Head of Component for Gender at GIZ Nigeria

Vacancy Announcement No: 086

The Project
Social and Economic Participation of Returnees, IDPs, and the Host Population in North-East Nigeria (SEPIN):

• On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is implementing the Programme, ‘Social and Economic Participation of Returnees, IDPs, and Host Population in North-East Nigeria’ (SEPIN). The main objective of the program is to improve the economic and social participation of returnees, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable members of host communities in Adamawa State in a gender-responsive way.
• Adopting an integrational approach, the program contributes to SDGs 1, 2, 5, 10, and 16 in accordance with the 'leave no one behind' principle and hopes to complement the humanitarian response to the crisis in the Northeast by going beyond a humanitarian short-term approach and focusing on a more long-term development perspective, through the institutionalization of gender-responsive participatory planning and provision of livelihood support.
• Addressing the situation of IDPs, returnees, and the host population, the Programme is primarily implemented at the LGA and community level to ensure direct benefit for the target groups. Through the Community Development Planning (CDP), the Programme hopes to strengthen the relationships between local communities and community leaders, government institutions, and civil society. Simultaneously, the Programme hopes to build the capacities of local and state governments as well as civil society and community-based organizations for improved service delivery. Alongside the CDPs, the Programme will set up and consolidate spaces and mechanisms where women can meet to engage in dialogue to identify problems, needs, and priorities and voice their concerns to the leadership of their communities.
• The gender and governance interventions will be supported by social protection and livelihoods measures. Particularly, the focus in these areas is to build the capacities of state institutions for an inclusive, transparent, and accountable state social protection system and to further strengthen the social safety net system to reduce the burden of poverty and hunger among vulnerable communities.

Responsibilities & Tasks
Responsibilities:

• As part of the management team of the program Social and Economic Participation of Returnees, Internally Displaced Persons, and the Host Population in North-East Nigeria (SEPIN), the Head of Component "Gender" will be responsible for the overall implementation of component 3.
• The HoC conceptualizes and develops the programmatic initiatives on gender-responsive and transformative approaches and oversees the implementation of component activities across the 2 intervention states (Borno and Adamawa).
• Furthermore, the HoC will support the Head of Programme in building and maintaining relationships with political and implementation partners at Federal and State levels.
• Finally, the HoC is responsible for team management, reporting on the component’s work, evaluating approaches, and sharing good practices that can be replicated in the work context.

The Head of Component will undertake the following roles and functions:
Management and Coordination Responsibilities:

• Provides leadership for all substantive and organizational aspects of work for the Gender Component (including conceptual and operational planning, implementation, budgeting, monitoring, and reporting) in accordance with the requirements of the commissioning parties and in accordance with GIZ rules and procedures.
• Ensures effective coordination and harmonization with other program components (governance, economic participation, and social protection).
• Ensures compliance of the component's team with the risk mitigation measures set up by the RMO and country management.
• Deputizes for other HoCs or for the HoP during their absence if required (upon request and explicit mutual agreement).
• Supports effective communication and visibility of the Programme and aligns with the requirements of commissioning parties.
• Leads in the recruitment, onboarding, and technical guidance of component team members.
• Assumes core management responsibilities for staff within the Gender component and implements sound management functions, enabling team members to implement their respective areas of work and promote a healthy, vibrant, and collegial team atmosphere.
• Ensures the day-to-day running of the Gender component, including working with team members to formulate and implement substantive work areas; developing annual plans and strategies; ensuring sound implementation monitoring; coordinating and monitoring progress against plans; contributing to reporting processes.
• Supports effective communication and visibility of the Programme in line with the requirements of commissioning parties.
• Responsible for quality control.
• Regular travel to intervention states.

Programme Planning and Implementation:

• Leads in the design and development of contextualized gender-responsive and transformative approaches/strategies for advancing gender equality in the target areas.
• Leads the development and implementation of operational plans and activities in close consultation with counterparts to ensure quality and suggests necessary changes, improvements, and initiatives.
• Contributes to the program's M&E system and reporting mechanism.
• Ensures high-level political advocacy and engagements for the domestication of national and international instruments on women’s rights and gender equality.
• Networks and cooperates with state and local officials and/or administrations as well as with local/national/international NGOs.
• Acts as a resource person on gender equality, gender mainstreaming, and women empowerment, consistent with operationalizing a rights-based approach.
• Builds the capacity of staff and the management of SEPIN in key technical approaches for advancing gender equality and inclusion, via developing and facilitating high-quality training, workshops, webinars, etc.
• Responsible for liaising with the development partners' working group on gender and inclusion and actively participating in the DPGs activities as well as the national gender technical working group.
• Regular oversight visits to the program's implementing areas.

Grants Management and Reporting:

• Leads in the development of calls for proposals, assessment of partner proposals, and preparation of the grant agreements.
• Ensures grants monitoring efforts, including checking the financial reports/documents of partner(s) before submission to the GIZ headquarters and giving feedback to partners on adjustments needed for correction of financial reports, ensuring that expenditure tallies with budget provisions.
• Leads in the contracting of consultants and service providers and monitors the implementation of such services.
• Identifies, mitigates, and communicates about risks around external stakeholders' engagement, strategy/programme, finance, operations, compliance, and environment.
• Ensures transparent, compliant, and accountable management and oversight of project funds and component budget.

Knowledge Management, Monitoring, Visibility, and Other Duties:

• Supports effective impact monitoring and reporting for the Component in line with the requirements of the commissioning parties (EU and BMZ).
• Oversees sound implementation of knowledge management, best practice, and lessons learned processes and ensures responsiveness and adaptability to new developments or challenges that may arise during the implementation of activities.
• Supports effective communication and visibility of the Programme in line with the requirements of commissioning parties.
• Any other functions as assigned by management.

Required qualifications, Competences and Experience
Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Gender Studies, Law, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a similar discipline.

Professional Experience:

• At least 10 years’ experience (including field experience) in the design and implementation of development programs focused on advancing gender equality and inclusion.
• Strong understanding of gender equality and inclusion principles and practices, the gender equality and social justice sector, and key gender inequalities impacting women in Northern Nigeria.
• Significant experience in designing and delivering gender equality and inclusion training, capacity building, and mentoring, and a demonstrated ability to make complex concepts compelling and accessible.
• Track record in designing and pitching gender transformative and inclusive approaches, models, and programs, piloting, implementation, and evaluation of innovative technical tools and resources to advance gender equality in traditional settings and in plural legal systems.
• Skilled at networking and partnership development to promote learning and strengthening civil society.
• Strong understanding/experience with gender mainstreaming, gender integration, women’s rights, or women empowerment within the conflict context.
• Excellent project management expertise.
• Proven human and interpersonal management competences/skills.
• Innovative problem-solving skills.
• Commitment, team spirit, reliability, diplomatic skills, and intercultural understanding.
• Ability to think strategically and drive project implementation.
• Ability to work in a complex and slow-paced environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and cultural competencies (Knowledge of the cultures and traditions of people in the Northeast of Nigeria).
• Excellent writing, editing, presentation, communications, and research capabilities.
• Ability to travel regularly within Northern Nigeria (Adamawa, Borno, and Abuja).

Other Experiences and Skills:

• Ability to communicate effectively in a conflict-sensitive manner and engage tactfully and diplomatically with various stakeholders to ensure constructive relationships.
• Digital proficiency includes the ability to leverage digital tools, technologies, and solutions in both internal processes and in engagement and support of Programme partners, especially as it relates to establishing and maintaining large databases.
• Strong writing, reporting, and presentation skills.
• Strong spoken, analytical, and writing skills with advanced knowledge of and proficiency in the MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Fluent written and oral knowledge of English. Deep knowledge of Hausa, Fulfulde, and other relevant local languages would be an asset.

Salary
According to GIZ salary scale for Band 5.