Gender Equality Manager

POSITION TITLE: Gender Equality Manager

POSITION LOCATION: Baghdad, Iraq

REPORTS TO: Country Director, Iraq

CONTRACT TERM: One Year, renewable

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 18 2023

BACKGROUND

WUSC is a leading Canadian international development organization that works with and through its southern partners to promote sustainable development. Founded in 1957 and currently working in 22 countries worldwide with an annual budget of approximately $45 million dollars, WUSC’s mission is to foster human development and global understanding through education and training. Our internationally recognized programs support youth, women and other marginalized populations, focusing on three thematic areas of education, employment and empowerment. Globally, WUSC works with a network of higher education institutions, civil society organizations, private sector partners, professionals, students, volunteers, faculty and community leaders that can be leveraged to support our work.

Canadian Leaders in International Consulting Inc. (CLIC), founded in 2007, is a professional services firm that provides high quality technical assistance and strategic advice in governance, institutional development, restoration and capacity building to public, private and not-for-profit sectors. CLIC works extensively in conflict and post conflict environments providing livelihood and stabilization services. In addition, CLIC conducts research, implements monitoring and evaluation and development projects globally with a focus on the broader Middle East and North Africa. Over the past 3 years CLIC has implemented, or is currently implementing, contracts in Iraq with the WB, UNDP, the ILO and several international organizations and bi-lateral funding agencies.

WUSC and its consortium partner, CLIC, are implementing the Training And Workplace Advancement Solutions for Opportunities in the Labour Force (TAWASOL) project in Iraq. TAWASOL, a project funded by Global Affairs Canada, aims to enhance economic empowerment for female and male youth in Iraq; through establishing more inclusive employment environments enabling youth to make the transition from training to employment, and increasing more equitable participation of male and female youth graduates in the workforce. The TAWASOL project will be implemented over a period of five years, from April 2023 to March 2028 in four locations in Iraq (Baghdad, Basra, Najaf and Mosul).

WUSC is seeking to recruit a Gender Equality Manager, based in Baghdad, to develop, integrate and manage the Gender Equality Strategy of the project. The Gender Equality Manager will be a core member of the TAWASOL Project team, working as a technical resource for integrating gender equality into all aspects of the project. The Gender Equality Manager will develop tools and conduct training and coaching to the project staff, partners and volunteers to enable them to contribute to the project’s gender equality and empowerment goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Country Director, the Gender Equality Manager will be responsible for the following:

• Develop a project-specific GE strategy, plan and activities
• Ensure the gender component is integrated in all relevant project activities
• Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager to ensure that the monitoring and evaluation system is established to ensure that GE results are captured and reported to relevant stakeholders
• Provide timely inputs to program and donor reports on gender components in compliance with internal WUSC requirements and any relevant external donor requirements in close collaboration with the Gender Advisor.
• Work with the project manager and implementation team to ensure that the TAWASOL training programs are gender-sensitive
• Assist project staff and partners’ staff in integrating GE into project planning and management approaches (including results-based management tools) and propose strategies to increase project impact on GE
• Provide technical assistance to partners in assessing the strength of their approach to gender mainstreaming across the program cycle
• Work closely with the team to integrate the gender component within the private sector engagement plan
• Create GE resources and tools to assist staff in effectively prioritizing and integrating GE in their work
• Advise, train and coach the TAWASOL project team and partners on gender equality
• Contribute to the development of the annual work plans and annual reports, and ensure GE activities, results and lessons learned are captured and documented;
• Liaise regularly with the Ottawa-based WUSC Gender Equality & Empowerment Advisor to share best practices, tools, and organizational approaches to GE; Support fundraising for gender component including development of high quality concept notes and proposals
• Identify strengths and weaknesses in existing GE practices, leading the development of improved systems, processes, and tools for improving project results in GE;
• Facilitate the use of GE data to promote evidence-based learning, reflection and decision making within the project
• Participate in GE-related working groups and maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other relevant international NGOs in Jordan.
• Seek opportunities to increase the awareness, commitment and involvement of the Project stakeholders in GE
• Participate in WUSC and CLIC’s Iraq’s communications work by providing data, information and other material for use in Iraq
• Undertake any other tasks assigned by the Country Director.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

Education

• MA/MSc or equivalent in international development or a related field (human rights) required – coursework in Gender Equality in international development is preferred;

Experience

• A minimum of five years of active GE work experience in development programming required; ideal candidate will have both theoretical and practical background in GE and skilled in GE analysis and methodologies;
• Some technical experience in TAWASOL’s areas of activities: vocational training and skills for employment, women and youth economic empowerment, private sector engagement;
• Experience with a range of institutional donors, such as Global Affairs Canada;
• Knowledge of the Canadian Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) is an asset;
• Knowledge and experience working with government ministries in Iraq, specifically Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of HIgher Education.
• Proven experience engaging a variety of stakeholders in development programming, including training and educational institutions, private sector, government organizations, and civil society;
• Knowledge of national development strategies, particularly in relation to the economic sector, businesses, entrepreneurship, employability, and vocational and technical training.
• Knowledge and experience in entrepreneurship and employment ecosystem support, particularly with a gender lens
• Knowledge of Results-Based Management.
• Experience in capacity building, training, and coaching;
• Work experience in an intercultural context.

Competencies

• Knowledge of accountability, protection, women’s rights frameworks and best practices;
• Strong analytical and research skills;
• Proven ability to work productively with a variety of stakeholders to run participatory processes and meet tight deadlines with an emphasis on producing quality products;
• Excellent capacity building skills, with demonstrated experience in effective training, coaching and facilitation;
• Effective interpersonal and influencing skills, including the ability to build relationships, network, communicate and represent at a senior level are essential;
• Excellent communications skills;.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills;
• Flexibility, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple priorities;
• Commitment to local capacity building and the ability to engage local stakeholders in policy design and implementation;
• Passion and commitment to gender equality and youth empowerment;
• Proficiency with information technologies and computer skills (Word, Excel, the Internet, etc.) and familiarity with Google Drive and Gmail is an asset;
• Curious, enthusiastic and willing to innovate and adapt.

Languages

• Complete fluency in oral and written Arabic and English is required.

APPLICATIONS:

WUSC offers a dynamic international work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce. We offer employees exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference for youth around the world. We believe youth have the potential to provide for their families, build strong communities, and create positive social change for future generations. Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, employment and empowerment.

WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls please.