Social Solutions International, Inc. (Social Solutions) is a Hispanic and woman-owned business emphasizing quality research and evaluation, training and technical assistance, and institutional support services. We are a mission-driven organization that believes that superior science can improve the world. Social Solutions is dedicated to the creation of social and health solutions to improve the welfare of underserved populations worldwide.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has contracted Social Solutions to recruit and hire qualified individuals for the following position:

Title: Senior Gender Advisor

Location: Washington, DC

Application Deadline: Open until filled

Salary Range: GS-14 equivalent

GHSI-III is a Federal services contract contingent on the availability of appropriated funds until the end of the designated contract period. Contract employees of GHSI-III are not U.S. Government employees and cannot perform Inherently Governmental Functions.

BACKGROUND

The Policy, Evaluation and Communication (PEC) Division within the Bureau for Global Health’s (GH) Office of Population and Reproductive Health (PRH) creates the enabling environment for family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH). The PEC Division works with partners within USAID and externally in order to promote effective family planning advocacy, policy, financing, and governance (policy); collect, analyze, and evaluate data for evidence-based decision making (evaluation); develop and implement efforts to influence attitudes, norms, and behaviors for improved FP outcomes (communication). PEC provides technical leadership, strategic direction, and implementation oversight, support to field missions, partner coordination, and performance tracking for family planning, especially as a component of Preventing Child and Maternal Deaths. PEC also provides technical input for evaluation efforts across the population, health and nutrition sector.

Introduction

The Senior Gender Advisor will be part of the PRH Gender Team situated within the Policy, Evaluation, and Communication Division. The Senior Gender Advisor will provide technical leadership and serve as a point person for gender-related issues across all 4 Divisions and the Front Office in PRH. S/he will work with other PRH gender advisors and other PRH staff to support integration of PRH’s gender priorities (i.e., male engagement, reproductive empowerment and mitigation of gender-based violence,) across FP/RH programming areas  (e.g., research, data collection and analysis, policy and advocacy, service delivery, social and behavior change communication, commodity security and logistics, monitoring and evaluation). S/he will also help advance efforts to mitigate gender-based violence within fragile contexts and integrate gender within health financing and economic empowerment in FP/RH programming.

As an integral member of the PEC Division, the Senior Gender Advisor will also contribute to the overall goals of the PRH Office and the Division through participation in PRH projects and PEC Division activities. S/he will serve as a resource for other USAID bureaus and missions on gender integration and FP/RH.  S/he will work closely with PRH and GH Gender Advisors and receive day-to-day technical guidance from the PRH Gender Team Lead.

The Senior Gender Advisor will:

• Facilitate and lead incorporation of sound gender analyses and gender integration into PRH program design, implementation, and reporting, including serving on technical evaluation panels and/or project evaluation teams as appropriate.
• Coordinate with and guide PRH project management teams to socialize gender integration concepts and approaches, ensure development and implementation of gender strategies, and expand gender integration into FP/RH projects and activities, technical materials, and events.
• Shape project activity design and implementation by providing gender-related technical input and review of project workplans, budgets, monitoring and evaluation plans, protocols, project products and management reviews, on request and supporting projects to achieve results.
• Coordinate and work closely with PRH gender team members on day-to-day activities to integrate gender across PRH’s portfolio and advance PRH gender priorities and emerging focus areas in programming.
• Provide technical and strategic direction and leadership on PRH gender priorities (male engagement, reproductive empowerment, mitigation of GBV).
• Serve as a technical resource for PRH staff and implementing partners to elevate, advance and strengthen knowledge and programming across these gender priorities as they relate to FP/RH.
• Provide technical guidance to the Interagency Gender Working Group (IGWG), participate in the IGWG and other relevant technical communities of practice, and lead effective outreach to multiple constituencies for the Gender Team.
• Design and deliver context-specific trainings and other capacity strengthening activities for the Office, Bureau, Agency, and missions, on gender integration, USAID gender policies and requirements, and their application to FP/RH and GH.
• Actively foster internal and external relationships with a range of gender and FP/RH stakeholders, including implementing partners, advocacy organizations, researchers, donors, and governmental entities.
• Coordinate with Agency and GH gender advisors to ensure information sharing and consistency in approach, alignment of goals and collaboration on design of joint gender initiatives.
• Develop talking points, briefings, and presentations on gender and FP/RH for Office, Bureau and Agency leadership as appropriate.
• Provide in-person and virtual briefing and presentations describing PRH gender priorities and related activities to internal and external audiences.
• Respond to queries about PRH and FP/RH related gender activities from Agency leaders and operating units, donors, and other external stakeholders, and facilitate timely clearance processes.
• Serve on GH country teams, promote PRH’s gender priorities and technical assistance services with USAID missions.
• Respond to and manage Mission requests for technical assistance on gender integration in FP/RH, global health and other technical activities as appropriate.
• Provide and coordinate research, data analysis, measurement and evaluation expertise related to gender and FP/RH.
• Support hiring processes and mentor Gender Team interns and junior staff.

Training and professional development

• Keep abreast of literature and latest developments in the fields of FP/RH, gender and health financing, GBV, women’s empowerment and male engagement.
• Deepen knowledge of gender programming in diverse social contexts, including conflict and fragile settings.
• Participate in interagency and intra-agency working groups and communities of practices as appropriate.

• Master’s degree or higher in public health or a related social science field.
• Minimum of 9+ years of experience in family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH), gender integration, and gender transformative programming (i.e. program development/implementation or research, monitoring and/or evaluation) is required.
• At least two (2) years of experience in an international or resource-challenged setting and experience in a fragile setting preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with gender integration in one or more of the following areas of FP/RH programming: health financing, private sector engagement, service provision in fragile settings, health policy or advocacy, supply chain, capacity building is required.
• Demonstrated expertise in FP/RH-related gender equality and equity, gender-based violence, male engagement, and/or women’s empowerment is highly desirable.
• Experience with gender integration in the areas of contraceptive method choice, quality of care, human resources for health, total market approach, and/or product availability, accessibility, and acceptability is desirable.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team and build relationships across workstreams.
• Ability to work independently and lead multi-disciplinary teams to conceptualize, plan, guide, and implement ongoing and new work.
• Ability to prioritize work responsibilities and multitask.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a range of cultural settings and feed diverse perspectives and opinions into programming, and commitment to centering community voices and participatory approaches as key to successful and sustainable FP/RH outcomes.
• Strong communications skills and ability to present information clearly in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to distill and utilize evidence to improve gender integration in programming.
• Familiarity with developing and delivering trainings and using facilitation skills with diverse audiences.
• Flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment, solution oriented and adept at handling politically sensitive issues.
• Ability to travel internationally 2-4 times per year for approximately 2 weeks at a time.
• Familiarity with USAID programming, budgeting, and reporting procedures is desirable.
• Proficiency in French is desirable.
• International and domestic travel – approximately 20%.
• US Citizenship is required.
• Candidates selected will be subject to a background investigation and must obtain and maintain a favorable adjudication as applicable to their position/duties.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS:   In order to fully evaluate your eligibility, your resume must include relevant paid and non-paid work experience showing dates held with month and year and hours worked per week* for each position. Any experience that does not include month, year, and hours worked per week may not be counted.

Social Solutions offers competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits. Please submit your resume online at www.socialsolutions.biz.

Social Solutions is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.