Nairobi – Social Inclusion Officer – Australia Awards in Africa

Location:              Nairobi, Kenya

Reporting to:     Officer in Charge, Nairobi

Duration:             up to 31 December 2013 with possibility of 2 year extension

Remuneration: KSH100’000 – 140,000per month gross

BACKGROUND

AAA is managed by GRM International through a Program Office in Pretoria, South Africa and through Hub Offices in Nairobi, Kenya and Brisbane, Australia. The Program employs a team of about 60 full-time staff.

Australia Awards in Africa (AAA) is an AusAID-funded initiative designed: (i) to equip Africans with the skills and knowledge necessary to influence the economic and social development outcomes of their own countries; and (ii) to build the long-term capacity of African governments to provide a range of essential services, strengthen law and justice systems, improve transparency and achieve reforms to meet their own development challenges, particularly to progress towards their Millennium Development Goals.

AAA provides a mix of Long-term and Short Awards to Africans in the public and private sectors and civil society in targeted disciplines that support the home countries’ developmental priorities. Currently, 51 African countries participate in the AAA initiative. 

PURPOSE

AAA is strongly committed to promoting the inclusion of women and people with disability and ensuring that all are given equal access to opportunities regardless of their race, gender, or needs.  

The Social Inclusion Officer’s (SIO) primary role is to provide a service for all AAA awardees with a disability, or women identifying as having special requirements, to ensure fair and equitable participation in the program. The SIO will ensure that inclusive practices are embedded across the program in a proactive, solution focused way. The SIO will report directly to the Officer-in-Charge, Nairobi.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Under guidance from the Gender and Disability Advisers and the Officer-in–Charge (Nairobi), the SIO will lead the day to day implementation of the Gender and Disability strategies to ensure that applicants and awardees have the best possible opportunity to participate equally in the program, and to establish best practice on inclusive processes within all aspects of AAA;

• Contribute to AAA’s efforts to strengthen internal processes and procedures relating to social inclusion;
• Provide inputs for the preparation of  AAA  work-plans and review  of key documents such as the Quality Assurance Manual;
• Assist the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialist in the evaluation of gender and disability related M&E indicators and in data gathering and performing analysis on that data;
• Provide case management services for awardees with disability including developing Individual Support Plans; progress reports, mobilisation plans and other administrative requirements;
• Provide guidance to awardees on how to apply for the Disability Access and Equity Fund and the Gender Access and Equity Fund, including: identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions, documenting major achievements and lessons learned in promoting gender and disability inclusion.
• Establish and maintain contacts, partnerships and substantive exchanges with other organisations with significant knowledge and experience with social inclusion practices such as Australian Tertiary institutions, and Non-Government Organisations within the African region.
• Facilitate gender equality and disability inclusion training sessions for AAA staff at a minimum once per quarter.
• Proactively share relevant knowledge and information on new trends or processes with both the senior management team and other program staff.

Other Duties:

• Manage program databases relating to awardees with disclosed disability or gender considerations in accordance with AAA Quality Assurance Manual  to ensure they are up-to-date and relevant to the program needs;
• Perform other activities as designated by the OIC Nairobi.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Qualifications and experience

Essential:

• Disability or Social Science Undergraduate degree, or relevant qualifications in a related field.
• Minimum two years’ work experience in an NGO or disability related organisation.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and manage effective relationships with people with disability, and relevant advocacy/support organisations.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential:

• High level of interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate with diverse groups;
• Evidence of superior written and verbal communication skills including report writing to a high standard of English;
• Strong administrative and organisational skills; 
• Ability to work effectively as part of a cross cultural, multi-disciplinary team; 
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy;
• Highly developed sense of initiative;
• Microsoft Office skills to an advanced level.

   Desirable:

• Knowledge of the Australian higher education system.
• Portuguese, Arabic or French language skills

Application details:

If you wish to apply please send the following information:

1. A curriculum vitae no more than 5 pages;
2. A detailed statement that clearly addresses your claims against each of the selection criteria (Please note that applications that fail to address this requirement will not be considered).
3. Please submit your application to liz@adsafrica.org by the closing date of:  22 August 2012 State "Social  Inclusion Officer" in the subject line of your e-mail.
4. Women and people with disability are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you have not heard from us within three (3) weeks of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.  Communication will only be with applicants shortlisted for the next stage in the process.