Project Background

Policy LINK Ethiopia Champions for Food Security (C4FS) Activity is designed to strengthen the capacity of local actors and institutions to lead and manage the agricultural & food policy systems process and contribute effectively and collectively to improved, broad- based food security policy outcomes.

Specifically, the program aims to strengthen food security policy systems by investing in and reinforcing productive human and social capital and developing strategic partnerships that help bring these innovations and capacity investments to scale in order to achieve a critical mass of local actors with the ability and opportunity to effect positive policy change through collective action.

Policy LINK’s general approach is grounded in facilitative leadership and collaborative governance, which emphasize engaging stakeholders from civil society and public and private sectors in consensus-oriented decision making, collaborative problem solving, and adaptive learning.

Policy LINK in Ethiopia

C4FS is a five-year activity with the overall objective of supporting the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and other policy system actors in their aspiration to develop an inclusive policy development process. Specifically, the activity will facilitate the transition towards a policy development paradigm driven by multiple stakeholders.

This approach to policymaking will strengthen the capacities of Ethiopia’s main agricultural policy system actors and institutions and support them to engage stakeholders traditionally excluded from decision- making, including academia, financial institutions, the judiciary, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) non- governmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector representatives from the national, regional, and local levels.

This approach is underpinned by Policy LINK’s overarching theory of change focused on increasing human and social capital, engaging policy system actors in collaborative processes, and developing mechanisms for collaborative governance and dynamic learning systems and platforms to sustain collective action.

Position Objectives

The Gender and Social Inclusion Manager will work closely with Policy LINK Ethiopia Country Lead, Technical Programs Director, technical leads, MEL team, and Regional Program Mangers to ensure that principles of gender equality and social inclusion, specifically youth and disability inclusion, are integrated into all aspects of project planning, monitoring, and implementation of activities under the USAID FtF Ethiopia C4FS Activity. 

The Gender and Social Inclusion Manager, closely working with C4FS technical staff and stakeholders, will be responsible for the leadership of policy analysis for gender and social inclusion, and mainstreaming related activities. S/he facilitate identification of approaches to address gender and social inclusion gaps in the policymaking process in the agriculture and food systems; and recommend and support opportunities to empower vulnerable groups.

The Gender and Social Inclusion Manager will design and develop strategies and plans to improve women empowerment, gender equity, and promote inclusion of vulnerable groups on Activity’s implementation. She/he will specifically focus on closing gaps of access to local services of this groups at local and sub-national level, facilitating learning and linkages on gender sensitive policymaking process.

The successful candidate will continually reinforce Policy LINK’s agreed-upon core purpose and principles, and ensure all decision-making is rooted in those purpose and principles. S/he will contribute to foster a learning environment in which personal and team growth is supported, with a shared understanding that the “team” always comes before the “individual.”

Specific Responsibilities

The Gender and Social Inclusion Manager will be responsible for the following specific tasks:

• Develop and implement a Gender Strategy for the C4FS program that ensure effective gender and social inclusion in policymaking process.

• Ensure gender and social inclusion is integrated in the design and implementation of all C4FS activities.

• Design and implement gender and social inclusion-related capacity development activities.

• Lead policy analysis activities to assess the level of gender and social inclusion in key agriculture and food system policies in Ethiopia.

• Design and implement other gender and social inclusion focused assessments including Women Empowerment in Agriculture Index.

• Advise and provide technical support on the concept notes and scopes of work and coordinate the technical work and deliverables of technical staff, including grantees and short-term consultants.

• Plan and supervise the appropriate timing and phasing of activities under the Gender Strategy and Plan.

• Provide high quality written inputs for project deliverables including annual work plans, quarterly reports, communications, and other technical documents as needed.

• Support cross cutting activities, including collaboration with stakeholder institutions as requested to support the project’s overall objectives and demands from project counterparts.

• Lead activity teams, be part of activity teams, and contribute to overall technical implementation across the Activity.

• Support project management, including team meetings, internal learning processes, and reporting.

• Perform other duties as may arise during project implementation based on evolving programmatic needs.

Reporting and Supervision

The Gender and Social Inclusion Manager will directly report to the Technical Programs Director. The Gender and Social Inclusion Manager may supervise short-term consultants hired to support gender and social inclusion functions.

Performance Criteria

The C4FS Activity is a performance-based project, highly dependent on individuals and team core competencies. Each staff member will participate in an annual evaluation and receive feedback. 

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Contract Name: USAID Feed the Future Policy LINK Ethiopia Champions for Food Security (C4FS) Activity

Status: Long Term Technical Assistance

Start Date: On or before April 1, 2024

Reporting Line Technical Programs Director

Job Requirements

Qualifications

This position is open to Ethiopian citizens. Qualifications include:

Education and Experience

Education

• MA Degree in Gender and Development Studies, Social Work, Public Policy, and other related fields of study; Work Experience

• A minimum of 10 years of progressive relevant work experience in international NGOs or private companies

• Work experience in policy analysis for gender and social inclusion and development of organizational gender strategy will be distinct advantage.

• Significant experience providing technical managerial support in gender and inclusion entities and/or advising on how to close gender and inclusion gaps preferably in agriculture and food system policies.

• Experience of working directly - or providing support as consultant - in developing and implementing gender strategies and plans.

• Experience managing simultaneous relationships with multiple partner organizations and consultants leading to timely delivery of quality products and services.

• Demonstrated familiarity and working knowledge of policy context, processes, and systems in Ethiopia.

• Demonstrated understanding of gender and social inclusion related policies, context, and politics in Ethiopia.

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and work with multiple stakeholders in collaborative models including public & private sector and civil society organizations.

• Demonstrated experience working with, advocating for, and influencing senior government officials.

• Demonstrated experience in the areas of policy development, facilitation or coordination in agriculture, market systems, private sector engagement and related areas is preferred.

• Experience in building capacity of staff and partner organizations is preferred.

• Demonstrated experience developing, supporting monitoring and evaluation of Gender and Social inclusion indicators.

• Experience working on USAID or other international donor-funded projects preferred. 

Skills

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Applied Microsoft Office skills, including Word, Excel, OneDrive, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, and/or SharePoint, etc.

• Ability to work in teams and communicate effectively across different cultures, age groups, and disciplinary backgrounds.

• Critical thinker, self-starter, and able to work with minimal supervision and within established deadlines.

• Flexibility and willingness to perform assigned and additional duties and work under unpredictable conditions.

How to Apply

Application Procedure Please submit applications electronically via this website: HERE

Applications will be considered in the order received till : 9th March,2024

Candidates will be required to answer certain qualifying questions before uploading their CVs and cover letters to the application form for consideration.

Only candidates who are shortlisted for interviews will be contacted. No email enquiries please