Gender Specialist for a Strengthening Education Systems Project - East Africa

Title	Gender Specialist for a Strengthening Education Systems Project - East Africa
Location	East |Africa
Programme	Economic Development - All
Agency	Aga Khan Foundation
Deadline	02/22/2013

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of private, international, non-denominational agencies founded by His Highness the Aga Khan. The Network's organisations have individual mandates that range from the fields of health and education to culture, rural development and the promotion of private-sector enterprise. AKDN is dedicated to improving living conditions and opportunities for the poor, without regard to faith, origin or gender. More information....

The Position
Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a private, non-denominational, development agency promoting creative solutions to problems that impede social development. AKF (East Africa) seeks sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, literacy and health, with a special emphasis on the needs of rural communities in coastal and other resource-poor areas. AKF (EA) works in five sectors including Health, Education, Early Childhood Development, Rural Development and Civil Society enhancement. Over the last several years, AKF (EA)'s programmes have evolved and expanded in response to government policies, beneficiary demand and assessment of needs. In order to optimise AKF (EA)'s efficiency and effectiveness as a development actor in the region, it seeks to support and improve innovations that create viable solutions to community problems that impede development.

AKF (EA) is seeking an experienced Gender Specialist to guide the implementation of the project gender strategy, act as a resource to support AKDN implementing partners in improving policies and practices relevant to gender. Specifically, the Gender Specialist will support the integration of gender equality issues across a complex, multi-partner, regional education sector project in East Africa that will seek to support education systems strengthening in select target areas of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. This project will be implemented over five years and project inception began in mid-2012, with project implementation to begin in the second quarter of 2013. This position will be project-funded for a period of five years and will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Ultimately, this project aims to sustainably improve learning outcomes, with a particular focus on literacy and numeracy, for pre-primary and primary students in target areas of East Africa through the implementation of a scaleable regional approach that strengthens teacher education, training and support systems. This approach aims to leverage assets of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) institutions to achieve broad, systematic, and distinctive impact on the quality of teaching in the region in both public and private education systems. Specifically, the project builds on the experience and gains made by various AKDN institutions working in the education sector in East Africa, including Aga Khan University ' Institute for Educational Development, Aga Khan Academies, Aga Khan Education Services, and Aga Khan Foundation.

Specific responsibilities include.

The Gender Specialist will serve as a technical advisor for the SESEA project, providing targeted expertise to ensure that gender equality as a cross-cutting theme is considered and addressed throughout the project implementation. The Gender Specialist will ensure that AKDN implementing partners are empowered to effectively engage in policy dialogue relevant to gender equality in the education sector and will assist partners to develop and implement detailed, country-specific gender action plans. The Gender Specialist will also strengthen the capacity of AKDN implementing agencies, identifying specific opportunities for improving and mainstreaming gender equality through project activities. In collaboration with AKF and project implementing partners, the Gender Specialist will support the project's integration of gender into its activities, including monitoring and evaluation tools. The main tasks will include.

Provide analysis on gender equality issues as they affect the project, synthesize and articulate the lessons, challenges, and risks for SESEA related to gender, and apply these to on-going project planning and implementation.

Analyze current policies and practices within the education systems to identify existing barriers that inhibit equal access to education and provide practical recommendations to the PCU and the implementing partners to address these barriers within the project scope.

Work with the PCU Program Grant Coordinator, MER Coordinator implementing partners' teams to review and integrate gender equality issues within all project planning, MER systems, project implementation and reporting.

Assist the implementing partners' teams to identify specific activities to integrate gender, and provide support for their implementation, including assisting with identification and supervision of gender consultants.

Provide training, supplementary learning materials, and technical assistance to project staff across the

partner countries to build their understanding of gender and education systems.

Provide support to strengthen the capacity of implementing agencies to ensure that pedagogical practices, teaching/learning materials, classroom environments, education management, teacher training programs and community/parent committees are gender sensitive.

Work with the PCU and implementing partners to ensure that the Research and Learning Agenda integrates gender equality issues.

Liaise with other relevant AKF/AKDN personnel as necessary.

The Requirements
Required Qualifications and Experience.

The Gender Specialist should meet the following criteria in terms of qualifications, technical competencies, and experience

Graduate degree in a relevant discipline, such as gender, education, or the social sciences.

Minimum of seven (7) years' relevant, practical experience in a developing country context, with at least three (3) years of experience applying gender analysis to implementation of education development projects.

Experience working with NGOs and government agencies, and with donor-funded projects.

Experience in conducting gender analyses and implementing gender equality activities in international development projects, particularly in the education sector.

Knowledge and experience of results-based monitoring and evaluation with particular attention to assessing gender equality results.

Proven ability to meet strict reporting deadlines and produce results.

Excellent written and oral communications skills in English and superb analytical, organizational, interpersonal, negotiation and problem-solving skills.

Other Competencies

Capacity to multi-task, work independently, take initiative and manage a variety of activities simultaneously.

Dynamic, flexible, and entrepreneurial.

Willingness to travel to project locations within East Africa.

Experience in the East African development context is an asset.

Experience with CIDA and other bilateral donors is an asset.

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