Head of Gender Equality and Inclusion (HoGEI)

Position Title:

Head of Gender Equality and Inclusion (HoGEI) CARE International Secretariat

Grade: IV

Supervisor: CARE International Program Director

Supervises: Global Gender in Emergencies Coordinator

Location: Country in which CARE has a presence, subject to approval

Travel: 20% of time

1. BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW

CARE seeks a world of hope, inclusion and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live in dignity and security. Our Global Program Vision sets out a bold and coherent vision to save lives and tackle the underlying causes of poverty, social injustice and gender inequality. We is committed to increase gender equality and reduce gender-based violence; we seek to have positive impact on women’s economic justice, people’s right to health, food, water and nutrition and climate justice.

CARE International is among the world’s leading international non-governmental humanitarian relief and development organizations. Drawing on its 75 years of experience, through its confederation of 21 CARE member partners, as both a practitioner and thought leader, CARE International’s work reaches 100 countries worldwide to save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice.

At the core of the Confederation is a small, globally distributed Secretariat, which provides coordination and support to its Members in many areas as governance, strategic planning, communications, membership development and accountability, advocacy, humanitarian response, and program development. In addition, the Secretariat represents the CARE confederation at the United Nations and the European Union.

CI is committed to gender equality and inclusion, gender justice, human rights and women’s and girls’ empowerment. This commitment is described in the organisation’s key policy documents (Vision 2030, the CARE International Gender Equality Policy and the Gender Equality and Women’s Voice Guidance Note) and in its programming, over 90% of which in development, fragile and humantarian contexts aims to have a positive impact on the lives of women and girls.

2. POSITION SUMMARY

CARE has gender equality at the heart of its Vision 2030. This role will support the organisation to ensure that a culture of learning and adaption are integrated, that voices are heard from across the organisation and external actors so that there is diverse representation and a climate of trust and inclusion to which we hold ourselves accountable.

CARE recognises the critical link between our internal performance and accountability to gender equality and inclusion at all levels of the organisation. We also recognise the power dynamics globally between international organisations and other actors seeking an end to social injustice and poverty. In line with CARE’s Vision 2030 CARE seeks to address these power imbalances and work with feminist principles.

This role will support and inspire CARE’s leadership to achieve its goal that ‘50 million people of all genders experience greater gender equality (particularly eliminating GBV, and increasing women and girls’ voice, leadership and education)’. Working closely with Gender Focal Points within the confederation membership, gender teams and with the global CARE International Gender network, this role works collaboratively to leverage the immense reach and depth of the organisation’s gender transformative work across our development and humanitarian programming.

The HoGEI also provides advice and recommendations for strengthening the quality and accountability for program and organisational results in gender equality in line with the CARE International Gender Equality Policy and ensuring an intersectional lens. Finally, the role provides specific leadership and support to ensuring that the CI Secretariat itself meets CARE’s commitments to gender equality and inclusion.

3. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES – specifically but not limited to:

3.1 Support the leadership to advance and document gender-equality strategy, workplans and outcomes in line with Vision 2030 (approximately 35%)

• Support collaborative efforts across CARE to advance the gender equality impact goal and ensure integration of gender equality in all impact goal areas of the Vision 2030.

• Work with the Director of Programs and global gender teams to ensure gender transformation is integrated in all strategies and plans across the confederation.

• Support the gender equality work of selected committees and working groups in line with CARE’s Gender Equality Policy and Vision 2030.

• Provide strategic support to the integration of gender in all contexts – humanitarian, fragile and development and to promote learning and exchange about what works to achieve gender transformative impact across them.

  3.2 Support processes for advancing gender equality and inclusion across program, people and organisational mechanisms through interdependent ways of working and accountability (approximately 35%)

• Support the strengthening of interdependent teams working on organisational and programmatic gender equality and inclusion; establish related priorities, budgets and work plan.

• Support the CI HR and Operational leads to strengthen CARE organisational processes to ensure greater engagement in and accountability for gender equality and inclusion results.

• Review progress and utilise accountability reporting to highlight progress and gaps on the CI Gender Policy every 2 years.

• Support the CARE US led Global Gender Cohort Learning & Capacity TA mechanism that will provide coordinated gender technical support across offices and programs.

• Provide specific gender related technical advice and support to colleagues coordinating CARE’s Safeguarding work and offer support to the CI Secretariat to ensure that it meets CARE’s commitments to gender equality and diversity.

• Provide support, guidance and coordination between the Gender Focal Points

• Provide leadership and guidance to the CI Gender Network

• Support confederation wide efforts to update and deliver appropriate high quality training to staff on gender equality and divsersity in organisations, and in humanitarian and development programming.

• Manage the Global Coordinator for Gender in Emergencies and facilitate connections, learning and exchange between CARE’s work in humanitarian, fragile and development contexts.

3.3 Increase CARE’s gender profile and gender equality partnerships and coalitions (approximately 30%)

• Develop and facilitate diverse relationships with external coalitions and/or partners to advance gender equality and women’s rights. This can include peer agencies, UN agencies, labour and social movements, universities, and gender justice coalitions.

• Actively explore and promote new relationships or collaboration with feminist strcutures.

• Build on relationships with external agencies in regards to thought leadership, advocacy and funding opportunities.

• Promote CARE’s gender equality work through external and internal communication opportunities, including media.

• Offer support to Advocacy and Communications working groups to advise on key advocacy and influence targets, including selected priority global reports.

  4. KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

  Position Reports to: CARE International Program Director

  Positions which report to the HoGEI: Global Gender in Emergencies Coordinator

The CARE International Gender Network (CIGN) acts as a vibrant network across the Confederation that advocates for Gender Equality and Justice internally and externally. CIGN also provides guidance and coherence to staff as they implement the organisation’s gender policy. The Head of Gender Equality works closely with the elected CIGN co-chairs to promote and advocate for Gender Equality within CARE programs, policy and organisationally.

Thematic gender working groups/communities of practice – CARE has a variety of time-bound and long term working groups and communities of practice which drive gender equality and inclusion in various ways these include: the Gender in Emergencies working group; the Social Movements Community of Practice; The Lavendar League; etc. The Head of Gender Equality will support the work of this group, provide advice and direction when asked.

The CARE Gender Focal Points are representatives from each of the 21 CARE International Member Partners who have a role in ensuring that members know, report against and improve their performance again the 12 commitments laid out in the CARE International Gender Policy.

Other relationships:

• Supports the implementation of and reporting against the annual CI Gender Work Plan with the CARE International Gender Network.

• Works closely with the CARE USA Gender Justice team and other CARE entities who lead Gender Equality Impact goal globally including CARE Norway.

• Works closely with Chrysalis (Sri Lanka) who lead on CARE’s gender based violence work.

• Works in close coordination with Secretariat Leadership Team, CEG Gender Specialists and the Head of Global Advocacy.

• Supports and works with the (to be established) Feminist Advisory Group.

  5. QUALIFICATIONS (Key Selection criteria)

  Essential qualifications:

• Gender equality in programming: At least 8 years of demonstrated experience overseeing gender equality programs and demonstrated competency leading the strategic integration of intersectional gender equality in long term and/or humanitarian programs and organisational contexts.

• Integrating gender equality and inclusion into organisations: Demonstrated experience in building organisational commitment, processes and systems to ensure coherence between CARE’s external messaging on gender equality and Inclusion, the programmatic components and the internal policies and systems to promote a culture and adherence to gender equality and Inclusion principles as an institution.

• Women’s rights: Demonstrated commitment to and established networks with women’s rights and gender justice groups.

• Management: Experience managing and supporting staff and coordinating virtual international teams.

• Learning: Demonstrated experience in promoting gender and Inclusion related learning, capacity building and building internal and external advocacy on gender justice issues

  Education:

• Post graduate degree in gender studies, sociology, international development, women’s studies and/or related field or equivalent qualifications and experience

  Competencies:

• Influencing skills: Demonstrated ability to build consensus and compromise towards common agendas.

• Faciltiation and coordination skills: demonstrated ability to facilitate multi-lingual, diverse, teams remotely to identify shared priorities and achieve them

• Communicating about gender equality and Inclusion: Demonstrated ability to communicate gender justice rationale and concepts to internal and external audiences.

• Team work skills: Experience working effectively as part of a virtual team.

• Communication skills: Strong and demonstrated oral and written communications skills, political acumen to engage diverse audiences, including fundraisers, programmers and senior management.

• Strategic and conceptual skills: Demonstrated effectiveness to bridge practical guidance as well as conceptual frameworks.

  Languages:

  • Fluency in English and at least one other CARE language French/Spanish or Arabic.