Gender & Youth Specialist

Job Description

At the heart of Pact is the promise of a better tomorrow. A nonprofit international development organization founded in 1971, Pact works on the ground in nearly 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization. We serve these communities because we envision a world where everyone owns their future. To do this, we build systemic solutions in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and governments that create sustainable and resilient communities where those we serve are heard, capable, and vibrant. Pact is a recognized global leader in international development. Our staff have a range of expertise in areas including public health, capacity development, governance and civil society, natural resource management, poverty, fragile states, monitoring and evaluation, small-scale and artisanal mining, microfinance and more. This expertise is combined in Pact’s unique integrated approach, which focuses on systemic changes needed to improve people’s lives.

Department

Program Delivery (PDEL) - Pact exists to help create a world where those who are poor and marginalized exercise their voice, build their own solutions, and take ownership of their future. The Program Delivery Team, contributes to realizing this purpose by: Forging smart partnerships and treating all people with dignity and respect; Applying organizational policies and regulatory compliance appropriately and consistently; Facilitating team spirit among colleagues and promoting the organization through communications; Influencing decision makers through focused, relevant communications; Continually striving to learn and share knowledge and find small ways to make the workplace more enjoyable for all; Cultivating and harvesting innovation; Contributing to the organization’s ability to think and act strategically at all times; Inspiring and spreading our desired organizational culture across the global enterprise.

Position Overview

The purpose of the REFRESH activity is to conserve the freshwater biodiversity of Lake Malawi to restore the natural fisheries productivity, which largely underpins the food and nutrition security of the rural and urban populations by targeting the lakeshore districts of Karonga, Rumphi, Likoma, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Salima, Dedza and Mangochi. Its sub-purposes are a) the targeted Lake Malawi’s aquatic habitats are healthy and well-managed b) the endemic fish

populations of targeted parts of Lake Malawi are healthy and self-sustaining and c) the fisheries in the targeted parts of Lake Malawi are managed sustainably by 2024.

Primarily, the REFRESH activity will aim to achieve the following outcomes;

1. Fisheries governance and regulatory framework strengthened
2. Fisheries ecosystem-based management improved
3. Decentralization of fisheries management strengthened
4. Commercialization of conservation enterprises to counter unsustainable fishing catalyzed and supported
5. CDCS priorities for integration advanced

Please note that the position will be contingent upon award of funding.

Pact seeks a Gender and Youth Specialist to support the upcoming USAID Malawi flagship biodiversity project: REFRESH. The Gender and Youth Specialist will be responsible for planning and implementing mechanisms to effectively engage all genders strategically including targeting the integration of women, youth and men’s support of their involvement in the project. The Gender and Youth Specialist will work closely with the COP, DCOP, and the technical team to ensure that Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) considerations are integrated across all project components. S/he will lead efforts to develop and promote strategies to engage women, men, youth, and marginalized genders in biodiversity-friendly livelihoods. S/he will engage with government, USAID partners, CSOs, the private sector, and other stakeholders in developing the capacity of youth and women in fisheries/conservation-focused associations and networks.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) analysis to identify explicit and implicit gender or age-related biases in participatory fisheries management -related laws, policies, regulations, and institutional practices and track recommendations implemented from this analysis and their impacts on the project.
• Support mainstreaming gender and youth considerations into technical assessments and analysis such as Applied Political Economy Analysis (APEA) and other research initiatives.
• Develop and promote strategies to engage women, youth, and marginalized groups in fisheries co-management, conservation enterprises and protected areas management.
• Develop and promote strategies to engage men and traditional leaders to support the participation and leadership of women, youth, and marginalized groups in project activities.
• Work with Institutional Development team to ensure GESI is mainstreamed into all capacity development initiatives.
• Work closely with selected local implementing partners to develop their internal and external GESI programming capacities.
• Coordinate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) team to develop and implement gender responsive MERL systems across project activities.
• Provide ongoing coaching and mentoring to project staff and partners on gender integration/social inclusion sensitivity and approaches.
• Develop materials and processes for specific areas/topics identified as needed for the effective integration of gender and youth in all major project areas. This can include but is not limited to training, mentoring and coaching of partners, Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) development, and other tools, methodologies, etc.

Basic Requirements

• Master’s or a related advanced degree in international development, education, gender studies, international affairs, natural resource management, economic development or another related field.
• A minimum of 8 years related experience in gender mainstreaming and/or youth initiatives/programs within national, sub-national, and community-based organizations and networks.
• Knowledge of key Malawian national policies and commitments related to gender, youth, and marginalized groups with particular experience in issues of land tenure, community based natural resource management (CBNRM), sustainable livelihoods, and benefit sharing.
• Experience designing and facilitating trainings on gender and youth issues and gender and youth integration processes and techniques.
• Strong monitoring and evaluation skills focused in effective gender and youth indicators and data collection considerations.
• Capacity to be original and creative in strategies to integrate gender and youth considerations into non-gender related programming.
• Demonstrated flexibility, adaptability and ability to perform and collaborate under challenging conditions.
• Ability to work independently and produce timely and high-quality results.
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills.
• Ability to live, work, and travel within Malawi.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency with theories, methods, and technology in GESI integration
• Knowledge of USAID rules and regulations
• Experience working on US Government-funded projects
• Experience working on fisheries or other NRM-related programming.

Pact provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, age, national origin, marital status, disability status, political ideology, military or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

About the Organization

At the heart of Pact is the promise of a better tomorrow. The promise of a healthy life. Of a decent livelihood. Of sustainable natural resources that benefit communities. Now more than ever in its 42-year history, Pact is helping millions of people who are poor and marginalized discover and build their own solutions and take ownership over their future.
Pact enables systemic solutions that allow those who are poor and marginalized to earn a dignified living, be healthy, and take part in the benefits that nature provides. Pact accomplishes this by strengthening local capacity, forging effective governance systems, and transforming markets into a force for development.

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.