Position Title: Gender & Protection Officer
Closing date: 25 Oct 2022
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Position Title: Gender & Protection Officer
Directly Reports to: Field Coordinator
Technical Reports to: Health & Nutrition Head of Department
Number of positions: One (1)
Duty Station: Mandera - Kenya
Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in more than 50 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and food security. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages programs in 7 countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA implements more than $60 million in programs annually, and approximately 1,500 permanent employees based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.
Action Against Hunger has been present in Kenya since 2001 and is a transformative leader in nutrition security for improved quality of life among vulnerable communities. Action Against Hunger wants to contribute to the optimal functional performance of National, County, and Community systems through strategic partnerships for innovative nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions to achieve its impact. The organization recognizes gender equality as central to its core strategy towards realization of effective and sustainable outcomes on nutrition, WASH and surveillance interventions. Action Against Hunger is currently implementing activities in West Pokot, Mandera, Samburu, Isiolo, Trans Nzoia, Kakamega, Bungoma and Busia counties.
- Summary of position
Action Against Hunger is committed to gender and protection principles and continues to strengthen the practical integration of these areas into all the programmes. All ACF staff require sound knowledge of the fundamentals of emergency response and resilience programming. The Gender and Protection Officer shall take charge of technical aspects of the program in Mandera on behalf of the organization. His/her main roles will be to support the integration of gender and protection into ACF programs, primarily in Mandera and nationally as maybe required.
Purpose:
The gender and protection officer shall be responsible for technical support in the implementation, monitoring, and regular feedback to the organization. He or she will ensure full integration of gender and protection principles and approaches in all ACF thematic areas of Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and health, Food security and livelihood as well as proper coordination, consultation and information sharing with partner’s communities and other stakeholders.
Engagement:
Represent Action Against Hunger- Kenya Country Office in coordination forums at the national level, collaborate with other implementing partners, INGO and UN bodies to ensure a conducive policy environment. The position holder will collaborate with other departments in charge of both support and program teams to exchange information and coordination (integrated approach) on financial and planning matters during the program. Work closely with other departments in the bases and Nairobi office in efforts to ensure integration of gender activities in other departments.
Delivery
The main aim of this Gender and Protection Officer is to support implementation of the activities and provide direct support to partners and technical teams to enhance implementation. The position holder will be accepted to contribute developing community-based protection practices, programs, and activities and mainstream gender in all programming focusing on economic empowerment, social and gender justice.
- Essential job functions
Provide technical support to the program team
- Provide advice and support to the Program Managers and the Technical Advisors in the Implementation of the key gender components across the crisis response interventions in KR-1 and the DIBs area.
- Provide advice and support to the technical staff working within the respective field offices.
- Analyze and ensure the interventions are sensitive to issues of inclusion of displaced population groups.
- Support in updating and sharing with staff recent developments and knowledge tools in the areas of interventions.
- Provide technical support and supervise the application of protection mainstreaming in the field across different sectors and interventions.
- Work with all the Program Managers/coordinators to ensure that protection mainstreaming principles are applied during all the phases of the project.
- Support in confidential identification of people at risk of SGBV through existing referral mechanisms.
Monitoring and reporting on gender issues
- Monitor and report on project-related gender and protection issues in the county
- Compile and integrate gender and protection related report in the field office monthly report
- Share updates and proposed interventions on gender and protection issues observed in the county
- Provide regular updates on gender and protection issues within the organization
- Provide advice, guidance and follow-up in relation to protection and gender aspects of the Beneficiary Feedback Mechanism and Targeting.
Networking and Coordination
- Liaise with key County-based stakeholders: domestic political and civic actors, civil society organizations, international NGOs and UN partners in the region to contribute towards the implementation of the protection and gender equality agenda.
- Attend conferences and seminars as directed by the supervisors in the region.
- Represent Action Against Hunger in county level working groups on Gender and protection
Knowledge management and knowledge sharing
- Provide brief updates on the development of gender-related issues in the region.
- Assist in the development of concept notes, project documents and policy frameworks, and research area and gender issues for best practices as directed by supervisor.
- Participate in a gender-related community of practice in the region.
- Support in writing stories related to program and project developments as they relate to gender equality and protection issues.
- Develop training materials and IEC packages on GBV & protection
- Fiscal Responsibility
- The Gender/Protection officer will plan and expend budget lines supporting gender/protection- related activities in all projects in Mandera
- Physical Demands
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
- Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment
- The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. However, the officer must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
- Must be able to travel as required within the County as well as to the country office as necessary. Based on the county office needs, the time spent on field trips will be a minimum of a […..] of his/her working time. While visiting the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.
- Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse
- Foster an environment that reinforces the values of women and men, and equal access to information.
- Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
- Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.
- Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
- Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, and children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
- Value and respect all cultures.
- Required Qualifications and Professional Experience
- Diploma or Degree in Gender studies, Law, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field with
- Two years of relevant experience at the national or international level in the field of gender-related projects with an additional understanding of a crisis/conflict prevention and recovery approach.
- In-depth knowledge of gender and protection in humanitarian and resilience settings, including gender-based violence, humanitarian policy issues, and their linkage with food security and nutrition.
Required Skills & Competencies
- Fluency in written and spoken English language
- Proactive, Problem solving and result-oriented attitude.
- Good reporting and writing skills.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages.
- Able to formulate written information clearly and persuasively
- Contributes into learning through primary surveillance, research and situation analysis
- Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date
- Generates new ideas and approaches, researches, best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
- Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
How to apply
All candidates should apply through lick here: CLICK HERE. The position is open on a rolling basis and closes on 25th October 2022 at 6:00 pm. Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing non-discrimination in employment.