Social & Gender Officer

Location: Sangamner

Hiring for:
Social-cum-Gender Expert (FPCs) - 1 Position   ( Women candidate preferred )

Location:

Sangamner (Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra)

A little bit about who we are

Established in 1993, WOTR is a nationally recognized development organization working at the intersection of climate resilience, natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, livelihoods, women's empowerment, and institutional development. WOTR collaborates with communities, government agencies, research institutions, civil society organizations, and private-sector partners to enhance the resilience and prosperity of vulnerable rural communities. Over the past three decades, WOTR has implemented and supported large-scale development programmes across India, contributing significantly to climate adaptation, watershed development, farmer institution strengthening, and sustainable livelihood enhancement.

ProRISE Phase II is a strategic initiative focused on strengthening Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) as climate-resilient, market-oriented agribusiness enterprises that enhance farmer incomes, promote sustainable agriculture, empower women, and strengthen rural economies.

Position Overview
The Gender Expert will be responsible for promoting women's participation, leadership, and entrepreneurship within Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs). The role will involve working closely with women farmers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), FPC members, community institutions, and local stakeholders to ensure that women and marginalized communities actively participate in and benefit from FPC business activities.
The position requires extensive field engagement and hands-on support for implementing women-centric livelihood, enterprise, leadership development, and social inclusion initiatives.

Key Responsibilities
Women Mobilization & Institution Strengthening
Mobilize women farmers and rural women entrepreneurs to participate in FPC activities.
Facilitate women's membership, shareholding, and active participation in FPCs.
Strengthen women producer groups, SHGs, commodity groups, and village-level institutions.
Promote collective action among women for production, aggregation, processing, and marketing activities.
Women Entrepreneurship & Livelihood Promotion
Identify and support women entrepreneurs linked to FPC value chains.
Facilitate women-led business activities such as:
Primary collection centres
Input retail outlets
Seed production groups
Nursery enterprises
Processing and value addition units
Custom hiring services
Aggregation and marketing activities
Support women in preparing business plans and accessing enterprise development opportunities.
Gender Mainstreaming in FPC Operations
Ensure women's participation in FPC meetings, trainings, exposure visits, and business activities.
Support implementation of gender-sensitive interventions across production, aggregation, processing, and marketing activities.
Facilitate inclusion of women in FPC governance structures and decision-making processes.
Capacity Building & Training
Conduct training programmes on:
Women's leadership
Entrepreneurship development
Financial literacy
Business management
Gender equality
Governance and participation
Market-oriented livelihood opportunities
Organize exposure visits, field demonstrations, and peer learning programmes for women farmers and entrepreneurs.
Financial Inclusion & Access to Services
Facilitate access to:
Bank accounts
Credit and loans
Government schemes
Insurance services
Enterprise development programmes
Support women members in accessing institutional finance and livelihood enhancement opportunities.
Social Inclusion & Community Engagement
Ensure participation of smallholders, tribal communities, landless households, youth, and other vulnerable groups in project activities.
Conduct awareness programmes on gender equality, women's rights, and economic empowerment.
Engage with families and community leaders to create an enabling environment for women's participation in economic activities.
Documentation & Reporting
Maintain records of women participation, training programmes, enterprises promoted, and social inclusion initiatives.
Collect field data and success stories related to women empowerment and livelihood enhancement.
Support preparation of progress reports, case studies, and project documentation.
Track key indicators related to women's participation, leadership, income enhancement, and enterprise development.
Stakeholder Coordination
Coordinate with:
FPC management teams
SHGs and village institutions
Government departments
NRLM and livelihood missions
Financial institutions
NGOs and development partners
Market actors and buyers
Facilitate convergence with relevant government schemes and programmes benefiting women farmers and entrepreneurs.
Desired Qualifications
Master's Degree or Bachelor's Degree in Gender Studies, Social Work, Rural Development, Sociology, Development Studies, Agriculture Extension, or related disciplines.
Additional training in gender, livelihoods, entrepreneurship development, or community…