Job Title: Women’s Economic Empowerment Advisor
Hiring Organization: Mercy
Corps
Location – Locality: Nairobi
Location – Region: Kenya
Industry: NGO
Job Type: Full
Time
Salary: KES
Competitive
Date Posted: 01/16/2024
Mercy
Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we
know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member
feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and
skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
In the
Horn of Africa, Mercy Corps has been working in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya,
since 2004, working in rural, peri-urban and urban areas and engaging in both
development and humanitarian work, that seek to integrate approaches, programs
and geographies as much as possible. Our partners include government and
intergovernmental organizations, academic institutions, development and private
sector actors, civil societies, and the participating public.
Program Summary
Mercy
Corps has been a leader in the drylands of the Horn of Africa for the last
decade, supporting households affected by climate change, drought, conflict and
other challenges to adapt and thrive in the face of increasing shocks. Our
programming focuses on strengthening livestock production and markets,
enhancing food and water security, addressing gender inequality and youth
opportunities, and strengthening devolved governance outcomes to support
dryland communities to break from the cycle of humanitarian need and lay the
foundations for a more food secure, resilient future. Working across Kenya,
Ethiopia and Somalia, Mercy Corps will soon be launching our 12-year Regional
Livestock Program (RLP), which looks to leverage the significant potential for
livestock production and trade within the region by building vibrant regional
livestock markets, strengthening livestock production and trade, supporting
climate adaptation and enhanced regeneration and governance of rangeland in
order to enhance household food security and livelihoods.
General
Position Summary
The
Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Advisor for the Regional Livestock Programme
to use their in-depth contextual understanding, technical and practical
expertise and relationship building skills to define and support the collective
delivery of a gender transformative program for women’s economic empowerment in
the drylands of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. The role will lead the program’s
gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) strategy design and support to its
implementation, providing technical guidance to all program components to
ensure high quality programming that will advance gender equality and women and
girls’ empowerment. The role provides leadership to ensure that the program is
grounded in intersectional gender equality and social inclusion analysis and
supports the design and implementation of gender transformative monitoring,
evaluation, accountability, and learning systems to demonstrate impact, while
sharing learning across our team and partners.
Essential
Job Responsibilities
Vision
And Strategy
- Work
closely with the Program Director, Program Managers from the three
countries, as well as program team and key stakeholders to develop a
gender transformative program strategy and implementation plan for WEE.
- Ensure
that cross-cutting aspects of GESI and youth are included in the design of
program activities across components.
- Participate
in the development and implementation of program research and learning
agenda, to build evidence and support the production of robust thought
leadership on GESI and WEE.
- Lead
adaptation or expansion of WEE activities in response to funding
opportunities and budget changes
- Recognize
opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where
alternative viewpoints are welcomed; promote and model a culture of
learning and adaptive management.
- Support
the program to implement Mercy Corps’ global Minimum Standards for GESI
integration.
Technical
Guidance For Implementation
- Provide
oversight and guidance to the program implementation teams to ensure that
thematic components are technically sound and grounded on GESI analysis;
ensure the inclusion of women, men and youth from a diversity of identity
groups and communities; and ensure that implementation methods are
consistent donor guidelines and acknowledged good practice.
- Deliver
regular training and ongoing mentorship to program team members and
partners to promote capacity, ownership, and commitment to GESI and
WEE-related best practices.
- Support
field monitoring and conduct periodic qualitative reviews on the strategic
direction of GESI-related activities.
- Oversee
program-level partnerships specific to WEE strategy and intervention
approaches.
- Support
RLP Monitoring and Results Measurement Manager, Program Director and
country-level Program Managers to interpret monitoring results and
relevant study findings to strengthen WEE approach, intervention design
and partnerships (i.e. adaptive management to support WEE).
- Regularly
review program workplans, reports and data collected, analyzing outcomes
and desired impact making crucial recommendations to maximize gender
transformative potential.
- Work
closely to guide and support the program’s Monitoring & Results
Measurement and Learning teams to design and implement a MRM system
appropriate for a gender-transformative program; to carry out GESI
analysis; to develop innovative program quality and monitoring tools; and
to conduct monitoring and evaluation activities using participatory
methodologies that promote GESI.
- Contribute
to donor reporting and ensure submission of reports that effectively
communicate the program ’s GESI work, with a focus on youth and WEE across
all program components.
- Support
the development of knowledge management products to increase the program’s
understanding of successful implementation strategies; distill learnings
and evidence generated into program guidance and thought leadership for
internal and external consumption.
- Support
the incorporation of GESI within the program’s operational policies and
practices.
- Support
the execution of the WELI/WELBI baseline, including data collection,
analysis, and development of recommendations. Work closely with the team
to ensure early level engagement and subsequent integration of findings
into the project’s work-plan.
- Conduct
a GBV risk analysis and ensure that recommendations for mitigation are
integrated in the program’s strategy and the project’s work-plan. Ensure
that all staff and partners are trained on safeguarding and understand
their roles in protecting program participants from sexual exploitation
and abuse.
Management
& Coordination
- Supervise
and mentor GESI and women economic empowerment staff involved through
technical visits, and coaching sessions.
- Ensure
that program and country staff understand are familiar with and have the
skills to contribute to the integration of Mercy Corps’ GESI Minimum
Standards.
- Liaise
with key external stakeholders to include their input on GESI, youth and
WEE perspectives in all aspects of program activities.
External
Representation
- Represent
Mercy Corps and the program at relevant external meeting and events,
including in GESI-related networks and coordination bodies.
- Lead
in documenting and coordinating information dissemination activities that
share program achievements in and results with the aim of influencing
decision and policymakers.
- Prepare
and deliver presentations to stakeholders about program approaches, best
practices, and learnings related to gender equality, diversity, and
inclusion.
Security
- Work
closely with the country team’s security focal point to promote and
maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
Ensure that gender specific needs and interests of program staff in
relation to safety and security are identified and responded to
appropriately.
- Supervisory
Responsibility
- No
direct supervisory responsibility. The Women Economic Advisor directly
supports women economic empowerment officers.
