Gender & Social Inclusion Coordinator at Practical Action Kenya

The GESI Coordinator will use their in-depth contextual understanding, technical and practical expertise, and relationship building skills to define and deliver our strategic ambition for advancing gender equality and social inclusion in the Kenya Country Office and Practical Action’s change ambitions. The role will coordinate GESI strategy development and the technical design, implementation that advance gender equality and social inclusion.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Leadership and Strategic Alignment

• Provide thought leadership on gender and social inclusion. This includes leading and supporting the overall areas of Gender and Inclusion in the organisation in a manner that adds value, impact and provides strategic inputs across all the Change Ambitions
• Lead Gender related analysis, research, learning and knowledge development.
• Plan and spearhead new gender-related initiatives for the organisation in close coordination with the Head of Programs and directly with respective project managers.
• Identify knowledge gaps at different levels and undertake actions to reduce the gap information on gender especially in coordination with the Impact and Influence team.
• Assist by providing critical inputs in developing project proposals and project designs to strategically integrate gender sensitive and transformative approaches.
• Participate and contribute to the activities of the Global Gender Group including providing regular updates on progress made in the gender equality and social inclusion efforts in Kenya as well as share lessons from other Country Offices with the Kenya team to improve delivery of gender sensitive and transformative work.
• Contribute actively to the development of the Kenya’s Strategic Business Plan (SBP) and annual business plan.

Gender Strategy and Plan

• Review, propose, and support People and Culture to deliver the organization’s gender strategy.
• Support project teams to incorporate gender priorities in their planning and budgeting in alignment to the SBP and the gender strategy.
• Proactively initiate appropriate revision according to the country’s legal framework and development trends.
• Work closely with the projects’ Gender Focal Points and Safeguarding Focal Points to ensure effective implementation of the Gender and Safeguarding policies in the organization.
• Ensure gender related interventions contribute to the policy engagement.
• Work with People & Culture and project leads to facilitate and undertake the capacity development related gender activities to programme team and other stakeholders as necessary.
• Work with the Impact and Influence team to identify opportunities for innovation and policymaking/adjustments drawing on data and information from evaluations carried out, lessons learnt, best practices or from research from within the organization, country or region.
• Work closely with the Projects’ Gender Focal Points, Managers and partners to champion social inclusion of marginalized groups

Delivering Performance

• Oversee and support the fulfilment of donor-specific gender activities in projects
• Work with programme staff to achieve gender inclusiveness in partners and beneficiaries while designing the programme/project.
• Support the People and Culture and Programme teams to achieve the gender related targets in staff composition and programme delivery including support to achieve equity, diversity, and inclusion targets in the workplace.
• Participate in the project/programme reviews and prepare reports on progress in delivery of the organization’s gender strategy.
• Support implementation of gender within the KPI reporting system and in tracking progress.
• Contribute to preparation of gender friendly reports (KPI, annual reports, donor reports).
• Support in preparation of action plans for gender activities during inception of new and in ongoing projects.
• In collaboration with MEL staff, create a mechanism for capturing and documenting key successful interventions including gender impact case studies and success stories and work.
• Build the capacity of relevant staff and provide constructive feedback to ensure quality gender related interventions through skills and sharing.
• Work with relevant staff to support cross-country knowledge sharing and learning.
• Strengthen Organizational Profile and Managing Relationships
• As needed, represent Practical Action as the gender focal person in related forums, meetings, workshops, etc.
• Coordinate and build relationships with relevant government line agencies and networks at national level and local level as well to increase collective national action and awareness on gender.
• Work with communications People and Culture team to train staff and partners on gender-sensitive communication.

Key selection criteria

To be successful in the role, the ideal candidate should meet the following requirements:

Experience & Knowledge

• Bachelor’s degree in Gender Studies or related degree with focus on gender equality in international development, agriculture, social work, anthropology or related area, or equivalent experience.
• At least 3 years’ experience (including field experience) providing technical leadership for the design and implementation of development programmes focused on advancing gender equality.
• At least 3 years’ experience of leading the design and implementation of development GESI in projects.
• Strong understanding of gender equality principles and practices, the gender equality sector, policy priorities and key gender inequalities impacting women in Kenya.
• Proven senior level experience leading diverse, complex initiatives and virtual teams to achieve agreed objectives, including demonstrated experience designing, implementing and reporting on GESI.
• Significant experience in GESI training, capacity building and mentoring, and a demonstrated ability to make complex concepts compelling and accessible.
• Skilled at networking, representation and partnership development in order promote GESI issues with partners/ networks.