About Oxfam South Africa (OZA)

Oxfam South Africa is a new, independent organisation whose mandate begins but extends beyond South Africa. Oxfam has been engaged with social justice in South for more than 50 years, a legacy OZA consolidates and deepens. OZA has developed an ambitious Strategic plan aimed at advancing social justice in South Africa and beyond, with a focus on addressing the systemic roots of poverty and inequality.

Oxfam, one of the leading global development organisations, is driven by a vision of a just world without poverty and mobilises the power of people to achieve that vision. Oxfam is a diverse confederation of 17 strongly interconnected national affiliates working in over 90 countries, either directly, or with partners to enable transformational change, using a unique combination of long-term development, campaigning and humanitarian programmes.

The Oxfam Confederation is currently undergoing a period of transformational change which envisions a future where we are a more interdependent network, driven more by knowledge, organised for more simplicity internally and more globally balanced. Oxfam strives to have affiliates in southern countries that are autonomous, can raise their own funds, run their own programs, make their own alliances with local people’s movements, and lobby their own governments and businesses. OZA is the first African organisation that will become a full affiliate of the Oxfam Confederation.

Oxfam South Africa attaches great importance to an efficient and effective delivery of programmes as well as strategic and creative use of communications to augment possibilities for impact and enhance Oxfam’s public profile.

OZA is seeking a dynamic activist with in-depth knowledge of women’s rights and gender justice issues to lead its Programme. The individual will work as a key and influential member of the OZA team, and the Oxfam confederation’s cadre of gender justice advocates working in all continents of the world to put women’s rights and gender justice at the heart of development and the global agenda of building a just, equitable and sustainable world. The role works closely with OZA Regional Gender Justice Lead.

Purpose of the Role

This position has multiple purposes:

To lead the development and implementation of Oxfam South Africa’s women’s rights and gender justice strategy and program. To provide technical input that ensures that all of OZA’s work and programmes are anchored by a gendered analysis and account for gendered impacts. To lead the conceptualisation of OZA’s work on Gender Based Violence and contribute to the One Oxfam Knowledge Hub on Violence against Women and Girls. To mobilise resources for OZA’s work on Gender. Supporting research, facilitating knowledge-sharing and influencing on issues of strategic interest to Oxfam.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of OZA’s women’s rights and gender justice strategy and program.
• To develop and manage a strong research agenda that will support the programme, campaigns and policy advocacy
• Contribute to development and delivery of Oxfam’s policies and advocacy strategies on Gender in line with campaign priorities at national and global levels.
• Support capacity development of all Oxfam South Africa staff on gender justice issues.
• Provide substantive support to integrate and embed gender into all areas of OZA’s programme areas
• Supports the design of a MEAL framework that integrates gender
• Supports the development of key strategy and policy documents ensuring the integration of gender considerations.
• Builds strong and effective partnerships and facilitates strategic synergies between Oxfam’s gender work and that of the wider women’s rights/ feminist and gender justice movements in South Africa and elsewhere as well as with other Strategic partners.
• Inputs in all research and campaigns to ensure gender is appropriately considered and intergrated
• Contributes to the global gender strategy of Oxfam and represents Oxfam South Africa in confederation-wide processes and forums
• Works closely with the Pan-Africa programme team on relevant strategic matters
• Supports the development of gendered policy and a gender-sensitive organisational environment
• Actively gathers learnings, builds partnerships and works closely with other Oxfam Affiliates to deepen innovation and cross-learning

2. Resource Mobilisation

• Leads in fundraising activities, through the development of fundable concepts at all levels and by developing donor proposals, budget submissions and other necessary activities to secure funding for programme activities.
• Meets with donors to generate interest in funding for the OZA Gender Justice Program.
• Seeks out and responds to calls for proposals that align with OZA’s Gender Program.

3. Management

• Manage the programme team to ensure delivery on Plans.
• Quality control the work of the programme
• Develops and manages grants to partners
• Provide regular information, briefings and reports on programme.
• Effectively manage the allocated budgets and ensure alignment to OZA’s systems
• Adhere to the application of all relevant policies and business processes in South Africa
• Sits in key meetings of the Senior Leadership Team

4. Public Engagement

• Represents OZA in strategic forums and platforms
• With the support of the Communications team, ensure the development of a communications and media strategy for the programme
• Represents OZA in the media and actively seeks out media opportunities to profile issues of importance to OZA

 Skills and Experience

• Experience of implementing Gender Justice programs and initiatives
• Strong programme management and quality knowledge, with ability to ensure consistent quality against standards and to implement effective monitoring and evaluation systems to assess and adjust performance.
• Experience in Gender Based Violence programming and campaigning
• Strong research, policy advocacy and campaigning skills and experience
• Commitment to and good knowledge of working with a partnership approach including innovative approaches to capacity strengthening.
• Good knowledge of and experience with managing donor funded projects with strong financial management skills and experience of project budgeting and budget monitoring.
• Proven analytical and conceptual thinking, project management knowledge and skills and experience in using participatory tools and methodologies for assessment, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Strong organisational and personal management skills with the ability to prioritise work issues to meet deadlines with minimal supervision and adjust to constantly changing situations while maintaining focus on delivery and follow-through.
• Excellent personal communication skills, in written and verbal English.
• A high level of self-awareness, initiative, sound judgment, personal energy and flexibility.
• Demonstrable understanding of 360-degree accountability.
• Ability and willingness to travel and to work extra hours as necessary.
• A masters degree in Women’s studies or other relevant academic qualifications, preferably in international development, economics, politics, sociology or humanities.

How to Apply

All applications and queries must be addressed to KM Global Consulting and sent directly to oxfam@kmglobalconsult.com stating OXFAM-WRGJ-RSA in the subject line.