Strategy & Vision

• Organize and conduct the donor-required gender and youth analysis during the first year of the Activity and serve as the lead for any program-related youth or GYSI-related
• Work closely with sector leads/program managers in integrating the findings from the analysis into the Activity’s work plan and milestones.
• Work to ensure that all HRA staff and partners share an inclusive and gender-transformative vision for implementation
• Play a critical role in the design, implementation, and management of the program’s technical strategy and activities.
• Identifies GYSI and gender-based violence issues and risks across program components and guides dedicated GYSI activities.
• Delivers training and works to strengthen capacity for GESI analysis and activities among HRA staff, local partners, and government stakeholders
• Ensure a gender-based violence risk analysis is done and incorporate findings into the program implementation plan.
• Develop a GYSI strategy and guiding tools for the program, and oversee the implementation of the strategy in collaboration with the program team and adapt and improve them as needed.
• Coordinate closely, work with and support technical leads, managers and partners to promote GYSI integration across all technical areas of the program.
• Work closely with the relevant team members to develop strategies for encouraging and promoting the youth and for their meaningful participation and leadership in project activities and community decision making.
• Work closely with the M&E team on integrating GYSI within data collection and analysis tools. Also with the M&E team, provide technical backstopping in the collection and use of sex and age-disaggregated statistical data and other research findings for the purpose of analysis and integration of GYSI in program design.
• Contribute to any other research conducted in the program to ensure that relevant GYSI aspects are incorporated.
• Work closely with the Human Resources team to ensure GYSI accountability is incorporated into the position descriptions of team members.

Capacity Building

• Develop targeted GYSI capacity building interventions for program staff.
• Support program team in the delivery of training and capacity building on key gender, youth and social inclusion topics to program participants.
• Engage on periodic and joint monitoring of field activities; ensure quality delivery of GYSI interventions and coach/mentor staff technically on this.
• Document processes and achievements to ensure impact and best practices are captured and disseminated. This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with new insights.

Influence & Representation

• Develop relationships and linkages with organizations implementing other donor-funded programs focused on GYSI.
• Participate in other consortium meetings and networkings by representing the program
• Conduct regular community consultations to ensure programming remains GYSI sensitive and on-track.
• Collect and share learnings and best practices from this program both internally and externally.
• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium members, local governments and other stakeholders including private and civil society organizations.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall program targets and donor obligations are met.

Security

• Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
• Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our projects.

Supervisory Responsibility

Closely work and supervise the Youth Engagement Specialist and region based GYSI specialists

Knowledge and Experience / Qualification and Transferable Skills

• MA/Msc or equivalent educational background in a social science discipline such as Development Studies, International Relations, Gender studies, social work or related field.
• At least five years’ (7 years + if only undergraduate degree) work experience in gender, youth and social inclusion programming, at least five of which must be based in country programs, implementing gender and social inclusion programming at the community level.
• Experience developing and conducting gender analysis, Youth analysis, gender and youth related training, gender/youth/social dynamics mainstreaming and engaging in gender advocacy and influencing works.
• Preference for working experience with projects addressing resilience, agriculture, natural resources management, agribusiness, peacebuilding and conflict management.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead the collection, analysis and utilization of information from a broad range of sources to ensure effective integration of gender and youth concerns throughout the program’s duration.
• In-depth understanding of gender, age and other locally significant socio-cultural factors in the context of food and nutrition security and resilience programming.
• Skills in participatory learning and facilitating collaborative problem-solving.
• Understanding and knowledge of USAID regulations and program administration, management, and reporting procedures and systems is preferred.
• Prior GYSI experience working in the Ethiopian context.
•  Fluent oral and written English and Amharic language is desirable
• Excellent computer skills (especially Microsoft office applications) and ability to use information technology as a tool and resource.