Review project reports and annual implementation plans and contribute to regional and national strategic planning.
• Expected to design and test youth related activities and learning objectives that help people to build their market relevant skills. Outcomes and approaches should draw on the findings of the market assessments and other existing resources related to livelihood opportunities.
• The development of content and approaches to guide the program in their implementation of age-appropriate livelihoods activities with a focus on food security.
• Provide technical, programmatic, operational, and managerial oversight of all activities that have a gender and youth aspect or component.
• Ensure that program implementation meets USAID’s programmatic, administrative and financial standards and requirements.
• Ensure strong alignment between market assessment results, learning pathways and livelihood activities throughout the project.
• Advise and ensure that gender-based violence (GBV) and female empowerment will be addressed in the program activities.
• Participate in technical working groups.

Capacity Building & technical Support:

• Support and build the capacity of the program team and partners working in the program to implement gender & youth livelihoods activities in relation to the learning component.
• Work closely with other senior team of the program to identify and provide, as requested, specific technical support in area of responsibility.
• Provide gender-related technical support to all project staff, including but not limited to livelihoods, nutrition, and resilience teams.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Documentation:

• Create and support opportunities for shared learning between Country Offices on Gender youth activities, outcomes and approaches for this age group.
• Assist in interim and final assessments of livelihoods approaches and other project evaluations
• Develop frameworks and support COs to document case studies and success stories related to youth livelihoods throughout the project

Representation, Outreach and Partnership:

• Represent and profile the project, its objectives and results, in publications and presentations
• Seek and leverage opportunities for partnership for youth projects with actors in the agricultural sector and its value chains and share these opportunities with country teams
• Identify and participate in opportunities within SC for linking the project to technical and strategic leadership on gender and livelihoods.
• Coordinate closely with the program team to ensure that technical assistance to each country is synchronized and adds value.
• Serve as the senior thematic lead in area of Gender and youth Livelihood for all relevant external representation requirements

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

QUALIFICATION

• BA Degree in gender/Women’s studies, international development, livelihoods, youth employment or related field.

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of 8 years relevant progressive experience in managing and / or providing technical support to Gender and youth programming out of which at least 4 years working on problem assessments related to nutrition, livelihoods, food security, DRR and/or WASH programs.
• Significant experience in providing expert advice for effective implementation of projects.
• Significant Experience in planning and implementing work objectives.
• Previous experience conducting gender analysis within the context of development food assistance programming and consistent with USAID’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy.
• Experience in gender-based programming with substantial understanding of and commitment to equality and equity issues and mainstreaming.
• Experience working on similar USAID or other donor-funded programs; familiarity with USAID regulations and policies preferred.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead the collection, analysis and utilization of information from a broad range of sources in order to ensure effective integration of gender and youth concerns throughout the project’s duration.
• Ability to foster commitment and build capacity among project staff and in-country actors to gender and youth integration and empowerment.
• Experience in research and evaluation.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITY

• Experience working in collaborative work settings.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and cross cultural skills.
• Very good skill in report writing and facilitation.
• Superior language skills (oral, written, and comprehension), research and evaluation.
• Good knowledge and experience in Project Cycle Management.
• Good skill in emotional intelligence, continuous self-learning, adaptability and flexibility.
• Significant understanding of gender and youth employment in the context of food security programming.
• Significant knowledge of gender principles as they relate to livelihoods, nutrition and resilience for community-based programs.
• Knowledge of Sub-Sahara Africa context.
• Excellent computer skills and familiarity with MS Office applications.
• Scope & complexity of decision making
• Able to solve problems by selecting the most suitable procedure or method within guidelines and precedents ; direction sought when solutions not within established guidelines or precedents

Closing date: May 16, 2016