Summary
Date Posted: Saturday, April 17, 2021 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Vacancy Name Manager, Advocacy
Employment Type Full Time (Fixed Term)
Childfund Work Location Nairobi, Kenya
Childfund Division Global Operations
ChildFund Department Program Delivery Support
Job Details CHILDFUND INTERNATIONAL
JOB RE-ADVERTISEMENT
Title: Advocacy Manager
Location: Kenya Country Office
Reporting Relationship: Country Director

ChildFund International works throughout Africa, Asia and the Americas to connect children with the people, resources and institutions. Children need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe, wherever they are. Delivered through over 250 local implementing partner organizations, our programs address the underlying conditions that prevent any child or youth from achieving their full potential. We place a special emphasis on child protection throughout our approach because violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect can reverse developmental gains in an instant.

In Kenya, ChildFund works through local partner organizations spread across 26 counties. Our programmes focus on Education, Health and Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Household Economics Strengthening, and Emergency response. .

Job Summary
The Advocacy Manager is responsible for ChildFund International's advocacy strategy at Country Office (CO) and Regional Office (RO) levels that enables ChildFund and its local partners to advocate with decision-makers for the protection and welfare of children in its operating areas nationally. The position will play a key role in the engagement with the AU, other regional bodies and the Joining Forces Alliance in Africa and will profile ChildFund at various stakeholder forums to bring ChildFund’s advocacy agenda to the fore.

The Manager oversees and supports’ country/RO/Global advocacy strategy development, execution and coordination in Africa. Conceptualizes, develops and implements an advocacy plan for the effective creation, implementation and/or amendment, enactment and enforcement of policies at a regional level. The Manager is also responsible for providing technical leadership and strategic direction to the countries to better engage in policy advocacy, including supporting policy analysis and M&E efforts, advocacy risk assessments and networking strategies to work with other child-focused organizations nationally.

The position leads and supports regional engagement in advocacy work with stakeholders, partners, youth and children organizations to formulate and implement advocacy plans that bring to the forefront their voices.

Multi-Country role supporting the COs advocacy roles, represents the Regional Office at the AU and in inter-agency advocacy networks and builds relationships with governments and non-government institutions at international, regional and national levels for effective sharing and coordination on actions, learnings, technical support and resource mobilization. The Advocacy Manager will also help to ensure that the policy advocacy efforts of the organization align with relevant regional and international priorities and movements and supports the Regional Communications Specialist to lead the regional visibility strategy, and design tools for external engagement. This will be achieved in part through close collaboration with the global advocacy team at ChildFund International, ChildFund Alliance Secretariat and other Alliance members.

Major Responsibilities
Develop and execute Regional Office (RO) advocacy strategy.
Conduct a contextual analysis to identify the advocacy issue/focus area for the RO’s advocacy plan and develop an advocacy strategy aligned to ChildFund International’s advocacy guidance, operational advocacy guidance, program strategy of the Country offices, and regional context. The strategy should be evident through a plan that can bring the expected policy formulation, policy change and policy implementation. It is framed within the life stage program strategies of ChildFund with a focus on child protection and would require the design, and development of tools for external engagement.
Work with CO advocacy team at ChildFund International to assure interlinkages between AU advocacy priorities and other ongoing global reporting processors such as SDGs, CRC, UPR or CEDAW and ensure ChildFund’s active contribution.

External representation and communications/Visibility strategy
Responsible for Organization representation and influence at strategic networks and coalitions, making visible COs’ programmatic and policy advocacy efforts. Networking and coalition building would be a required precondition for policy reform. This includes leveraging Regional Director involvement in policy influencing at CO and regional levels when applicable.

Conceptualize and execute strategic events at key moments to advance policy agenda and visibility. Proactively creates, identifies and organizes engagements for senior ChildFund leaders to profile issues with relevant networks and policy and advocacy stakeholders to share ChildFund perspectives and increase organizational influence and profile.

Policy communications
Responsible along with communication specialist to develop and reach target audiences with
local media position statements on issues as well as for the production of collateral material
for advocacy purposes. Synthesize programmatic and academic research to develop policy
recommendations and the documents (policy briefs, infographics, etc.) to communicate them to
decision-makers.

Knowledge management and learning
Develop learning and knowledge management products related to policy advocacy that meet standards and enable organization-wide learning and sharing by documenting approaches, project and program designs and lessons, case studies and other knowledge products. Seek and leverage existing knowledge management products in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

Capacity Building
Improves the policy advocacy knowledge and skills of staff to assure that COs are adequately supporting our strategy. Works to improve the competencies of partners to develop and implement a more influential policy advocacy approach which can bring results. Staff and partners are provided with an improvement in their knowledge, skills, and aptitudes that will thus help to advance policy advocacy efforts and initiatives. This includes the use of technical tools and resources, spearheading capacity building and learning activities, and providing guidance (as needed) on what quality standards in policy advocacy are, such as conducting policy analysis risk assessments, etc.

Resource Mobilization for Advocacy
Actively pursues funding opportunities that can support the implementation of the advocacy plan and to lead in the proposal development of advocacy centered projects. Identification, selection, and integration of viable partners and consortia to participate in proposal development processes will be a must as well as addressing donor issues and requirement during implementation of grant funded projects. Support Country Office Advocacy Specialists coordinate the Alliance advocacy focus areas at Country Office (CO) level.

Child Safeguarding
Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Child Safeguarding Policy. This will be imperative at times when children and youth participate in any advocacy activities.

Qualification/Experience

• 5+ years of demonstrated experience in policy advocacy, media relations and communications or other relevant area.
• Proven knowledge of government policies, laws, and systems that impact the rights and well-being of children in Africa.
• Child-protection related program development and implementation experience.
• Experience in Prevention of Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children is an added advantage.
• Policy and/or budget analysis experience
• Demonstrated ability to develop and carry out advocacy activities.
• Leading and managing processes of a strategic advocacy plan.
• Familiarity with Advocacy MEL methodologies
• Understanding of risks involved with conducting advocacy within the operating country and ability to develop and execute mitigation strategies.
• Proven experience developing toolkits for policy communication.
• Proven experience developing policy communication materials such as policy briefs, information briefs, budget briefs and etc.
• Experience and evidence of success in representation, networking and coalition work.
• Strong interpersonal and public relations skills, including ability to work as part of a local and international team; and
• Proven experience working with media.
• Excellent communications skills, written and oral.
• English fluency and proficiency in French and Portuguese as an added advantage
• Computer proficiency with Microsoft Office products and online communication platforms (e.g., WebEx, Skype for Business)

Education
Master’s degree in social development, communications, social science, public policy or other relevant discipline or equivalent relevant work experience.
Demonstrate Competencies

• Good technical knowledge in the field of policy advocacy.
• Experience working with policymakers and advocates at a country and regional level.
• Experience working and building collaborative relations with members of civil society, government, academia, media and the private sector.
• Good written and oral communication skills in English.
• Strong organizational, inter-personal, communication and report writing skills.
• Computer literate in word processing and excel packages.
• Experience in developing and monitoring budgets.
• An understanding of child well-being and their protection and fulfilment

Support
The Advocacy Manager will be part of the matrixed global advocacy team across the world, which will provide support in the development and execution of his/her responsibilities. Preferably these global team members provide input into recruitment, performance planning and evaluation. The primary global team members for this position will be:
• Program and Partnership: Program Delivery Support, Country Office Advocacy

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

ChildFund International is committed to safeguarding the interests, rights, and well-being of children with whom it is in contact and to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for children. ChildFund is an equal opportunity employer.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Level of Education: Postgraduate Degree

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Job application procedure
Interested candidates who meet the above qualifications should apply via www.ChildFund.org  to reach us not later than Wednesday 21st April 2021.

Candidates who already applied for the previous advertisement should not apply for this and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Job disclaimer and notification:
Beware of scams – ChildFund International does not ask for payment at any point during our recruitment process.

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