SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND
Gender Expert
Based in Bukavu & Kalemie, DR Congo
Job Description / Announcement
The Organization
Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and a European office in Brussels, Belgium, SFCG’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict - away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. SFCG seeks to help conflicting parties understand their differences and act on their commonalities. With a total of approximately 400 staff worldwide, SFCG implements projects from 39 offices in 26 countries, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. The organization is an exciting and rewarding place to work, with a dedicated and enthusiastic staff who love their work. You will be joining a highly motivated staff with a good team spirit and there will be opportunities to grow in the role.
Project
SFCG began working in DRC in 2001 while Congolese were negotiating a peace transitional agreement in Sun City in a context where the lack of information about the peace process prompted the mediator KETUMILE MASIRE to invite SFCG to support the process. SFCG runs a multi-pronged project in the DRC, with primary offices in Kinshasa and Bukavu and satellite offices in Goma, Uvira, Dongo, Kalemie, and Baraka. SFCG uses a range of communication tools to implement conflict transformation and peacebuilding, governance and protection projects, including radio, television, participatory theatre, mobile cinema, comic books, joint action, research and training, public forums, arts and culture events, among others.
Since 2007, SFCG has undertaken a series of initiatives addressing gender promotion as well as preventing sexual and gender based violence. In fact, gender issues were identified an important problem to be addressed to prevent inequality and sexual and gender based violence in Congolese society as well as social conflict and to build the base of a long term development of the country through the equal participation and access to economic opportunities for both Congolese men and women.
To achieve this, SFCG uses a range of approaches including films production and mobile cinema, media campaigns, trainings and capacity-building for national organizations and actors, research, and learning. Thus, SFCG has developed strong strategic communication tools and partnerships and intends to launch into a five-food security programme led by Food for the Hungry (FH), and funded by USAID.
Summary of Position
SFCG is seeking to recruit an International or National Consultant with a strong background in Gender issues for an initial period of 3 months beginning September 15, 2011 and ending December 14, 2011 to support the implementation of his project “Enhancing Gender Equality through Participatory Communication”. Based in Kalemie/Bukavu, the Gender Expert will report to the Communication Tools Programme Manager and in collaboration with the Kalemie sub-office Coordinator and the project team. The tasks of the Gender Expert will require traveling regularly in the different regions covered by the project.
Responsibilities
• To organize a gender baseline (gender barriers and land conflicts analysis) in the FH Zones de Santé in North Katanga and South Kivu
• To recommend key messages to be reinforced in the different communication tools
• To develop and test a Training Manual for SFCG staff and community facilitation team
• To train the staffs of SFCG, FH, and other partners
• To engage communities to improve gender relations through appropriate tools
• To assist the supervisor in the project management during the first quarter, including staff recruitment and supervision, project activities coordination in a timely manner ensuring good quality action and credible outcomes, implement the financial and administrative systems necessary for the execution of the project, liaison with FH, develop and maintain proactive, positive and professional relationships with partner organizations, key government officials, civil society groups, data collection and reporting in compliance with internal and donor deadlines and requests,
• To analyze the weakness and force of the SFCG Mobile Cinema SGBV sensitization programme and propose improving solutions
• To build a SGBV system alert among SFCG staff
• To advice the organization on other gender analysis and development appropriate approaches in the context of DRC
• To plan and coordinate the whole activities under his/her responsibility and maintain regular written and oral reporting with the Country director
As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
Minimum Qualifications
Essential:
• Experience of five years in gender and development work or related fields
• Experience in Africa, especially in the Great Lakes region is desirable.
• Good understanding of land, healthy and food security and related issues
• Bachelor’s degree in communication, peacebuilding, development, international relations, or related field with deep gender trainings
• Successful experience with gender program development and management
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills, ability to build and manage effective professional working relationships at internal and external levels
• Background in supervisory capacity
• Strong skills in training curriculum design and facilitation
• Demonstrated experience in research methods, supervising and reporting of research, especially in the area of gender and related field
• Strong skills in computer including data analysis software: SPSS, Excel or relevant software
• Demonstrated skills in work planning and organization
• Dynamic leader with creative problem-solving skills, particularly in challenging situations
• Spoken and written fluency in French and English. Skills in Swahili could be desirable
• Strong oral and written communications skills
• Able to work without close supervision
• Entrepreneurial spirit and focus on results
• Experience living in specific conditions and able to travel regularly on the ground
• Ready to work in a sensitive security situation
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability
• Flexible
Salary: Commensurate with experience and education, with excellent benefits
To Apply: Please send a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) and resume (maximum 4 pages) to employment@sfcg.org, with the subject heading: Gender Expert – DR Congo. Please be sure to include minimum salary requirements (in US dollar currency figures) or current salary, projected availability, and to mention where you found this posting. No phone calls please. Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. Please see our web site www.sfcg.org for full details of our work.
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