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Sudan: Gender Advisor

Aug 19, 2020 | Mercy Corps
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Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.  In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.  Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps (MC) Sudan’s head office is located in Khartoum with programs in South Darfur, South Kordofan White Nile, Kassala and Gedaref states. MC is currently implementing a strategy that has an overarching goal of building resilience of communities in Sudan, utilizing both early recovery and humanitarian approaches. The country team’s overall goal is underpinned by four key objectives: strengthened economic opportunities through market orientated programs, enhanced access to safe drinking water and improved hygiene practices, reduced levels of conflict between diverse communities, and strengthened institutional capacity for local government, civil society and the private sector.

The PEACE-WISE program builds off on Mercy Corps Sudan’s key objective of reduced levels of conflict and strengthened capacity for local government by engaging women from marginalized communities in South Darfur, South Kordofan and Khartoum States into the political transition process.

General Position Summary

The PEACE-WISE program gender strategy has three key objectives: (1) Networks: At least four women’s civil society networks in SDS, SKS and Khartoum will incorporate the needs and experiences of women from conflict-affected areas into decision making processes, including crisis mediation and dispute resolution, political transitions, and/or policies to transform gender inequalities that drive and perpetuate conflict.  (2) Collaboration: Strengthened and expanded women’s networks collaborate on 40 shared initiatives to overcome divisions and build their collective influence and capabilities; and (3) Learning and Exchange: Women’s networks in and across SDS, SKS and Khartoum provide peer-led capacity building and peer-to-peer learning, benefitting existing and new women leaders, as well as male leaders.   A key element to the PEACE-WISE approach is to act as a facilitator, strengthening the capacity of our partners to engage Sudanese women in their conflict-affected communities to mitigate and prevent violence and conflict and contribute to an inclusive participatory democratic transition.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Technical Capacity

  • Lead basic gender training for all team members - during the start of the program so that every member of the MC team has the knowledge and skills to empower and support our Sudanese partner NGOs.
  • Coordinate closely with the program team to ensure gender integration.
  • In collaboration with the Peace and Conflict TSU and Sudan team specialists, develop content and conduct a Training of Trainers with Peace-WISE partners’ teams.  Training will be around conflict resolution, interest-based negotiation, collective action planning, consensus-building, coalition building, etc.
  • Mentor partners in conducting mapping and community consultative dialogues that will serve to gather information and stories from women and girls in the target areas, identify potential women’s groups, key champions/allies and barriers towards women’s engagement and participation at the local and state levels.
  • Work with the Program Manager to identify key capacity needs of partners following their organizational self-assessments.
  • Work with partner teams to identify expertise of team members who can serve as trainers to deliver skill building sessions as identified in the organizational assessment.
  • Develop/adapt basic introduction to gender modules to be used with program participants such as health workers, government representatives, traditional leaders and youth groups.
  • Work closely with M&E team to ensure sex and age disaggregated data is collected and that gender analysis is applied.
  • Support Sudanese partner NGOs in the implementation of activities with women groups, including identification of women leaders, capacity building of women leaders, identification of peace building plans and projects.
  • Support Sudanese partner NGOs to make connections between advocacy groups and build solidarity between state and national levels.
  • Monitor the impact and progress of community peacebuilding projects funded by our PEACE-WISE Partners. 
  • Develop appropriate risk mitigation strategies for gender work that could have unintended and negative consequences for the groups that the program seeks to benefit and for other activities.
  • Conduct culturally appropriate gender awareness raising and sensitization sessions with key stakeholders and gatekeepers as needed to garner support for women empowerment and access to resources.
  • Track progress and provide data on gender indicators and revise tactics as appropriate.

Organizational Learning:

  • As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Security:

  • Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
  • Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

  • Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
  • Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Knowledge and Experience

  • BA in international development, women’s studies, gender or a comparable area of study
  • At least three years of experience in international development work, with a minimum of two years in field postings
  • Substantial background in gender and development work including experience conducting gender training, gender mainstreaming and engaging in gender advocacy
  • Strong writing skills required
  • Strong public speaking skills required
  • Proficiency in a second language preferred
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office
  • Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required, no more than 30% of time

Success Factors

  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong facilitation skills
  • Ability and willingness to both lead and follow as appropriate.
  • Has an internal and external network of experts to draw upon as needed
  • Ability to  work with  local partners and create  mutual trust

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position accompanied and based in Khartoum, Sudan, and eligible for R&R breaks. Housing allowance is provided by the Country Office. Security conditions in the country are variable, requiring close monitoring and vigilance. Air travel is necessary to get from one end of the country to the other, though the road network is good, the security situation often precludes travel by road. There is a landline telephone system, a somewhat reliable cellular phone system and internet is available in the residences and offices. Candidates must be able to work in an environment with energy, transportation and communication challenges.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours and as such staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.