BOMA, a non-profit organization established in 2006, is dedicated to ending extreme poverty in Africa’s drylands. The organization envisions a future where communities living in the most vulnerable environments are economically empowered and resilient to multiple shocks, including those induced by climate change. Through its context-adaptive Rural Entrepreneur Access Project (REAP) model, BOMA equips women, youth, and refugees with the skills, resources, and networks necessary to establish sustainable livelihoods.
Since its inception, BOMA has directly impacted over one million people across Africa’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Its interventions focus on empowering women and youth at the last mile by leveraging data-driven, technology-enabled, and participant-centered approaches to achieve measurable, scalable, and sustainable outcomes.
Currently, BOMA is implementing a transformative five-year initiative known as the Creating Shared Value with Young People in the Livestock Sector (CASHA) Project. This program aims to improve the livelihoods of 300,000 women and youth across 15 ASAL counties in Kenya by enhancing their participation in livestock and agricultural value chains. CASHA’s goal is to foster resilience, promote inclusivity, and facilitate equitable access to market opportunities, financial resources, and employment in the agricultural sector.
The target counties for this program are grouped into four clusters:
- North Eastern Cluster – Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Tana River, and Kitui
- Upper Eastern Cluster – Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, and Laikipia
- Lower Eastern Cluster – Kajiado, Makueni, and Taita Taveta
- North Rift Cluster – Turkana, West Pokot, and Baringo
Through these clusters, CASHA seeks to address systemic issues such as gender inequality, limited access to finance, weak market linkages, and the adverse effects of climate change on livelihoods. The project utilizes a Challenge Fund model, strategic partnerships, and tailored capacity-building initiatives to promote gender equity, social inclusion, and youth empowerment.
To strengthen the impact of its work, BOMA is seeking to recruit a Gender, Social Inclusion, Youth and Safeguarding Officer who will play a key role in ensuring that gender equality, youth engagement, and safeguarding principles are effectively integrated into all aspects of the CASHA Project.
Job Summary
The Gender, Social Inclusion, Youth and Safeguarding Officer will be responsible for providing strategic leadership, technical guidance, and operational oversight on gender equality, social inclusion (GESI), and safeguarding initiatives within the CASHA project.
This role will ensure that the project’s design and implementation adhere to gender-transformative and socially inclusive principles, promoting the participation of women, youth, refugees, and marginalized groups. The officer will also ensure that the project upholds safeguarding standards, builds staff and community capacity, and strengthens mechanisms for accountability and protection against exploitation and abuse.
The position requires a professional with deep expertise in GESI programming, youth engagement, and safeguarding within the context of Kenya’s ASAL regions. The officer will work closely with the CASHA Project Lead, technical staff, consortium partners, and other stakeholders to ensure gender-sensitive and inclusive programming throughout all stages of project execution.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership and Technical Direction
- Provide technical direction and leadership on gender equality, youth inclusion, and safeguarding across all project components.
- Develop and oversee the implementation of the project’s Gender, Social Inclusion, and Safeguarding (GSS) Strategy and Action Plan.
- Use GESI analysis to inform inclusive targeting and participation of women, youth, refugees, and persons with disabilities.
- Conduct gender and social inclusion assessments to guide program design and delivery.
- Offer technical advice on gender-responsive climate adaptation and livestock sector policies.
- Support gender-responsive budgeting and resource allocation processes within the project.
- Pilot innovative approaches to engage young people and marginalized groups, including digital skilling, mentorship, and climate-smart entrepreneurship initiatives.
2. Policy and Framework Development
- Review and update gender and safeguarding policies in alignment with international best practices.
- Develop technical guidance materials and operational tools for GESI integration.
- Lead the creation and implementation of Safeguarding Frameworks and Risk Mitigation Matrices.
- Train project staff and partners on safeguarding policies, protocols, and reporting procedures.
- Strengthen community-based feedback and grievance reporting systems to ensure safety, accountability, and responsiveness.
3. Capacity Building and Training
- Conduct staff capacity assessments on gender and social inclusion to identify knowledge gaps and training needs.
- Develop and facilitate GESI and safeguarding training modules for staff, implementing partners, and community structures.
- Promote awareness among staff and communities about gender equity, protection standards, and social inclusion principles.
- Mentor project staff on the integration of GESI principles into daily operations and activity design.
4. Program Design, Implementation and Advisory Support
- Integrate gender equality and social inclusion objectives into all stages of the project lifecycle.
- Support the development of inclusive business models and value chain interventions targeting women and youth.
- Ensure that communication and behavior change campaigns reflect GESI-sensitive messages.
- Collaborate with technical teams to mainstream gender and safeguarding across activity plans, budgets, and monitoring frameworks.
- Foster partnerships with organizations championing women’s empowerment, youth skilling, and inclusive development.
5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)
- Work closely with the MEL team to develop gender-sensitive indicators and data collection tools.
- Ensure integration of gender and safeguarding metrics into the project’s results framework and reporting systems.
- Monitor implementation progress and measure the impact of gender and inclusion interventions.
- Use data and learning insights to inform adaptive programming and enhance project effectiveness.
- Track progress against GESI and safeguarding objectives to ensure continuous improvement.
6. Reporting and Knowledge Management
- Prepare detailed periodic reports on gender equality, youth engagement, and safeguarding progress.
- Contribute to knowledge-sharing materials such as success stories, case studies, and policy briefs.
- Support the communication team in documenting GESI-related learnings and project impacts.
- Contribute to donor reports by providing evidence-based updates on inclusion and safeguarding outcomes.
- Compile and synthesize lessons learned to inform future program design and implementation.
7. Coordination, Representation, and Advocacy
- Represent BOMA in GESI and safeguarding coordination forums and sectoral working groups.
- Advocate for gender equity and social inclusion principles within consortium networks and government partnerships.
- Collaborate with other technical officers to ensure alignment of GESI and safeguarding objectives with broader program goals.
- Promote a culture of accountability and inclusivity within project teams and implementing partners.
8. Operational Support and Resource Management
- Ensure that GESI priorities are adequately reflected in program budgets and resource plans.
- Conduct risk assessments for field activities to identify and mitigate safeguarding and inclusion-related risks.
- Map youth and women beneficiaries to suitable employment and enterprise development opportunities.
- Monitor implementation partners to ensure compliance with BOMA’s safeguarding and inclusion standards.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong understanding of gender equality, youth empowerment, and social inclusion frameworks, combined with practical field experience in Kenya’s ASAL regions. The role requires someone who can effectively balance strategic oversight with hands-on program implementation support, and who has a commitment to advancing protection and equity for marginalized groups.
Applicants should possess strong analytical, coordination, and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders including government institutions, donor agencies, local organizations, and community representatives.
How to Apply
This position is a full-time role based in Nairobi, with frequent travel to field locations across Kenya’s ASAL counties.
Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit their applications through BOMA’s recruitment portal before 9th October 2025. Late applications will not be considered.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.
