Description

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability. FUNCTION: Heifer International is seeking a Gender, Youth, and Social Dynamics Lead for USAID-funded food aid and market systems-oriented livestock project in Zimbabwe. The Gender, Youth, and Social Dynamics Lead (GYSDL) will ensure that the social dimensions of food security and community resilience are effectively addressed across all activity components and at all levels throughout the entire award period. The GYSDL will support the Project Team and provide overall leadership and operational support for this project. Duties will include the execution of a robust social capital strengthening program strategy (especially focusing on youth), integrating gender-sensitive strategies across all operations, and the delivery of capacity building activities for smallholder farmers and other actors in the targeted value chains, and effectively engaging multiple stakeholders (public, private, non-profit) to deliver high-quality sustainable project results. The GYSDL will also lead capacity building for Project Team members, ensuring a standard of implementation excellence in gender and youth programming across all team members. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS: Excellent management and leadership skills, Energetic, Positive, Collaborative, Values-Oriented Local applicants strongly encouraged to apply. RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES Provide overall technical leadership and oversight in the domains of gender and youth to achieve the results of the project.

• Successful results at project end (annually)
• Project implementation is consistently in compliance with USAID rules, regulations and protocols.
• Quality of services is maintained at the highest standard
• Timely technical feedback on program operations.
• Representation in technical meetings.

Provide iterative support in the domains of gender and youth throughout the life of the project.

• Capture learnings related to an integrated gender and youth approach
• Provide technically sound recommendations to enhance gender and youth-related approaches throughout the life of the project
• Contribute towards the ongoing competencies and minimum knowledge of project team members in the domains of gender and youth.

Comtribute towards the timely delivery of all project results and delivery of reports as well as strong compliance with USG funding regulations;

• Appropriate, compliant and timely documentation and dissemination of key results and deliverables for maximum project impact and business development internally and with donor

Support the COP, DCOP, and Project Leadership to ensure a robust monitoring and evaluation system is in place, and analyze project impact and challenges to manage the project to meet or exceed results;

• Key indicators for an integrated gender and youth approach are recorded and reported on a timely basis in line with Heifer and donor requirements

Liaise and manage relationships with USAID, host country officials, Heifer headquarters and country office in order to ensure smooth project implementation;

• Represent Heifer International and the project with other implementing organizations, funding agencies, and others as needed
• Strong on-going relationships during and after the project end date.
• Provision of effective and timely responses to inquiries and concerns
• Heifer’s reputation safeguarded due to successful relationship building.
• Harmonious collaboration with and cost-effective use of the Country Operations Management Unit

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in social science, international development, or related field
• Seven (7) years or more of progressively responsible work experience in managing and implementing multi-faceted international agriculture and agribusiness development programs.
• Skills in participatory learning and action and facilitating collaborative problem-solving
• The ability to foster commitment and build capacity among activity staff and in-country actors to ensure gender and youth integration and empowerment;
• In-depth understanding of food security programming.
• In depth knowledge of the local operating environment in Zimbabwe, is desirable.

Most Critical Proficiencies:

• Understanding and experience with Title II programming
• Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills;
• Understanding of the agriculture sector and local context in Zimbabwe and/or the region
• High level of maturity, good judgment, flexibility and integrity of character;
• Demonstrated ability to implement systems and procedures and the ability to effectively communicate these to program/technical staff in order to ensure their compliance;

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands:

• Excellent interpersonal relationship skills, including demonstrated leadership and team-building with staff and partners at all levels;
• Develop an understanding of and become a strong proponent of Heifer’s s Values-Based Holistic Community Development (VBHCD) throughout her/his tenure as GYSDL.
• Proven team work and cooperatively with a diverse staff.
• Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the general public.
• May require constant sitting; working at a computer and focusing for extended periods of time and performing office environment activities while on the road and/or in remote conditions.
• Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting sometimes inflexible deadlines