One-year overseas volunteer opportunity Gender officer, Colombia
WHERE: Bogota, Colombia, with regular travel to rural communities in different departments of Colombia WHEN: Mid-late October 2016 to October 2017
DURATION: One year (12 months)
REPORTING TO: Philippa Wiens, CCA program manager for Colombia
DEADLINE: September 15, 2016
NOTE: This is a voluntary assignment. Costs covered are: domestic and international airfare, ground transport, visa, travel insurance, basic accommodation in Colombia, and a meal/incidental allowance (up to $1,500/month for accommodation and meals).
BACKGROUND:
The Improving Economic Performance of Agricultural Co-operatives (IMPACT) project, is a five-year, CAD $15,309,473 project funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) that will be implemented by the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) in partnership with GESTANDO, a Colombian business incubator from the co-operative sector. The project will end on September 30th of 2019.
The project supports sustainable, private-sector driven business activities of co-operatives (these are a mix of associations of producers and co-ops) in the agricultural sector in 11 departments of Colombia: Antioquia, Tolima, Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Huila, Meta, Valle, Nariño and the Eje Cafetero (Quindio, Risaralda and Caldas). Working in partnership with Colombia’s leading co-operatives as well as the Government of Colombia, CCA and Gestando are building the capacity of agricultural associations and co-operatives to compete in domestic and export markets, and to generate sustainable economic opportunities for 14,000 producer members, 50% of whom will be women. When considering the impact on their immediate families and communities, the project is expected to reach 84,000 men, women and children. By the end of the project it is anticipated that 55 producer organizations will be financially sustainable, with expanded sales of their products within their municipalities. 30% of the co-ops will operate regionally or higher, and 10% of the producer groups will export their products internationally.
CCA’s Colombia Country Director resides in Bogota, Colombia. The project has a staff of approximately 50 people, including approximately 15 people located in the partner office in Bogota, and field staff in each of the 11 departments where the project is active. Project staff include local field coordinators in each department, six cross-cutting theme consultants (finance, agriculture, environment, gender, agro-industry & marketing, and M & E) who provide support to the whole project, local finance assistants, and local agriculture extension field workers.
ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENT:
The Gender Officer will provide support to the project’s local Gender Consultant, under the joint general direction of the local Gender Consultant and CCA’s Senior Gender Specialist and Program Manager for Colombia. The Gender Officer will be based in the partner offices in Bogota, and will work closely with the project team. A significant percentage of the Gender Officer’s time (up to 100 days in the year) will be spent in the field, participating in gender training activities with the local producer organizations in rural communities, under the guidance of the local Gender Consultant.
OBJECTIVE:
To provide on-the-ground support to the local Gender Consultant for the implementation of the IMPACT project`s gender strategy. (Gender strategy ATTACHED)
ACTIVITIES AND DELIVERABLES:
Working closely with the local project Gender Consultant, the Gender Officer will:
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Provide support for the gender Trainers of Training program delivered to rural farmers of participating producer organizations.
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Travel to the field with the Gender Consultant as required.
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Conduct research and develop materials on gender as required for the project (in Spanish and in English).
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Provide support for review of materials from a gender perspective.
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Other tasks as required.
QUALIFICATIONS:
The successful applicant must possess the following skills, experiences and personal characteristics:
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Relevant degree in social sciences, international development, community development or similar, or equivalent experience.
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Knowledge of gender issues.
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Ability to relate to rural women and men farmers.
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Ability to speak and write Spanish (fluency in Spanish required).
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Preferably, knowledge of and experience in Latin America.
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Experience with participatory approaches and methodologies an asset.
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Willingness to travel to rural areas with very basic accommodation.
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Openness to new experiences.
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Flexible.
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Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
The position is based in Bogota, Colombia, but will require frequent travel to rural areas (up to 100 days in the year).
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Please submit a resume and letter of intent by end of business day of September 15, 2016 to Volunteer Manager, Laurie Tennian, laurie.tennian@coopscanada.coop. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada. Successful candidates will be required to obtain a police check from their local police/RCMP detachment. No phone calls please. All applicants are thanked for their interest in CCA; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
CANADIAN CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION
The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) is a not-for-profit co-operative with a mission to establish and grow co- operatives internationally that build a better world. CCA delivers programs for the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF) and other organizations which help communities fight poverty and create more secure lives through community-owned co-ops. For more information, visit www.coopscanada.coop.