Job Description
The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.
Main purpose of job:
The Women and Girls Adviser will play a central role in the British Embassy Addis Ababa’s Women and Girls Hub, delivering the Embassy’s commitments on women and girls across all areas of its work from climate to humanitarian, financing to corporate services.
Reporting to the Women and Girls Lead (G7 UK-Based Social Development Adviser), the postholder will be the lead adviser for the Embassy’s programming on women and girls, shaping a large portfolio of programming in one of the UK’s top ODA spending posts. The adviser will lead on tracking and reporting commitments and provide politically-informed policy and diplomatic advice. The postholder will be line managed by a G7 Social Development Adviser who will spend a proportion of her time on the Women and Girls Hub whilst also covering social protection and humanitarian issues.
The Adviser will lead the Hub’s communications and coordination functions, working closely with teams across the Embassy and with colleagues in London to communicate the Embassy’s vision, achievements and learning on women and girls. They will support cross-Embassy collaboration through a hub-and-spoke model, working with Women and Girls focal points across teams to strengthen delivery and build capability.
The role will also lead key corporate gender-related compliance processes, including Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) returns, while supporting strategic thinking and horizon scanning on emerging issues affecting women and girls in Ethiopia. The postholder will advise Corporate Services on creating an inclusive workplace by supporting relevant Embassy committees and initiatives that promote equality, inclusion and safeguarding.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Strategic advisory support and coordination (35%)
Provide strategic and day-to-day advice to teams across the Embassy on women and girls considerations in policy, programming, diplomatic engagement, ministerial visits, events and strategic decision making.
Drive delivery of Country Business Plan commitments and Portfolio Strategy objectives related to women and girls.
Provide politically-informed analysis on gender equality issues and developments affecting women and girls in Ethiopia.
Lead horizon scanning, evidence gathering and analysis on emerging issues including violence against women and girls, AI and gender, and other priority areas.
Act as Secretariat for Kasma, the Women’s Network on the British Embassy platform which also hosts British Office Sudan and the UK Office to the African Union.
Monitoring, accountability and corporate compliance (25%)
Track progress against Embassy commitments on women and girls and support reporting against agreed objectives and priorities.
Coordinate and lead key corporate compliance processes relating to gender equality, including Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs), Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) returns and associated reporting requirements.
Lead development of evidence, reporting products, briefing materials and analysis for senior leaders.
Maintain systems and processes that strengthen accountability for women and girls commitments across the Embassy.
Coordinate with safeguarding leads both on programming and platform to prevent and respond appropriately to sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse (SEAH).
Communications and stakeholder engagement (20%)
Lead strategic communications on women and girls issues across the Embassy, working closely with the Embassy Communications Team.
Develop communications products, briefings, case studies and success stories that showcase UK support for women and girls in Ethiopia.
Support internal and external engagement including with the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA), FCDO Women and Girls Department, Humanitarian and Conflict Directorate, wider headquarters teams, senior officials, Ministers and the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls.
Identify opportunities to promote Embassy priorities and influence wider policy discussions relating to women and girls.
Hub management and platform coordination (15%)
Coordinate engagement with Women and Girls leads across Embassy teams and support capability building and knowledge sharing.
Advise on activities that contribute to a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace and collaborate with relevant safeguarding and inclusion initiatives where appropriate working closely with Corporate Services.
Corporate contribution and flexible tasking (5%)
Contribute to wider Embassy priorities, corporate initiatives and surge requirements as needed.
Undertake additional tasks consistent with the grade and responsibilities of the role.
Resources managed:
The postholder will report to the Women and Girls Lead (G7 UK-Based Social Development Adviser) within the Resilience and Humanitarian Team.
The role has no direct line management responsibility and no delegated budget management responsibility, but will work closely with teams across the Embassy and with senior stakeholders in Ethiopia and the UK.
Demonstrated experience providing policy, advisory, programme, advocacy or coordination support on gender equality, women and girls’ rights and empowerment, social inclusion, safeguarding or related issues.
Strong understanding of issues affecting women and girls and the barriers to achieving gender equality globally and in Ethiopia.
Understanding of the international system as it relates to diplomacy, development and humanitarian assistance.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages for a range of audiences.
Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills, including the ability to work effectively across teams and with senior stakeholders.
Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple workstreams and deliver high-quality outputs to tight deadlines.
Strong analytical skills and ability to synthesise information from diverse sources to support decision making.
Experience coordinating reports, compliance processes, monitoring frameworks or corporate returns.
Demonstrated ability to work independently while contributing effectively to multidisciplinary teams.
Proficient in English language (both written an oral English)
Experience working on women and girls issues, gender equality, safeguarding or social development in Ethiopia or a comparable context.
Knowledge of violence against women and girls (VAWG), conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), safeguarding or related thematic areas.
Experience supporting communications, advocacy campaigns or public engagement activities.
Familiarity with equality legislation, gender mainstreaming approaches, Equality Impact Assessments or similar compliance processes.
Understanding of the Ethiopian policy, development and institutional landscape relating to women and girls.
Proficiency in Amharic and/or other Ethiopian languages is an added advantage