VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Position:                     Gender and Alternative Care Advisor

Working location:    SOS National Office

Reporting to:             Director of Programs

Deadline:                    28^th May, 2023

Context of the position

SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda is a child-focused organization that provides direct services to the areas of care, education and health for children at risk of losing parental care and those who have lost parental care.

SOS Children’s Villages is a non-governmental, non-political, non-denominational and non-racial and has been operating in Rwanda since 1979. Envisioning that every child belongs to a family and grows up with love, respect and security, we exist to build families for children in need, we help them shape their own futures, and we share in the development of their communities. Everything we do is guided by the firm belief that no child should grow up alone and that we need to improve care for children who are at risk, enabling them to overcome precarious conditions and to succeed in life. Our core values guiding who we are and what we do include courage to take action, commitment to keep our promises, trust to believe in each other, and accountability to be reliable Partners

SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda is legally registered as a National Association.

SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda would like to recruit to fill above mentioned vacant position:

 Context of the position/Position summary 

Under the overall supervision of the Director of Programs, the position holder will be responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of SOS gender activities for gender mainstreaming, in close collaboration with the global gender advisor/ESAF and the guidance of the Director of programs, undertake gender analysis across SOS locations to inform planning and advise to ensure that SOS Rwanda programs incorporate gender so that women and girls access opportunities to achieve their potential. S/he will ensure that SOS Rwanda Alternative Care program aligns with the care promise 2030 and provides advisory on the wellbeing of children with the alternative care unit. He/she will ensure SOS gatekeeping mechanisms are adhered to. The Advisor will provide strategic input and advice on gender across the work of SOS and will work within objective teams to ensure that gender equality is mainstreamed within those areas.

 Key Performance Areas and Main Responsibilities: 

• Spearhead the review of relevant documents on the requirements for gender mainstreaming, including SOS Policy on Gender Equality;
• Conduct a detailed gender analysis as guided by SOS CV in regards to Gender Mainstreaming, particularly emphasizing gender issues in the area and region of intervention (e.g., gender division of labor, access to control of resources and technologies, women’s and men’s needs and preferences, and opportunities for and constraints on women’s participation);
• Assess and identify potential gender-differentiated impacts of the project. Collect sex disaggregated baseline data that could be used to monitor potential gender impacts in the Organization;
• Identify government agencies, NGOs, community-based organizations, and women’s associations or groups whose work focuses on gender and the specific area of intervention that can be utilized by SOS CV;
• Based on gender analysis, develop a plan of action that identifies opportunities and entry points for mainstreaming gender into the organization. The plan of action for gender mainstreaming should mirror the SOS CV Gender Policy and include the development of gender specific Organization components, gender responsive targets and indicators, timelines, assigned responsibilities, and implementation arrangements;
• Provide cost estimates for the implementation of the plan of action for gender mainstreaming. Integrate relevant gender components from the plan of action for gender mainstreaming in the project document, including cost estimates for its implementation;
• Conduct at least one information\coaching session for staff on gender;
• Support team members in the monitoring and reporting of project’s results/outputs and objectives against agreed indicators;
• Review and update the manual on gender guidelines
• Conduct MA gender audit and follow up on implementation of recommendations.
• Provide technical assistance to partners in assessing the strength of their approach to gender mainstreaming across the program cycle
• Provide advice on appropriate gender sensitive indicators in the performance measurement framework and support colleagues in the monitoring and reporting of program results/outputs and objectives against agreed indicators.

Coordination of Alternative care strategy and program development and implementation

• Under the leadership of the Director of Program, she/he develops strategy and program of Alternative Care in SOS CV Rwanda
• Develops annual plan for Alternative Child Care work and submits to Director of Program for validation.
• Develop, implement and evaluate different types of Alternative Care models.
• Contribute to policy and guideline formulation, translation, revision, familiarization and follow-up of proper implementation in the area of Alternative Child Care work.
• Identify capacity gaps within the SOS Rwanda and co-workers pertaining to Alternative Care of children, and facilitate capacity building, ensure knowledge management and information dissemination in regards to Alternative Care
• In cooperation with other National Program Manager actively contributes to putting the SOS Children’s Villages Care Promise and related policies into practice taking into consideration national legislation and context.
• Consistently provide advice, guidance to all Locations AC program teams in planning, budgeting, and reporting of AC program interventions.

Advice and Support to Quality Management of the Alternative Care Programs

• Support the M&E Manager in establishment and development of a quality management system in Alternative Care Settings and in monitoring and evaluation in areas of AC work.
• Support Locations AC program coordinators in implementing quality standards in Child care and protection
• Support alternative care programs in all Locations in budgeting process and financial monitoring to ensure timely implementation of activities for provision of quality child care and protection.

Alternative Care Staff Development, Research and Knowledge Management

• Participate in the recruitment and on boarding of the AC Coordinators and programs staff in all Program Locations, as well as provides input into annual performance appraisals, and proposed staff development measures for the Location AC Coordinators.
• Ensure knowledge exchange between Alternative Child Care staffs working in different locations, through meetings and other platforms as appropriate
• Document and disseminate lessons learned and good practices to support organizational learning on national, regional and international level.
• Monitor current publications, discussions and debates within the organization, the United Nations and other international forums on Alternative Care, and identify opportunities to shape and influence these policies.
• Remain informed and up to date on the main activities and events of the civil society outside SOS Rwanda focusing on Alternative Care issues.
• Create, share, use and manage knowledge and information on alternative care within SOS Rwanda.
• Participate on behalf of the MA in the National and Regional networks and contribute to regional program projects in line with alternative care.
• Organize and properly maintain program update, database and information related to Alternative care program.

Partnership development

• Build and maintain contacts with relevant NGO networks working on Alternative Care to ensure the inclusion of SOS CV Rwanda key messages into policy documents, meetings and events as appropriate.
• Organize Alternative Care conferences and other events, including liaison with other NGOs where appropriate in their design and implementation.
• Represents SOS Rwanda when appropriate at international, continental and national conferences, working groups and platforms of relevance with regards to A.C, and incorporate other relevant co-worker(s) as necessary.
• Maintains regular communication with PSAs over technical issues where He/she is responsible and appropriate.

Data Protection policy awareness and compliance

Work in collaboration with HR, Strategic Planning & MEAL, FDC and other departments to facilitate all staff to be aware of data protection policy and its implementation to ensure; At all times the personal data of donors, sponsors, SOS CV beneficiaries and their families as well as SOS co-workers is handled confidentially and in accordance with prevailing SOS-Kinder Dorf International data protection rules and regulations.

 Advocacy and Communication 

• Provide direction and leadership in advocating for gender and ensuring that all interested parties are well informed and are involved in gender advocacy.
• Participate in conducting regular reflections/project progress at location level to ensure gender mainstreaming
• Ensure the quality of outputs and results with optimal monitoring mechanisms; establish effective coordination, monitoring, information sharing and reporting systems.
• Represent the SOS CV Rwanda, as required, vis-a-vis other development organizations at the National level, donors, as well as national Government and non-governmental institutions and endeavour to build professional relationships with local, district authorities in order to ensure alignment of programs to national priorities
• Establish and maintain relationships and act as the key focal point to ensure that all synergies programming,

Child Safeguarding

• Ensuring that Child Safeguarding measures are in place within their area of managerial responsibility and that staff, associates and other key stakeholders are made aware of these measures and are supported in implementing them
• Ensuring that Child safeguarding is integrated in all management processes including recruitment, on boarding, performance management, team meetings, annual planning processes, field level monitoring, IWP, IDP etc.
• Creating and maintaining a managerial and operational environment where the Child Safeguarding Policy is effectively implemented.
• Fulfilling specific and additional responsibilities in achieving compliance of SOS Children’s Villages Child Protection Policy.
• Ensure the best interest of the child is applied and considered.

Requirements – Knowledge, experience, skills and competencies:

 Qualifications

• The Gender and Alternative Care Advisor should have a postgraduate university degree in Social Sciences, development studies, business administration, community/rural development   or other relevant discipline, A bachelors’ degree preferably with extensive experience in gender and child care and child safeguarding is also acceptable.
• A minimum of 5 years practical experience in the field of gender equality and gender mainstreaming, child safeguarding and child protection
• Formal training in gender analysis and gender planning and demonstrated expertise in mainstreaming gender in projects and programs.
• Training in child safeguarding and protection protocols

Competencies – knowledge, skills, abilities 

• Knowledge of the issues in the relevant area related to street children
• Proven ability to draft, edit and produce gender focussed and gender transformative reports
• Proven experience working with Government, civil society, international organizations and donors
• Proven experience in child care systems and understanding of the Alternative Care and UN child care reforms.
• Proven experience working with child care stakeholders such as NCDA, UNICEF etc.
• Experience in child rights advocacy
• Awareness and understanding of social development issues including gender, education, youth skill training.
• Strong networking, partnership and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under high pressure
• Positive and professional approach: highly organised, results oriented, using initiative and keeping commitments
• S/he must have demonstrated knowledge of partnership development strategies, proposal writing, resource mobilization and fund development
• Knowledge of national child rights policies, protocols and procedures.

If you believe you are the right candidate for the above position, please send your detailed application (including application letter, CV and copies of education qualification) and an employment application form well filled in.  (Available at all locations).

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

All applications should be submitted not later than May 28^th , 2023 at the latest by 17h00 hours Kigali time to [email protected]

Late applications will not be accepted.

“SOS Children’s Villages International holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasize to assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, police clearance reference check processes”.

The applications from qualified women are strongly encouraged

Jean Bosco KWIZERA

National Director                                            

A loving home for every child