Senior Gender and Social Inclusion Expert At The Nature Conservancy

Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters, and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably, and helping make cities more sustainable. One of our core values is our commitment to diversity. Therefore, we strive for a globally diverse and culturally competent workforce. Working in 72 countries, including all 50 United States, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.

Since establishing the Africa Program in 2007, The Nature Conservancy’s vision in Africa is to work towards fostering a sustainable future for people and nature, partnering with indigenous communities across 55 million acres on the continent. Our efforts are firmly rooted in people, leveraging scientific and technical expertise as we collaborate with governments and organizations to conserve and enhance Africa’s shared resources in the 9 countries we operate.

TNC’s work in Africa transcends three key pillars: securing ownership rights to lands and resources for indigenous people, strengthening leadership and resource management, and helping communities value nature through a holistic appreciation of its benefits while increasing revenue streams for conservation efforts and socio-economic development. Together with our partners, we are witnessing critical milestones in integrated land and fisheries management, ocean and source water protection, energy development, and sustainable food production working together and strengthening our resolve in tackling global challenges such as climate change, habitat and biodiversity loss that stand to adversely impact the nearly 1.4 billion people that share Africa.

TNC expects to lead a large USAID-funded project with multi-sector partners in the Upper Okavango landscape of Angola. The “HEARTH Alliance for the Upper Okavango” (HEARTH Okavango) project will leverage non-governmental organization (NGO), community, and private sector resources and expertise to reduce threats to biodiversity and their underlying drivers, with a focus on the long-term landscape sustainability of the region and protecting and restoring the Upper Okavango’s biodiversity and ecosystem services. The project will advance a water-energy-food-ecosystems nexus approach and will seek to improve gender equity and women’s empowerment. TNC and implementing partners’ work under this project will be complemented by private sector partners’ leveraged expertise and activities in the landscape.

YOUR POSITION WITH TNC

The Gender and Social Inclusion Lead is responsible for providing technical gender and social inclusion input into HEARTH Okavango activities, including integrating recommendations from the Gender and Social Inclusion Analysis into work plans and the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plan and track implementation. They contribute to the development and implementation of other plans to ensure effective integration of gender and social inclusion considerations and targets. They support training and capacity strengthening in gender and social inclusion with a wide variety of groups. This is a five-year term-limited position contingent on TNC receiving the public award and funder approval. Reporting to the Chief of Party-HEARTH Okavango Alliance and collaborating with the TNC Africa Regional Gender and Reproductive Health Advisor to apply and disseminate relevant and current approaches and tools for gender and social inclusion, the position will be based in Menongue, Angola. No employment visas or assistance is being offered with this position except for the local labor employment requirements.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Gender and Social Inclusion Lead is responsible for supporting TNC and project partners in applying inclusive project implementation and MEL approaches that engage women, youth, and vulnerable and marginalized groups. This includes specific responsibilities to lead the development and implementation of a Gender and Social Inclusion Analysis, as well as contributing to the development of other relevant plans and assessments. They will use their expertise in gender and social inclusion to support the development and implementation of plans and actions that further equity and empowerment in the landscape through measurable outputs and results. Their experience working with rural communities and multi-sector stakeholders will help build capacities, awareness, and sustainable long-term approaches for gender and social inclusion across the project’s activity areas which include: fisheries and forest livelihoods; water resource management; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and cross-sector collaboration to promote climate-resilient and sustainable renewable energy access. They will help the COP identify and resolve any challenges to effective project management and compliance in their area of focus.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE OF WORK

• Serves as the project’s technical expert for gender and social inclusion.
• Leads development and implementation of Gender and Social Inclusion Analysis.
• Supports the development of the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Community Consultation and Engagement plan.
• Designs and coordinates gender and social inclusion activities in line with approved plans including annual work plans, Community Consultation and Engagement plan, and MEL plan.
• Contributes to the preparation of annual work plans and semi-annual and annual performance reports.
• Supports training and capacity strengthening in TNC and among partners and stakeholders to meet gender and social inclusion targets and expected outcomes of the project.
• Contributes to gender and social inclusion aspects of project activities with TNC and partners, including activities to increase the economic empowerment of women in freshwater fisheries.
• Works closely with TNC Africa Regional Gender Advisor to setting gender project priorities and directions, responding to requests for support from local TNC partners.
• Participates in relevant technical research, professional development, and working groups for gender and social inclusion with TNC Africa and the broader community.
• Prepares presentations, lessons learned, workshops, and other outreach, communications, and training products as needed.
• Support COP and partners in project coordination and negotiates with TNC partners and other stakeholders under supervisory direction.
• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• BA/BS degree and 4 years of related work experience in gender studies, social development, social studies, conservation, or other relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience serving as a gender advisor or in a similar role.
• Experience providing gender and/or inclusive development support and capacity building for a range of partners and sectors
• Experience with programmatic technical reporting to public funders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency in English and Portuguese.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 4 to 6 years of relevant work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience supporting participatory processes and/or empowering women’s engagement in cooperatives.
• Experience integrating gender and inclusive development into climate and environment programming, especially for women and fisheries.
• Experience developing gender-sensitive monitoring, evaluation, and learning plans.
• Experience with the development and implementation of plans and analyses under public-funded projects.
• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience are appreciated.
• Flexibility and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of relevant policies, laws, and development issues in Angola and/or African contexts.
• Knowledge of current trends and strategies in gender and social inclusion for conservation and sustainable development.
• Effective and persuasive communication in English and Portuguese.