Mali: Gender Equality, Diversity, and Social Inclusion Advisor

Feb 16, 2022 | Mercy Corps
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Mercy Corps is an international development and humanitarian organization whose mission is to reduce suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people around the world develop into safe, productive and equitable communities.

We welcome people from diverse backgrounds, perspectives and skills in order to be more robust and have a long-term impact. Mercy Corps is committed to gender equality, diversity and inclusion as fundamental principles of our work.

Mercy Corps in Mali

Mercy Corps has worked in Mali since 2012 helping Malian women and men, including young women and men, cope with food insecurity, shocks and stresses created by conflict, restore peace and stability, and addressing structural humanitarian and development challenges.

Throughout our work, Mercy Corps seeks to support the emergence of strong, inclusive, and resilient communities by i.) providing conflict-sensitive humanitarian assistance, ii.) addressing the root causes of conflict through improved mechanisms and holistic approaches to conflict prevention and management and iii.) promoting sustainable economic development through strengthened market systems and employment opportunities for women and young women and men.

Mercy Corps' work addresses issues related to natural resource management and climate change adaptation in Mali and beyond borders with neighboring Sahel countries (Niger and Burkina Faso). With a current portfolio of approximately US$30 million funded by FCDO, USAID/BHA, Swedish International Development Agency, European Union and private foundations, Mercy Corps has touched over the past 18 months more than 100,000 people in the regions of Mopti, Ségou, Koulikoro, Kayes, Sikasso, and Koutiala.

Summary of the program

Mercy Corps anticipates potential approval of a US$16 million gender transformative program to be implemented over a four-year period. The program aims to strengthen the socio-economic resilience of women and adolescent girls (15-19 years old) and their families in fragile and conflict-affected communities in more than 150 villages in Mopti, Timbuktu and Gao. The program i) will work closely with communities, including key community leaders or guardians (both male and female) to support the capacity of women and girls to empower themselves within their households and communities , (ii) provide intensive and personalized support for the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural techniques and inputs by women producers,

Throughout these actions, the program seeks to create a positive enabling environment where women and girls will lead in building the resilience of themselves, their households and their communities.

The program is implemented by a consortium of two Malian partners and one international partner, with Mercy Corps as consortium leader.

General summary of the position

The Gender Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion Advisor will use their deep contextual understanding, technical and practical expertise and relationship building skills to define and support the collective implementation of a program gender transformative.

The Gender Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion Advisor will lead the design of the program's Gender, Diversity and Inclusion strategy and while supporting its implementation, providing technical guidance to all components of the program. program to ensure high quality programming that will advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

The Gender Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion Advisor will provide leadership to ground the program in an intersectional analysis of gender and power relations, while supporting the design and implementation of systems of gender-transformative monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning to demonstrate impact, while sharing learning among our team and partners.

Core Job Responsibilities

Strategic Direction

• Design a feminist, inclusive and gender-transformative program strategy and implementation plan in collaboration with the team and key stakeholders.
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and contribute to an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcome.
• Lead the gender equality, diversity and inclusion working group within the consortium structure; facilitate regular working group meetings to develop guidance, plan activities, share lessons learned and incorporate them into program delivery.
• Participate in the development and implementation of a program advocacy strategy to advance key issues relating to gender equality, diversity and social inclusion with government, donors and other organizations. others that reflect program priorities and learnings.
• Participate in the development and implementation of a research and learning agenda to capture knowledge from the program that will inform thought leadership and strong advocacy efforts on gender equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Support the program to implement Mercy Corps' global strategy on gender equality, diversity and social inclusion.

 Technical Guide for Implementation

• Provide oversight and guidance to program implementation teams to ensure thematic components are technically sound and grounded in gender analysis and power relations; ensure the inclusion of women and men from a diversity of identity and community groups; approach the subject from an intersectional feminist perspective; and ensure that implementation methods are consistent with national and global strategies, feminist principles and recognized good practice.
• Provide regular training and ongoing mentorship to program team members and partners to promote capacity, ownership and commitment to gender equality, diversity and social inclusion.
• Regularly review program work plans, reports and data collected, analyzing results and desired impact making critical recommendations to maximize gender transformative potential.
• Work closely to guide and support the program MEAL team to design and implement an appropriate MEAL system for a gender transformative program; carry out a gender and power analysis; develop innovative program quality and monitoring tools, conduct monitoring and evaluation activities using participatory methodologies that promote gender equality and social inclusion.
• Contribute to Donor reporting and ensure the submission of reports that effectively communicate the program's work on gender equality, diversity and social inclusion across all program components.
• Support the development of knowledge management products to increase program understanding of successful implementation strategies; convey the learnings and evidence generated in program direction and thought leadership for internal and external consumption.
• Support the integration of gender equality, diversity and inclusion into program operational policies and practices.

Team Management

• Support the integration of gender equality, diversity and social inclusion requirements into job descriptions and program performance management systems.
• Support the recruitment, mentoring and onboarding of new team members, ensuring they are prepared for success and familiar with the program's gender equality, diversity and inclusion strategy and its related to his role.
• Provide ongoing supervision, leadership, support, guidance and mentorship to team members.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally through regular one-on-one interviews and performance reviews.
• Support the professional development of national staff to increasingly take on decision-making and managerial roles, including the ultimate nationalization of the Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor position.
• Create and maintain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive for excellence and treat each other with respect.

Coordination Et Representation

• Represent Mercy Corps and the program at relevant external meetings and events, including in networks working on gender equality and coordinating bodies.
• Establish and maintain formal and informal communication mechanisms with government, community, partners and other stakeholders.
• Lead the documentation and coordination of information dissemination activities that demonstrate program achievements and results for the purpose of influencing decisions and decision makers.
• Prepare and make presentations to stakeholders on program approaches, good practices and learnings related to gender equality, diversity and social inclusion.

Responsibility

Directly supervises: 1-4 national team members

Reports to: Gender and Economic Resilience Program Director

Collaborates with  : program team, technical advisors, MEAL team; HR team; headquarters and regional technical support units

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members should support all accountability efforts, particularly to partners, participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and international standards guiding international relief and development work.

We are committed to actively involving communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum knowledge and experience

• Gender-related advanced university degree or related or equivalent work experience.
• At least 5 years of experience (including overseas) providing technical leadership in the design and implementation of programs focused on promoting gender equality.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills related to intersectional gender and power analysis, as well as leading the design, implementation and evaluation of innovative technical tools and resources to advance gender equality.
• Significant experience in gender and social inclusion training, capacity building and mentoring, and a demonstrated ability to make complex concepts compelling and accessible.
• Proven ability to work effectively with a multicultural and diverse team in a sensitive environment.
• Practical experience in feminist implementation approaches strongly desired;
• Experience applying rights-based and gender-transformative approaches to programming required.
• Experience in using a conflict-sensitive approach and the “Do No Harm” principle
• Proven experience in capacity building, performance development, training and mentoring.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, networking and stakeholder management skills, and ability to work at a strategic level with internal and external stakeholders;
• Fluency in English and French. Knowledge of a local language (Bambara, Tamasheq, Fulani, Songhai, etc.) is an advantage.
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or commitment to obtain the qualification within the first months of work.
• Solid knowledge and application of established inter-agency standards and guidelines relating to the protection and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Knowledge and understanding and/or previous work experience in Mali or the Sahel is a significant advantage.
• Knowledge of gender equality policies, standards and tools of feminist donors (e.g. GAC, Sweden, AFD) is an advantage.

Success factors

The Gender Advisor will have the ability to work closely with a diverse team of people in a very fluid work and security environment. S/he will have the ability to champion ambitious and innovative approaches to gender transformation while understanding the nuances and sensitivities of the cultural context.

He/she must be able to provide sound technical advice in a manner rooted in the reality of the operating environment and with implementation at the forefront. The successful candidate will have strong communication and interpersonal skills and must be adept at building resilient relationships and advocating for change at all levels.

High-performing Mercy Corps personnel have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living conditions / Environmental conditions

The position is accompanied and is based in Bamako with at least 25% travel to program areas, security permitting. The position is eligible for individual housing, R&R and education allowances. While the city has been largely secure, attacks on foreigners in 2016 in some public places underscore the fluidity of the situation and may require expatriate staff to adhere to security policies, such as movement restrictions.

Bamako is served by an international airport with daily flights to European and African destinations. Restaurants and shops are available throughout the city, with reasonable access to most consumer goods.

Health services exist and are growing rapidly. However, for more serious cases, medical evacuation to Dakar, Senegal or Europe may be necessary. There are several international schools in Bamako - American, French, Turkish, etc.

Mercy Corps team members represent the organization during and outside of working hours when deployed to a field post or visiting/STA at a field post. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and comply with local laws, customs, and Mercy Corps policies, procedures, and values ​​at all times and in all locations within the country.