Introduction
Save the Children is the world’s largest independent children’s charity. We’re outraged that millions of children are still denied proper healthcare, food, education and protection. We’re working flat out to get every child their rights and we’re determined to make further, faster changes.
Job Purpose
The Regional Advocacy Advisor for East Africa is a core member of the regional programme management team for East and Southern Africa. The role of the regional management team is to develop the capacity of our country programmes in the region to maximise their impact on realising the rights of vulnerable children, and support their contribution to our global impact.
To provide support to Save the Children country programmes in the Horn of Africa on specific humanitarian advocacy issues, including South Sudan. The focus of this job will be on Horn of Africa humanitarian advocacy issues, with a focus on children’s rights, and supporting completion and implementation of the Advocacy Strategy as part of the Regional Response Strategy. In addition to preparing advocacy briefs and talking points in coordination with programme staff for the region and each country programme, the Advocacy Advisor will play a key representational role in external forums and coordinate with regional and country programmes. In addition to direct advocacy work, the Advisor will strengthen country office capacity to gather and share information, including problem and power analyses.
A significant component of the position is also dedicated to supporting the Regional Risk Reduction and Climate Change Advisor in implementation of advocacy components of the Regional Response Strategy and to lead the Regional Learning and Advocacy Project for Vulnerable Dryland Communities (REGLAP) consortium learning group on Access to Basic Services (approximately 40% time commitment).
The principle aims of this role are to: 1. Support the Horn of Africa (Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia) emergency programmes on specific humanitarian advocacy issues; 2. Develop and advance the East Africa advocacy strategy for 2012 in collaboration with the Regional Information and Communication Advisor, regional programme team and country offices; 3. Support Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan with specific advocacy work, including collaboration with other Save the Children members and external stakeholders and peer organisations; 4. Advance Save the Children’s work on the Charter to End Extreme Hunger (and other SC campaigns); 5. Lead the REGLAP Access to Basic Services learning group (evidence generation and peer learning); and 6. Coordinate with the Save the Children Pan-Africa Advocacy Initiative. Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities
Support Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy (30%)
• Coordinate with other agencies in each country and build a network of stakeholders on humanitarian advocacy, with specific focus on the children’s rights and accountability to stakeholders
• Prepare advocacy briefs and talking points in coordination with programme staff for the region and each country programme.
• Help Save the Children learn from existing experiences and programmes by commissioning specific, relevant and timely research to inform advocacy.
• Develop targeted, evidence based (and programme informed) advocacy messages from collected research.
• Act as lead adviser to the ACE Advocacy Working Group on humanitarian advocacy issues in the Horn of Africa.
• Provide support to the Regional Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adviser in realisation of the advocacy component of pillar 3 of the Regional Response Strategy.
• Coordinate with the pan-Africa Advocacy Initiative a. Lead on the humanitarian elements of the Africa Advocacy Initiative workplan for 2012, in coordination with the Regional Emergencies Manager and the Pan-Africa Advocacy Director b. Provide a linkage between the pan-Africa Advocacy Initiative and SCUK advocacy division. c. Support the Pan-Africa Advocacy Director on the East African aspects of the Africa Advocacy Initiative workplan for 2012.
External Representation (20%)
• Represent Save the Children in external fora and with other agencies, in coordination with the regional and country programmes
• Engage in relevant policy debates and with networks including follow up on: i. IAWG advocacy messages and strategy ii. Early Warning / Late response work with Oxfam
• Advance regional work on the Charter to End Extreme Hunger, and other Save the Children campaigns: a. Regionally - Build advocacy relationships with the different existing initiatives working on Charter-related issues e.g. the REGLAP and the IAWG on DRR/CCA. - Introduce the Charter within the different country programmes supported by the region b. in Kenya:
- Build links with other agencies that have signed on to support the Charter - Oxfam, Action Aid, AA4A - to coordinate and determine how to move forwards strategically, including identifying how we can work with the Office of the PM to take this forward.
- Work with SCUK Kenya on the links between the Every One nutrition wedge and the Charter. - Support the Kenyan national process for establishing the National Drought Management Authority - Map the policies (national and regional) that currently exist to which the Charter links. - Work with Kenyan civil society on using the Charter as an advocacy tool related to the right to food, including through UNDP and Fahamu. - Identify and engage Parliamentarians/other champions within Kenyan society with whom to raise the Charter.
Capacity Building (50%)
• Lead REGLAP learning group on Access to Basic Services: lead and manage the Learning Group; encourage the participation of all relevant DRRAP partners and other stakeholders and technical experts; represent the Learning Group in REGLAP Consortium quarterly meetings; report to REGLAP Secretariat and members on a quarterly basis; liaise with the relevant DRRAP UN co-ordinating partner as appropriate and hold advocacy workshops to build country-level and TA advocacy capacity.
• Build local capacity of regional and country office staff, partners, and other local structures for better humanitarian advocacy.
• Support trainings where and when identified.
Other responsibilities
• The post holder may be asked to manage and recruit staff working on specific policy and advocacy issues.
Person specification Essential • Experience in research, writing and dissemination of key advocacy messages in the African context. This experience should include building key coalitions and networks. • Significant experience in working with civil society, NGOs, government officials, donors, media and public stakeholders to effectuate change, particularly on issues related to children.
• Minimum three years of experience of working in policy and advocacy. • Experience of working in the development and/or humanitarian sector, including proven advocacy success. • Experience in making public presentations, speaking with media and delivering training. • Proven analytical and problem solving skills in order to understand the range and content of the political, cultural and humanitarian landscape in both emergency and development programmes. • Ability to work with children and affected individuals and groups. • Excellent verbal and written communication and relationship-building skills • A flexible and initiative-taking, proactive, inspiring attitude with the ability to manage and prioritise an unpredictable workload. • Willingness and ability to operate an ‘open-door’ policy with regards to colleagues seeking immediate information and support. • Excellent analytical and strategic thinking. • Excellent written and spoken English. • University degree in a field relevant to humanitarian advocacy and/or communications. • Must be a Kenyan national.
To apply for this position, visit our website:http://www7.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_savethechildren01.asp?newms=info1 and apply for position 6985.
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