Head of Gender, Equality and Inclusion

Position Title:

Head of Gender Equality and Inclusion (HoGEI) CARE International Secretariat

1. BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW

CARE’s vision is to seek a world of hope, inclusion, and social justice; where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security. CARE puts gender equality, diversity, and inclusion at the centre of all we do because we know that we cannot overcome poverty and social injustice until all people have equal rights and opportunities*.* CARE’s Vision2030 places gender equality at the heart of our ambitions and it radiates through all our work at the level of individuals, teams, the organisation, our programs and our partnerships.

CARE International (CI) is among the world’s largest international non-governmental humanitarian relief and development Confederations. Drawing on its 75 years of experience, through its 21 Members, Candidates and Affiliate, as both a practitioner and thought leader, CI’s work reaches over 100 countries worldwide to save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice.

At the core of the Confederation is a small, globally distributed Secretariat, which provides coordination and support to its members in many areas as governance, strategic planning, communications, membership development and accountability, advocacy, humanitarian response, and program development. CARE International is committed to gender equality and inclusion, gender justice, human rights and women’s and girls’ empowerment. This commitment is manifested at the individual and team level as well as in our programming, communications, fundraising and advocacy.

2. POSITION SUMMARY

CARE has gender equality at the heart of its Vision 2030. This role will support the organisation to ensure that a culture of learning and adaption are integrated, that voices are heard from across the organisation and external actors so that there is diverse representation and a climate of trust and inclusion to which we hold ourselves accountable.

CARE recognises the critical link between our internal performance and accountability to gender equality and inclusion at all levels of the organisation. We also recognise the power dynamics globally between international organisations and other actors seeking an end to social injustice and poverty. In line with CARE’s Vision 2030 CARE seeks to address these power imbalances and work with feminist principles.

This role will support and inspire CARE’s leadership to achieve its goal that ‘50 million people of all genders experience greater gender equality (particularly eliminating GBV, and increasing women and girls’ voice, leadership, and education)’. Working closely with Gender Focal Points within the confederation membership, gender teams and with the global CARE International Gender network, this role works collaboratively to leverage the immense reach and depth of the organisation’s gender transformative work across our development and humanitarian programming.

The HoGEI also provides advice and recommendations for strengthening the quality and accountability for program and organisational results in gender equality in line with the CARE International Gender Equality and Inclusion Policy and ensuring an intersectional lens. Finally, the role provides specific leadership and support to ensuring that the CI Secretariat itself meets CARE’s commitments to gender equality and inclusion.

3. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES – specifically but not limited to

1. Global co-leadership on the implementation of Vision2030 and specifically the Gender Equality Impact Area strategy (approximately 25%)

   • Support collaborative efforts across CARE to advance the gender equality impact goal and ensure integration of gender equality in all impact goal areas of the Vision 2030.
   • Co-Lead the Gender Round table whose responsibility is the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy as well as supporting all 5 other program impact areas to ensure gender equality is at the heart of their work
   • Support global learning agendas aligned to Vision2030
   • Work with the Director of Programs and global gender teams to ensure gender transformation is integrated in all strategies and plans across the confederation.
   • Support the gender equality work of selected committees and working groups in line with CARE’s Gender Equality Policy and Vision 2030.
   • Provide strategic support to the integration of gender in all contexts – humanitarian, fragile and development and to promote learning and exchange about what works to achieve gender transformative impact across them.
   • Provide support, coaching and guidance to different teams supporting the Gender Equality Strategy (GBV, GBViE and WVL)

2. Support processes for ensuring tools, resource, learning and capacity development across the confederation (25%)

   • Provide support, guidance and connection between different technical teams, members, and focal points
   • Support confederation wide efforts to update and deliver appropriate high-quality orientation and training to staff on gender equality and diversity in organisations, and in humanitarian and development programming.
   • Support global teams to ensure technical tools and resources are available, accessible, translated and communicated for both programmatic and organisational elements of gender and inclusion
   • Ensure overall guidance for staff and partners is developed and shared by members and teams on gender equality and inclusion – to include technical papers, guidance notes, orientation courses etc
   • Support the CI HR and Operational leads to strengthen CARE organisational processes to ensure greater engagement in and accountability for gender equality and inclusion results.
   • Support the CARE US led Global Gender Cohort on organizing and delivering REDI (reflections on equity, diversity, and inclusion) trainings across offices and program teams.
   • Provide specific gender related technical advice and support to colleagues coordinating CARE’s Safeguarding work and support the CI Secretariat to ensure that it meets CARE’s commitments to gender equality and diversity.

3. Accountability (15%)

• Review progress and utilise accountability reporting to highlight progress and gaps on the CI Gender Equality and Inclusion Policy every 2 years.
• Support review of progress against Gender Equality Impact Area Strategy goals, targets and workplans with the gender roundtable
• Lead and support regular internal audits, reviews and learning within the CARE International secretariat team on power, difference, and inclusion through the leadership of the GED Action team
• Coordinate and lead the GED audit action at the secretariat ensuring the implementation of the workplan, reporting back to all staff, and advising, updating and liaison with the Leadership Team
• Support global PIIRS processes to ensure that data is validated by the program area leads, that the Round Table leads reflection and discussion on the data and uses it to inform and make decisions. reported and to support the Global Gender Roundtable in using data to learn and inform decision making.
• Support to global validation of diversity and inclusion data in the PIIRS process

1. Teams and networks (20%)

• Provide leadership and guidance to the CI Gender Network
• Coordinate and connect the CARE Members and affiliates Gender Focal Points
• Coordinate and support the CARE members and affiliates diversity and inclusion point people – promote the creation of this space and its intersectional nature across the confederation
• Support and engage and connect with the Partnership Community of Practice
• Manage the Global Coordinator for Gender in Emergencies and facilitate connections, learning and exchange between CARE’s work in humanitarian, fragile and development contexts.
• Lead the CARE International Secretariat Gender Equity and Diversity audit action team
• Support, inspire and convene inclusive global spaces for learning and reflection on gender equality and inclusion
• Seek to promote a culture of learning, curiosity, and inclusion across all workspaces in CARE – challenge the norms and promote simple tools such as diverse times for meeting and translation of all meetings and documents, etc

1. Increase CARE’s gender profile and gender equality partnerships and coalitions (15%)

• Actively engage in the Partnership Community of Practice to seek a change in power dynamics and relations between CARE and other actors
• Develop and facilitate diverse relationships with external coalitions and/or partners to advance gender equality and women’s rights. This can include peer agencies, UN agencies, labour and social movements, universities, and gender justice coalitions.
• Actively explore and promote new relationships or collaboration with feminist structures.
• Build on relationships with external agencies for thought leadership, advocacy, and funding opportunities.
• Promote CARE’s gender equality work through external and internal communication opportunities, including media.
• Offer support to Advocacy and Communications working groups to advise on key advocacy and influence targets, including selected priority global reports.

3. KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Position Reports to: CARE International Program Director

Positions which report to the HoGEI: Global Gender in Emergencies Coordinator

The Gender Round Table is the primary coordination body for the Gender Equality Impact area and is co-lead by the HoGEI and the overall Gender lead for CARE International, the CARE USA AVP for Gender Justice. The Round table includes core actors for the implementation of the strategy, has an annual work plan and has a Steering Committee that guides it. It meets bi-weekly.

The CARE International Gender Network (CIGN) acts as a vibrant network across the Confederation that advocates for Gender Equality and Justice internally and externally. CIGN also provides guidance and coherence to staff as they implement the organisation’s gender policy. The Head of Gender Equality works closely with the elected CIGN co-chairs to promote and advocate for Gender Equality within CARE programs, policy and organisationally.

Thematic gender working groups/communities of practice – CARE has a variety of time-bound and long-term working groups and communities of practice which drive gender equality and inclusion in various ways these include: the Gender in Emergencies working group; the Social Movements Community of Practice; the EMB and GBV Communities of Practice; etc. The Head of Gender Equality and Inclusion will support the work of this group, provide advice and direction when ask.

The CARE Gender Focal Points are representatives from each of the 21 CARE International Member Partners who have a role in ensuring that members know, report against, and improve their performance again the 12 commitments laid out in the CARE International Gender Policy. They meet quarterly under the leadership of the HoGEI

Combined space working on Diversity and Inclusion guidance paper of the Gender Focal Points, HR working group and other invested and interested individuals. There is currently a discussion paper and quarterly meetings scheduled.

Other relationships:

• • Human Resources team at the CI secretariat
    – Supports the implementation of and reporting against the annual CI Gender Work Plan with the Gender Round table
    – Works closely with the CARE USA Gender Justice team and other CARE entities who lead Gender Equality Impact area via the Round Table
    – Works closely with Chrysalis (Sri Lanka) who lead on CARE’s gender-based violence work and CARE Egypt Foundation for GBViE and CARE Caucasus for Women’s Voice and Leadership.
    – Works in close coordination with Secretariat Leadership Team, CEG Gender Specialists and the Head of Global Advocacy.
    – Works closely and seeks to convene colleagues in members that are focused on issues related to diversity and inclusion as well as looking at issues of power shifts and decolonisation of our sector
    – Seeks to convene and support where possible nascent initiatives related to anti-racism

4. QUALIFICATIONS (Key Selection criteria)

Essential technical qualifications:

• Gender equality in programming: At least 8 years of demonstrated experience overseeing gender equality programs and demonstrated competency leading the strategic integration of intersectional gender equality in long term and/or humanitarian programs and organisational contexts.
• Integrating gender equality and inclusion into organisations: Demonstrated experience in building organisational commitment, processes, and systems to ensure coherence between CARE’s external messaging on gender equality and inclusion, the programmatic components and the internal policies and systems to promote a culture and adherence to gender equality and inclusion principles as an institution.
• Power relations: a clear understanding of the complex dynamics of power relations and how the intersectional elements of gender, race, and ability impact power over, and unjust systems in the humanitarian sector.
• Anti-racism and decolonising aid: passion and courage to explore these complex topics and lead global learning and discussion to be follow by action in this area
• Women’s rights: Demonstrated commitment to and established networks with women’s rights and gender justice groups.
• Management: Experience managing and supporting staff and coordinating virtual international teams.
• Learning and curiosity: Demonstrated experience in promoting gender and Inclusion related learning, capacity building and building internal and external advocacy on gender justice issues while promoting a culture of learning and curiosity – experience in breaking down power dynamics in such structures and where the “right” answer lies.

Other Essential Competencies for the role:

• Diversity: A global citizen that seeks inspiration through working with diverse individuals and teams
• Inclusion: Committed to a just world where all people live in dignity and security and equality is a reality
• Influencing skills: Demonstrated ability to build consensus and compromise towards common agendas will promoting inclusion and diverse voices and opinions.
• Curiosity: be open to learn from all parts of the CARE confederation. Seek to promote curiosity and learning from others and break down power dynamics that promote an assumed right answer from those that hold power
• Patience and tenacity be able to follow a vision and bring others along, despite initial pushback and resistance to change
• Power dynamics and diversity be personally proactive about understanding whose voice is not at the table, who is not being heard and why. Seek to ensure that all teams have space for difference in ideas and opinions
• Facilitation and coordination skills: demonstrated ability to facilitate multi-lingual, diverse, teams remotely to identify shared priorities and achieve them
• Communicating about gender equality and Inclusion: Demonstrated ability to communicate gender justice rationale and concepts to internal and external audiences.
• Teamwork skills: Experience working effectively as part of a virtual team.
• Communication skills: Strong and demonstrated oral and written communications skills, political acumen to engage diverse audiences, including fundraisers, programmers, and senior management.
• Strategic and conceptual skills: Demonstrated effectiveness to bridge practical guidance as well as conceptual frameworks.

Education:

• Post graduate degree in gender studies, sociology, international development, women’s studies and/or related field or equivalent qualifications and experience.

Languages:

• As a global organisation we celebrate those that can bring different languages to the workplace. Our official working language is English, and fluency is required. However fluency in our other working languages Arabic, French and Spanish are also an advantage.