South Sudan: Gender Equality, Social Inclusion and Safeguarding Advisor

POSITION TITLE: Gender Equality, Social Inclusion and Safeguarding Advisor

POSITION LOCATION: Juba, South Sudan

REPORTS TO: Project Director

CONTRACT TERM: 1 Year, Renewable, Full Time

LANGUAGES REQUIRED: Fluency in English is required

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 6, 2025

EXPECTED START DATE: As soon as possible

BACKGROUND:

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization. Our vision is a world where every young person thrives and belongs, achieved by catalyzing positive education and economic outcomes for young people. We support all young people, with a focus on women and displaced people.WUSC currently works in over 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $45 million. Globally, we partner with a network of higher education institutions, civil society organizations, private sector partners, professionals, students, volunteers, faculty and community leaders that work with us to achieve our mission.

WUSC is launching its new 5-year project, Strengthening Collection Action and Learning for Education (SCALE), that is designed to enhance the empowerment of adolescent girls to access educational pathways in border zones of South Sudan (Yei River, Kajo Keji and Magwi). The project will support key actors in the education ecosystem to test, adapt, expand, and sustain innovative models and practical approaches to improve learning opportunities for girls and other vulnerable groups. This $10 million (canadian dollar) project is funded by Global Affairs Canada.

In its approach, WUSC will use a systems strengthening approach which includes localization; capacity strengthening; innovation; a strong learning agenda; support for collective, collaborative, and complementary action; and focused implementation in geographies where solutions can also be tested for their broader relevance and impact. The project will work with local implementing partners, women rights organisations, training institutions and state actors, as well as international development actors to create an enabling environment for girls’ education.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

The Gender Equality, Social Inclusion (GESI) and Safeguarding Advisor will provide technical leadership across all components of the SCALE project. They will play a crucial role in developing and implementing SCALE’s GESI Strategy. They will lead on systematic integration of gender equality and social inclusion considerations into strategic, technical and operational processes while providing technical support to mainstream gender equality across all project components. In addition to technical inputs to ensure gender sensitive and gender transformative project implementation, the advisor will train and mentor other project staff on gender equality, disability and inclusion as well as safeguarding.

The GESI Advisor will develop tools, resources and conduct training and coaching to project staff, partners and volunteers to enable them to contribute to SCALE’s gender equality and social inclusion goals, while also supporting capacity building for implementing partners. The advisor will contribute to creating a positive, inclusive and collaborative team environment that motivates everyone to deliver a high standard. This role will be reporting to the WUSC SCALE Project Director, in close collaboration with a GESI Advisor on the Global Team.

GESI: KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY: 

• Support the integration of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) approaches, strategies, and activities focusing on Adolescent Girls and Female Youth (AGFY) throughout all outcome areas;
• Lead on conducting intersectional gender and power analyses, integrating findings into programme design and MERL framework and tools. Continued identification and analysis of GESI issues to inform the development and ongoing refinement of the GESI strategy during the project implementation period;
• Ensure adequate focus and budgeting around specific GESI activities to enable effective gender transformative approaches, and thoughtful resourcing to enable mainstreaming of GESI throughout programme activities;
• In collaboration with program colleagues (including senior management and the WUSC GESI Advisor), design and deliver training and other modes of capacity strengthening as required to support GESI initiatives in the project – including the development of gender and youth responsive training content and materials for SCALE project staff, consultants, and partners;
• In collaboration with MERL colleagues, support the use of feminist MERL practices including, but not limited to, conducting regular gender analyses and promoting gender transformative approaches in ongoing monitoring and learning activities;
• ​​Facilitate the use of GESI data to promote evidence-based learning, reflection and decision making within SCALE;
• Create GESI resources and tools (ie. tipsheets, guidance documents) to assist staff in effectively prioritizing and integrating gender in their work;
• Collect and document lessons learned and propose adaptations based on stakeholder feedback from monitoring exercises as well as developing case studies for learning and project communications;
• Ensure that information is provided for Annual and Semi Annual Reports to report against the SCALE project expected results and pillars, as well as the performance measurement framework (PMF) indicators. Lead on writing key sections of these reports and input into the final inception report as needed.
• Participate in GESI-related working groups and maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other relevant international NGOs;
• Support the identification and development of strategic partnerships with local women’s rights, girls’ rights, girls education, gender equality, disability and Gender Based Violence (GBV)-focused organisations relevant to programme implementation;
• Participate in WUSC’s communications work by providing data, information and other material for use with WUSC’s Canadian and International constituency and assists in implementing constituency building, communication strategies;
• Research and remain aware of updated knowledge on gender and inclusion considerations and risk mitigation for education in emergency interventions;
• Other relevant duties and responsibilities that may arise.

SAFEGUARDING: KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

• Ensure WUSC’s global policies on safeguarding are understood and adhered to. Ensure a zero tolerance and survivor centered approach is taken throughout project implementation;
• Provide safeguarding leadership across the project in order to develop and apply a robust, gender-sensitive and risk-based approach to safeguarding;
  Act as a reporting focal person for safeguarding related issues, concerns and experiences and ensure next steps occur in accordance with WUSCs policies and procedures;
• Design the project's safeguarding approach and procedures in line with WUSCs standards and requirements, with a particular focus on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH).
• Lead on the project’s safeguarding risk assessment and work with sub-contractors, consultants and implementing partners to review and strengthen their safeguarding approaches on an ongoing basis. Design and deliver capacity strengthening activities for the project and provide training, capacity building and support with tools development to partners and grantees where required;
• Design the safeguarding and reporting approach and procedures in line with WUSCs approach and in line with Global Affairs Canada’s requirements, as well as the Inter Agency Standing Committee’s six core principles relating to sexual exploitation and abuse and the accompanying eight minimum operating standards.
• Contribute to the design of processes for grant selection and management, as well as due diligence processes, to ensure that safeguarding requirements are appropriately addressed;
• Conduct periodic monitoring of any Grant recipient organisations for compliance with safeguarding minimum standards and their capacity building plans;
• Support lesson learning around safeguarding in girls’ education programming, including facilitating lessons with the project team, grantees and external audiences;
• Design and conduct safeguarding training for all project team staff with different levels of training based on team members role and their safeguarding risk levels (levels of interaction with children and vulnerable adults). Responsible for ensuring refresher training and supporting team learning through interactive team trainings;
• Conduct mapping exercises to ensure strong referral processes are established and build relationships with GBV service providers (and others as appropriate) for referrals.
• Other relevant duties and responsibilities that may arise.

Qualifications and Competencies:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent qualification in Social Science, Education, Gender Development, Community Development, Youth Learning, or other relevant field;
• At least 5 years of practical experience in the field of gender equality and safeguarding. The ideal candidate must have both theoretical and practical background in GESI and skilled in GESI analysis and methodologies, as well as practical experience in implementing safeguarding approaches in development projects;
• Thorough understanding of the gender context in South Sudan, and experience working with government institutions and international or non-governmental organizations supporting gender and development work;
• Experience conducting intersectional gender analyses and the development of recommendations for gender transformative education interventions which address ongoing power imbalances and structures of oppression;
• Experience as a safeguarding advisor on development programmes with the development of policies, procedures, guidance and tools, including implementing survivor-centred and do-no-harm approaches;
• Knowledge on current international and national best practices, legislation, statutory and other guidance with regards to safeguarding, child and adult protection, with a particular focus on women and girls;
• Proven experience responding to and managing sensitive protection / safeguarding matters in a confidential manner;
• Proven leadership, initiative, interpersonal, cross-cultural, coordination, facilitation skills, and ability to motivate and work as a key member of a diverse country team;
• Excellent capacity building skills, with demonstrated experience in effective training, coaching and facilitation across Gender, Disability, Inclusion and Safeguarding;
• Adaptable and flexible, with the ability and initiative to generate or find new ways of working to manage internal and external changes that affect project implementation or organizational change;
• Strong reporting and writing abilities;
• Demonstrates integrity, respect, and sensitivity to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age;
• Complete fluency in English is required.

WHY WORK WITH WUSC?

Join Us. Our work is important, cutting-edge, and fast-paced. We encourage curiosity, innovation, and flexibility, and we provide a phenomenal learning experience.

WUSC offers a dynamic international work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce. We offer employees exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference in the lives of youth around the world. Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, economic opportunities, and empowerment.

How to Apply: 

If you are interested, please apply here through our portal.

WUSC offers a dynamic international work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce. We offer employees exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference for youth around the world. We believe youth have the potential to provide for their families, build strong communities, and create positive social change for future generations. Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, employment and empowerment.

WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls please.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in South Sudan. WUSC will not facilitate any work authorization process or relocation.

The SCALE Project is implemented by World University Service of Canada (WUSC) with funding support from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC).