Essential Job Details

• Position Title: Project Officer – Gender & Advocacy (CE4HOW)
• Location: Kakamega, Kenya
• Employment Type: Full-Time, Regular
• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Salary: Not disclosed
• Category/Department: Advocacy & Communications
• Reporting To: Project Manager
• Application Deadline: 20 June 2025

Introduction

This urgent and timely Project Officer – Gender & Advocacy job vacancy in Kakamega offers a transformative career opportunity for professionals dedicated to advancing gender equity, climate justice, and sustainable development. The Project Officer – Gender & Advocacy role is designed for individuals passionate about integrating gender perspectives into circular economy innovations, advocating for policy change, and creating inclusive systems for informal waste workers in Kenya.

As a full-time, regular position embedded in Practical Action’s CE4HOW initiative, this is a high-impact, mission-aligned career opportunity. The Project Officer – Gender & Advocacy will be at the forefront of a bold, systems-change project that transforms how household organic waste is managed while embedding gender-responsive practices into every layer of planning, action, and policy influence. This is your opportunity to help build resilient urban communities, support women’s economic empowerment, and promote gender equality through innovative and community-centered development approaches.

About Practical Action

Practical Action is a global development organization committed to ending poverty through innovation and local knowledge. The organization takes pride in applying ingenious ideas to address global problems such as food insecurity, unsafe living conditions, climate change, and systemic gender inequality.

Operating in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Practical Action leverages the strengths of community partnerships, technical consultancy, and development publishing to create meaningful and scalable change. Its core thematic areas include sustainable agriculture, clean energy, disaster resilience, urban sanitation, and circular economies.

In Kenya, Practical Action has been instrumental in supporting government and community actors to transform city systems, enhance access to renewable energy, improve agricultural productivity for smallholder farmers, and build inclusive resilience models. The CE4HOW project in Kakamega is a flagship initiative under this mandate, aiming to drive circular economy innovations through localized waste-to-value chains.

The organization champions a values-based approach centered on collaboration, inclusiveness, accountability, and a bold vision for a just and equitable world. Staff at Practical Action work across geographies, sectors, and ideologies to develop innovative, context-specific solutions that empower people in poverty to change their lives.

Key Responsibilities

Gender and Social Inclusion Integration

• Mainstream gender equity and inclusion across all CE4HOW activities, ensuring transformative approaches are adopted throughout the project lifecycle
• Engage diverse community stakeholders, particularly women and informal waste workers, in shaping participatory strategies and inclusive implementation plans
• Develop and deliver GESI training sessions for staff, community groups, and partners to promote sustainable capacity-building
• Ensure gender-differentiated needs and perspectives are captured in data collection, program planning, and outcome evaluations
• Document case studies and lessons learned related to gender transformative interventions in circular waste economies

Gender-Based Advocacy and Influence

• Lead the design and execution of the project’s gender and advocacy strategy, focusing on policy change at local and national levels
• Organize community dialogues, sensitization forums, and policy workshops to advance inclusive waste and sanitation frameworks
• Mobilize stakeholder networks, including civil society, grassroots organizations, and government actors to endorse the CE4HOW gender agenda
• Represent Practical Action and the CE4HOW project in key policy events, roundtables, and platforms dedicated to gender, sanitation, and urban planning
• Contribute to strategic influence efforts aimed at shifting norms, systems, and resource allocation in favor of gender-just solutions

Programmatic and Technical Support

• Coordinate with CE4HOW project teams to ensure GESI indicators are tracked, monitored, and reported
• Support operationalization of gender action plans within Practical Action and partner organizations, including periodic reviews
• Conduct research and assessments to generate evidence and inform program strategies related to gender in waste management
• Collaborate with other thematic experts to integrate gender into technical tools, knowledge products, and methodologies
• Assist in writing and reviewing donor reports, project deliverables, and internal briefs that highlight gender outcomes

Learning, Networking, and Organizational Engagement

• Facilitate knowledge exchange with other Practical Action teams and gender focal points within the global organization
• Represent the organization in local and national GESI and WASH forums, building recognition of CE4HOW’s contribution to inclusive innovation
• Participate in Practical Action’s global gender working group to align local efforts with broader organizational learning
• Engage with government institutions, donors, and civil society actors to promote dialogue and partnerships around gender-responsive waste policies
• Contribute to Practical Action’s publications, blogs, and knowledge hubs to elevate the project’s gender achievements

Budgeting, Compliance, and Resource Mobilization

• Support gender budgeting processes, ensuring appropriate allocation of resources to inclusion-focused activities
• Monitor expenditures and contribute to effective budget utilization related to gender and advocacy components
• Support the development of funding proposals that scale gender-inclusive circular economy models
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, ethical, and feminist leadership principles in all activities
• Track implementation of donor guidelines and audit recommendations related to gender-related funding streams

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Gender Studies, Sociology, Development Studies, or related social sciences from a recognized institution
• At least 4 years of relevant technical and field experience, with a minimum of 3 years working on gender or advocacy in NGO settings
• Solid understanding of gender and development, women’s rights frameworks, and climate-linked social justice approaches
• Strong skills in facilitation, capacity-building, and knowledge transfer related to GESI programming
• Demonstrated ability to advocate, negotiate, and engage effectively with a wide range of actors including local authorities and informal groups
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to engage marginalized stakeholders effectively
• Proficiency in English is mandatory for both writing and verbal presentations
• Knowledge of advocacy tools, community organizing, and participatory policy processes
• Understanding of sanitation, waste management, or circular economy sectors is a strong advantage
• Experience with gender budgeting and applying gender tools such as GALS or similar methodologies is highly desirable
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, operate in a dynamic environment, and deliver high-quality outputs under pressure
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity and inclusion

Company Culture and Values

Practical Action is a learning organization where collaboration, creativity, and inclusion drive impact. Staff are encouraged to work across boundaries, explore new models, and co-design context-specific solutions with the communities they serve. The workplace culture supports equity, wellbeing, and career development, nurturing an environment where all employees can thrive.

The organization’s code of conduct promotes ethical leadership, transparency, and social accountability. Practical Action prioritizes safeguarding, anti-harassment, and anti-racism in its operations. Every employee is expected to contribute to a safe, respectful, and inclusive organizational culture. In addition, the organization is actively expanding its footprint in feminist leadership, inclusive climate solutions, and locally led development.

How to Apply

Apply now for the Project Officer – Gender & Advocacy (CE4HOW) position.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit their applications to:
Email: recruitment@practicalaction.or.ke

Ensure your application includes the following:

• Updated CV with contact information for three referees
• A motivation letter explaining your suitability for the role

Use the subject line:
Practical Action: Project Officer – Gender & Advocacy (CE4HOW)

Deadline for applications: 20 June 2025

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. All applications will be handled confidentially and reviewed based solely on merit.

Equal Opportunity Notice:
Practical Action is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applicants from underrepresented groups, including women, youth, persons with disabilities, and ethnic minorities. We are committed to building inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve.

Safeguarding Commitment:
The organization has robust policies to ensure child protection and safety of vulnerable adults. All successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks in line with Practical Action’s safeguarding policies.

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Project Officer Gender & Advocacy Kenya, CE4HOW project job vacancy, gender mainstreaming specialist Kakamega, inclusive development jobs Practical Action, circular economy advocacy role Kenya