Women Empowerment Action (WE-Action) is a feminist women's rights organization that has been operating across various regions in Ethiopia, including Amhara, Oromia, Southern Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, and Tigray, for the past 30 years. WE-Action has four strategic goals: combating gender inequality, promoting gender-equitable and sustainable livelihoods, ensuring protection and lifesaving support, and achieving organizational excellence. WE-Action in collaboration Welthungerhilfe (WHH) is currently seeking a competent GESI Expert at Borena Field Office.

WE-LIFT (Women Entrepreneurs Leading Inclusive Food Transformation in Borena) aims to transform Borena's food system into one that is more inclusive, climate-resilient, nutrition-sensitive, and market-oriented by strengthening the economic participation, leadership, resilience, and agency of 4,741 pastoralist and agro-pastoralist women and female youth living in Arero, Gomole, and Yabello woredas of Borena Zone, Oromia Region.

Borena is one of Ethiopia's most important pastorals and agro-pastoral areas, where more than 85% of households depend primarily on livestock production for their livelihoods, food security, and income. The zone forms part of a dynamic cross-border pastoral economy linked to markets in southern Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and the wider Horn of Africa. However, recurrent drought, rainfall variability, rangeland degradation, water scarcity, declining livestock productivity, weak market integration, and climate change are placing increasing pressure on the food system. These interconnected challenges reduce productivity, disrupt markets, and undermine household resilience. WE-LIFT project responds to these challenges and opportunities through a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach combined with a Gender Transformative Approach (GTA) that addresses market failures, institutional barriers, and discriminatory social norms.

Note: - WE-Action has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and any forms of Gender-Based Violence.

Description of the position

Position: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Expert

Duty Station: Oromia Region, Yabello town with frequent travel to and fieldwork in Gomole, Arero, and Yabello woredas.

Ø  Reports to: Head office Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Coordinator

Salary: As per the organization’s scale

Number of positions: One (1)

Duration: based on performance evaluation result and availability of budget

II.            General Duties and responsibilities

The position holder will be responsible for ensuring Gender Equality and Social Inclusion are mainstreamed in projects and programs. Furthermore, ensuring that the organization's gender equality policy commitments are turned into action by putting in place a gender equality policy implementation strategy and action plan. Work to empower female employees and create a workplace free of sexual exploitation and abuse. Plan and carry out the organization's gender equality advocacy agenda.

GESI expert will responsible for implementing Gender Transformative Approach (GTA),conducting a comprehensive gender and enterprise capacity assessment, support dialogue sessions with men, elders, religious leaders, customary leaders, and other community influencers to promote equitable gender norms, shared household decision-making, and greater acceptance of the leadership and economic participation of pastoralist and agro-pastoralist women and female youth, Introduce gender inclusion scorecards and annual recognition schemes for cooperatives and agribusiness enterprises to promote and recognize progress in women's participation, leadership, and decision-making across the three project woredas etc. at Gomole, Arero, and Yabello woredas for both WE-Action and GWEDEA project activities.

Planning and designing:

• Participate and contribute in project planning from gender equality and social inclusion perspective.

• Prepare and review gender integration plan in projects deep implementation.

• Follow up gender transformative approaches are promoted in project planning.

• Develop different tools that helps mainstream gender issues.

• Program Implementation:

• Implement and follow up gender and social inclusion activities from each project.

• Implement the Gender Equality Policy implementation strategy and action plan of the organization.

• Follow up the implementation of Gender integration part of the implementation plan.

• Review project and programs for gender and social inclusion perspectives.

• Participate and contribute to humanitarian clusters from gender perspective.

• Promote male engagement strategies and approaches.

Advocacy and Capacity Building:

• Contribute to the implementation of organization advocacy policy and strategies.

• Promote feminist advocacy across programs and projects.

• Publish and communicate advocacy materials.

• Organize Gender Equality and Social Inclusion capacity building for all staff at different level.

• Plan and implement gender specific employee’s capacity development, mentorship and internship programs.

• Organize and contribute regular “Women Space” for women employee’s empowerment.

• Organize and contribute to the organization conversation on gender and social inclusion issues.

 Monitoring and Reporting

• Conduct monitoring of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion activity implementation.

• Develop GESI-specific indicators and tools for monitoring project impact.

• Collect, analyze, and report data disaggregated by sex, age, disability, and other relevant variables.

• Document and share lessons learned, best practices, and success stories related to GESI integration.

• Review project report for gender perspective, integration and disaggregated data.

 Gender at Workplaces

• Strictly follow and assist others to respect the organization polices on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion.

• Ensure workplace are free from any sexual and gender-based violence.

• Work to promote the 5R in the care economy and ensure that the workplace and project implementation considered women care burden.

Accountability and transparency

• Adhere to the organization accountability framework

• Implement WE-Action compliances to Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) and develop communities’ capacity accordingly.

• Participate in external verification process of WE- Action Core Humanitarian Standards.

• Respond in a timely manner to safeguarding concerns to ensure participants are kept safe from harm

Safeguarding

• Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood

• Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements

• Practices in a manner that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse, harm or neglect

• Identifies and refers to appropriate services any other associated persons including careers, family members and children at risk

• Able to document safeguarding concerns, and maintain appropriate record-keeping, recording the wishes and views of the adult or child at risk, differentiating between fact and opinion

Job Requirements

• MA/BA in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Human Rights and other related fields

• Minimum of 0-2years experience for MSC/MA and 2to 3 years for BA/BSC in social sciences.

• At least 2-year experiences Jin GESI related position in Civil Society Sector.

III.     Key skills and competency required

The GESI Officer requires demonstration of the following competence:

Program Management: Understand program quality, knowledge management, and M and E program design and implementation.

Stakeholders Management: Establish system and matrices for effective stakeholders’ management at district level

Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behavior and organizational practices, and ensure that own behavior is consistent with these standards and aligns with the values of the organization. Demonstrate strong personality and integrity.

Build Relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization particularly with current partners and sponsors; command a professional image.

Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner including by phone with several stakeholders; articulate the organizational’ mission, project objectives with relevant stakeholders.

Creativity/Innovation: in respective areas of responsibility develop new and unique ways to improve operations of the organization and to create new opportunities.

Foster Teamwork: Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness.

Lead: in respective areas of responsibility positively influence others to achieve results that are in the best interest of the organization.

Solve Problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem.

Reporting Skills: Quality and timely report development, strong attention to detail, gender disaggregate, and ability to prepare simple informative format as per the need of respective project.

Self-Management: Is self-directed, eager to meet and exceed objectives, and excited to take on more responsibility.

Gender Sensitive: Understands gender equality and demonstrate gender sensitive and responsive behaviors. Ability to manage culturally sensitive and differences and responding appropriately.

How To Apply

Interested applicants can submit their non-returnable application letter and updated CV through Ethiojobs. Your application letter/cover letter must include the following information.

Name of the position you have applied for

Summary of your qualifications and experience

Motivation/objective of why you have applied for the job

Please include at least 3 references from current and former supervisors

Female Only

Closing date: 03/09/2026

Job Requirements The successful candidate should possess an MA or BA Degree in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Human Rights, or a related field. A minimum of 0–2 years of relevant professional experience is required for MA/MSC holders, while 2–3 years of relevant experience is required for BA/BSc holders, preferably in social sciences, gender, development, human rights, or related areas. Demonstrated ability to support gender and social development initiatives, conduct research and data collection, prepare reports, engage with communities and stakeholders, and contribute to program implementation and monitoring is essential. How to Apply Apply using the provided link below.