STATEMENT OF WORK
Job Title: Advisory Council Coordinator: Gender and Human Rights Advisory Council
Position Type: Part-time Consultancy (up to 10 days per month)
Position Location: Somalia
Application Deadline: 15th May 2024
Start date: 24th July 2024
Assignment Duration: 6-months with a possibility of extension
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SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
The Field Support Services Project (FSSP) is a two-year initiative (November 2023 to October 2025) funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by Cowater International. It offers administrative, financial, procurement, and logistical support, along with technical expertise, to GAC’s development programs in Kenya, Somalia, and South Africa. The project assists GAC in procuring and managing local development initiatives in Kenya (and its accredited countries which include Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi), South Africa (and its accredited countries) and Somalia.
BACKGROUND
The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the international community acknowledge the critical importance of gender equality and human rights to the poverty eradication agenda in Somalia. As a result, an FGS-led Gender and Human Rights Advisory Council was created, to build coherence, synergies, and ultimately advance efforts to protect and advance gender equality and human rights in Somalia.
Within this overarching responsibility, the Advisory Council advises on and oversees the mainstreaming of gender and human rights considerations within other development sectors of priority; provides a forum for Somalia’s gender and human rights stakeholders (FGS, FMS, UN, Donors, NGOs, CSOs, academia) to share information and coordinate on shared priorities; and monitors and reports on progress towards gender and human rights related milestones and targets contained in the country’s National Development Plans.
The Advisory Council is led by the Federal Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development, with Canada and Sweden as donor co-chairs. Its current membership, which meets virtually and in-person on a quarterly basis, is comprised of roughly 100 representatives from FGS, FMS, UN, Donors, NGOs, CSOs, academia.
The Advisory Council is a part of Somalia’s new aid architecture where it coordinates, shares information, and participates in other fora, including other thematic working groups (i.e. security and justice, inclusive politics, economic development, social development, and climate change) and an overarching Development Coordination Forum.
To effectively execute the mandate of the Gender and Human Rights Advisory Council, the Federal Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development wishes to recruit a Working Group Coordinator.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The coordinator is responsible for the following duties:
Strategic planning:
- Support the Chair and Co-chairs in seeking innovative opportunities to further deliver on the Gender and Human Rights Advisory Council’s mandate, both to advance issues of priority raised in the Advisory Council, and to mainstream gender and human rights considerations across the government-led aid architecture.
- Develop in conjunction with the Chair and Co-Chairs, and contribute ideas to, an approved annual work plan for the Advisory Council that comprises a tentative schedule, roles and responsibilities, tasks, deadlines, and budget for Advisory Council meetings (including for sub-committees where relevant) and other planned initiatives (i.e. research, training, etc.).
- Propose and develop a system to effectively monitor and report on progress towards gender and human rights related commitments in Somalia’s National Development Plans, including through the Aid Architecture’s Mutual Accountability Framework (MAF) — currently under development by the FGS.
Administrative support:
- All planning, coordination, content creation and documentation required (prior to, during and following) to host successful meetings of the Gender and Human Rights Advisory Council Chair, Co-Chairs, and broader membership (e.g. seeking input from the Chair, Co-Chairs, and broader membership, coordinating invitations, securing meeting space and hospitality, drafting of meeting minutes, coordinating follow-up, etc.)
- Support the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development to effectively coordinate with, contribute to and participate within other fora of the aid architecture (e.g. seeking the Ministry’s positions, contributing to discussions, facilitating information sharing, reporting back on discussions, etc.).
- Regularly update the Advisory Council mailing list(s) based on requests from the Chair, Co-Chairs, and broader Advisory Council membership.
- Develop and maintain an effective information management system (i.e. using a secure cloud-based platform) to support internal coordination among the Chair and Co-Chairs and enable more effective and sustainable communication with the Advisory Council membership.
- Regularly coordinate with key line ministries and the office of the Prime Minister on gender and human rights issues raised in the advisory council meetings.
- Performing all other relevant duties, as required.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in human Rights, Gender and/or Development studies, International Relations or any area deemed relative by hiring agency OR five years of professional experience in related or cross-cutting sectors; and,
Minimum Experience:
- Minimum of two years of experience in fragile or conflict affected countries.
- Experience in facilitating high-level meetings and/or conferences with governments, NGOs, CSOs, UN officials and academia.
- Experience in the development and promotion of gender equality and human rights within policies.
- Experience in analyzing, monitoring, and reporting on gender equality and human rights issues.
Competencies:
- Understanding of gender and human rights issues obtained through direct work experience, ideally in Somalia.
- Good understanding of the Somali social, political, and economic context.
- Familiarity with human rights and gender equality laws, policies, and regulations in Somalia, as well as international standards and practices on the principles of human rights and gender equality.
- Excellent analytical skills, ability to synthesize and clearly present processes and issues.
- Ability to translate strategic thinking and innovative ideas into practical operational recommendations to enhance impact and efficiency.
- Capacity to identify and create synergies and coordinate with various stakeholders and decision-making bodies, simultaneously.
- Ability to meet tight deadlines and work independently with minimal supervision.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including oral, written, and mediation skills.
- Strong ability to communicate and advocate effectively in multicultural environments, where cultural and language barriers may exist.
- Strong skills with MS Office suite, especially MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Strong skills with virtual multi-member platforms, specifically Teams, Webex, Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, and other virtual conference channels, as required.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Somali both written and oral is required.
Reporting:
The chosen candidate will work under the overall supervision of the Cowater FSSP Project Manager during the period of this assignment. Day to Day technical supervision and guidance will be provided by the Chair and Co-chairs of the Gender and Human Rights Advisory Council, which includes relevant representatives from Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development, as well as the Canadian and Swedish Embassy to Somalia.
We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.
How to apply
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested applicants must include the following documents:
- CV indicating past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
- Brief statement as to why the Candidate considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment.
- Financial Proposal The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily rate (including taxes, time-off benefits, all statutory contributions, social contributions, and insurance
- Applications must be submitted by 15th May 2024 by 5:00 p.m. to Recruitment@fssp-cowater.com with the subject: Gender and Human Rights Advisory Council Coordinator.
- Any applications received after this time will not be considered.
Evaluation of Applications
The proposals that achieve a minimum of 70% in the technical desk review shall be further considered for interviews and written tests. The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable
b) Having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70% – Comprising of 15% scores of desk review, 25% written test, and 30% scores of interviews) and financial criteria (30%).
The Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the best priced proposal received by FSSP for the assignment.
Technical Score (70%)
Financial Score (30%)
1. Based on Qualification (desk review) (15%)
2. Written test (25%)
3. Interview (30%)
Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.
ABOUT US
Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore, and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements, and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.
We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow with Cowater International.