The Millennium Villages Project, supported by Millennium Promise Alliance and the Earth Institute at Columbia University, is a bottom-up approach to lift developing country villages out of the poverty trap that afflicts more than a billion people worldwide. The Millennium Villages’ team of experts in Agriculture, Nutrition and Health, Economics, Energy, Water, Agribusiness, Environment and Information Technology are working with local communities and governments to apply a proven holistic package of interventions to help villages get out of extreme poverty and meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With support from Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and funding from the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, a SADA Millennium Village has been established in parts of the West Mamprusi and Builsa Districts of the Northern and Upper East Regions of Ghana. The project area covers a cluster of contiguous rural communities with an estimated population of 25,000 people.

Description Of Job

JOB SUMMARY
Purpose of the position:
The role of the Gender Specialist will be mainly responsible for strengthening the capacities and mainstream gender across all the sectors of the Millennium Village in northern Ghana

Responsibilities/Duties:
The Duties and Responsibilities of the Gender Specialist will be as follows:

•  Conduct a gender baseline study on the socio-economic and cultural aspects of women, men, boys and girls in the project zone
•  Develop a gender mainstreaming strategy to be effectively implemented
•  Identify and support the implementation of effective methods and strategies with convincing results in the increase of girls schooling rate at primary and secondary schools and to monitor their implementation
•  Identify and support the implementation of effective methods and strategies with convincing results in the improvement of teenage girls and boys rights as regards sexual and reproductive health and protection against HIV/AIDS and to monitor their implementation
•  Support the development and the implementation of intervention plans to carry out activities that will increase the girls capacity to take part in educational, productive and civil activities, with special emphasis on infrastructures that can reduce the time constraint of teenage girls and women in particular as regards transport, water, sanitation and energy
•  Identify and support the implementation of effective methods and strategies with convincing results in allowing girls and women to access income generating activities
•  Initiate and/or improve data collection on gender issues, analyse and create the conditions for sharing lessons learned/experiences gained at village and all levels
•  Create the partnership conditions with all national and international governmental and nongovernmental organisations intervening on gender in the project zone

Terms of offer:
MVP offers a competitive salary with an excellent benefits package. The employment contract is for a period of one year with the possibility of renewal.MVP prides itself on its collegial, supportive and gender sensitive working environment and believes that staff diversity promotes excellence.

Qualification Required & Experience

Skills and Professional Experience:

•  University degree in sociology, Gender studies, Anthropology,sustainable development or any other discipline relevant to the position
•  Minimum of 3 years practical experience in gender equality and promotion of women’s empowerment activities
•  Working experience with central, decentralized governments and NGOs
•  Strong skills in multicultural and multidisciplinary team work with local, national and international partners
•  Strong skills in the use of MS software
•  Strong skills in oral and written communication in English and local language
•  Strong writing skills (reports, articles, & publications)
•  Skills in facilitating trainings, community mobilization, and sensitization meetings, with various stakeholders, including civil society organizations, local population, women’s groups, religious and traditional leaders, and the private sector partners.

How To Apply For The Job

Applications
Applicants should apply by email, sending a cover letter summarizing their relevance to this position, a full C.V. and names and contact information of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to: SADA.MVP@millenniumpromise.org with copies to employment@mdgwca.org and jacob.ubindam@millenniumpromise.org.“Application for SADA MVP Gender Specialist” should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email message.

Closing Date: 19 September, 2012

Only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted.

We invite you to learn more about us at:

www.millenniumvillages.org,
www.millenniumpromise.org,
www.unmillenniumproject.org,
www.mdgcentre.org

Women are strongly encouraged to apply