Main purpose of job:
The British High Commission (BHC) Accra are seeking a highly motivated Social Development Adviser (SDA) to work within the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to lead policy and programmatic work on social protection, poverty analysis, social inclusion, gender-based violence, and safeguarding under the UK-Ghana Development Partnership. The SDA will ensure that our development programmes are informed by evidence, are deeply rooted in contextual understanding and are adapted to meet the needs of vulnerable groups.

The SDA will act as lead Adviser for the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) programme which will end in September 2024, and subsequently shape the next phase of our social development portfolio.

The SDA will help BHC Accra to advance the UK’s International Strategy for Women and Girls as well as FCDO’s Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy. He/she will work across BHC teams to mainstream gender and inclusion into our interventions in health, education, political governance, security, green growth, trade and economic reform. He/she will provide technical expertise, evidence, informed professional advice and thought leadership across the whole BHC Accra portfolio – articulating priorities, bridging siloes, and identifying entry points to improve outcomes for marginalised Ghanaians. He/she will build strong networks with civil society organisations to ensure that our thinking is grounded in the realities of Ghanaians.

Through engagement with local and international partners, including the UN agencies and multi-stakeholder working groups, he/she will demonstrate UK leadership while ensuring that gender and social inclusion remain at the heart of FCDOs development and diplomatic influencing work. 

Roles and responsibilities:

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

In this role you will:
1.    Lead Policy Advice, Engagement and Influence on key Social Development agendas including Social Protection, Gender, Disability and Social Inclusion 
a)    Lead delivery of and reporting on the British High Commission Accra’s work on social development. This is focused on: ensuring the lives of the poorest and marginalised groups are improved by promoting gender equality and inclusion (disability and mental health) and strengthening integrated social services.
b)    Proactively identify priority policies and actions that the Government of Ghana can take to address gender inequality and social exclusion, and work with key interlocutors to identify entry points to advocate, progress reforms. This will include supporting activities like inclusive elections, passing key legislation to protect the rights of women and girls (Affirmative Action Bill and the Anti-witchcraft Accusations Bill) and driving key policy reforms within the the relevant sector ministries, including the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection
c)    Lead UK government engagement with the Government of Ghana, development partners, civil society, private sector and research organisations in the social protection and gender space. This will include an opportunity to co-chair the Donor Partner Group and Sector Working Group on a rotational basis.
d)    Lead national and international events, high-profile visits, oral and written briefs, engagements and public communications on social protection, gender, disability and social inclusion in Ghana.

2.    Work with programme manager(s) in BHC to deliver programming on Social Protection, Disability/Mental Health and Gender-based Violence (GBV)
a)    As Lead Adviser, oversee the completion of project activities for the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) Programme, with a focus on supporting partners to complete a compelling evidence package about the intervention.
b)    Ensure evidence uptake from LNOB internally within FCDO and externally. Continue to build sustained efforts to tackle issues of disability and mental health within the ongoing Partnership Beyond Aid Programme as well as through active development diplomacy.
c)    Feed into the design of the new Human Development Systems Strengthening Programme and lead on the social protection, Gender and Social Inclusion components. 
d)    Provide in-country technical leadership to centrally-managed programmes, including the Global Programme to end Early Child Marriage and the Social Protection Technical Assistance, Advice and Resources Facility (STAAR)

3.    Provide cross-office leadership on specific poverty and inclusion priorities, including gender equality, disability, social inclusion (GEDSI) and safeguarding
a)    Shape UK priorities in Ghana on GEDSI, including overseeing the BHC’s inclusion work as part of the Africa Strategy, support capacity building across the High Commission and provide cross-cutting social development advice to mainstream these themes across the BHC Accra portfolio. The SDA will also be expected to build critical links across the office with other sectors such as education, health, resilience governance, human rights, green growth, trade and economic reform
b)    Lead poverty and GEDSI analyses, understanding the drivers and interaction between poverty and exclusion and marginalisation, supporting staff across the High Commission to understand the nature of gender inequality and marginalisation of vulnerable groups in Ghana especially women and girls. This is to enable our interventions to deliver effective social change and tackle poverty, vulnerability and inequalities.
c)    Monitor and drive adherence to UK’s equalities commitments and duties, leading the BHC Accra annual assessment of compliance against UK policy, strategy, and legal obligations and supporting colleagues to conduct Equalities Impact Assessments for new programming.  
d)    Provide technical support to office work on safeguarding from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH). This includes advising on staff capacity building to build understanding of SEAH in order for them to work effectively with implementing partners to manage safeguarding risks and strengthen their policies, systems and processes. 

4.    Contribute to the Human Development Team and wider BHC Accra programmes, strategy and corporate priorities: 
a)    Actively participate in and contribute to processes of change, including Business Planning and lead on corporate tasks (exact area to be agreed with the Team Leader). 
b)    Ensure successes are effectively communicated across FCDO, to development partners and the general public 
c)    Uphold and champion BHC Accra’s values by playing an active role in supporting and enhancing BHC Accra’s working environment and overall performance.
d)    contribute to wider BHC high-profile visits and events.

5.    Be an active member of the FCDO’s Social Development Cadre – a group of over 100 technical advisers in the UK and across many countries. This will include participating in monthly cadre meetings, regular Learning & Development and professional development events, responding to requests for information from the Head of Profession and relevant policy teams and support initiatives to shape and strengthen the FCDO’s approach to social development. As an adviser in the FCDO, you will also be asked to use 10% of your time to provide technical assistance across the organisation.

Please note that the above is subject to change, and candidates should be able to adapt to emerging social development, organisational and country priorities. Candidates who secure a role that is considered specialist/technical, may be required to affiliate to the relevant specialist network, if not already a member.

We are looking for someone with:
Essential
6.    Strong technical knowledge, skills and experience in social development, preferably in low income settings, with an ability to provide high quality analysis, technical advice, lead technical discussions and set priorities/direction; Please refer to the Social Development Technical Competency Framework for more details on this requirement.
7.    Demonstrable track record of and ability to apply technical knowledge to deliver Social Development outcomes through programming, policy engagement, diplomatic channels, collaborations with other Development Partners etc.
8.    Knowledge of key concepts, frameworks, and the evidence base and/or understanding of approaches to tackle gender inequality, including preventing violence against women and girls, and social inclusion (including for people with disabilities);
9.    Experience and skills in managing a portfolio of programmes/work streams and partners; 
10.    Skills in negotiating with and influencing a wide range of external partners on social development related issues to drive progress.
11.    Strong written and oral communication skills and experience of communicating complex results in a clear and effective manner, tailoring the approach to suit a diverse range of audiences.
12.    The ability to work under pressure and flexibility to respond positively and adapt to changing context. 
13.    A strong demonstration of respect, diversity, a culture of inclusion and equity, within office and team ways of working. This should be further demonstrated in his/her approach to UK government policies and programmes, as well as relationships with Ghanaian government and development partners
14.    Resilience to manage multiple projects concurrently, with the ability to research, benchmark, scope, design, implement and evaluate project delivery to tight deadlines, and flex programme portfolio and levers of influence 
15.    A proactive approach and a focus on continuous improvement of self and performance, supporting team members through coaching, an open appetite to work with and through others to deliver and to develop professionally

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): 
•    The role will include direct management of the bilateral £34.9m LNOB programme  which will be in closure mode, the social development components of the cross-social sector bilateral Partnerships Beyond Aid programme and relevant components under the new Human Development Systems Strengthening Programme which is currently under design.
•    The role will also involve shaping delivery of centrally-managed Global Programme to End Child Marriage, being delivered directly by UNICEF and UNFPA 
•    The role will line manage directly up to 2 Programme Managers

Social Development outcomes at expert level through strong capability in the following Technical Competencies set out above. As an expert you will be recognised for deep specialist technical knowledge and/or skill which will be underpinned by extensive experience working on complex technical issues. More information is available in the Social Development Technical Competency Framework here.

• Social and Political Analysis for practical application
• Poverty and vulnerability analysis and monitoring
• Gender equality and the rights and empowerment of women and girls
• Social Protection
• Empowerment and Accountability