Gender Equality Advisor

Background

Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) is an international development organization and registered charity that concentrates on a number of specific development challenges in health, education, rural development and civil society. AKFC partners with communities, businesses, and governments to find innovative, lasting solutions to global challenges. Working in Africa and Asia, we invest in local institutions and systems that anchor progress over the long term. In Canada, AKFC mobilizes funding and expertise, and promotes awareness of global issues. In all of our work, advancing gender equality, inclusion and pluralism are key objectives and approaches. AKFC is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the world’s most comprehensive development organizations. Since 1980, AKFC has helped millions of women and men unlock their own potential to build a better life.

 

The Position

The position of Gender Equality (GE) Advisor guides the integration of gender equality and women’s empowerment across AKFC’s portfolio. This includes significant new and existing projects in Africa and Asia, as well as AKFC’s activities in Canada. In fulfilling this role, the GE Advisor will work in close collaboration and consultation with the Aga Khan Foundation’s Global Lead, Gender Equality, and Regional Gender Advisors for Africa and Asia.

The GE Advisor will work closely with the AKFC Programs Team to develop and implement programming that effectively integrates and achieves gender equality and women’s empowerment objectives and results. The GE Advisor will assist AKFC and its implementing partners to develop and implement project-specific gender equality strategies, and strengthen the capacity of implementing agencies to identify specific opportunities for improving and mainstreaming gender equality through project cycles.

The Gender Equality Advisor will report to the AKFC Director of Programs. The position will likely include travel up to 25% per year to project countries.

 

Responsibilities

The main tasks will include:

  1. Support the AKFC program team and field implementing partners to integrate gender equality issues within project design, planning and reporting processes, and MERL systems, including project concept notes and proposals, project implementation plans, performance measurement frameworks, MERL strategies, annual work plans, narrative and financial reports, and project formative and summative evaluations for all AKFC-supported initiatives.
  2. Support field implementation agencies to undertake comprehensive gender analyses for AKFC-supported initiatives at the design and implementation stages, and develop detailed gender equality strategies integrated into specific projects.
  3. Provide training, supplementary learning materials, and technical assistance to AKFC staff in Canada and field partners as necessary to build their understanding of gender equality as it applies to their AKFC-supported initiatives.
  4. Assist implementing partner teams to identify specific activities to integrate gender equality, and provide support for implementation, including assisting with identification of local Gender Specialists.
  5. In collaboration with Regional Gender Advisors, support field implementation agencies to conduct gender sensitive and gender equality-focused implementation research, incorporating findings and learnings into project activities and future project design.
  6. Providing quality assurance to field units on gender equality and monitoring the implementation of gender equality strategies.
  7. Support AKFC’s public engagement and professional learning agenda in Canada to integrate gender equality issues.
  8. Communicate and document lessons learned on Gender Equality, internally and externally.
  9. Represent AKFC’s gender equality work and results to stakeholders in Canada.
  10. Represent AKFC at AKF’s Gender Equality Community of Practice, to enhance gender equality targeted and integrating programming
  11. Support the development and implementation of AKFC’s organizational approaches to gender equality, gender and sexual diversity, and pluralism framed by the AKFC Gender Equality Policy, and supported by the Gender Equality Task Force.

 

Required Qualifications and Experience

  • A graduate degree in a relevant discipline, such as gender or social sciences.
  • Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in applying gender analysis and addressing gender equality issues with a minimum of two (2) years of relevant, practical experience in a field country context.
  • Experience in conducting gender analyses and implementing gender equality activities, including training, in international development projects and organizations.
  • Experience working with donor-funded projects; strong understanding and experience with meeting donor gender equality criteria in project design, reporting and monitoring/evaluation; experience with GAC-funded development programming is an asset.
  • Knowledge and experience of research design and implementation, including qualitative and quantitative gender sensitive data collection methodologies.
  • Knowledge and experience of gender sensitive results-based management and evaluation with particular attention to assessing gender equality results.
  • Superb analytical, organizational, negotiation and problem-solving skills. Proven interpersonal and communication skills in diverse and cross-cultural settings.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; candidates who can also work in French are strongly preferred.
  • Ability to travel to project locations (approximately 25% of time).

 

Essential Skills and Attributes

  • Dynamic, collaborative, and able to work in challenging contexts with patience, perseverance and flexibility.
  • Capacity to work independently, take initiative, set priorities, and manage a variety of activities simultaneously.
  • Enthusiastic about learning from others and sharing knowledge.
  • Demonstrated intercultural competence and ability to adapt professional skills to fit local conditions and constraints.

 

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three professional references by November 6, 2020 via email to [email protected].

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please note that applicants must be eligible to work in Canada.

AKFC is committed to advancing gender equality and inclusion through our programming and operations in Canada and overseas. AKFC requires all employees to review and abide by the AKFC Gender Equality Policy.

AKFC welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

AKFC recognizes the importance of safeguarding and is committed to ensuring it manages a wide range of risks such that beneficiaries, staff, other associates, and the organization as a whole are kept safe from harm.

To learn more about us, please visit our website at: www.akfc.ca

 

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