Coordinator: African Feminist Forum 2026

 

Job Vacancy 

We are hiring to fill a vacancy for the position of Coordinator: African Feminist Forum 2026. To fill this position, we are looking for a highly motivated team leader  and events convener who is passionate about women’s rights in Africa, excited about African feminisms, and embraces African women’s diversity to join our team. 

 

➢ Coordinator: African Feminist Forum 2026

 

Background 

As a pan-African feminist fund, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) resources, strengthens and upholds women’s rights and feminist organisations and movements across Africa, in order to make gender justice a reality for all on our continent and worldwide. 

Over the past 24 years, AWDF has  awarded approximately USD 100 million to women’s rights and feminist organisations throughout Africa (and in selected Middle Eastern countries through one of our initiatives). Through its grantmaking, programmatic and advocacy work, AWDF has supported work that led to changes in law and policy, social norms, narrative, and movement-building for gender justice. 

Building on its strong track record, in 2023 AWDF launched Lemlem, a ten-year strategic framework (2023-2033), which guides its efforts to advance gender equality and gender justice for girls, women and gender-diverse people across Africa.  At its core, the strategy’s focus is on resourcing, nurturing and strengthening those who are best placed to achieve transformative change: African women’s and feminist groups, organisations and movements. AWDF has recently developed a communications strategy, which focuses on three primary areas: strategic and political communications, programmatic Communications, and institutional communications.

 

Coordinator: African Feminist Forum 2026: 

Are you a dynamic individual  with experience in facilitating cross-regional movement-building, conceptualising and coordinating multi-stakeholder regional and international level events? Are you familiar with or excited about African feminist organising structures and tools like the African Feminist Forums (AFFs), the Charter of Feminist Principles for African Feminists and various Non AFF communities within which activists and movements organise?

 

Are you excited about steering initiatives linked to key moments like the 20th anniversary of the Charter and the AFFs and mobilising resources, people, processes and spaces to honour, reflect and celebrate such moments?

 

Are you comfortable with navigating multiple stakeholder interests, providing strategic leadership and thought to diverse autonomous co-leadership groups, funders, grantee partners, and diverse movement entities to foster solidarity, partnerships and community? We would like you to join our team! 

 

TEAM PURPOSE/ RATIONALE/MANDATE 

The team is primarily responsible for coordinating AWDF’s work related to the African Feminist Forums and the Charter. This encompasses both the formalised and non-formalised structures within which movements and activists across the continent and the diaspora convene and organise. The team will conceptualise, facilitate and implement well thought, participatory and inclusive processes to reimagine feminist communities linked to AFF, non-AFF structures and the Charter. The team’s work is guided by the Nurturing strategy and aligned to the programmes Department strategy and the Lemlem.

Job Summary 

This role is responsible for strengthening African feminist movements through overseeing, coordinating and implementing activities related to the African Feminist Forums (AFFs), the Charter of Feminist Principles for African Feminists and Non African Feminist Forums’ communities within which activists and movements organise. It includes steering initiatives linked to key moments like the 20th anniversary of the Charter and the AFFs and mobilising resources, people, processes and spaces to honour, reflect, learn and celebrate this milestone but not limited to 2026.

The Coordinator’s role contributes to strategic and organisational learning on best practice, politics and approaches to nourishing movements through AWDF’s strategic priorities one, two and three which aim to resource; foster partnership, solidarity and care in movements; and promote the nurturing of diverse African feminist narratives respectively. In addition, the role impacts and achieves collaboratively across teams and strategic priorities four and five. The role also keeps the Programmes Department updated, and flags any concerns identified to the Director of Programmes and/or members of the Senior Management Team as appropriately.

Specific Duties 

Strategy Implementation 

• As a member of the Programmes Department, contribute to achieving the vision of the organisation, through leading implementation of critical elements of the Programmes Strategy and the Nurturing Cluster;
• Develop and guide implementation of engagement strategies, plans and processes for refreshing the African Feminist Forums and the Charter of Feminist Principles for African Feminists.
• Serve as focal point for the African Feminist Forums  (AFFs), non African Feminist Forums’ feminist communities and the Charter.
• Manage the strategic relationships with the African Feminist Forums Working Group, funders, resourced partners, and movement entities involved in this work
• Promote strategic linkages from the work to inspire AWDF’s strategic direction in resourcing, fostering solidarity, promoting feminist narratives and influencing philanthropic ecosystems.

Leadership and people management

• Promote and contribute to the effectiveness and culture of the Nurturing Cluster and the Programmes Department;
• Coordinate and manage internal resources including engaging staff and consultants to ensure timely and smooth delivery of the initiative’s objectives and awarded contracts;
• Develop and lead approaches that enrich a culture of team collaboration, cross functionality and participation in the initiative’s activities and in the Nurturing cluster processes.

Programme Management monitoring and learning 

• Oversee and lead all aspects of the planning and implementation of activities related to the AFFs (national, regional) and non-African Feminist Forums organising structures across the continent. 
• Ensure the planning and delivery of the portfolio activities is within scope, within time and within budget
• Contribute to the development of planning, learning, monitoring, reporting as it relates to the African Feminist Forums (national, regional) and non-African Feminist Forums organising structures portfolio.
• Guide portfolio level monitoring and evaluation support and accompaniment to African Feminist Forums and non-African Feminist Forums structures engaged in the initiative to ensure quality learning by and among partners
• Provide timely input and technical analysis into reports and relevant documents, including donor proposals and reports, including supporting and building the capacity of partners to document experiences and outcomes for reporting and evidence based influencing, etc
• Represent AWDF in external meetings related to African Feminist Forums, the African feminist Charter and Nurturing. 

Budget management 

• Monitor and ensure effective resource allocation and expenditure for activities related to the African Feminist Forums (national, regional) and non-African Feminist Forums structures, ensuring that deliverables are within allocated budget and organisational financial policies;
• Work out required resources for implementing the Initiative and work with the Nurturing Cluster; Programmes Department and Partnerships and Philanthropy Departments to address gaps. 

Essential Knowledge and Experience 

• Demonstrate values and principles of feminist and social and gender justice rights – preferably with expertise in cross-regional movement strengthening and feminist advocacy. based development and organising in Africa
• Strong background conceptualising, guiding and implementing multi-stakeholder convenings of an international or regional nature
• Gets to the heart of complex problems and issues. Applies own expertise effectively.
• Communicates well in writing.
• The ability to "do what works best - do what is sensible, grounded, and practical.
• Communicates and networks effectively. Successfully persuades and influences others. 
• Relates to others in a confident and collegiate manner.
• Ability to set clear priorities, objectives and work allocations, tracking progress against plans and taking appropriate action to ensure targets are met.
• Work cooperatively with others to overcome conflict and build towards a common goal.

Qualifications 

• At least 6 years’ work experience in feminist/human rights/ social justice/ rights-based development  
• Experience in feminist organising, particularly; cross-regional movement strengthening and feminist advocacy and organising in Africa. 
• Experience leading programme management with alliances, consortia and coalitions of feminist and African women’s organisations will be an added advantage. 
• In-depth knowledge of African women’s rights issues and concerns, strong analytical, writing and editing skills.

Job Location 

AWDF House, Accra – Ghana or work remotely from any African country where you have the legal right to work from. 

Organisational Competencies: 

All staff members must demonstrate AWDF Core values in all their professional relationships and any interactions that may reflect on AWDF: 

Accountability & Integrity 

Solidarity & Collective care 

Intersectionality & Meaningful Inclusion 

Learning & Adaptability 

Courage & Joy 

Creativity & Curiosity 

AWDF has a Zero Tolerance Approach to all forms of corruption which is an offence for which immediate dismissal without benefits will result. 

 

Salary range: USD 30,946 - USD 42,563 (annually) 

● Midpoint: USD 42,563 (annually) 

● In practice, we only make offers between the entry point and the midpoint of our salary scale (i.e. between USD 30,946 and USD  42,563 (annually) 

 

How to Apply: 

Qualified and interested persons should send: 

A cover letter of not more than 2 pages to the Human Resources Manager explaining their interest and excitement in applying for the position to work for AWDF; and highlighting their experience and competencies as they relate to the specific areas of duties indicated in the vacancy to demonstrate a good fit for the role. 

A CV of not more than 3 pages outlining their educational qualifications and employment records with key achievements on relevant positions held. 

Applications for the vacancy should reach AWDF no later than Wednesday, 27th November 2024. Due to our limited capacity, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for additional information and interviews. 

In line with AWDF’s Mission, qualified African women are encouraged to apply.