Job Details

Job Title: Gender Specialist
TEAM/PROGRAMME: Program Operation
LOCATION: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with significant travel to field locations (at least 40%)
GRADE: TBD
POST TYPE: Regular
Child Safeguarding: 
Level 3:  the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; ore because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.
Activity Overview
Immunization is one of the key life-saving interventions the government of Ethiopia has scaled up to address under five mortality. There are noteworthy successes through EPI. Ethiopia is certified for polio free since 2017 and maternal and neonatal tetanus are eliminated. Coverage from successive Ethiopian Demography and Health Survey revealed a positive rise in the coverage of vaccine antigens. The magnitude and trends of vaccination inequalities in Ethiopia persists by equity markers despite steady improvement in overall coverage. The major variation in coverage is geographic where there is high variation in coverage among different regions in the country. 
For over two decades, Save the Children has been supporting immunization program in Ethiopia to contribute for the reduction of child mortality from vaccine preventable diseases. Through the different projects that have been implemented over the years, Save the Children supported expansion of access for immunization services, supported demand generation for immunization in the community and has supported an enabling environment for equitable service delivery and improved financing for immunization. Currently, Save the Children is implementing immunization projects in different parts of Ethiopia that supports equitable and sustainable access to life-saving immunization and essential healthcare by focusing on zero-dose and under immunized children. These projects are funded by different donors and implemented in different geographic areas. Through its pneumonia centenary commitment (PCC), Save the Children supports the Government effort to address Pneumonia, one of the leading cause of child mortality. These Projects are expected to ensure equitable and sustainable access to life-saving immunization and essential healthcare, working together with local communities and partners. 
Position Overview
Save the Children is seeking a Gender Equality specialist for Save the children immunization programmes who will use her/his in-depth contextual understanding, technical and practical expertise, and relationship building skills to define and deliver our strategic ambition for advancing gender equality and disability inclusion in the immunization programmes. The gender specialist will support the project to ensure that activities account for and address the different needs and inequalities experienced by individuals to ensure equitable participation in project activities. She/he will provide onsite technical assistance and capacity strengthening to project staff and partners, including communities. 
The Gender Specialist will play a crucial role in enhancing gender-sensitive and culturally appropriate communication strategies within save the children immunization programs. This role focuses on addressing the social and behavioral barriers to immunization uptake, with a specific emphasis on gender disparities. The specialist will work closely with communities, health workers, local government authorities and partners to promote inclusive immunization services.   
SCOPE OF ROLE: 
Reports to:  Immunization Program Technical Lead 
Dimensions:  Addis Ababa-based with significant field visit (40%)
Staff directly reporting to this post: none
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 
A.  Technical Assistance and Capacity building 

• Assist the organizational and programmatic gender mainstreaming processes in immunization programmes.
• Lead/facilitate gender related assessments and synthesize findings to inform program implementation and project design. 
• Lead and facilitate gender mainstreaming processes in gender assessments, gender trainings, organizational representation in meetings and events.
• Document best practices and lesson learned on gender equality work in immunization program and support dissemination in collaboration with Immunization Program and PDQ team.
• Work with and support Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) teams to assess the gender integration of Save the children immunization programmes and the effectiveness of communication interventions in improving immunization coverage.
• Measure gender and socio-cultural outcomes; and collect and analyze gender and socio-cultural data.
• Will closely work with the program SBC team and build their capacity on Gender for both program and partner team 
• Design and conduct gender components of assessments or standalone gender assessments as appropriate, ensuring results are used to adapt project implementation.
• Develop and implement gender-sensitive communication strategies to promote immunization services.
• Conduct social behavioural assessments to identify barriers to immunization uptake, with a focus on gender disparities.
• Design tailored communication materials and campaigns to address social and cultural norms affecting immunization.
• Collaborate with community leaders, health workers, and local influencers to increase demand for immunization services.
• Provide training and capacity-building support to health workers, community   on gender-responsiveness to improve positive social and gender norms and create an enabling environment for positive practices.
• Ensure that communication materials are accessible and culturally relevant to diverse populations

B. Networking, Representation and coordination 

• Actively participate and represent the program/organization in immunization communication TWGs and related network/platform meetings and activities in collaboration with Immunization Technical Lead and Sr SBC Advisor 
• Regularly share a brief report to a line manager of the network meeting 
• Participate in disseminating and presenting information into relevant actors as needed.
• Lead and facilitate in the development, implementation and monitoring of the network’s/platform’s products on gender/SBC, such as ToR, work plan and/or other materials and documents in a timely manner.

C. General

• Any other tasks assigned by Immunization Program Lead   

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:

• Holds him/herself accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity and sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

KEY COMPETENCIES (Indicative / Key Competencies)
Technical competencies:

• Drives Quality Immunization Programming: Trains and mentors’ others on the application of relevant health sector and Immunization sub-theme standards
• Understanding of Impact of emergencies on immunization and health outcomes: Engages in the humanitarian aid architecture to minimize the effect of the emergency on the immunization performance
• Builds the capacity of others to implement integrated CH and Immunization programming and advocacy
• Able to link local to national and global level evidence supporting localization of change and influencing policy development

Generic Competencies

• Being the Voice of Children: Promotes evidence-based policy and public engagement that includes the voices of children and their communities
• Advancing Equality & Inclusion: Displays a commitment to ensuring everything we do considers the most deprived and marginalized children 
• Building & Strengthening Partnerships: Promotes working with diverse partners as critical to delivery
• Child Rights: Promotes the rights of children in own work and in work with colleagues and peers

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
Education

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Gender Studies, Public Health, or related field.

Experience and Skills: 

• Minimum of 5 experience in area of expertise: Technical expertise in gender and social inclusion, in social behavioral communication within health programs, preferably in immunization.
• Strong understanding of gender dynamics and social norms influencing health behaviours.
• Demonstrated experience leading gender related assessments, formative studies, synthesizing  gender data and informing program design/implementation. 
• Proven track record in developing communication strategies for behaviour change.
• Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and communities.
• Proficiency in English and local languages
• Knowledge and experience of the Ethiopian health system
• Strong result orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind sets
• Good skill in communicating, organizing group discussion, and presentation 
• Good computer skill (MS word, MS excel, and other data generating tools)
• Commitment to Save the Children values
• Commitment to the values, missions, aims and policies of Save the Children.
• Excellent command of communicating and writing in English.

Attitudes:

• Works well with teams.
• Conscious of child protection issues 
• Non-discriminatory and gender sensitive
• Willingness to work in remote, rural locations.