Gender, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Specialist

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Gender, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (GDEI) Specialist to join our dedicated and talented team in Ghana on our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Gender, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (GDEI) Specialist is responsible for developing, advancing, promoting, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting GDEI initiatives and interventions within the Africa Growth Fund (“AGF”) program to ensure gender equality and inclusion are mainstreamed in all key activities of the program to address known and observed inequalities and biases that prove disadvantageous for young people, particularly young women.

The GDEI Specialist will promote and uphold gender considerations in activity planning, implementation and coordination among the Consortium partners and beneficiaries. She/he will work closely with other members of the AGF project team and Consortium partners (particularly Criterion Institute, the  GDEI partner organization on the AGF project) to build GDEI capacity and recommend approaches for advancing gender equality and inclusion to help build gender-consciousness within program processes and to foster Gender Lens Investing (GLI) in AGF’s investments and activities. The GDEI Specialist will also maintain a working relationship with MEDA’s Technical Director for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and other GESI Technical specialists to develop and incorporate gender-based interventions into the AGF project.

• Job Status:  Full-time Contract
• Anticipated Start Date: September 2022
• Location: Accra, Ghana or as agreed

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

The GDEI Specialist will work closely with the Learning Partner Organization (LPO) and MEDA’s Monitoring and Impact Measurement (MIM) department to implement the following activities.

• Lead the implementation of the GDEI Framework and promote overall awareness of the GDEI framework for the AGF project among partners and update framework as needed over the life of the project;
• Take the lead in project planning and implementation to ensure that adequate focus is given (and resources allocated) to the promotion of GDEI across AGF implementation processes;
• Work with Consortium Partners, particularly Criterion Institute (as GDEI Partner) and Genesis Analytics (as Learning Partner Organization) to conduct in-depth analyses of GDEI issues to support IVs on their focused markets to ensure IVs design structures and operations that meet the needs of women and youth (as entrepreneurs, employees, or customers) as intended by AGF’s investment policy
• Work with Criterion Institute to develop a process flow to determine where GDEI and ESG will be integrated in the investment lifecycle; including reviewing AGF’s Fund Advisor (I&P)’s initial assessments and due diligence processes to effectively integrate GDEI and ESG screening tools;
• Develop GDEI processes and procedures in conjunction with Criterion that fully enables AGF continue to implement GDEI across its portfolio after the exit of Criterion – scheduled for June 2023, or 15months from its contract execution.
• Work with MEDA’s BDS partner on the AGF initiative (ES Partners) to provide GDEI-based BDS services to Portfolio Companies of IVs that benefit from the AGF funds
• Work with Genesis Analytics to establish a baseline for GDEI and ESG to monitor the progress of mainstreaming GDEI processes and ensure learning objectives include indicators that reflect GDEI and ESG capacity building;
• Provide GDEI training at all levels of the AGF initiative and mentor partners to understand and adopt gender-inclusive practices in addressing gender issues throughout the project
• Compare actual GDEI outcomes against plans through performance reviews, variance analysis and other performance verification processes and contribute to periodic reports required for Donor reporting;
• Identify new gender-related risks and analyze, track and monitor existing risks to ensure that risks are identified and managed over the life of the AGF project;
• Contribute to building the field of gender lens investing in Africa by contributing to MEDA's learnings and findings from the AGF project;
• Work with Criterion Institute to develop GDEI Information Briefs
• Perform other duties as may be assigned

Any other duties and/or requirements as assigned

REQUIREMENTS

Education: Masters-level university degree in Social Sciences or other relevant discipline, preferably in gender studies.

Experience: Five+ (5+) years of strong experience in gender; experience in implementing gender in projects.

Additional Qualifications:

Essential:

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences or other relevant discipline, preferably in gender studies.

• Five+ (5+) years of strong experience in gender; experience in implementing gender in projects.

• Knowledge of impact investing and current biases in accessing risk capital/finance by women and youth

• Excellent presentation and written communication in English.

• Computer skills: Microsoft Office Applications, specifically Excel and Word and Access.

• Other needed skills and competencies include: personal commitment to gender equality, respect, demonstrable team work, accountability, enthusiasm, willingness to build partnerships, pro-active problem solving and analytical abilities.

Desirable:

• Experience working with financial intermediaries, including fund managers and financial institutions.
• Advanced degree focusing on Gender or related area of study.
• Experience in economic development and value chain projects with direct experience working in rural communities with women,
• Knowledge of gender theories and practices.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis when received. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs.   Only successful applicants will be contacted.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to creating an inclusive and diverse environment of mutual respect. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring such accommodation make their needs known in advance.