The YFA Manager is a full-time position responsible for providing leadership for the planning, implementation and evaluation of AWID’s YFA Program.
Deadline: March 29, 2015
Location: Global
Overview of the Program:
AWID’s Young Feminist Activism (YFA) Program contributes to stronger multigenerational movements that are diverse and inclusive and to ensuring young feminists’ contributions, activism, perspectives and needs are integral to women’s rights organizing; accurately reflected in international decision-making spaces and development debates; and translated into policies and programs that are grounded in human rights and gender equality.
Overview of Position:
The YFA Manager is a full-time position responsible for providing leadership for the planning, implementation and evaluation of AWID’s YFA Program and is responsible for:
- Leading strategies to support the engagement of young feminists in policy processes such as the post 2015 development agenda, in line with AWID’s overall strategic plan
- Working closely with all AWID programs to identify opportunities to support young feminists activism across the organization
- Coordinating knowledge building projects including on effective multigenerational organizing and young feminist organizing
- Strengthening existing, and building new alliances with young feminist activists across regions, sectors and movements
- Engaging with the YFA Advisory Group including selection of new members and leading meetings with advisors
- Representing the YFA Program/AWID in international, regional or local venues
- Developing, managing and adhering to the budget and other YFA resources, ensuring adherence to financial controls, and financial and organizational policies and procedures
The YFA Manager reports to the Director of Feminist Movement Building
Work location: work location of the position is open
RESPONSIBILITIES:
YFA – Program Management
- Responsible for the development and implementation of strategies and related work planning, including the development and monitoring of indicators to evaluate the work of the program
- Delegates appropriate responsibilities and duties to program staff for the implementation and monitoring/evaluation of the program activities
- Ensures the timely and effective implementation of deliverables, including all activities, reports and evaluations
- Provides appropriate leadership, support, training and mentoring for effective project management and work planning
- Ensures strategic alignment, information-sharing and maximum synergy between the YFA program and other AWID programs by liaising with other program managers as required
- Contributes content expertise to the Forum preparatory process and program by actively participating in the International Planning Committee for the AWID International Forum, and actively liaising with Forum team as required
- Provides leadership and shares information and knowledge as required in YFA team, staff, management and general organizational meetings
Knowledge Building and Information Sharing
- Oversees the development and implementation of a strategy for the Young Feminist Wire -http://yfa.awid.org/ as a hub of information by, about and for young feminist activists
- Oversees the sourcing, production and sharing of timely, relevant content in English, French and Spanish for the Young Feminist Wire http://yfa.awid.org/and ensures alignment with AWID’s editorial guidelines and outcomes
- Oversees the monitoring and evaluation of the use of the Young Feminist Wire content including but not limited to web statistics, re-posting of information and feedback from Wire community members and ensures adjustment of strategy and plans to respond to lessons learned
- Oversees the development and implementation of knowledge building projects to advance YFA program objectives
Constituency and Alliance-Building
- Advances the strategic objectives of the YFA program by networking and sharing information with relevant external stakeholders (donors, policy makers, youth and women’s rights organizations) in different regions of the world
- Oversees the development and implementation of a strategy to build and diversify the Young Feminist Wire - http://yfa.awid.org/community including the use of communication technologies for online community engagement
- Establishes and oversees mechanisms for timely and appropriate communication with members of the Young Feminist Wire - http://yfa.awid.org/ in English, Spanish and French.
- Prepares and delivers public presentations in line with the strategic objectives of the YFA program
- Provides opportunities for AWID member engagement in program activities and recruits new members as possible in line with AWID’s membership strategy
- Build strong alliances across diverse constituencies to expand and deepen collaborations for the Forum
Capacity-building
- Designs and manages capacity building processes (both online and face to face) for young feminists and women’s rights organizations including defining the objectives of the capacity development process, participant selection or application process and criteria, conducting the selection/application, coordinating the design and facilitation of the agenda and evaluating results.
Strategic Convenings
- Organizes YFA regional dialogues or other convenings of external stakeholders, including:
- Leading negotiations with co-convenors or partners in YFA events around the participant list, meeting communications and design of meeting agendas
- Participates in meeting facilitation teams, in line with AWID’s participatory meeting methodology
- Oversees logistical organizing of YFA events and outreach to participants
- Organizes sessions at the AWID International Forum to showcase research and analysis produced by the initiative
and/or strategize with key partners and allies
- Organize and manage the pre-Forum YFA day
- Oversees the YFA area at the Forum
Financial and Human Resource Management
- Manages YFA program staff (approximately 2 direct reports) and annual program budget of approximately $400,000
- Develops and monitors an individual work plan
- Provides guidance and coaching to team members on the development of their individual work plans
- Monitors, updates and reprioritizes as required the implementation of individual team members’ work plans
- Supports and mentors staff on the team, provides regular feedback on performance relative to AWID’s overall outcomes and annual reviews which strengthen performance
- Facilitates YFA team meetings as a means to ensure information is shared among team members, to provide guidance and coaching to the team, to ensure that deliverables are being met and the YFA team work plan is up to date and being followed
- Develop, manage and adhere to the program budget, including regular monitoring of expenditures and the adherence to internal controls; produce reports that provide details and explanations for any budget variances
- Seek approval from the Director of Feminist Movement Building for any un-budgeted expenses.
- Approve expenditures in accordance with the approved program budget and established policies
Organizational Processes and Leadership
- Maintain professional conduct, confidentiality and ethical standards
- Maintains relationships with staff in other programs and with other managers to facilitate smooth coordination and communication
- Works with Directors and other managers to address programmatic, human resource, financial, legislative issues as they arise to ensure that AWID is effective in achieving its outcomes and as well as undertaking itself as a strong feminist organization
- Participates actively in organizational meeting venues (office and staff meetings) and committees
- Participate in Board of Directors meetings (as requested and appropriate)
QUALIFICATIONS
Experience:
6 or more years experience:
- Activism with young women’s organizations or initiatives working for women’s rights in the global South and/or Central and Eastern Europe including at least three years in a leadership capacity with management responsibilities and at least three years working within an organization
- Planning, implementing and managing projects or initiatives led by or targeting young women
- Working with learning processes with young women including developing and facilitating workshops and training courses (both on and offline)
- Working in a multicultural team
Academic Qualifications:
- University degree in social sciences, women’s rights, international development, or other related field
Expertise & Skills:
- Familiarity with international, regional and local women’s rights, development, human rights and other key organizations and players related to women’s rights
- Familiarity with youth empowerment strategies and with basic characteristics of youth movements around the world
- Demonstrated capacity to network and build strategic alliances internationally with women’s and youth organizations and other external stakeholder groups
- Excellent relationship building and interpersonal skills to build strong alliances with diverse constituencies and manage complex politics, positioning and relationships
- Proven ability to provide leadership to a team and to work in a team environment
- Demonstrated capacity to develop and implement capacity building activities to strengthen young women’s organizing
- Sound knowledge of the latest communication technologies for the purpose of building online communities
- Strong project management experience; ability to develop, monitor and evaluate an operational plan with multiple projects, multiple deliverables and deadlines. Ability to plan, organize and lead the implementation of plans and processes
- Strong financial management acumen; knowledge of accounting procedures and protocols, budgeting and financial analysis
- Strong human resource management expertise; ability to work with a diverse staff team and engage team members, build consensus, proactively de-escalate and resolve conflict
- Demonstrated capacity to think strategically and analytically with expertise in complex problem solving, decision making and critical thinking skills, displays good judgment
- High comfort and tolerance to manage stress and role demands
- Strong public speaker – able to convey information clearly, concisely and in a compelling way
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
- Bi-lingual: English – and French or Spanish
Other Requirements:
- Familiarity with elements of feminist theory and women’s rights frameworks
- Able to travel internationally (approximately 4 to 5 weeks per year)
- Committed to the principles and values of feminism, anti-discrimination and anti-racism
Assets:
- Training or facilitation experience
- Trilingual - English, French, Spanish
- Working knowledge of Arabic or Russian
- Knowledge of WordPress publishing platform
In addition to the primary duties set out in this job description, duties may be assigned or limited from time to time in accordance with the needs of the organization.
How to apply?
Please submit, in English- a cover letter and résumé in Word or PDF format, addressing how you meet the necessary qualifications and outlining why you want to work for AWID, to jobs@awid.orgby Sunday,March 29, 2015. Please include “YFA Manager – [your name]” as the subject line of your email.
We thank all those who apply, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No calls please. AWID encourages, promotes and support diversity in all aspects of its work. To learn more about AWID and our programs, please visit our website at www.awid.org.
