Movement Building Officer at African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF)

Do you have experience in contributing to initiatives that support feminist movement building in Africa, particularly in French speaking countries, connecting feminist networks and individuals with women’s rights organisations (WRO) and fostering solidarity?

Do you have skills in the implementation of new programming areas around the arts, culture, sport and technology using feminist analysis; Are you an activist and able to coordinate wellbeing and collective care approaches within a movement?

Then you are the person we are looking for to join our team for the position of Movement Building Officer.

Background

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a pioneering grantmaking foundation headquartered in Accra, Ghana. AWDF was founded by and for African women. Since its founding in 2001, AWDF has continued to support a growing portfolio of grants to leading women’s rights organisations and feminist movements across Africa, while also supporting knowledge generation, capacity building, movement building and donor advocacy around African women’s activist histories, movement resourcing needs, and more recently, feminist futures.

Job Summary

The Movement Building Officer (MBO) plays a critical role in the Programmes Team contributing to initiatives that support feminist movement building in Africa, particularly in French speaking countries. This includes supporting AWDF’s role as host of the African Feminist Forum, network and alliance building and diversification (linguistic and geographical), connecting women’s rights organisations (WROs) with each other and the feminist agenda. Managed by the Movement Building Specialist (MBS) and supporting the Director of Programmes (DoP), the Movement Building Officer will support the delivery of work and initiatives that involve a high level of relationship management (internal and external), creative thinking and an open attitude to experimentation, and learning, framed within an active feminist practice and understanding.

The Movement Building Officer will work as part of the Movement Building Team and provide administrative and technical support to the DoP

Specific Duties

Programme support, coordination and outreach

• Support delivery on AWDF’s strategy for African feminist movement building
• Support and maintain relationships with key African and other feminist organisations networks and alliances, particularly in French speaking countries
• Support AWDF’s role as host of the African Feminist Forum (AFF) and with the Movement Building Specialist and the DoP, support the organisation of the regional African Feminist Forum events
• Contribute critically to the development and implementation of AWDF’s overall French speaking Africa engagement strategy
• Support programming in the arts, culture, sports and digital/tech space for women’s rights.

Knowledge, Learning and Evaluation

• Keep abreast of the priorities and activities of African women’s rights organisations, networks, alliances and movements, particularly in French speaking countries.
• Foster and build and maintain alliances and key relationships, particularly in French speaking countries.
• Support production of documentation and knowledge products relating to movement building and programming work in collaboration with the Knowledge Management Unit

Communication, Outreach and Networking

• Produce information, analysis and document evidence based learning and tools in relation to movement building and related programme work and share knowledge and learning with team members and other internal and external stakeholders as appropriate
• Ensure the AFF’s and the African Integrated Responses to Violence Against Women and Girls and HIV/AIDS (AIR) websites and social media are creative, informative and regularly updated, working closely with the Communications and Knowledge Management Units
• Keep abreast of priorities, trends and relevant issues for the feminist movement, and share knowledge with the DoP, MBS and Programme team members, and other internal and external stakeholders as appropriate
• Raise the visibility of AWDF through convening and information sessions, particularly in French speaking countries

Administrative support

Provide Administrative Support To The Director Of Programmes (DoP)

• Support the DoP on activities to raise the visibility of AWDF including through convening and information sessions
• Working closely with the DoP, support cross Programme collaborative working
• Support the DoP and Movement Building Specialist build and maintain relationships with networks, alliances, movements, other individuals and institutions, particularly in French speaking countries
• Work closely with the DoP. Grants, Knowledge Management, Capacity Building, MEL, and Communications teams to produce information and analysis about support and awards made and managed in relation to movement building

Resource Mobilisation

Contribute To AWDF’s Resource Mobilisation Activities, Through

• Identifying and following up fundraising opportunities in collaboration with the Resource Mobilisation team
• Supporting proposal and donor report writing

Essential Knowledge And Experience

• In depth understanding of feminism and strong commitment to social justice, women’s rights and social change in Africa
• Knowledgeable about and experienced in feminist movements, women’s rights and social justice issues/ rights-based development and organising in Africa, particularly French speaking countries
• Excellent communicator – French and English – both written and oral, a critical thinker with an analytical approach to information
• A team player, who demonstrates the values and principles of feminism and social justice
• Proactive and able to work and lead with minimum supervision
• High level of proficiency in MS Office and your experience of working with information management systems / databases
• Excellent planning and project management skills
• Ability to work independently and part of a team
• Ability to work democratically with diverse groups and people
• Ability to work to work to tight deadlines.
• Ability to travel within Africa/ internationally essential
• Willingness to work flexible working hours occasionally outside of regular working hours are expected.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years’ relevant work experience, preferably with a feminist activism and/or movements, women’s rights, gender justice
• A minimum of five (5) years relevant experience ideally in gender, women’s rights, feminist movements or a related discipline ideally in West Africa, both French and English speaking.
• Fluent spoken and written French and excellent spoken and written English are a requirement for this role.

Organisational Competencies

All staff members must demonstrate AWDF Core values in all their professional relationships and any interactions that may reflect on AWDF:

• Respect
• Inclusive Diversity
• Feminist Leadership
• Professionalism, accountability and stewardship
• Solidarity and Partnerships

AWDF has a Zero Tolerance Approach to all forms of corruption which is an offence for which immediate dismissal without benefits will result.

In line with AWDF’s Mission, qualified African women are encouraged to apply.

How To Apply | Movement Building Officer at African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF)