Sightsavers is looking for an experienced and collaborative Global Technical Lead – who will join our team of Social Inclusion experts to provide technical support on inclusion and mainstreaming in the design of new projects.
Salary: Local terms and conditions apply
Location: Any Sightsavers Programme Country Office with regular overseas travel
Contract: Two-Year Fixed Term Contract – Renewable
Hours: This is a full-time role

Sightsavers’ programming portfolio is growing, and we deliver a range of disability rights programming in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, which are designed to expand civic space and to make systems and processes more inclusive of people with a range of impairments.

Our social inclusion strategy covers four thematic areas: inclusive health, economic empowerment, citizenship, and political participation, and promoting the rights of women and girls with disabilities. Gender mainstreaming is a core commitment of our work and addressing stigma, negative stereotypes and discrimination is a priority. Similarly, climate action is a core organisational commitment, and all projects now have a climate-related component. Cross-cutting all our work is a strong influencing commitment to ensure that the SDGs, Disability Summit Commitments and UN treaties are implemented effectively, particularly those relating to disability (UNCRPD).

Responsibilities
We seek a Global Technical Lead – Social Inclusion and Mainstreaming, with expertise in addressing inequalities, to join our team of social inclusion professionals. The post-holder will be responsible for providing technical support in the design of new projects, the provision of technical expertise to ongoing initiatives and will also play a role in shaping the strategic direction of Sightsavers’ approach to disability inclusive decision-making, gender mainstreaming, and supporting our policy and global advocacy priorities.

The Global Technical Lead – will support the Deputy Technical Director, Social inclusion in delivering Sightsavers’ work in inclusive decision-making. This will include working closely with country office staff to deliver our West Africa portfolio of projects addressing inclusive citizenship and political participation (CPP). Inclusive democracy is an area of growth for Sightsavers, and the post-holder will have a significant role in contributing to growing the portfolio.

Principal accountabilities will include:

• Providing Sightsavers staff and our partners, technical leadership, support and guidance in the area of disability inclusion across our thematic area of citizenship and political participation
• Identifying the capacity building needs of Sightsavers’ staff and partners globally to deliver social inclusion programming
•  Working with Global Technical Leads and other teams to identify new strategic initiatives and innovative approaches in social inclusion including in fragile environments and promoting locally led development.
• Developing tools and guidance around disability mainstreaming
• Representing Sightsavers externally and strengthening partnerships with relevant stakeholders
• Working with fundraisers to generate additional financial resources.
• Contributing to the design of new opportunities
• Actively engaging in the Social Inclusion Thematic Group
• Contributing to communications about our work – internally and externally
• Knowledge (Education & Related Experience):
  • A postgraduate qualification or equivalent practical experience in a relevant field (social
  work/social inclusion; gender studies, disability studies, public health, international
  development etc.)
  • Knowledge of current issues and best practice in social inclusion, gender, disability and
  development
  • Experience in social inclusion and rights-based programming in low-resource settings
  • Experience in developing and adapting programme guidance tools and other resource
  materials.
  • Experience in collating, synthesising and disseminating best practice guidance,
  research and programme learning.
  • Demonstrable experience of supporting capacity strengthening initiatives and
  programmes with marginalised groups in low-resource settings
  • Good knowledge of the key international networks and organisations working on social
  justice and inclusion
  • Experience of representing an organisation at conferences and events

Skills and Experience
This is an ideal opportunity for someone enthusiastic about leading our efforts in disability mainstreaming across a number of key projects as well as designing new programmes in the future. To succeed in this role, you will need:

• Significant and demonstrable practical experience in a relevant field (social work/social inclusion; gender studies, disability studies, international development etc.)
• Knowledge of current issues and best practice in social inclusion, gender, disability and development
• Experience in social inclusion and rights-based programming in low-resource settings
• Experience in developing and adapting programme guidance tools and other resource materials.
• Experience in collating, synthesising and disseminating best practice guidance, research and programme learning.
• Demonstrable experience of supporting capacity strengthening initiatives and programmes with marginalised groups in low-resource settings
• Good knowledge of the key international networks and organisations working on social justice and inclusion
• Experience of representing an organisation at conferences and events
• Excellent oral and writing skills in English and French
• The ability to travel for up to 12 weeks a year
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity for disabled people

Benefits

Sightsavers offers some fantastic benefits. Salary and full benefits (as local terms and conditions apply) will be shared with candidates in advance of any interview