Gender Specialist-Internal Only

Work Arrangement: In-person

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In early 2014, IRC opened a field office in the town of Adamawa state in NE Nigeria followed by offices in Yola (Adamawa state) in November 2014 and Maiduguri (Borno state) in October 2015. IRC has ECHO, OFDA, and Gates funds to respond to health, nutrition, GBV, and WASH activities. In late 2014 and early 2015, IRC received additional funds from SV, SIDA, USAID, and UNICEF to carry out education, child protection, general protection, emergency food distributions, shelter support, and NFI distributions to newly displaced IDPs. In late 2015 into early 2016, IRC received Swiss and UNHCR funds for additional emergency response humanitarian-focused programming in NE Nigeria

Job Overview/Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC), in partnership with Plan International, the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Inclusive Development Partners (IDP), and the Restoration of Hope Initiative (ROHI) is implementing activities under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding for the Opportunities to Learn (OTL) activity in Nigeria. Under OTL, IRC and its consortium partners will work with students, teachers, community-based organizations, local government education authorities (LGEA) state education authorities, and the private sector to design, implement, and scale lasting results that foster healthier, better-educated population by improving learning outcomes for Borno and Yobe’s most vulnerable children and youth.

The Gender Specialist will ensure that project activities effectively integrate gender considerations and mainstream vulnerable groups, such as women and persons with disabilities. The specialist will support the design and implementation of project activities that address the unique human rights challenges that women face, and how to incorporate gender and social inclusion concerns in advocacy activities. S/he will support project management with recommendations for improving processes to achieve objectives, will contribute to the overall adaptive programming approach, and will play a key role in project work planning, learning, and reporting.

Key responsibilities:

The Gender specialist under the supervision of the school and safety protection lead, will:

- Lead the integration of gender-responsive and as appropriate, transformative approaches into access to quality education, TPD, and education actors’ capacity-building activities. - Provide dedicated training to state and local education actors, CBOs, CSOs, CBMCs, school administrators, and LFs/teachers to build foundational knowledge on education gender equity issues and strategies. - Review project documents, and training materials for gender inclusion. - Guide the project cycle on gender issues across all program areas; - Conduct gender analysis at the program outset and incorporate findings in the work plan for ongoing monitoring and learning purposes; - Develop and deliver training to program staff and relevant stakeholders on gender-related issues, tools, and approaches, and conduct awareness-raising initiatives. - Deliver technical assistance to stakeholders to build capacity around the development of inclusive practices and policies. - Work closely with the field and SSCP, including the COP, to develop and implement appropriate messaging plans. - Develop and keep up to date the activity’s Gender Strategy and activity-specific guidelines on the incorporation of GESI principles into detailed activity plans. - With technical oversight, provide technical leadership in the design, development, planning, implementation, and capacity building of specific technical components of programs. - Maintain a constructive dialogue and technical exchange with technical staff of implementing partners. - Develop tools for the design and implementation of specific technical components. - Monitor, assess, and report on the implementation of the Gender Strategy, to ensure compliance in all programming, planning, training, and activities - Work with the team in the development, application, and monitoring of gender-sensitive indicators and the consistent use of sex disaggregation in reporting to better measure gender-related impacts and outcomes. - Review and assess the effectiveness of gender mainstreaming in the activity’s policies and in activities through reports, field visits, and surveys; Lead the development and implementation of evidence-based equity and social inclusion analysis and the accompanying action plan. - Integrate gender content into communication materials (posters, scripts for radio or television, documentaries, and success stories), and integrate gender-related highlights and “success stories” for Quarterly and Annual Technical progress reports for donor submission. - Represent the project at relevant conferences, and stakeholder and donor meetings as appropriate. - Other duties and tasks as assigned.

Competency profile

- Experience in management of a team. - Excellent analysis and reporting skills. - Excellent communication and organization skills. - Punctuality and respect for applicable rules and procedures. - Ethical and transparent decision-making. - High regard for preserving the confidentiality of work-related information and data. - Excellent knowledge and understanding of local communities and customary rules. - Independent work, i.e., with minimal supervision and under pressure. - Self-motivation, goal/result-orientation, and teamwork. - Flexibility, creativeness, tolerance, and maturity. - Computer/IT literacy (OS Windows/Vista/Linux, MS Office, Internet, etc.) -

Position Reports to: SSCP

Qualifications

Job Requirements:

- Bachelor’s degree in gender, education, international development, or related field. - Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in gender equity and GBV program management, coordination, policy, advocacy, technical assistance, and transformative approaches, preferably with USAID - Relevant experience in supervising community-based social development and gender equality mainstreaming. - Standard of Professional Conduct: IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others. - Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. - Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. - Employment Gaps: We welcome applicants with varied career paths and recognize that a gap in employment does not define a candidate's potential. We value transferrable skills and are committed to investing in the growth and development of our team members. We encourage applicants to highlight any relevant skills or experiences they have acquired, even if they were not gained in a traditional work setting. - Compensation and Benefits: IRC strives to provide externally competitive and internally equitable Compensation and Benefits programs that attracts, motivates, and retains employees that deliver strong performance while demonstrating the IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct. - Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity and inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, ethnicity or tribe, gender, age, religion, caste, sexual orientation, differently abled, geographic origin, marital status, veteran status and cultural background (or any other characteristic protected by law). We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.