Gender and Protection Officer at Action Health Incorporated (AHI)

Project Summary

• The project seeks to improve access to quality, life-saving services and strengthen community resilience through a multi-pronged approach that integrates preventive and curative healthcare, nutritional support, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response in Project LGAs.

Job Summary

This role requires a dedicated and experienced professional with a strong understanding of gender equality, protection principles, GBV prevention and response, and community mobilization. The LGA Gender and Protection Officer will work closely with community leaders, local authorities, and other stakeholders to ensure the effective delivery of project activities and the achievement of project objectives related to gender and protection.

• He/she shall work closely with the beneficiaries on a daily basis to ensure programming is gender sensitive and takes into account the needs of all beneficiaries.
• The Gender Officer will support the Project Team in conducting the gender assessments throughout the life of the project and will be present at every training session to ensure activities are being implemented in a gender sensitive way.
• The Gender-Protection Officer will support the team in providing protection specific outreach and awareness sessions to the beneficiaries. The Gender-Protection Officer will design, organize, and chair the Gender Discussions Meetings with the beneficiaries, to promote the participation and empowerment of women throughout the project cycle.

Job Description

• Build the capacity of all staff on Protection and GBV-related issues, in order to enhance internal knowledge and expertise and provide qualitative delivery of activities with high protection standards and enhance protection sensitive approach within the targeted communities.
• Work closely with the project team and the beneficiaries to ensure activities are being implemented in a gender sensitive manner.
• Hold regular meetings with the beneficiaries to determine needs
• Build a strong and working relationship with the female beneficiaries, ensuring they feel supported throughout the life-span of the project.
• Prepare, organize and conduct the protection-oriented Focus Group Discussions and Gender Discussion Meetings during project implementation
• Ensure equal participation of women and men in the activities and ensure to have an appropriate complaint and feedback mechanism to collect the communities’ feedback in a gender sensitive manner and ensure that the programme includes these feedbacks throughout the project implementation
• Meet regularly with the program team to fine-tune programming, ensuring activities are implemented using a gendered lens
• Assist in monitoring protection needs and service provision in sites according to agreed upon guidelines, standards and indicators.
• Support vulnerable individuals identified during project implementation.
• Ensure Do No Harm approach is applied in all activities conducted with the site and host communities.

General Responsibilities

• Keeping detailed, organized records of project information and documentation.
• Submit weekly and monthly work plans along with detailed activity reports to the Project Manager.
• Maintain constant contact with team members, direct and indirect beneficiaries.
• Respect the total confidentiality of information collected and circulated.

Essential Skills & Knowledge Required:

• Languages: Ability to speak local dialects is mandatory (Shuwa Arabic and Kanuri).
• BA or equivalent in Social Science, Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, Women/ Gender Studies related programs.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in protection programming.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, ethics and respect for aid recipients at all times.
• Ability to engage with community members, partners, government and other stakeholders in a respectful manner (essential).
• Experience with participatory fieldwork, methodologies, monitoring and reporting.
• Patience, good personal organization, good communication and ability to work in teams.
• Efficient and responsible, with good personal accountability.
• Initiative, flexibility, team spirit, willingness to learn, and a positive attitude.
• Ability to work under time pressure, independently and with limited supervision.
• Computer literate (IT) and good level of numeracy.