FEMNET Head of Advocacy Programme

Position: Head of Advocacy Programme

Deadline: 4 February 2013

The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), a pan-African women's rights Organisation, is looking for a suitable candidate to fill the position of Head of Advocacy Programme. This position provides an opportunity to manage and support exciting advocacy initiatives and campaigns on women's human rights in a stimulating, multicultural and dynamic environment. The position involves travel within Kenya, Africa and other parts of the world.

Main Responsibilities:

- Enabling the African women's movement to develop and use regional and international policy framework in advocacy for the development, gender equality and other human rights of African women;
- Encouraging research on the mainstreaming of the African women's movement's concerns in regional and international law and policy;
- Raising awareness about and maintain effective communications with FEMNET's constituencies on advocacy issues that support African women's development and empowerment, gender equality and the promotion of women's human rights at national, regional and international levels;
- Enhancing the African women's movement's capacity to influence governments and intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) to develop and implement policies that promote the rights of African women as provided for in national, regional and international human rights instruments.
- Managing the advocacy programme's projects, particularly those on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the African Union (AU), solidarity of African Women's' Rights (SOAWR), Women in leadership etc
- Coordinating and facilitating the advocacy and lobbying activities on behalf of FEMNET's constituencies at the regional and international levels;
- Liaising with the Communication and Capacity Building Programmes to sustain communication with FEMNET's constituencies on the developments within the advocacy programme;
- Conceptualising new projects for the advocacy programme in consultation with the Executive Director and Program Manager;
- Working closely with the Executive Director and Program Manager to mobilize resources for the Advocacy Programme;
- Providing technical and programmatic leadership to ensure quality implementation, and further development of the Advocacy Programme.
- Leading the preparation of annual work plans and budget preparation for the Advocacy programme
- Ensuring that the activities agreed upon under the various projects are implemented in a timely manner as per the work plan and set targets are achieved.
- Ensuring that relevant project outputs, best practices and lessons learned are captured, well documented and disseminated.
- Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the Advocacy Programme and its projects on a quarterly and annual basis and as may be otherwise required by the Executive Director or the Program Manager;
- Making recommendations for improving the overall effectiveness of the Advocacy programme.
- Manage and provide guidance to the staff and interns under the Advocacy programme
- Advising the Executive Director as to any needs relating to the Advocacy Programme.

Skills and competencies

- Be a masters degree holder in social sciences, Gender and Development, Law, or any other relevant degree
- Have at least 5 years of relevant work experience at regional, sub- regional and international level
- Experience projects' management
- Proven experience working in the area of women's rights and Gender Equality
- Proven experience in, exposure to, and capability for collaborative work, nurturing of networks and alliances.
- Knowledge of and experience in conducting research and organizing advocacy initiatives at the regional and international levels that promote women's rights and women's empowerment in Africa;
- Analytical, creative, strategic and problem-solving skills;
- Ability to simplify, summarize and communicate complex information, including presentation skills in both English and French;
- Good communications, interpersonal and networking skills, including the ability to work with a diverse range of people and organisations at the national, regional and international levels;
- Diplomatic and lobbying skills, including knowledge of the differing political contexts within Africa (anglophone, arabophone, francophone and lusophone);
- Pro-activeness and self-motivation with the ability to work very well within a team environment;
- The ability to work with tight deadlines;
- Capacity to use the media to promote the regional campaigns to advocate for African women's rights.
- Computer literacy, including electronic networking skills;
- Able to motivate people, build and nurture networks of contacts
- A proven encourager and promoter of an environment of support conducive to cooperation, collegiality, consultation and collaboration
- Be prepared to live in Nairobi and willing and able to travel within the Africa region and beyond.
- Willing to adhere to FEMNET's beliefs, values and principles that guide its work and programming framework

To Apply:

Remuneration will be in line with the set procedures of the organizations and the experience and qualifications of the candidate. Interested candidates are requested to submit a Curriculum Vitae with 3 references, salary expectations with a 1 page motivational letter explaining why you are a good candidate for the position by email to recruitment@femnet.or.ke. Please use "Head of Advocacy" as the subject of your email. Only complete applications will be reviewed. Deadline for submission of applications is 4 February, 2013 by COB.

Please note: Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted.