FH seeks a qualified candidate for Gender Youth and Social Inclusion (GYSI) Lead role, who will work under the Chief of Party for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The goal of the Activity is to improve food and nutrition security and resilience among poor and chronically food insecure households and communities in a sustainable manner. Hiring is contingent upon successful award of the program and USAID approval of the candidate.

The GYSI lead will ensure that the social dimensions of FNES are effectively addressed across all activity components and at all levels throughout award implementation. This person will work to ensure vulnerable and marginalized populations are considered in targeting approaches. The Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion Lead will be responsible for effective integration and mainstreaming of gender and youth considerations in the Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) throughout the entire award period to ensure compliance with USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs’ (BHA) commitment to gender integration and female empowerment, and positive youth engagement in development as keys to realizing intended outcomes. The Gender and Social Inclusion Lead should have an in-depth understanding of gender, age, and other socio-cultural factors in the context of food security programming; a demonstrated capacity to design and implement a gender/youth analysis, including the collection and analysis of sex and age-disaggregated data (qualitative and quantitative) from a broad range of sources to identify gender and youth-based issues (constraints/weaknesses and opportunities/strengths) that must be considered for the project to achieve its intended outcomes; and the ability to integrate the findings from gender and youth analyses into project design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.

FH Culture

All we do, and how we do it, seeks to promote God’s beauty, goodness, and truth in a broken world. As such, we are defined by our ability to make people’s lives measurably better; our ability to deliver impact is the measure of our collective success. For we know that we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has already prepared in advance for us to do. At Food for the Hungry, we operate under a set of values called Heartbeat Values.

Principle Responsibilities

Technical support

• Provide leadership in planning, implementation and monitoring of gender and youth focused strategies and interventions.
• Ensure gender and youth considerations are integrated/mainstreamed throughout the various sectors of the project.
• Conduct formative research to identify gender and youth specific barriers/constraints (such as social and economic) inhibiting inclusive development, as well as gender and youth-based strengths/opportunities that could foster development in the operational areas and provide recommendations.
• Lead the design and implementation of gender and youth analysis studies, including, developing research protocols and data collection tools, supervising data collection, facilitating focus groupdiscussions, and analyzing sex and age-disaggregated data from a broad range of sources for the identification of gender and youth specific issues.
• Develop a gender and youth integration plan drawing from the gender and youth analysis findings to effectively guide gender and youth integration into all aspects and stages of the project (design implementation and monitoring, and evaluation) as applicable, and throughout the project’s duration.
• Develop a gender and youth integration strategy for the RFSA.
• Demonstrate in-depth understanding of gender, the unique needs of youths by gender, age, and other socio-cultural factors in the context of food security programming.
• Establish and maintain relationships with stakeholders to ensure gender and youth integration in the project is achieved.
• Design gender and youth training for consortium field staff, government staff and other stakeholders on gender and youth integration and empowerment in food security programming.
• Identify and document best practices of the project in implementing gender, youth and social inclusion components for learning with partners.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation to ensure gender, youth and social inclusion sensitivity in the monitoring and evaluation process.
• Collect data and figures from the field team and compile and submit monthly quarterly and annual reports for the project.
• Support gender and youth mainstreaming efforts of the country office.

Coordination and Advocacy

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with all stakeholders – including community leaders, NGOs, UN agencies, and community-based organizations to enhance multi-agency and multi-sectoral cooperation and coordination. Develop and maintain constructive relationships with key local government and Ministry officials.
• Ensure FH actively participates in cluster and sector meetings at all levels.
• Provide continuous monitoring of gender, youth, and social inclusion activities, including knowledge and information sharing for continuous learning.
• Maintain an open dialogue with all relevant sectoral and inter-agency actors in operation sites.

Other duties as assigned

Job Level Specifications

• Vibrant personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a Christian commitment to serving the poor and in full agreement with FH’s Christian beliefs.
• Demonstrated computer-operating skills, including proficiency in Google platforms, Microsoft Office products, and virtual technologies such as Skype and/or Zoom.
• In-depth understanding of gender, age, and other locally significant socio-cultural and inclusion factors in the context of FNES programming, and a demonstrated capacity to lead the collection, analysis, and utilization of information from a broad range of sources.
• Skills in FNES programming, participatory learning, and action, and facilitating collaborative problem-solving.
• Ability to foster commitment and build capacity among activity staff and in-country actors to ensure gender and youth integration, empowerment, and social inclusion.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead the collection, analysis, and utilization of information in relation to gender, youth, and other locally significant socio-cultural factors from a broad range of sources.
• Demonstrated experience leading the gender component for a large award, including conducting GESI analysis and developing a gender or GESI strategy for such an award.
• Demonstrated experience integrating GESI considerations into MEAL plans, work plans, and project activities.
• Strong management and interpersonal skills, mentoring and facilitation skills, and the ability to network and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure gender and youth integration and empowerment.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of time per year in the DRC, sometimes to insecure locations.

Education/Experience

• A candidate must have either:
  • • An undergraduate degree in a related field and 7 years of relevant work experience implementing gender and social inclusion programming. - A master’s degree in a social science discipline such as development studies, international relations, gender studies, or a related field and a minimum of 5 years of experience implementing gender and social inclusion programming.
• A demonstrated understanding of age, gender, and other socio-cultural factors in the context of such programs.
• A demonstrated understanding of positive youth development, and a demonstrated understanding of gender transformative activities in the context of food security programming.
• Previous professional experience in the DRC, and deep knowledge of gender, youth, and social dynamics in DRC.

Language

Fluency in French is required, and professional proficiency in English. Congolese languages is highly desirable.

Supervisor Responsibilities

Directly supervises staff. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints, resolving problems, etc.

Safeguarding Policy

FH strives to provide an environment free from sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment in all places where relief and development programs are implemented. FH holds a zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment. FH expects its employees to maintain high ethical standards, protect organizational integrity and reputation, and ensure that FH work is carried out in honest and fair methods, in alignment with the Heartbeat Values and safeguarding and associated policies. Violations to stated policies will be subject to corrective action up to and including termination of employment.

Typically, successful candidates are hired at a salary rate up to midpoint of the range, based on relevant experience, internal equity, and budgetary allowances.

BENEFITS OFFERED

Insurance - Health, Disability, Life

Paid holidays, vacation, & sick leave

Pension, available on first of month after date of hire

Professional development