Gender & Protection Officer (Service Provider) at CARE International

Job Summary

The Gender & Protection Officer will be responsible for assisting the Food Security and Nutrition project to mainstream Protection, Gender and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) as well as providing technical guidance to the project teams in the field to undertake conflict-sensitive programming, especially on gender transformative approaches, impact assessment and wider gender mainstreaming. S/he will work with all departments and partners to ensure that CARE’s gender equity and diversity principles are incorporated into all field-level activities within the LDS project. The officer will ensure stakeholders’ participatory consultations take gender into consideration and that the needs of women and girls, men and boys are prioritized. S/he will act as a resource person in capacity building, knowledge-sharing events, and other relevant activities. This will include developing, reviewing, and updating gender training modules to ensure they are of high standards and monitor implementation. The position will develop and maintain relationships with state and local authorities coordinating joint efforts and training in consultation with the supervisor. The position will support activities in 4 LGAs of Yobe State (Karasuwa & Nguru) and Jigawa State (Hadejia & Jahun LGAs)

Job Details

Location: Nguru, Yobe State.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

Job Responsibility #1: Planning and Implementation of gender and protection Activities

• Provide support to all project teams on gender mainstreaming, with particular emphasis on helping relevant units analyze program implications for men and women in various communities and ways to address gender and protection issues.
• Provide support to all project activities related to specific protection and gender mainstreaming, with particular emphasis on helping relevant staff analyze program implications for men and women in various communities and ways to address issues.
• Ensure that the gender and protection checklists are used and should be able to work with project coordinator on revising and revisiting the gender sensitive indicators for improved mainstreaming.
• Be responsible for monitoring and communicating to the Project Coordinator and the Gender & Protection Sector Manager any changes in the protection environment as noted during field monitoring.
• Document barriers faced by certain groups in accessing safe and meaningful assistance (child headed households, elderly persons, people with disabilities, separated and unaccompanied minors, women headed households) and provide program leadership team with appropriate adjustments to ensure inclusion of most vulnerable and at-risk categories.
• Ensure safe and confidential referrals of protection cases for the provision of assistance to CARE project team for immediate action.
• Oversee beneficiary selection and distribution of NFIs including dignity kits to beneficiaries.
• Design and implement trainings for project staffs and community structures on gender related topics and mainstream, including but not limited to gender awareness and integration, humans right program management, gender inclusiveness toward more efficient and effective organizational operation.
• Lead protection monitors to conduct bi-monthly protection monitoring data collection and findings dissemination activities with project stakeholders.
• Ensure CARE visibility during the process.
• Provide field assistance as focal point for PSEA cases reported

Job Responsibility #2: Community Engagement

• Ensure that the gender checklists are used and should be able to work with project coordinator on revising and revisiting the gender sensitive indicators for improved mainstreaming.
• Conduct feedback FGDs with Project participants and community leaders on the impact of the assistance, gaps noted and recommendations post distribution for lessons learning and improvement.
• Support awareness-raising activities for CARE staff and the affected population on mainstreaming protection and integrating gender and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Lead information provision and community consultation activities about the roll out of the project activities in all LGAs.
• Sensitize and engage with protection committees and other volunteers to implement awareness and communication of the protection key messages during the distribution process.
• Sensitize vendors on CARE’s code of conduct for staff and its affiliates on child Safeguarding, fraud, zero tolerance to sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse.
• Participate in gender-related events (meeting, workshops, conferences) and network within the project locations in-order to stay updated about gender related developments.
• Provide ongoing coaching and mentorship to community structures including protection monitors on conducting community reflections on gender and power on food and nutrition practices.

Job Responsibility #3: Reporting and Documentation

• Develop bi-weekly, monthly and quarterly reports on gender project activities carried out.
• Compile an internal report to capture the protection activities conducted during the distribution process, capturing challenges observed and recommendations and share with the management.
• Ensure protection, gender and AAP activities are integrated into CARE’s monthly/Quarterly narrative report that is shared with the donor. 
• Contribute to development of human-interest stories as part of learning and documentation of project impact.

Job Responsibility #4: Capacity building and coaching of community volunteers and project staff

• Lead in organizing and conducting protection and gender mainstreaming / conflict sensitive program - trainings for CARE staff, protection monitors and Service Providers at the field level.
• Undertake field travels to the field locations to conduct protection monitoring and integrate protection concerns into interventions through trainings, workshops, and briefings at field level
• Assesses project team strengths and capacity gaps and prioritize mentorship on identified areas related to gender and protection programming.
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback to the team to build confidence and develop and improve individual skills.

Other Responsibilities:

• Other Responsibilities as Assigned
• Contribute to CARE’s resource mobilization efforts

QUALIFICATION/EXPERIENCE/TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Social / Development Science, International relations, International Law or other fields relevant to international development/ humanitarian assistance. 
• At least 3 years of professional experience relevant to the position in addressing protection issues in humanitarian responses.
• Experiences working in the field, in both development and emergency response, understanding the operational aspects of local, state and national level of food-security programs in complex conflict environments.
• Experience in delivering trainings and debriefings.
• Knowledge of protection mainstreaming
• Experience in implementing protection programs in emergency contexts.
• In-depth knowledge of protection and gender mainstreaming tools
• In-depth knowledge about international standards and policies, especially those centered around food-insecurity and nutrition
• Understanding of procedures and policies of the humanitarian organizations is a plus.

Desired:

Previous experience working with an INGO on the same capacity in a humanitarian context.

Competencies:

• Approachability                                  
• Building Effective Teams
• Customer Focus
• Integrity and Trust
• Drive for Results
• Comfort around Higher management
• Business Acumen
• Negotiating
• Organizational Agility