FGM Program Manager

Experienced Program Manager sought for an international human rights organization working for the protection and promotion of the rights of women and girls worldwide, to manage and coordinate work to end female genital mutilation (FGM), one of the organization’s program areas.

Deadline:        January 31, 2014

Location:         Nairobi

Organization:  Equality Now

The Opportunity

Experienced Program Manager sought for an international human rights organization working for the protection and promotion of the rights of women and girls worldwide, to manage and coordinate work to end female genital mutilation (FGM), one of the organization’s program areas. This is a full-time position based in Nairobi, reporting to the Nairobi Office Director (and in the future to the Director of Program Operations) and requiring close collaboration with Nairobi, London, and New York office directors, program officers, and communications and development staff.  The FGM Program Manager will provide both leadership and support to advance the goals and implement the strategic vision of Equality Now’s anti-FGM work. 

The Organization

Equality Now fights for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women and girls around the world. Working with grassroots women’s and human rights organizations and individual activists, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and mobilizes international action to support efforts to stop these abuses. Our work is focused into three main program areas: Discrimination in Law, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and Trafficking and we have a cross cutting focus on the rights of adolescent girls through our Adolescent Girls’ Legal Defense Fund (AGLDF). We operate in Africa, the UK and the US, with a growing presence in the Middle East and expansion plans for Asia.

Founded in 1992, Equality Now marked its 20^th anniversary with a celebration of its accomplishments, and a redoubled commitment to its abiding mission. The strategic plan for 2012-16 emphasizes the achievement of systemic and tangible impact in program areas to progress the rights of women and girls. It also calls for strengthened governance and institutional systems that enable efficiency, oversight, and responsiveness.

The Position

The FGM Program Manager’s work is guided by the following goal and job tasks: 

Goal:  Develop and implement Equality Now’s program on ending FGM.

The FGM Program Manager will be guided by Equality Now’s strategic plan and policy and s/he will undertake the following tasks: 

Program implementation:

• Supervise FGM program officers and coordinate the FGM program activities where appropriate of those working on AGLDF cases in all offices, Washington, DC, and the Middle East; and lead monthly FGM thematic calls to ensure coordination and cooperation on FGM work across locations and move Equality Now’s work on FGM 
• Oversee implementation of ongoing projects and ensure targeted outcomes are met and refine Equality Now’s strategy on ending FGM in light of new information and experience
• Devise new strategies to monitor and evaluate successes and challenges on the ground and to develop creative mechanisms to highlight these to stakeholders and the broader public
• Identify existing and new tools to further advance the campaign against FGM, particularly through public advocacy
• Lead on the development of Equality Action campaigns targeting governments on the elimination of FGM

Partnerships

• Liaise with international agencies working on FGM, including the WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and others, to discuss strategies and potential collaboration to eliminate FGM
• Strengthen collaborations with regional and international organisations, such as the Inter-African Committee, No Peace Without Justice, Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) and campaigns whose goals match Equality Now’s in ending FGM
• Identify and/or participate in other partnership-building opportunities to end FGM
• Strengthen relations and networking with partners working on the ground to end FGM 

FGM campaign visibility

• Act as Equality Now’s spokesperson on FGM as required
• Develop and oversee implementation of plans for the best use of Equality Now’s promotional materials against FGM, including Africa Rising and other educational materials generated by Equality Now or with partners and support development of new materials to promote advocacy to end FGM
• Work with the media team to help implement a media strategy and respond to media and the public on questions about the FGM practice as required
• Work with media officers to develop articles for the media, including letters to editors and opinion pieces, and speak to issues within the context of international law that prohibit FGM including Article 5 of the African Protocol on the Rights of Women 

Fundraising

• Identify additional funding sources for Equality Now’s work against FGM and engage with donors on the issue
• Work with Equality Now’s fund raising managers in soliciting grants, developing proposals and on reporting to donors on active grants 

Other duties

• Other duties as reasonably required

 Qualifications

• Master’s degree in relevant subject required, professional background in international law a plus
• 5-7 years of experience on issues such as FGM and women’s and girls’ rights (preferably with an international organization) and at least 3 years of management experience;
• Strong writing skills;
• Experience of advocacy impact evaluation welcome;
• Power point and Excel spreadsheet skills;
• Knowledge of international and African regional human rights framework and relevant human rights mechanisms/instruments;
• Fluency in French and/or Arabic a plus;
• Interpersonal skills to work effectively and respectfully with co-workers in a small office and with colleagues internationally;
• Ability to “manage up” to organization’s leadership to ensure all deadlines are met and relationships stewarded; and
• Integrity in representing the organization and its work to funding partners.

Salary -- Commensurate with experience. 

To Apply -- Please send resume and cover letter to “The Search Committee” at equalitynownairobi@equalitynow.org by Friday 31^stJanuary 2014 with the subject line “FGM Program Manager.” No calls please. Equality Now will unfortunately only be able to respond to short-listed candidates.