This position is open to Ghana nationals only.

An international organization is currently recruiting for the position of Gender Equality Specialist for a new project in Northern Ghana. The incumbent will work out of the Project’s Head Office in Tamale, Northern Region.

Project Overview:
The ultimate outcome of this 6-year project is to enhance food security and resilience for poor male and female smallholder farmers (35% male/65% female) and their households in the three northern regions. This ultimate outcome is to be achieved through increased, diversified and more equitable agricultural production; and increased, diversified and more equitable incomes and assets.

Position Summary:
Reporting to the Project Director (based in Tamale), the Gender Equality Specialist is responsible for spearheading the implementation of the project’s gender equality strategy. As such, the Gender Equality Specialist will work with project staff and local partners to design, implement, monitor and evaluate gender integrated and sex-specific interventions. The Gender Equality Specialist will work in close collaboration with other project specialists (including climate change adaptation/environment, monitoring and evaluation, crops, livestock, and marketing and income generating activities specialists) to ensure that gender equality is effectively integrated and targeted within the project. The Gender Equality Specialist will provide advice and guidance to staff and implementing organizations to ensure that the project’s gender equality outcomes and targets are being reached. While the Gender Equality Specialist reports directly to the Project Director, s/he will be supported on technical matters by the organization’s Canada-based Gender Equality Advisor.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Regularly review the project’s gender equality strategy to ensure it is still appropriate, is being implemented effectively, and is achieving gender results as outlined in the project implementation plan;
• Provide technical support to project staff and implementing organizations to strengthen capacity in mainstreaming gender equality in project programming;
• In collaboration with project staff and implementing organizations, support the development of all training curriculum to ensure gender equality issues are integrated, as appropriate;
• Promote gender awareness among stakeholders to ensure active and equitable participation and contribution of both women and men;
• Ensure that results-based reports include gender equality considerations;
• Provide technical support to project staff and implementing organizations to identify and promote gender equitable market-oriented opportunities;
• Collaborate with the project’s M&E Specialist to ensure gender equality issues are integrated into baselines and data collected is disaggregated and analyzed, as appropriate;
• Develop practical tools and culturally-appropriate learning materials to help staff and implementing organizations incorporate gender equality into their daily work and monitor the use of these tools throughout the project cycle (approval, planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting);
• Contribute to the analysis, synthesis and articulation of key lessons, challenges and risks emerging from gender aspects of the project;
• Collaborate with the M&E Specialist and staff in conducting qualitative studies, e.g. through focus group discussions, to enhance understanding of gender equality issues and how they affect project beneficiaries;
• Play an overall coordinating and capacity development role with Gender Officers located in the regional field offices;
• Participate in project review meetings and evaluations to promote adherence to best practices in promoting gender equality;
• Facilitate collaboration on gender issues between the project and key stakeholders;
• Act as focal person for the project for issues related to gender equality; and
• Where appropriate, collaborate with other organizations and networks to increase gender equality in relation to project interventions.

Qualification Required & Experience

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, e.g. in gender studies, or other relevant discipline, with a focus on gender related studies.
• At least 8 years of program experience in international development, including 5 years of experience providing technical advice on gender equality programming in relation to smallholder agricultural production or rural development.
• Previous experience working on donor funded projects required; experience with CIDA an asset.
• Work experience in the food security, market-led development and/or rural agricultural sector, or on agriculture-related projects, an asset.
• Proven experience in providing oversight, building the capacity of partners and staff and providing technical advice in gender equality programming.

Requisite Knowledge, Skills And Abilities
Gender:

• Strong gender analysis, evidence-based research and writing skills. Strong experiential knowledge of gender issues in food security and market-led development programming.
• Demonstrated aptitude for coaching, training and facilitation on gender equality.
• Proven skills in integrating gender considerations in results based management approaches and tools.
• Previous experience designing, supporting implementation, evaluating, and reporting against gender equality strategies and integrating gender equality into baseline studies.
• Good knowledge of how to analyze statistics from a gender perspective.
• Solid computer skills in Word, Excel and other Microsoft Office tools.
• Proven leadership, strategic planning and program coordination skills.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills, including in capacity building of staff in gender mainstreaming.

General:

• Ability to establish and maintain relationships and networks with a broad range of stakeholders and to understand needs and gain support.
• Proactive mindset in developing strategies to accomplish objectives.
• Strong coordination and communication skills facilitating the adaptation of messages to audiences in order to promote maximum receptiveness and understanding.
• Excellent English language skills (spoken and written).
• Ability to travel frequently and to work in small rural communities for up to 1 week at a time.

Location: Tamale

How To Apply For The Job

Suitably qualified persons are invited to submit their cover letter detailing how their work experience and academic/professional qualifications meet the requirements described above, CV, and 3 professional references no later than February 8th, 2013 via e-mail to:

jobsapplications@yahoo.com

Closing Date: 08 February 2013

Please indicate in the subject line of the email which position is being applied for.

The principles of employment equity are adhered to. Suitably qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. While all applicants are thanked for their interest, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.