Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist

JOB ADVERT FOR GENDER AND SOCIAL INCLUSION SPECIALIST

Organization: DanChurchAid (DCA)

Job Title: Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist

Duty Station: Yumbe, West Nile Region, Uganda

Reports to: Area Manager with functional line to Head of Programmes

Duration: One Year Renewable based on performance and availability of resources.

Number of positions: One (1)

About US:

DanChurchAid (DCA) is a faith-based, non-missionary relief and development organization based in Copenhagen, Denmark and founded in 1922. DCA has supported development and humanitarian programs in Uganda since 1979, working with local partners. DCA is a member of the Action by Churches Together (ACT Alliance). Our key competencies in Uganda are (climate resilient) livelihoods and food security, humanitarian response, and civil society strengthening. For more information please visit: https://www.danchurchaid.org/where-we-work/uganda

DanChurchAid (DCA) is seeking to recruit a Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist to primarily support its Uganda West Nile Operations. 

Job Summary: 

The Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist will lead the integration of gender equality, social inclusion, accountability to affected populations, and protection mainstreaming across DCA West Nile programmes and operations. The role ensures that all programme interventions are designed and implemented in a manner that promotes equality, inclusion, participation, safety, dignity, and non-discrimination, in line with DCA’s Human Rights-Based Approach (PANEL Principles), humanitarian principles, safeguarding commitments, and donor requirements.

The position supports programme teams and implementing partners to mainstream gender, protection, accountability, and social inclusion throughout the project cycle, while strengthening institutional capacity and fostering coordination with key stakeholders. The role may also provide technical support to other DCA Uganda programmes as required.

Key Performance Areas (KPAs)

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Mainstreaming

• Lead the integration of gender equality and social inclusion considerations across programme design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes.
• Develop and implement strategies that promote the inclusion of women, youth, persons with disabilities, older persons, and other marginalized groups.
• Conduct gender, power, vulnerability, and social inclusion analyses to inform programme design and adaptation.
• Ensure programmes apply the Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) approach and address barriers to participation and access.
• Support project teams to incorporate gender-responsive and inclusive indicators, targets, and activities.

Protection Mainstreaming and Accountability

• Lead the development and implementation of context-specific protection mainstreaming guidelines for DCA development and humanitarian programmes.
• Ensure protection principles, including safety, dignity, participation, meaningful access, and non-discrimination, are integrated across operations.
• Serve as the focal point for Complaints and Feedback Mechanisms (CFM) and support their effectiveness, accessibility, and responsiveness.
• Participate in beneficiary targeting processes to ensure transparent, needs-based, impartial, and inclusive selection.
• Promote conflict-sensitive programming by identifying and mitigating conflict drivers while strengthening social cohesion and peaceful co-existence.

Capacity Building and Technical Support

• Build the capacity of DCA staff and partners on gender equality, social inclusion, protection, safeguarding, accountability, humanitarian principles, and conflict-sensitive programming.
• Deliver training on DCA’s Human Rights-Based Approach (PANEL Principles), Code of Conduct, Duty of Care, and quality standards.
• Provide ongoing technical support and coaching to programme staff and implementing partners to improve programme quality and inclusiveness.
• Develop guidance materials, tools, and resources to support institutional learning and compliance.

Programme Quality, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Support programme teams to integrate gender, inclusion, protection, and accountability considerations throughout the project cycle.
• Collaborate with the MEAL team to ensure collection, analysis, and utilization of age, gender, disability, and diversity-disaggregated data.
• Monitor programme implementation to assess compliance with protection and inclusion standards.
• Support the production of high-quality programme reports, ensuring protection, gender, and inclusion issues are adequately reflected.
• Participate in field monitoring visits to DCA projects, partners, and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).

Coordination, Representation and Partnerships

• Establish and maintain effective coordination with key protection and inclusion stakeholders, including OPM, UNHCR, district local governments, implementing and operational partners, community representatives, and other humanitarian actors.
• Represent DCA in relevant coordination platforms, working groups, task forces, and forums related to protection, gender, social inclusion, and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP).
• Strengthen institutional linkages that support protection mainstreaming and inclusive programming.
• Contribute to external engagement, advocacy, and learning initiatives relevant to DCA's mandate.

Information Management and Data Protection

• Work closely with the MEAL team to ensure compliance with DCA and donor data protection requirements.
• Promote safe handling, storage, access, and sharing of sensitive beneficiary information.
• Support staff and partners in applying data protection measures, including password protection, data encryption, and controlled access systems.

Community Engagement and Participation

• Promote meaningful participation of women, men, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, refugees, and host communities throughout the project cycle.
• Facilitate community consultations, focus group discussions, and participatory planning processes to ensure community priorities inform programme design and implementation.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of community structures, committees, and representative groups that promote inclusive participation and decision-making.
• Ensure that communities have access to timely, accurate, and accessible information about DCA programmes, services, entitlements, and selection criteria.
• Promote community ownership and sustainability by strengthening local capacities and participation mechanisms.
• Monitor the quality and inclusiveness of community engagement approaches across projects.
• Support project teams to identify and address barriers that limit participation of marginalized and vulnerable groups.

Community Accountability and Empowerment

• Strengthen Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) by ensuring communities actively participate in programme planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Support communities to understand their rights, responsibilities, available services, and complaint-reporting pathways.
• Monitor and assess community satisfaction with programme delivery and recommend improvements.
• Promote transparency by ensuring programme information is communicated in formats accessible to diverse community members.
• Strengthen referral pathways and link communities with available protection, social, and support services.
• Facilitate regular community feedback sessions and community scorecard exercises to assess programme quality and responsiveness.
• Support community-led initiatives that promote social inclusion, peaceful coexistence, gender equality, and protection outcomes.

Position Specification

• Master's Degree in Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, Development Studies, Gender Studies, Human Rights, or another relevant Social Sciences field. 
• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in humanitarian and/or development programming within Uganda and demonstrated experience in gender equality, social inclusion, protection mainstreaming, safeguarding, and accountability programming.
• Experience working with NGOs, community-based organizations, government institutions, and humanitarian coordination structures.
• Proven experience in staff capacity building, facilitation, coaching, and mentoring.
• Experience in designing and conducting assessments, monitoring visits, and programme quality reviews.
• Strong understanding of gender equality, social inclusion, protection mainstreaming, safeguarding, AAP, and conflict-sensitive programming.
• Good knowledge of humanitarian principles, Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), and Human Rights-Based Approaches (PANEL Principles).
• Strong analytical, facilitation, and report writing skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders and multicultural teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
• Ability to work independently and under pressure.
• Commitment to DCA's values, Code of Conduct, and safeguarding principles.
• Excellent written and spoken English. Knowledge of relevant local languages in the West Nile region is an added advantage.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently within programme areas.
• Ability to ride a motorcycle and possession of a valid riding permit is an added advantage.

How to Apply:

All suitable, qualified, and interested candidates who wish to join the DanChurchAid (DCA) should apply online through this link: National vacancies (danchurchaid.org).

Deadline for Applying is 11th September 2026, but Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

DCA is an equal opportunity employer, and all interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply regardless of age, race, gender, marital status, religious, political, or ethnic affiliation. DCA conducts an anti-terror check as part of the recruitment process. It is a prerequisite that you can pass this check and maintain this status throughout your employment with us. Everyone applying for a job with DCA must be ready to comply with our Code of Conduct, Staff Policy on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment and our Child Safeguarding Policy. While we appreciate your interest in working with DCA, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.