Project Coordinator - Gender and Inclusion (Kakuma, Turkana) at Plan International

This role is responsible for providing technical leadership and management for gender transformative programming within Plan International’s Turkana Project, specifically focusing on the Nurturing Futures and CPWASH projects. The Coordinator ensures effective integration of gender and inclusion strategies, alignment with global standards, and advancement of gender transformation across all project activities in the Turkana region.

Accountabilities and Main Work Activities

1. Strategic Guidance on Gender Transformative Programming in Turkana (15%)

• Provide technical leadership in the integration and effective implementation of gender transformative strategies, approaches, policies, and frameworks at the Turkana Project level in the Nurturing Futures and CPWASH projects.
• Ensure programmatic alignment with Plan International Global Strategy and Global Gender Equality standards (e.g., Plan International’s Global Gender Equality and Inclusion Policy and feminist leadership principles).
• Provide technical leadership of the IRRP towards advancing gender transformation across the program.
• Ensure that all the project staff and implementing partners understand the importance of gender programming and inclusion approach and are fully involved in its implementation to sustain achievements in gender transformative programming.

2. Effective Technical Project Design, Planning and Implementation (25%)

• Ensure the Turkana Program advances gender transformation in all project activities. This includes, but is not limited to: addressing harmful gender norms directly, improving girls’ agency, promoting diversity, promoting positive masculinity, improving the daily condition and position of girls, and fostering an enabling environment where possible and appropriate.
• Support projects to achieve the highest standards of gender transformation, addressing power and gender inequalities that undermine responsive nutritional and food security outcomes for children and women, adaptive climate change, improved economic self-reliance, community resilience, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
• Provide technical support to Turkana Programs on gender transformation project planning and management, ensuring timely preparation and uploading of the Gender Marker for the two projects as required.
• Facilitate meaningful engagement, consultation, participation and feedback amongst staff, partners and project stakeholders to ensure gender transformation is on track.
• Facilitate and support the localization and implementation of the Gender Equality and Inclusion strategy into all components of the project cycle. The coordinator will work towards promoting gender equality, women's empowerment, and social inclusion in the project's activities, strategies, and outcomes.
• Guide community led beneficiary targeting processes and reporting on interventions being undertaken from a gender and inclusion perspective.

3. Partnership, Networking and Alliance Building (20%)

• Provide support and capacity building on gender equality and inclusion to staff and partners in the Plan CP WASH consortium.
• Understand the local partnership context and inform the GEI aspects that affect the project implementation.
• Lead in providing technical support to the IRRP consortium to advance gender transformation. This includes capacity development and defining individual projects milestones that advance the gender elements.
• Build and strengthen working relations with local structures (local administration, schools among others), key county partners, County Government, National Government line Ministries, Private sector, Community Based organizations, and NGOs.
• Support the delivery of trainings on gender equality and inclusion for stakeholders and partners.
• Assess local partners’ capacity gaps in GE&I delivery and develop capacity building plans for mutual development.
• Participate in the Annual Turkana County Government’s Planning and Budgeting process to influence women participation in Climate Change Adaptation.
• Participate in technical working groups and forums on gender equality in Turkana County to influence and advocate for gender transformative programs.
• Lead gender related advocacy initiatives in partnership with the County and Sub County teams (e.g., celebration of the international day of the girl, 16 days of activism against gender-based violence).

4. Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance (20%)

• Coordinate with the Program Manager and partners to effectively support the project to carry out all assessments including baseline, ongoing monitoring, evaluations, dissemination of best practices, etc., in accordance with established GE&I standards, policies and procedures.
• Lead in the setting project targets and monitoring/tracking gender transformative milestones and outcomes.
• Monitor and guide on defined milestones across the IRRP consortium to advance GEI.
• Contribute to regular project narrative reports and communication materials in a timely manner, ensuring that implementation of gender transformative programming is clearly articulated and supported with high quality data, results and lessons.
• Support the development and submission of program reports and core documents demonstrating gender related changes, as per donor standards and guidelines.
• Manage and ensure the application of the gender marker across the projects.
• Review and input into the projects MERL plans and framework, data collection tools and M&E guidance to ensure that MERL practices and processes are gender responsive and the project is expertly capturing gendered outputs and outcomes.
• Participate in baseline/end-line and other qualitative and quantitative evaluation activities (i.e. methodology and tool development and data analysis) to ensure a gender lens is applied.
• Monitor and advise on the actions that promote gender transformation as defined in the marker, across all project phases.

5. Financial Management (5%)

• Manage the implementation plans and budgets related to the GEI activities under both projects.
• Monitor expenditures to promote prudent budget management and adherence to approved budget.

6. Risk Management (5%)

• Contribute to development of the project risk assessment on matters GEI.
• Continually advise on the risks and opportunities in the local context in advancing gender transformation.
• Identify and manage project risks related to gender equality and inclusion.
• Promote compliance with Plan Kenya and donor requirements and regulations in project implementation.
• Coordinate and support programme quality and delivery on gender transformative programming initiatives and projects, audits and adequate application of GEI management responses across all project impact areas.

7. Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) (5%)

• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
• Leads the orientation of programme staff to ensure that they are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies.
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in project design, during implementation and as principles applied in day-to-day work of Programme team.
• Ensures that Plan Kenya contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

8. Other duties (5%)

• As assigned by the Line Manager within the scope of the role.

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge Required

Qualifications/Experience Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in Gender, Social Studies, or other related fields preferred.
• Minimum of 4 years' experience in guiding, managing, and implementing gender inclusive and/or transformative projects especially working with girls and youth.
• Technical knowledge of Gender Equality and Inclusion in general, and as it relates to relevant sectors, especially WASH, Nutrition/Food security and Women’s Economic Empowerment.
• Experience of integrating Gender transformative and Rights based Approaches into project design, implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation.
• Demonstrated understanding of gender rights issues in both development and humanitarian contexts.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, networking and representation skills.
• Proven leadership qualities, problem-solving and negotiation skills, and evidence of successful team player.