TITLE: Regional Humanitarian Advocacy Advisor, WCA (with a focus on EIE/CP)

TEAM/PROGRAMME: WCA Campaigns, Communication and Media

LOCATION: Mali, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Senegal, Burkina Faso…Or any Country where SCI has an office in WCA

GRADE: National 4

CONTRACT LENGTH: 1 year

CHILD SAFEGUARDING: Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g.once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible forimplementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

To work closely with Save the Children country programs to develop and implement advocacy strategies on conflict and humanitarian issues, with a specific focus on ECHO PP project and Save Norway funding on Education in Emergencies, and Protecting Children In conflict’ agenda, improving the effectiveness of our global advocacy and leading to demonstrable policy shifts and positive change for children. This role will be split across countries with a focus on Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, DRC and Nigeria Country Office (CO).

The role holder will support in undertaking horizon scanning regarding strategic, funding and policy developments related to Children education in the Sahel. He/She will continue the roll out and coordination of the Sahel SSD Platform, seek opportunities for, and lead on, donor-funded research projects to address current educational issues with evident and adaptative learning practices.

S/he will support COs to strengthen their advocacy and campaign strategies to monitor commitments with policymakers on the Children Affected by Armed Conflict (CAAC) agenda, and Education in Emergencies, including Safe Schools implementation through cross country learning of best practices. As well as supporting the implementation of countries strategy, he/she will be responsible for consolidation of coordination with existing platforms strengthen awareness and engagement at the community level with local influencers to change harmful social norms (including religious and traditional leaders).

The role holder in coordination with the Senior Regional Advocacy and policy Manager will provide strategic guidance and support to the wider humanitarian advocacy work including key political analysis, while taking a specific role in leading the EIE and CPIE advocacy work.

S/he will play a representational role where required and could expect to represent Save the Children in external meetings with the UN, donors and other stakeholders. He/She will also play a critical role to support the CO team in playing an important role in negotiating and influencing policy makers in order to achieve positive and lasting changes to fulfil children’s rights to protection and education in West and central Africa. The humanitarian advocacy advisor will also be expected to build alliances with other actors (national and regional level), as well as coordinate advocacy efforts with Save the Children members towards important governments and donors. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Regional Senior Humanitarian Advocacy Manager

Staff reporting to this post: None

Role Dimensions: Communication with critical high-level stakeholders

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Support the CO humanitarian strategy (linked to EIE and CP)

• Working with the Senior Regional Humanitarian Advocacy and Policy Manager to identify regional and international opportunities to support national change and support the implementation of EIE and CPIE advocacy strategies by drafting and reviewing key documents, messages and other relevant material focused on child protection, grave violations against children and EIE. This includes providing support for the SSD strategy and activities implementation linked to School as Zones of Peace;
• Advise country and program colleagues to establish strong linkages between programme and advocacy to ensure strategic alignment and effective coordination on protecting children in conflict and EiE. That includes playing a strong role around cross country advocacy;
• Where appropriate, provide training or mentoring support to country offices in order to increase their expertise and confidence in conflict and humanitarian advocacy, with a particular focus on child protection in armed conflict and education in emergencies;
• Where requested represent Save the Children externally (nationally, regional and globally), including with governments, international bodies, policy specialists, and other NGOs, and potentially in the media;
• If required, support the Country Offices to develop and review advocacy plans, risk assessments and activities in the PCiC Advocacy Strategies;
• Play an active role in sharing best practices, materials and approaches on CP and EIE to and from the countries.

Situation and advocacy analysis

• Conduct desk research on how children’s protection and education has been affected in conflict countries and analyse the national policy responses and frameworks in place. Review other factors such as UN coordination, funding for the humanitarian response, security and current and future challenges that have an impact on children and their access to humanitarian assistance, education and protection services.
• Define key advocacy opportunities, messages and targets at national and regional levels, if relevant, together with advocacy point person in countries, and if needed mobilize international advocacy support for these.
• Liaise with key UN and other interlocutors in the region to ensure Save the Children has up to date information on the humanitarian situation and response in the region.

Producing advocacy products

• Support CO’s draft and otherwise support the production of advocacy products as outlined in the CO advocacy strategy (e.g. policy briefs, position statements, talking points, and reports on relevant issues) for use at national, regional and international levels.
• Provide technical support and stimulate the taste for innovation of country offices, particularly around engaging public and key stakeholders on the situation of children’s education and protection in conflict and our asks to key stakeholders.

Representation and coordination

• Represent Save the Children in advocacy work towards key stakeholders, including UN agencies, donors and other NGOs, as well as media, if and when necessary.
• Undertake vigorous networking to continually inform, challenge, and improve advocacy messaging and tactics, investing in relationships and attending when relevant coordination meetings and forums
• Initiate/support organisation of advocacy events (roundtables, seminars, etc…).
• Link into regional and international advocacy initiative, working in close coordination and cooperation with RO Advocacy, Media and Communications Team, advocacy staff in Country Offices, operations and technical response staff, the HAWG to ensure coordination and consistency of advocacy messages and activities.
• Support Save the Children leadership role in platforms/technical working groups on some humanitarian issue linked to education, and protecting children in conflict.

QUALIFICATIONS

Degree in international development, political science, journalism, communications, social sciences or other related fields and specific humanitarian response training

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Proven experience in an advocacy and campaigns environment, within a conflict setting in an international NGO in West and Central Africa.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, including the ability to communicate to people of different cultural backgrounds.
• Very good diplomatic skills.
• Experience in communications and media relations would constitute an advantage. .
• Excellent command of written and spoken French is a must. Fluency in written and spoken English is essential.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, able to meet deadlines and maintain high standards of quality
• Able to multitask in a fastpaced environment and willing to work with a rapidly changing set of priorities
• Strong attention to detail
• Able to manage own workload, with some supervision
• A high level of computer literacy and strong technical aptitude in MS Office
• Experience in using the internet and other web based resources
• Enthusiastic, proactive with a ‘can do’ attitude
• An interest in communications and development issues
• Commitment to Save the Children’s mission

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to apply

Please follow this link to apply: https://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=YS50YW1iYS43NzEyOC4xMjE4NUBzYXZldGhlY2hpbGRyZW5hby5hcGxpdHJhay5jb20