Gender Equality & Social Inclusion Advisor

Positions title: Gender Equality & Social Inclusion Advisor

Positions location: Ottawa

Reports to: Director of Programs

Salary Range: 55k to 75k, depending on experience

Application deadline: February 9th 2019

Background:

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization focusing in three programmatic areas: Economic Opportunities, Education, and Empowerment.   Our vision is a better world for all young people. It is a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world in which all young people, especially women and refugees, are empowered to secure a good quality of life for themselves, their families, and their communities.

WUSC currently works in over 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $45 million. We have 90 people in our Ottawa office, and over 200 people overseas implementing 16 development projects in collaboration with donors such as Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Globally, we partner with a network of higher education institutions, civil society organizations, private sector partners, professionals, students, volunteers, faculty and community leaders that work with us to achieve our mission.

The Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor will play a strategic role in three key areas. The GESI Advisor will implement WUSC’s Gender, Age and Diversity policy and strategy and WUSC’s empowerment thematic paper The GESI Advisor will also be a core member of the WUSC Programs Team, working in a matrix environment as a technical resource for integrating gender equality and social inclusion into WUSC’s program development efforts as well as WUSC’s portfolio of overseas programs. The GESI Advisor will also develop tools, resources and conduct training and coaching to WUSC staff, partners and volunteers to enable them to contribute to WUSC’s gender equality and social inclusion goals. The GESI Advisor will work to promote and maintain an organizational culture that advances gender equality.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

GESI Advice & Coaching to WUSC Programs and Projects

• Provide high-quality technical assistance to diverse teams across the organization, including program delivery teams, building a solid evidence base for the implementation of gender-transformative approaches;
• Support program staff in the development or revision of program/project-specific GESI strategies, plans and activities;
• Assist program staff in integrating GESI into project planning and management approaches (including results based management tools) and propose strategies to increase project/program impact on GESI;
• Identify strengths and weaknesses in existing GE practices, leading the development of improved systems, processes, and tools for improving our results in GESI;
• Facilitate the use of GESI data to promote evidence-based learning, reflection and decision making within programs/ projects;
• Work with program managers & M&E Advisors to ensure that M&E systems are established to ensure that GESI results are captured and reported to relevant stakeholders;
• Create GESI resources (including trainings) and tools (ie. tipsheets) that to assist staff in effectively prioritizing and integrating GESI in their work.

GESI Advice to new Programs

• Work with the Program Development unit to ensure the integration of GESI in new program design, including: initial rapid gender equality & empowerment assessment, initial GESI strategy, identification of GESI activities;
• Ensure compliance of projects with donor requirements related to gender equality, social inclusion and empowerment;
• Recommend financial and human resources necessary to execute program/ project GESI gender analyses and strategies;
• Support new project inception planning, particularly the development of the program/ project-specific GESI analyses, strategies and planning;

• Support project teams in the recruitment and capacity building of project-specific gender equality advisors and officers.

Leadership of WUSC’s GESI Policy, Strategy & Approach

• Work to refine and enhance WUSC’s policies and strategies in a continuous manner;
• Conduct analysis of opportunities to maximize GESI results within WUSC’s Theory of Change focused on education, employment and empowerment of youth;
• Lead the development of the organizational annual GESI workplan and ensure the execution of this plan;
• Conduct annual internal review of WUSC’s progress towards its Gender, Age and Diversity Implementation Strategy;
• Chair and recruit new members to the WUSC Gender Equality Committee (monthly meetings);
• Facilitate organizational learning opportunities, including trainings, seminars, webinars, tipsheets.

Internal & External Learning on GE

• Liaise regularly with program-specific gender equality resources (staff/ consultants) to share best practices, tools, and organizational approaches to GESI;
• Support the establishment of systems that enable a “community of learning” within and across programs to enhance lesson sharing and impact;
• Participate in GESI-related working groups and maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other relevant international NGOs;
• Seek opportunities to increase the awareness, commitment and involvement of WUSC’s University and College members, private sector partners and other key stakeholders in GESI;
• Participate in WUSC’s communications work by providing data, information and other material for use with WUSC’s Canadian and International constituency and assists in implementing constituency building, communication strategies, and fundraising activities.

Qualifications:

• MA/MSc or equivalent in International Development or a related field (human rights) required - coursework in Gender Equality in International Development is preferred;
• A minimum of 5-7 years of active GESI work experience in development programming required; ideal candidate will have both theoretical and practical background in GESI and skilled in GESI analysis and methodologies;
• Extensive technical experience in WUSC’s areas of programming: education, economic opportunities, inclusive market systems development, intersectionality, youth empowerment, women’s economic empowerment, sexual, reproductive and maternal health and rights;
• Knowledge of accountability, protection, women and children’s rights frameworks and best practices;
• Strong analytical and research skills;
• Proven ability to work productively with a variety of stakeholders to run participatory processes and meet tight deadlines with an emphasis on producing quality products;
• Excellent capacity building skills, with demonstrated experience in effective training, coaching and facilitation;

• Proven experience fostering organizational culture and accountability conducive to gender equality outcomes;
• Experience designing and conducting gender analyses and developing gender strategies;
• Experience hiring and managing consultants at a distance;
• Experience with a range of institutional donors such as GAC, DFID and USAID.

Competencies:

• Effective interpersonal and influencing skills, including the ability to build relationships, network, communicate and represent at a senior level are essential;
• Flexibility, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple priorities;
• Commitment to local capacity building and the ability to engage local stakeholders in policy design and implementation;
• Passion and commitment to gender equality and youth empowerment.

Languages:

• Complete fluency, oral and written in English essential. Advanced capacity to work in French required, Spanish highly desired.

Background:

WUSC – World University Service of Canada – is a leading Canadian non-profit organization in international development, committed to building a more equitable and sustainable world. We work with a unique and powerful network of post-secondary institutions, private-sector partners and volunteers to provide education, employment and engagement opportunities that improve the lives of millions of disadvantaged youth around the world.

Applications:

WUSC offers a dynamic international work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce.   We offer employees exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference for youth around the world.

WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls please.

If you wish to apply for this position, please follow this link to register on WUSC’s candidate database.