Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights Portfolio Manager

About Sonke

With a full-time staff of 100 people working from offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Agincourt, Sonke works globally, and especially across Africa, to strengthen government, civil society and citizen capacity to take action to promote gender equality, prevent domestic and sexual violence and reduce the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS. In this way the organisation contributes to the development of societies in which men, women, youth and children can enjoy equitable, healthy and happy relationships that contribute to the development of just and democratic societies (see https://genderjustice.org.za/).

Sonke’s Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) work

The SRHR Manager plays a key role in the development, management and implementation of the organization’s SRHR work and deliverables, particularly for overseeing four key projects;

1. Gender integration in family planning and reproductive health in partnership with APC, FHI360 and USAID missions and implementing partners;
2. Increasing men and boys’ uptake of HIV services in partnership with UNAIDS, IPPF and the MenEngage Alliance;
3. Developing and implementing the Community Health Clinic Model for Agency in Relationships and Safer Microbicide Adherence in partnership with RTI and WRHI.
4. Providing support and technical assistance to support implementation and integration of SRHR, HIV, and gender equality work at Sonke’s One Man Can Wellness Centre in combination with UCT, UCSF and Brown University.

In addition, the SRHR manager will propose new areas of work, and seek organisational buy-in and funding for these, to include a focus on some of the following areas: comprehensive sexuality education in schools, advocacy for legal and policy reform related to teenage pregnancy, advocacy to increase support in South Africa and across the region for women’s access to safe and legal abortion, amongst others, advocacy and partnership with organisations working on LGBTQ rights.

About the position

The position includes: project coordination; strategic partnerships and networking; campaign and advocacy strategy development, including the use of media and communications strategies; donor reporting and resource mobilization and internal collaboration and supporting other SRHR activities. The position is based in either the Johannesburg or Cape Town office.

The SRHR manager ensures that Sonke SRHR work is visible and impactful in South Africa and at regional and global levels by focusing on these work areas:

1. Mainstreaming SRHR into Sonke’s units and portfolios;
2. Strengthening strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations and institutions
3. Promoting men and boys’ use of HIV services;
4. Increasing men’s use and support for family planning;
5. Preventing teenage pregnancy;
6. Supporting human rights of LGBTI people; and
7. Promoting gender equality in SRHR, including in new HIV prevention technologies such as microbicide.

Contract period

The position will begin ASAP and run through the end of December 2018, although it is anticipated that additional funding will be available for continuation beyond that period.

Duties and Responsibilities

Department Management and administration

1. Support budget management of SRHR projects in collaboration with relevant project managers, and work closely with Sonke’s finance team;
2. Support the strategic development and growth of Sonke’s SRHR work, in collaboration with the Regional Capacity Building Director overseeing SRHR and colleagues in the portfolio;
3. Support relevant internal audit processes, in conjunction with existing staff and the Director;
4. Manage the further development of SRHR related M&E tools and processes, the SRHR Operational Plan, linkages to Sonke’s overall Strategic Plan, and work closely with the organisation’s M&E staff.

Work planning and staff management

5. Monitor and support implementation of the department’s SRHR projects, ensuring appropriate interconnections between activities and internal organisational collaboration;
6. Conduct monthly documented supervision, and periodic appraisals, with SRHR staff members in collaboration with the Director to facilitate work planning and follow up;
7. Convene SRHR team meetings, project planning and review meetings
8. Manage staff development plans and other human resource matters for the Department, and play a key role in building the financial and budget management skills of the team;
9. Facilitate team building, team identity and strengthen working relations between individuals;

Project Co-ordination

10. Oversee, in collaboration with others, a USAID-funded and NORAD-funded SRHR projects on family planning, men and HIV and Microbicides, and implement certain agreed deliverables, ensuring adherence to timelines;
11. Ensure timely development, processing and authorization of payments, contracts and agreements, and that project costs remain within budget;

Strategic partnerships and Networking

12. Support the development and maintenance of new and existing SRHR strategic alliances with relevant individuals and organisations to advance Sonke’s work;
13. Represent Sonke in a professional manner among different audiences;

Campaign and advocacy strategies

14. Develop, test and rollout an ambitious national and regional SRHR campaign
15. Support other campaign and advocacy strategies to strengthen Sonke’s SRHR activities and the impact of its work
16. Support the development of advocacy briefs, campaign materials, training manuals, and other SRHR resources

Media and communications strategy

17. Working with Sonke’s communications manager, build and strengthen relationships with national and regional media to ensure wide coverage and public awareness of SRHR issues
18. Support work with a wide range of media to promote rights literacy and advance SRHR advocacy.

Donor reporting and resource mobilisation

19. Manage the delivery of high quality SRHR reports and documents, particularly those intended for external audiences and donors;
20. Support resource mobilisation for the SRHR work of the organisation;

Internal collaboration and supporting broader SRHR activities

21. Draw on the expertise and resources of other staff within Sonke, and ensure the whole organization benefits from the organisation’s broader SRHR work;
22. Attend Sonke and related project meetings and other activities, when appropriate;
23. Assist, where necessary, in the development of research carried out in relation to SRHR

Competencies

• Recognised commitment to promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equality, human rights and social justice;
• Demonstrating consistency in upholding and promoting the principles of Sonke;
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse team and in varied environments;
• Familiarity with gender transformative work with men and boys, including primary social change strategies, key organisations and networks in South Africa and beyond;
• Familiarity with SRHR issues, particularly as they relate to men and masculinities;
• Familiarity with existing policies and programmes in South Africa and beyond relating to the promotion of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health;
• Knowledge of campaign and advocacy techniques, strategies and practices;
• Knowledge of media, communication and public relation strategies
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, multi task and take initiative;
• Strong strategic and analytical abilities;
• Demonstrated technical expertise in such areas as: project management, budget and resource management; monitoring and evaluation; donor reporting
• Strong leadership skills in such areas as: fostering teamwork, developing and motivating others (including coaching), results-based management and conflict resolution;
• Effective under pressure and delivers on time;
• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity;
• Good presentation and facilitation skills;
• Ability to network and develop and maintain partnerships (internal and external);
• Excellent communication skills both oral and written in English is a must; additional African languages an advantage.

Qualifications

• Recognised university degree in relevant subject area; post graduate qualification an advantage;
• 10 years of work experience in a relevant field; experience in South Africa or the African region preferred
• 5 years of people management experience
;
• Project management experience, including administrative, budget management, work planning, monitoring and evaluation and results based management; experience doing so within civil society organisations will be advantageous;
• Proven skills in fundraising a benefit;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite applications; i.e. Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and custom on-line applications;
• Possess a valid passport and willing to travel as required 20-30% of the time.