Program Associate at Rise to Inspire Africa (RIA) Initiative

Job Title: Program Associate

Project Summary

• Rise to Inspire Africa (RIA) Initiative, in partnership with Fos Feminista and funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), is implementing the Sang Pour Sang project.
• This 18-month initiative focuses on addressing harmful social norms and fostering private-sector engagement to advance menstrual health, rights, and justice.
• The project will be implemented in Fufore, Yola North, and Yola South LGAs of Adamawa State, targeting community and workplace transformation through advocacy, education, and collaboration.
• RIA is seeking a passionate and qualified individual to support the successful implementation of this impactful project.
• The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience in community engagement, a strong commitment to gender equality, and the ability to drive meaningful changes at the grassroots level.

Job Overview / Summary

• The Program Associate will play a key role in supporting the implementation of the Sang Pour Sang project, an initiative focused on advancing menstrual health, rights, and justice through advocacy, community engagement, and private-sector partnerships.
• The Program Associate will coordinate program activities, build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, and ensure the effective execution of strategies to challenge harmful social norms and promote menstrual health education.
• The ideal candidate will bring a passion for social impact, hands-on experience in community engagement or advocacy, and a strong commitment to gender equality and health equity.
• This role offers an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to transforming attitudes and practices around menstrual health in Adamawa State.

Reporting and Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to:  Director of Program,
• Position directly supervises: Community Volunteers
• Indirect Reporting: Executive Director   
• Other Internal and/or external contacts:
• Internal: Operations teams (Finance, HR/Admin, Procurement Team)
• External: Fos Feminista Colleagues, Other IPs in Adamawa (TFT, HARAF, BF360, DKF) and Abuja (ASVIOL, EVA), Government Ministries and Agencies, Private sector players.

Major Responsibilities

• Assist in planning, coordinating, and implementing project activities focused on menstrual health advocacy, education, and private-sector engagement.
• Monitor and evaluate program progress to ensure alignment with project goals, timelines, and deliverables.
• Collaborate with community organizations, local leaders, and advocates to promote education and reduce menstrual health stigma.
• Organize and facilitate community engagement sessions to amplify the voices of women, girls, and marginalized groups.
• Develop and disseminate advocacy materials to influence policies and shift harmful social norms around menstruation.
• Provide logistical and administrative support for workshops, campaigns, and events promoting menstrual health rights and justice.
• Support the development of strategic partnerships with private sector entities to expand resources and initiatives for menstrual health.
• Identify opportunities for corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives focused on menstrual health and collaborate with stakeholders to co-create impactful campaigns and programs.
• Conduct research on menstrual health-related barriers, policies, and best practices to inform program activities.
• Draft reports, briefs, and policy recommendations to guide advocacy efforts and stakeholder engagement.
• Track activity implementation and collect data to measure the impact of project activities.
• Prepare regular updates, progress reports, and evaluation summaries for internal and external stakeholders.

Keys to Success:
The following will be instrumental to the success of the successful candidate:

• Building and maintaining relationships with community leaders, private sector stakeholders, and local organizations to ensure collaboration and support.
• Employing culturally sensitive and inclusive approaches to engage communities, reduce stigma, and amplify the voices of women, girls, and marginalized groups.
• Collaborating with businesses to promote menstrual-friendly policies, CSR initiatives, and joint campaigns to sustain project impact.
• Leveraging research, data, and success stories to influence policies, shift social norms, and promote menstrual health justice.

Qualifications
Education:

• Higher National Diploma (HND) or Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, International Development, or a related field.

Experience:

• A Minimum of 2 years of experience in advocacy, community engagement, or program management, preferably in gender or health-focused projects.
• Familiarity with private sector engagement, CSR initiatives, or public-private partnerships is a plus.

Essential Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong Understanding of menstrual health, gender equality, and social norm change.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in event coordination, report writing, and data collection.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines effectively.
• Strong research skills.

Key Competencies:

• Ability to craft compelling messages to influence policies and public perceptions.
• Awareness and respect for diverse cultural and social norms.
• A team player capable of building and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders.
• Creative and proactive approach to overcoming challenges
• Speaking Hausa and/ or Fulfude fluently will be an added advantage.

Application Instructions:

The application deadline is on 30th December, 2024. Qualified and interested candidates can: Click here to apply online. It is important to visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply successfully for this vacancy.

Website:
Official Job Website:  https://ria-initiative.org/

Note:

Due to the nature of this role we will be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis and the role might be filled and closed before the closing date. Early applications are encouraged.