About MCA
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a U.S.government corporation focused on assisting countries dedicated to good governance, economic freedom, and investing in people. In May 2022, MCC signed a five-year agreement (“compact”) with the government of Lesotho (GOL) aimed at poverty reduction through inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the country. The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA-Lesotho II), is an entity established by the Government to act as the accountable entity to implement the Compact, with the authority to bind the Government with regard to all Program activities.
Lesotho Compact
The Lesotho Health and Horticulture Compact aims to benefit 2.5 million people by growing, strengthening, and organizing the private sector in Lesotho and improving the government’s coordination to deliver critical services necessary to support private sector development.
It will achieve this goal through investments in Health System Strengthening, strengthening of the business environment and Market Driven Irrigated Horticulture, providing sustainable income for smallholders and increasing climate resilience by replacing rain-fed subsistence farming with irrigated commercial horticulture in select locations.
The GoL is committed to passing several key reforms that will help make this compact successful, including reforms that address gender equality, working conditions and worker safety, as well as land and water rights. All of the compact’s projects focus on overcoming barriers to the economic inclusion of women, youth, and the rural poor.
Objective of this position
The Director, Gender and Social Inclusion, reporting to the Deputy CEO, Program Management Office of the Millennium Challenge Account-Lesotho (MCA-Lesotho II), provides technical expertise to the MCA senior leaders and Project Directors, GSI Managers and Specialists, implementing partners and project stakeholders to meet MCA-Lesotho II and MCC objectives and requirements related to Gender and Social Inclusion in all Compact-funded activities. The GSI Director is responsible for assuring high quality implementation of all gender- and inclusion-related activity designs under the Health Systems Strengthening, Market-Driven Irrigated Horticulture, and Health System Strengthening Projects. In addition, the GSI Director is responsible for line supervision of the GSI Managers and Specialists under the Market-Driven Irrigated Horticulture (MDIH) Project, Business Environment and Technical Assistance (BETA) Project, and Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) project.
Primary responsibilities
1. Assume primary responsibility for oversight of high-quality implementation of all GSI design elements across the three compact projects: HSS, MDIH, and BETA.
2. Lead the development of the Social and Gender Integration Plan, encompassing GSI objectives and designs in all projects and activities, as well as work plans, responsibilities, and metrics. Lead stakeholder engagement on the SGIP and facilitate agreement on the SGIP across other MCA-Lesotho II sector leads.
3. Ensure compliance with the MCC Gender Policy, MCC Gender and Inclusion Operational Requirements, the MCC Inclusion and Gender Strategy, and the MCC Counter-Trafficking in Persons Policy.
4· Lead the GSI team through staff recruitment, training, development, and performance management to ensure an ability to achieve project objectives.
5. Serve as the line supervisor, main technical advisor and mentor to all MCA-Lesotho II GSI Managers and Specialists on GSI issues across MCA-Lesotho II and three compact projects,
Liaise with key stakeholders at all levels, including the Ministry of Gender Youth, Sports and Recreation, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ministry of Water, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship, Ministry of Small Business, Cooperatives and Marketing, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Development Planning, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, and others government, other national and subnational government agencies, NGOs, civil society organizations, the private sector, and donors with direct and indirect roles and interests in the Compact. This includes information sharing, soliciting of inputs, advising, joint problem-solving and collaboration or partnership that advances Compact objectives.
6. Establish and implement a quality control framework and risk management system to monitor and manage the work and progress related to each GSI objective and activity under the three Compact projects, with attention to high level strategic objective of targeting women, youth and the rural poor, as well as activity-specific milestones, gaps or challenges. Develop risk mitigation, solutions and design changes or supplementation as required to meet GSI objectives. This system should include data collection and analysis, regular site visits, and regular meetings with other sector directors and managers, and senior and junior MCA-Lesotho II staff and implementing entities.
7. Work closely with the ESP Director, ESP staff and ESOC consultant to ensure collaboration, coordination and alignment between GSI and ESP work, including stakeholder engagement, resettlement, social performance oversight under the IFC performance standards, and TIP risk management and response, including ensuring compliance with MCC’s C-TIP policy
8. Oversee compilation of program data on Gender and Social Inclusion inputs, outputs and outcomes, using the program logic as a framework and, supporting related to compact implementation, ensuring up to date information of program metrics.
9. Work with MCA-Lesotho Il senior leaders and other MCA-Lesotho II Directors and Managers to ensure full integration of GSI requirements into all GSI-led and other sector-led work plans, RPAS, RFAS, and Terms of Reference, SBDs, LOE estimates, TEPs, contract management systems, budgets, timelines, monitoring and management systems
10. Provide oversight, with contract management lead support from GSI Managers and Specialists, of GSI components and objectives in all contracts managed by other sectors under MDIH, BETA, and HSS. This includes development of RFPs, procurement processes, contract management and review of deliverables
11. Work closely with GSI Managers, Specialists, contractors, and M&E to develop a monitoring framework for each project activity, including KPIs and other metrics and indicators, to monitor GSI progress aligned with the program logic. Work closely with M&E to develop GSI requirements in the M&E Plan, and the Independent Evaluation contract RFP and review of deliverables.
Required Competencies
1. Bachelor’s degree in a social science or related field.
2. Advanced University Degree in social science, law, development or gender studies, or a related field – required.
3. Minimum ten (10) years’ experience leading the integration of social inclusion, gender, and poverty reduction efforts in programs of a similar nature to the compact, in an international development context.
4. A minimum ten (10) years of successful technical contract or grant management experience, as evidenced by at least two examples of how the candidate managed a contract or grant (with a minimum value of at least $50K per annum) to successfully produce deliverables or outcomes within a specified period of time.
5. In-depth knowledge of gender and social inclusion issues in Lesotho, and how they impact economic development opportunities for socially disadvantage populations.
6. Demonstrated experience leading integration of social and gender objectives into program development.
7. Demonstrated experience in implementation of gender and social inclusion activities within large development projects, including overseeing contractors toward successful completion of these activities.
8.Prior experience with compact sectors of focus is strongly preferred.
9.Prior experience in stakeholder engagement processes.
10. Fluency in English and Sesotho.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted online, on or before the 24th November 2023.
Complete applications must comprise of the following documents
- Curriculum vitae containing detailed work experience;
- Cover letter confirming interest and availability;
- Soft copies of higher education and professional certificates (if available);
- A completed online application form (can be accessed from https://lesotho-jobs.tenderwell.app -CV Template MCA Lesotho I)
Only applications that are submitted on or before the deadline will be considered.
We thank all applicants. However, note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Submit your application online via: https://lesotho-jobs.tenderwell.app. Hard copy applications will not be considered.
