GAPS (Gender Action for Peace and Security) Director

Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS) is the UK’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) civil society network. We are a membership organisation of 19 multi-mandate international NGOs, peacebuilding organisations, women’s rights organisations and human rights organisations. GAPS is hosted by Saferworld from March 2022 to March 2025 in principle.

GAPS was founded to progress the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. Our role is to promote, and hold the UK Government to account on its international commitments to women and girls in conflict areas worldwide. GAPS does this by working with GAPS members and global partners.

Through its collaborative advocacy, campaigning and research, GAPS highlights the realities of women and girls living in conflict-affected countries to decision-makers and practitioners and to promote their participation at all levels. GAPS uses the combined strength and expertise of the members of the network to push for national and global action on women and girls’ rights in conflict to ensure their voices are heard, listened to, and acted upon. GAPS also works with partners from conflict-affected countries.

GAPS is dedicated to promoting, facilitating and monitoring the inclusion of gender perspectives in all aspects of UK Government and global peace and security policy and practice, and work in close partnership with civil society, governments, academics, and multilateral institutions to achieve this. Additionally, by providing the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women, Peace and Security, GAPS ensures that progress on WPS benefits from the influence and scrutiny of UK Parliamentarians.

GAPS operates across a variety of policy areas in the UK and globally, these include the National Action Plan (NAP) on WPS. GAPS also works on, and responds to global issues such as COVID-19, displacement and conflict prevention. With the expertise of GAPS members and global partners, it promotes strong advocacy from civil society through coordinated action.

The GAPS Director leads the GAPS network and delivery of the GAPS strategy. The role works closely with the GAPS Management Board, GAPS Team (currently made up of two Policy Advocacy and Communication (PAC) Managers and one PAC Officer), GAPS member organisations, partners and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women, Peace and Security (APPG-WPS).

The GAPS Director will grow and lead GAPS’ strategic direction, funding and impact by:

• Developing, delivering and monitoring an ambitious GAPS strategy;
• Identifying national and global opportunities for partnership, profile and impact;
• Growing GAPS funding, resources and capacity;
• Ensuring GAPS is a compliant, accountable network;
• Ensuring GAPS is institutionalised within member organisations as well as UK and global civil society;
• Building on and expanding GAPS’ stakeholder relationships in the UK and globally;
• Representing GAPS at national and global Women, Peace and Security fora.

The post-holder will be committed to feminist, anti-racist and inclusive ways of working, with a strong understanding of working in multi-cultural settings and accompanying women’s organisations, people and processes, including in conflict settings. They will lead GAPS team and members to increase their influence and impact through strategic WPS advocacy and lead on the development of advocacy strategies and tools that can be used to effectively influence change at all levels but with a focus of UK Government’s work in countries and at central level.