Regional Gender and BIAAG Program Specialist

Plan International is an independent non-profit organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Working in building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years and present on 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 Regional Office for East and Southern Africa (RESA), is seeking for qualified and experienced candidates for the position of Regional Gender and BIAAG Program Specialist. This is a regional position which will be based in any of the Country Offices across the region.

Purpose:

The Regional Gender & BIAAG Program Specialist (RGBPS) will sit within Plan Internationals RESA Regional team, and will provide programmatic leadership and staff support to staff across the region.

The core areas of programme leadership will include

(a) Ensuring that all programmes are in a position to respond to the strong gender focus defined in the organisations purpose statement

(b) Providing appropriate leadership and development of the BIAAG portfolio of work

Through this work the Regional Gender and BIAAG Program Specialist will work with programme teams across the region to position Plan as a leading organization on gender equality and girls’ rights.

The Regional Gender and BIAAG Program Specialist will ensure that Plan has a clear vision, consistent message and coherent approach to gender equality across the Region and is expected to actively contribute to identifying high impact drivers of change in the region, in close collaboration with staff at the IH, NO, RO and CO levels. S/he is also responsible for ensuring that the RO and RESA COs are contributing meaningfully to Plan’s global initiatives on gender equality, including the BIAAG campaign.

They will coordinate the BIAAG campaign in the region, so that it is translated into effective and innovative programming, policy and research initiatives that have a direct positive impact on the communities with which Plan works. Finally, as appropriate and required, the Regional Gender Equality Program Specialist will represent Plan in forums that seek to influence policy makers, and contribute to building Plan’s reputation as a highly respected contributor in the field of gender equality.

Dimensions of Role:

The Regional Gender and BIAAG Programme Specialist (RGBPS) will work as part of a team of specialsts who are managed by the Regional Head of Strategy.

To support Plan’s organizational goal of gender transformative programming, the RGBPS backstops and builds the capacity of RO and CO staff to effectively use a gender lens and systematic gender analysis in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of program in RESA.

Finally, the RGBPS plays a key role in monitoring Plan’s progress on gender equality and BIAAG both organizationally and programmatically in RESA by reviewing progress against established regional office GE and BIAAG action plans on a regular basis, leading on the relevant review processes in the regional office and supporting Gender Advisors in COs to undertake the same exercises.

Typical Responsibilities - Key End Results of Position:

1. Ensure the successful implementation of regional Gender Equality and BIAAG related projects (25%)

2. Oversee the design and implementation of regional gender equality and BIAAG related projects to ensure that project outcomes drive gender equality and promote girls’ rights

3. Provide technical support to Country-level gender equality and BIAAG project activities as required.

4. Ensure that agreed monitoring and evaluation activities of regional gender equality and BIAAG projects at Regional and CO levels are high quality and are widely disseminated, including but not limited to baseline survey, mid-term reviews and final evaluations.

5. Build close links with the Project Managers of Girls 2030 programs in the region i.e. 18+ and BIAAG Up among others.

6. Engage with National Offices to inform, promote and generate funds for RESAs regional gender equality and BIAAG work

2. Effectively coordinate the BIAAG (Because I Am A Girl) campaign in RESA and ensure that it contributes to achieving Plan’s Regional and Global BIAAG results (35%)

1. Coordinate the programmatic aspects of Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign in RESA, working closely with the Regional BIAAG Task Force.

2. Lead the development and scale up of multi-level programme models on girls’ empowerment and gender equality across the region.

3. Develop practical approaches and tools for CO and RO staff to use in monitoring and reporting on BIAAG-related activities and prepare an annual regional report that provides a detailed overview of progress at both the RO and CO levels.

4. Liaise with Plan IH, NO and CO leads around the development and evolution of the BIAAG work in the region

5. Support advocacy with external policy makers and other stakeholders on key issues related to girls rights and gender equality in the region to build Plan’s profile as a thought-leader in this area (15%)

6. Work closely with the Regional Head of Advocacy to proactively identify and utilise opportunities for high impact advocacy and policy engagement on gender equality and BIAAG.

7. Contribute to the development of Plan’s communications and media work on relevant gender equality and BIAAG issues within the region.

8. Represent Plan’s positions on gender equality and BIAAG to key external audiences at the regional and global levels, as needed.

9. Develop networks and relationships with key decision makers and influencers for gender equality and girls’ rights across the region.

10. Build Plan’s profile as a respected thought-leader and high-level contributor on girls’ rights and gender equality issues.

4. Build the capacity of Plan’s program staff and partners in RESA to design, implement and monitor gender transformative programs based on Plan’s CCCD standards (10%)

i. Support CO and RO initiatives to build staff capacity around gender equality across all thematic areas.

ii. Manage Plan’s Gender Equality Capacity Building Program in the region, including monitoring of progress and performance, and working with senior management in the RO, COs and NOs to ensure that program staff have the capacity (knowledge, skills and tools) to effectively support Plan’s gender equality programming priorities.

iii. Ensure that the CCCD standards on Gender Equality and Tackling Exclusion are utilized by Plan staff in designing, implementing and monitoring gender transformative projects.

iv. Provide leadership and guidance to the Regional Gender Network and its members to facilitate the ongoing technical support for Plan’s Gender Equality and BIAAG activities in the region.

v. Facilitate knowledge management on gender equality and BIAAG within the region, to enable Plan Offices to build on the wealth of programme experience within the region, and improve overall quality of programmes.

vi. Provide technical support to RO/CO HR Managers on integrating gender equality into performance management systems and organisational practice across the region.

5. Ensure that Plan’s Global Policy and Strategy on Gender Equality are effectively used to guide Plan’s work on gender equality across the region. (15%)

i. Support CDs and CO Gender Advisors to conduct a Gender Equality Self-Assessment on a regular basis (every three to five years) and develop CO Gender Action Plans based on the GESA results.

ii. Monitor and report on the implementation of the program content within Gender Action Plans at the CO and RO levels on a quarterly basis and prepare an annual Regional report that provides a detailed overview of progress at both the RO and CO levels.

iii. In collaboration with CO and IH colleagues, develop and monitor the implementation of the Regional Gender Equality Framework, as well as support the monitoring the programmatic aspects of Plan’s Global GE strategy in RESA.

iv. Provide technical guidance and support to RO and CO staff to ensure that key programmatic and strategic documents such as Strategic Plans, programming frameworks and funding proposals are based on a strong gender analysis and substantively contribute to achieving gender equality and girls’ rights in RESA.

vi. Actively participate in Plan’s Global Gender Equality Reference Group and ensure that lessons learned and best practices from RESA inform the development/refinement of Plan’s global work on gender equality and girls rights.

Dealing with Problems:

• The RGBPS is responsible for influencing and supporting the COs and regional office to strengthen their commitments to gender equality with concrete and measurable actions;

• Facilitating and establishing the benchmark for gender equality across the organization appropriate to the operating contexts in the Region

• Supporting senior management in setting standards and assuring accountability on gender equality;

• Advocating for an organizational culture that exemplifies Plan’s commitment to gender equality;

• Scaling up best practice without diluting results, and providing technical support, across variety of cultural and operating contexts.

• Providing leadership, energizing technical networks to influence results.

• Identifying priorities/challenges and identifying practical, sustainable ways to address them.

• Ensuring that Plan’s CCCD and Child Protection principles are adhered to strengthen Plan’s efforts to advocate equal rights for girls and boys.

  Communications and Working Relationships:

• Close working relationship with other RO program specialists, as well as the HR, Advocacy, MER and Communications/Campaigns teams in the RO.

• Support relationship with CO Gender Specialist/Focal Points and Regional Gender Training team.

• Close working relationship with Global Gender Advisor and Gender Equality Specialists across Plan International’s ROs.

• Collaboration with Plan’s Global Gender Equality Reference Group.

• Active engagement with external thought-leaders, influencers, stakeholders and academics.

  Knowledge, Skills, Behaviors, and Experience Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:

  Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge of the links between gender equality, children’s rights and NGO development/humanitarian programming practice.

• Five (5) years experience in a similar position in an NGO setting.

• Bachelors degree in Social Sciences, Gender and Development or other related field with program management training and hands on experience.

• Demonstrated understanding of gender rights issues in both development and humanitarian contexts.

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in conducting gender analysis and its application to child-rights programming.

• Experience designing, implementing, and evaluating high quality programmes with demonstrated impact on improving gender equality or girls’ empowerment.

• Excellent understanding of relevant policy-making processes and institutions on gender equality.

• Knowledge of the regional context would be desirable

  Skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills and able to communicate complex concepts around gender equality and empowerment clearly and concisely, and apply them in practical situations.

• Demonstrated experience coaching and mentoring field based program staff using a variety of methodologies (workshop based training, appreciative inquiry, etc) on integrating gender sensitive approaches and considerations into day to day field work.

• Able to apply gender analysis in the design, monitoring and evaluation of a broad range of programmes to support gender equality and girls’ empowerment goals

• Strong project management and leadership skills

• Ability to build internal and external networks across countries.

• Able to collaboratively develop guidelines and standards

• Excellent communication skills operating at a distance and across a wide variation in cultures

• Excellent command of English, both speaking and writing

• Proactive self-starter able to work to deadlines

  Behaviors

• Promotes innovation and learning

• Inspires trust and support from others

• Provides vision and direction

• Communicates effectively and enthusiastically

• Able create rapport with wide range of groups

• Self-motivated

• Good at listening to others and highly respectful of them

• Culturally sensitive

• Flexible, adaptive while maintaining strategic and longer term focus

• Demonstrably committed to Plan’s goals and values, in particular with regard to equity and justice.

  Physical Environment and Demands:

• Frequent travel within and outside the region, sometimes to remote areas, approximately 50% of time

  Level of Contact with Children:

  *Low contact: Low frequency of interaction*

Closing Date: August 31, 2016

Please note that only applications and CVs written in English will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The position title should be the subject of your email application. Applications should be sent to: plan.resajob@plan-international.org

References will be taken and background and antiterrorism checks will be carried out in conformity with Plans Child Protection Policy. Plan operates an equal opportunities policy and actively encourages diversity, welcoming applications from all persons meeting the skills and experience required. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.