Gender Advisor for cross-border project, Chad

Position type and closing date

Status: single posting

Location: N’Djamena, Chad

Starting date: as soon as possible

Duration of Contract: one year with possibility to be extended

The closing date for applications: 1 December 2023

Applicants are required to uphold the core values of our organization.

Lutheran World Federation (LWF) World Service (WS)

LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation. We are a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in over 20 countries. We seek to bring people of all backgrounds together in the common quest for justice, peace, and reconciliation in an increasingly complex and fragmented world.

A commitment to the human rights of every individual, regardless of their status, guides our work, actions, and operations. We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate, and professional humanitarian work, and for our field presence in hard-to-reach areas. Our work is people-centered and community- based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and in order to claim and uphold their rights, we engage proactively with local government and community structures.

We have been working in Chad and Cameroon since 2007 and 2015, respectively, where we began in response to the influx of refugees from the Darfur crisis and the ongoing armed conflict in the Central African Republic. The focus of our programs in the two countries covers the three strategic programmatic areas of “sustainable livelihoods, access to quality services, and protection and social cohesion”, which is implemented through various emergency, recovery and development projects. Gender justice, climate justice, inclusion and protection are central to all we do. For more information on the LWF and its work in Chad and Cameroon, please visit our website: www.lutheranworld.org/WorldService

With support from the Canadian Government / Global Affairs Canada, CLWR and LWF are preparing to launch a multi-country two and half year’s project that will implement Nature Based Solutions (as defined by the IUCN) to decrease people sensitivity and fragility to climate shocks and stresses, and increase the adaptive capacity of the most vulnerable people through more sustainable governance, livelihoods, and food systems. The targeted landscape is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The project will support gender-transformative climate change mitigation and adaptation around Lake Tchad that increases climate-resilient food systems, livelihoods, environmental and human well-being in a surface freshwater (river basin) ecosystem. The project will be implemented in the transnational catchment area of Longone Chari river system (the main water source in Lake Chad) between N’djamena and Lake Tchad. As such, the project will span the provinces of Chari Baguirmi, N’Djamena, and Lake in Tchad, as well as the Far North region of Cameroon.

Purpose

The Gender Advisor guides and assists the program teams in 1) mainstreaming gender, 2) developing gender inclusion (and transformative) standalone actions and 3) influencing for Gender Justice. This involves delivery on the Gender Nature Based Solutions for climate programming and LWF standards, the development of operational and strategic partnerships with local organisations, external coordination, capacity building and technical support towards LWF field teams and program partners.

Required qualifications

Relevant university degree in human, social or related sciences.

Knowledge and Experience

Advanced work experience in the gender sector including a minimum 3 years relevant experience in a similar role.

Significant expertise and knowledge of gender issues in the Central African Region, particularly in Chad and or Cameroon or similar context.

Demonstrated practical experience in gender analysis, needs assessment and mainstreaming gender into livelihood, environment and other nature-based solutions to climate sectors.

Developed strategic thinking and planning skills to incorporate gender justice and gender transformative agenda into the PCM.

Evidence of capacity to develop capacity building plans and deliver customised high-quality training to local and national NGOs.

Proven significant experience in matrix or direct management of teams and on the job, hands on, capacity building.

Excellent communication skills to lead in building relationships with key external/internal contacts. Capacity to explain complex issues in simple & relevant terms.

Experience in coordination and representation in thematic fora, clusters and other coordination spaces in aid architecture.

Language Skills

English: Advanced (written, spoken)

French: Excellent (written, spoken)

Local languages spoken in South Western Chad and Northern of Cameroon is an asset.

LWF Core Skills

Analytical thinking –resource level*

Initiative –advanced level

Leadership –advanced level

Achieving results – resource level

Accountability – advanced level

Working effectively with others –resource level

LWF Functional Skills

Communication – advanced level

Capacity building/ training – resource level

Advocacy – advanced level

Facilitation / Negotiation – resource level

Innovation – advanced level

Stakeholder Management/ Partnership –resource level

Networking – advanced level

*LWF 3 skills levels are: basis -advanced -resource

Main duties

Capacity Building and Matrix Management

Capacity building (training, mentoring etc) of partner organisations on gender minimum standards, gender transformative and gender justice.

Build the capacity of all LWF staff on how to integrate gender aspects from a programmatic perspective and orientation on the use of Gender in different sectors of the NBS.

Matrix manage and work with gender officers so that gender justice and gender mainstreaming is ensured in all the work LWF does in Chad.

Encourage inter team collaboration and learning to integrate gender in all LWF work.

Programme design, gender partnership development

Mapping of potential women’s rights partners and assess gender capacity of partners.

Conduct assessment, selection and capacity building of potential partners: gender civil society organisations / women’s organisations.

Provide strategic gender analysis and relevant tools for programming and advocacy on an on-going basis.

Ensure gender analysis are carried out systematically throughout the LWF’s field offices and that proposals and reports addresses gender in a significant and meaningful way.

Strategic programming

Provide direct technical support and advice to the Chad Country Office on mainstreaming gender in design, management, monitoring and evaluation of programmes.

Contribute to the articulation of LWF’s long term gender in upcoming strategy development.

In line with the current NBS Project, provide strategic leadership in the implementation of specific gender-focused activities aiming at increasing women and girls’ agency to mitigate the negative impact of discrimination and injustice.

Lead on strategic thinking and planning on gender justice and gender transformative interventions linked to livelihood.

Provide technical support to technical leads on thematic areas of women’s participation, gender justice interventions, ending violence against women.

Influencing, representation and coordination

Work with the Advocacy team to develop policy positions on key gender issues in Chad.

Lead the articulation of gender specific advocacy/influencing aspects and contribute to the achievement of strategic objectives related to creating spaces for women with duty bearers.

Represent LWF in the Gender related clusters and coordination structures and provide significant technical inputs in those fora (including women’s groups, local NGOs, INGOs, UNW, government etc). Represent LWF in other spaces as required.

Liaise and coordinates with local authorities when and where needed in order to advance the implementation of gender justice interventions.

Learning and measuring impact

In collaboration with the MEAL Advisors, ensure that there are systems in place and used by the gender officers to monitor, document and measure impact of gender mainstream and gender direct interventions.

Ensure there is systematic and documented, participatory review and learning on successes and challenges to improve effectiveness and share good practice on gender programming in Chad. Make sure those learnings are shared with the wider Chad team and the Central African region.

Accountable for the achievement of the outcome level impact identified in the LWF Framework on gender programming.