GESI Youth Lead

Overview:

Chemonics International seeks a GESI Youth Lead for the anticipated USAID-funded Benin Northern Economic Livelihood for Youth (NELY) Activity. The NELY activity specifically targets young people living in northern Benin, particularly young men who are vulnerable for recruitment to violent extremist groups. This proposed activity will listen to young men and women and work with them to design locally specific interventions that target improving purchasing powers, developing self-sufficiency, and improving inclusion in the modern economic marketplace. This will be done through introducing relevant technologies, partnering with the private sector and seeking out solutions that engage young vulnerable men and women. As a result of co-creation, young men and women will work together, develop interconnectedness, mutual interdependence, and stronger community resilience as well as have meaningful life experiences that invest them in the development of their communities.

The GESI Advisor/Lead will work with project staff to ensure the design and implementation of project activities consider the need for the participation and equitable inclusion of women, youth, and other underrepresented and marginalized groups in Benin. In cooperation with all projects technical and management teams, the GESI Youth Lead is responsible for guiding, planning, and ensuring an integrated and effective approach to implementation of all Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) training, -capacity-building and events related activities, including workshops, on-the-job training, mentoring and coaching, events, and ensuring that all such activities are in line with our counterparts expectations, FCDO regulations, and the project agreement. The GESI Youth Lead will advise the technical team to ensure that project-related activities under their authority are successfully implemented and sustainable by project partners.

Key responsibilities

• Mainstream GESI best practices and GESI guidelines into project goals and activities so that every aspect of the project reinforces the concept of equitable participation and is GESI sensitive. Specifically, this includes ensuring GESI is integrated into theory of change development, research and evaluation methodologies, and reviewing research, evaluation, and MEL findings to ensure appropriate integration of GESI-relevant findings.
• Identify and discuss with program leadership and staff opportunities and strategies to incorporate GESI into project work planning, activities and deliverables.
• Maintain good working relationships and liaise with counterparts, including government officials, implementing partners and other donor organizations, regarding the participation of women, youth, and other marginalized groups in project activities.
• Assist in program monitoring and evaluation and communications efforts to collect, evaluate, and disseminate GESI data relating to project activities and ensure that data is disaggregated by relevant GESI criteria, including gender. Specifically, ensuring that MEL efforts are undertaken in a GESI sensitive way, as well as being GESI sensitive in the traditional sense.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the DCOP Technical to achieve the project’s goals and objectives.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ relevant technical experience in gender mainstreaming and/or social inclusion on international development projects and for MEL/Research initiatives.
• Experience implementing gender assessments, revising action plan and work plans to integrate gender and social inclusion, creating gender integration resources for project implementation.
• Advanced degree in international development or relevant field, required
• Experience working on projects in Benin and understanding of the GESI context in Benin.
• Experience delivering gender integration trainings.
• Experience integrating GESI considerations into research and/or MEL engagements.
• Experience in trauma-informed MEL desirable but not necessary.
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility and integrity
• Proficiency in English and French required
• Experience working in or supporting programs in the West Africa region, preferred.
• Position likely based in Cotonou, with significant regular travel to Northern Benin expected