Uganda: Gender Equality Team Leader

LOCATION

Kampala, Uganda

BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading humanitarian relief and development organisations. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people survive, recover and rebuild their lives. The IRC delivers emergency aid, protects children, provides health care, prevents and responds to violence against women and girls, safeguards human rights and helps to kick-start economic recovery. Working in more than 40 countries, the IRC has restored hope and opportunity to many millions of people.

The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

PROGRAMME SCOPE

IRC, in a consortium led by a well-respected private sector provider operating in the International Development context, is applying for funding through a commercial contract from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to deliver DFID’ Strengthening Uganda’s Response on Gender Equality (SURGE).

The Service Provider for SURGE will:

1 Provide targeted Technical Assistance (TA) and operational support for implementing gender equity in Public Finance Management (PFM);
2 Provide quality assurance and grants management for selected civil society organisations for prevention of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and provision of GBV response services.
3 Undertake robust performance reviews, evaluations, dissemination and evidence-based advocacy to ensure that programme interventions contribute to wider learning.

To deliver the PFM components, the programme will target six sectors: Education, Health, Agriculture, Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS), Energy and Mineral Development; and Trade, Industries and Cooperatives. It will also target 13 districts to deliver the GBV prevention and response services i.e. Kampala, Kween, Moroto, Gulu, Lira, Masaka, Mbarara, Kumi, Katakwi, Amuru, Pallisa, Nebbi and Mubende. Baseline studies will be conducted to identify specific drivers of GBV in the respective districts, and preventive/response interventions will be customised.

The primary recipients of the programme are the Government of Uganda, primarily through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED).

The Team Leader Position

Based in Kampala, Uganda, the Team Leader will be responsible for ensuring that the project is implemented in accordance with DFID regulations, our Consortium lead and IRC policies, and international standards. The Team Leader will be the primary representational link with DFID staff, as well as with the other members of the consortium who will work under this project, ensuring regular updates, communications and joint planning and implementation.

The Team Leader will represent the project to all key stakeholders, government officials and donors at coordination fora and other related seminars and meetings.

This position is contingent on the Consortium of which IRC is part being awarded funding and is anticipated to begin in the first half of 2016.

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES

The intended Impact is “reduced gender inequality in Uganda;” demonstrated through gender equality in education attainment, health outcomes, economic participation and political empowerment.

The intended Outcome is “equal access by women and men to opportunities and a life free from violence.”

The expected Outputs are:

Output 1: National capacity established within MGLSD, the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and MoFPED to lead on gender equity in public finance management

Funds will also be allocated to support the integration of gender in the new PFM Act which requires all Government Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs) to equalise opportunities for women, men, and other marginalised groups. This proportion of programme funds will build capacity of the MGLSD and MoFPED to provide support to MDAs to unlock barriers to gender equity in their sectors.

Output 2: Improved public awareness and progressive change in social norms that perpetuate gender inequality and gender based violence

Funds will support CEDOVIP to pilot the SASA [1] community mobilisation approach to changing social norms and GBV prevention in 2 districts (Moroto and Kwen) where Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is prevalent, and in Kampala district where services will be customised to address girl child sex work and other forms of GBV.

Output 3: Increased access to safe spaces/shelter, legal, health, psychosocial services and economic opportunities by survivors of gender based violence

It is expected that part of the programme’s contribution will continue to support Action Aid and Mifumi to operate the 13 GBV shelters (safe spaces) to provide counselling, legal, health and economic empowerment services to at least 10,000 survivors of GBV.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential technical qualifications, skills and experience

· At least 15 years of development experience, with minimum 4 years in Uganda – longer experience in the region a strong advantage

· A thorough understanding of the institutional and political context in Uganda

· A throughout understanding of the drivers of Gender-based violence in Uganda and the region, as well as of good practices in GBV prevention and response programmes in the region and across the world

· Recent experience of leading major multi-year development programmes (of GBP 2mil minimum) with a strong gender focus

· Understanding of the key elements of Gender Equality, Human Rights (particularly relating to women and girls) and Public Finance Management

· Capacity, influence and personal integrity to shape national policy implementation on gender and equity in Public Finance Management

· Ability to oversee the measurement and communication of robust results and impact, and hold their team and implementing partners accountable for good and timely performance, management of fiduciary risk, attention to VFM and continual improvement

· Excellent IT skills (Word, Outlook, Excel)

· Ability to manage a large and varied workload, work under pressure and meet deadlines

Leadership and Supervision

· Provide leadership and direction, define and implement activities and manage the project to achieve the greatest coverage and impact

· Manage the overall project by planning, monitoring and evaluating project activities in accordance with the project agreement

· Lead progress reviews, the establishment of workplans, the set-up of performance targets and identifies challenges to achieve project aims

· Proven ability to lead diverse staff and teams, manage performance, foster a positive working environment and manage issues sensitively and diplomatically

· Support project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility, thus enabling an environment for high performance

· Oversee and monitor the financial management of the project.

Consortium and Donor Coordination

· Manage relations with consortium partners

· Represent the consortium at top level liaison with DFID

· Manage a solid cooperation with consortium partners; partner organizations and government officials

· Manage external relations by representing the project and the organization in the public and ensuring the distribution of information about project achievements and lesson learned

· Ensure timely, accurate and good quality reporting to the donor and others

· Ensure the consortium meets DFID contractual project, legal and financial requirements.

Other desirable qualifications, skills and experience

· Experience working with DFID, or similar bilateral donors, on commercial contract management

· Ugandan nationals or long-term residents are particularly encouraged to apply.

[1] Sasa is a Swahili word that means now. The Sasa approach to community mobilisation offers tools for individual activists and organizations to change social attitudes on GBV. It was tested through a community RCT.