Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Specialist – YAG PLUS Project
alignAfrica
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Role description
Position Title:
Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Specialist – YAG PLUS Project
Number of Positions:
1 (One)
Organization:
alignAfrica
Duty Station:
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (with travel as required)
Reports To:
Project Manager
Employment Type:
Full-Time, On-site
Contract Duration:
Fixed-Term (One year, renewable based on performance and project funding)
About alignAfrica
alignAfrica is a national non-profit organization established in 2009 and registered under Proclamation No. 1113/2019 with the Ethiopian Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO). The organization works to address critical development challenges in health, education, economic empowerment, protection, governance, and climate resilience, while also contributing to emergency response and policy advocacy. Through innovative, community-centered approaches, capacity building, and partnership-driven interventions, alignAfrica supports individuals and communities to overcome structural barriers and achieve sustainable and inclusive development outcomes.
Vision
A thriving Africa where all communities live with dignity, resilience, and equal opportunity, empowered to shape their own sustainable futures.
Mission
To empower communities especially youth, women, and vulnerable groups by advancing inclusive, locally driven solutions in health, education, livelihoods, climate resilience, governance, and youth development. We build capacity, foster innovation, and strengthen systems for lasting impact and sustainable change.
About the YAG PLUS Project
The Youth Advisory Groups’ Participation, Leadership, Upskilling and Sustainability (YAG PLUS) Project is a MasterCard Foundation-supported initiative designed to support Youth Advisory Group (YAG) members across Ethiopia to transition from youth engagement and leadership roles into dignified employment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods.
The Youth Advisory Groups’ Participation, Leadership, Upskilling and Sustainability (YAG PLUS) Project is a Mastercard Foundation-supported initiative designed to support Youth Advisory Group (YAG) members across Ethiopia to transition from volunteer youth engagement roles into dignified and fulfilling wage employment and self-entrepreneurship.
The project provides transferable skills training, employability training, entrepreneurship development, mentorship, career coaching, financial inclusion referrals, and work-based learning opportunities, with a particular focus on young women, persons with disabilities, refugees and displaced youth, and economically disadvantaged young people.
Position Summary
The Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist will lead the mainstreaming of gender equality, disability inclusion, and social inclusion across all components of the YAG PLUS Project. The position holder will ensure that project interventions are inclusive, accessible, equitable, and responsive to the diverse needs of young women, persons with disabilities, refugees, displaced youth, and other disadvantaged groups.
The Specialist will provide technical leadership in gender and social inclusion mainstreaming, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, monitoring, and reporting to ensure that project outcomes contribute to equitable participation, leadership, employability, and economic empowerment of vulnerable youth.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
1. Gender and Social Inclusion Mainstreaming
Lead the integration of gender equality, disability inclusion, and social inclusion across project implementation, monitoring, and learning activities.
Develop and implement a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) strategy and action plan for the project.
Ensure all project activities, training materials, communication products, and implementation approaches are gender-responsive and inclusive.
Promote equitable participation and leadership opportunities for young women and marginalized youth.
2. Technical Support and Capacity Building
Provide technical guidance to project staff, partners, mentors, trainers, and host organizations on gender, inclusion, safeguarding, and accessibility.
Organize training and awareness sessions on gender equality, disability inclusion, prevention of discrimination, and safeguarding.
Support project teams to identify and address barriers affecting participation and retention of vulnerable youth.
3. Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships
Build and maintain partnerships with implementing partner and host organizations and other relevant organizations.
Represent the project in gender, inclusion, disability, and safeguarding coordination forums.
Support initiatives that promote equitable access to employment, entrepreneurship, and leadership opportunities for disadvantaged youth.
4. Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Reporting
Support collection, analysis, and utilization of sex-, age-, displacement status-, and disability-disaggregated data.
Develop gender and social inclusion indicators and monitoring tools.
Conduct regular assessments to monitor project inclusiveness and accessibility.
Prepare monthly, quarterly, annual, and donor reports related to gender equality and social inclusion.
5. Compliance and Quality Assurance
Ensure compliance with alignAfrica policies, Mastercard Foundation requirements, and national laws related to gender equality, disability inclusion, safeguarding, and protection.
Support project quality assurance processes to ensure inclusive and equitable implementation.
Equal Opportunity Statement
alignAfrica is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and safeguarding. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Women are strongly encouraged to apply.
alignAfrica maintains a zero-tolerance policy against fraud, corruption, sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, discrimination, and any form of misconduct.
Required Qualifications
Education
Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Gender Studies, Sociology, Social Work, Development Studies, Public Health, Human Rights, Psychology, Education, or a related field.
Experience
Minimum of 3 years of progressive professional experience in gender equality, social inclusion, disability inclusion, safeguarding, protection, or youth development programs.
Experience working with NGOs, INGOs, donor-funded projects, or development organizations.
Demonstrated experience in gender mainstreaming and inclusion programming.
Experience working with youth, women, persons with disabilities, refugees, or vulnerable populations.
Experience developing and delivering capacity-building programs on gender, inclusion, safeguarding, and protection.
Required Competencies
Technical Competencies
Strong knowledge of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles and approaches.
Understanding of disability inclusion and accessibility standards.
Experience in gender and inclusion analysis and assessments.
Excellent facilitation and training skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
Core Competencies
Good interpersonal skills: ability to work in a multicultural and diverse environment with sensitivity and respect.
Strong commitment to gender equality, inclusion, and human rights.
Excellent communication and relationship management skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
High level of integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
Strong planning, coordination, and organizational skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Commitment to accountability, safeguarding, and ethical conduct.
Language Requirements
Excellent written and spoken English and Amharic.
Knowledge of additional local languages is an added advantage.
How To Apply
Interested and qualified applicants are invited to submit:
Updated CV (maximum three pages)
Cover letter detailing relevant experience and qualifications
Contact information for three professional references
Applications should be submitted through Ethiojobs no later than June 17, 2026.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
Skills (mandatory):
Communication, Problem solving
Apply Now!
Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Specialist – YAG PLUS Project
Number of Positions:
1 (One)
Organization:
alignAfrica
Duty Station:
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (with travel as required)
Reports To:
Project Manager
Employment Type:
Full-Time, On-site
Contract Duration:
Fixed-Term (One year, renewable based on performance and project funding)
About alignAfrica
alignAfrica is a national non-profit organization established in 2009 and registered under Proclamation No. 1113/2019 with the Ethiopian Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO). The organization works to address critical development challenges in health, education, economic empowerment, protection, governance, and climate resilience, while also contributing to emergency response and policy advocacy. Through innovative, community-centered approaches, capacity building, and partnership-driven interventions, alignAfrica supports individuals and communities to overcome structural barriers and achieve sustainable and inclusive development outcomes.
Vision
A thriving Africa where all communities live with dignity, resilience, and equal opportunity, empowered to shape their own sustainable futures.
Mission
To empower communities especially youth, women, and vulnerable groups by advancing inclusive, locally driven solutions in health, education, livelihoods, climate resilience, governance, and youth development. We build capacity, foster innovation, and strengthen systems for lasting impact and sustainable change.
About the YAG PLUS Project
The Youth Advisory Groups’ Participation, Leadership, Upskilling and Sustainability (YAG PLUS) Project is a MasterCard Foundation-supported initiative designed to support Youth Advisory Group (YAG) members across Ethiopia to transition from youth engagement and leadership roles into dignified employment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods.
The Youth Advisory Groups’ Participation, Leadership, Upskilling and Sustainability (YAG PLUS) Project is a Mastercard Foundation-supported initiative designed to support Youth Advisory Group (YAG) members across Ethiopia to transition from volunteer youth engagement roles into dignified and fulfilling wage employment and self-entrepreneurship.
The project provides transferable skills training, employability training, entrepreneurship development, mentorship, career coaching, financial inclusion referrals, and work-based learning opportunities, with a particular focus on young women, persons with disabilities, refugees and displaced youth, and economically disadvantaged young people.
Position Summary
The Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist will lead the mainstreaming of gender equality, disability inclusion, and social inclusion across all components of the YAG PLUS Project. The position holder will ensure that project interventions are inclusive, accessible, equitable, and responsive to the diverse needs of young women, persons with disabilities, refugees, displaced youth, and other disadvantaged groups.
The Specialist will provide technical leadership in gender and social inclusion mainstreaming, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, monitoring, and reporting to ensure that project outcomes contribute to equitable participation, leadership, employability, and economic empowerment of vulnerable youth.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
1. Gender and Social Inclusion Mainstreaming
Lead the integration of gender equality, disability inclusion, and social inclusion across project implementation, monitoring, and learning activities.
Develop and implement a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) strategy and action plan for the project.
Ensure all project activities, training materials, communication products, and implementation approaches are gender-responsive and inclusive.
Promote equitable participation and leadership opportunities for young women and marginalized youth.
2. Technical Support and Capacity Building
Provide technical guidance to project staff, partners, mentors, trainers, and host organizations on gender, inclusion, safeguarding, and accessibility.
Organize training and awareness sessions on gender equality, disability inclusion, prevention of discrimination, and safeguarding.
Support project teams to identify and address barriers affecting participation and retention of vulnerable youth.
3. Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships
Build and maintain partnerships with implementing partner and host organizations and other relevant organizations.
Represent the project in gender, inclusion, disability, and safeguarding coordination forums.
Support initiatives that promote equitable access to employment, entrepreneurship, and leadership opportunities for disadvantaged youth.
4. Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Reporting
Support collection, analysis, and utilization of sex-, age-, displacement status-, and disability-disaggregated data.
Develop gender and social inclusion indicators and monitoring tools.
Conduct regular assessments to monitor project inclusiveness and accessibility.
Prepare monthly, quarterly, annual, and donor reports related to gender equality and social inclusion.
5. Compliance and Quality Assurance
Ensure compliance with alignAfrica policies, Mastercard Foundation requirements, and national laws related to gender equality, disability inclusion, safeguarding, and protection.
Support project quality assurance processes to ensure inclusive and equitable implementation.
Equal Opportunity Statement
alignAfrica is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and safeguarding. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Women are strongly encouraged to apply.
alignAfrica maintains a zero-tolerance policy against fraud, corruption, sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, discrimination, and any form of misconduct.
Required Qualifications
Education
Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Gender Studies, Sociology, Social Work, Development Studies, Public Health, Human Rights, Psychology, Education, or a related field.
Experience
Minimum of 3 years of progressive professional experience in gender equality, social inclusion, disability inclusion, safeguarding, protection, or youth development programs.
Experience working with NGOs, INGOs, donor-funded projects, or development organizations.
Demonstrated experience in gender mainstreaming and inclusion programming.
Experience working with youth, women, persons with disabilities, refugees, or vulnerable populations.
Experience developing and delivering capacity-building programs on gender, inclusion, safeguarding, and protection.
Required Competencies
Technical Competencies
Strong knowledge of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles and approaches.
Understanding of disability inclusion and accessibility standards.
Experience in gender and inclusion analysis and assessments.
Excellent facilitation and training skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
Core Competencies
Good interpersonal skills: ability to work in a multicultural and diverse environment with sensitivity and respect.
Strong commitment to gender equality, inclusion, and human rights.
Excellent communication and relationship management skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
High level of integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
Strong planning, coordination, and organizational skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Commitment to accountability, safeguarding, and ethical conduct.
Language Requirements
Excellent written and spoken English and Amharic.
Knowledge of additional local languages is an added advantage.
How To Apply
Interested and qualified applicants are invited to submit:
Updated CV (maximum three pages)
Cover letter detailing relevant experience and qualifications
Contact information for three professional references
Applications should be submitted through Ethiojobs no later than June 17, 2026.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
Skills (mandatory):
Communication, Problem solving
Apply Now!