CHARITY JOBS IN AFRICA

Organization: Ibis
Country: Liberia
Closing date: 08 Jan 2015

Purpose of the position

The Advocacy Advisor in cooperation with the two IBIS Programme Directors is responsible for developing advocacy strategies, coordinating and/or leading advocacy processes, ensuring capacity development of IBIS staff and partners, and on a continuous basis documenting achievements and challenges to inform the further development of IBIS in Liberia’s advocacy profile.

The Advocacy Advisor is responsible for coordination and overall management of the advocacy work by IBIS in Liberia. In a project-based manner, the Advocacy Advisor will ensure synergies and links between advocacy processes in the two thematic programmes in Education and Governance (ETP and GTP) and the newly established Ebola Rapid Response Program (ERRP). In addition to strengthening the in-country synergies between the programmes, the Advocacy Advisor will liaise with the three regional IBIS programmes Africa Against Poverty (AAP), West Africa Human Rights and Democracy (WAHRD), and Quality Education Against Poverty & Inequality (EAPI) to seek opportunities to make joint advocacy efforts, and ensure that IBIS in Liberia’s advocacy initiatives feed into and link with regional and global processes.

Supervision

The Advocacy Advisor manages the Education Liaison Officer and Communications officer in the country office. The Advocacy Advisor is in turned managed by the Country Director.

Tasks and responsibilities

ADVOCACY AND CAMPAIGNS

• Identify opportunities for and support/lead advocacy processes and campaigns, in collaboration among IBIS partners, with the Education NGO Forum and in consortia of INGOs/NGOs and/or other Development Partners on issues relevant to and drawing on IBIS’ work.
• Support/lead the development of relevant materials for campaign work.
• Identify opportunities for and support the development of linkages between Local, National, regional and global advocacy work and campaigns, to facilitate collaboration as well as the exchange of information and experiences.
• As part of liaison function with GoL entities facilitate information sharing and support/lead policy influencing on issues relevant to the IBIS country, ETP and GTP strategies.
• Coordinate, facilitate, lead and/or support joint advocacy efforts of the Education NGO Forum, ensuring linkages with the IBIS ETP and GTP where possible
• Support GTP partners to define, plan and implement advocacy work, primarily under Outcome 2
• Lead partner lessons learned sessions during the quarterly GTP Partner Forum to identify lessons, as well as opportunities for future advocacy work

****DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT****

• Identify opportunities for strengthening dynamics and synergies between the GTP, ETP, ERRP and Education NGO Forum.
• Facilitate the development of advocacy strategies for the ETP and GTP.
• Develop project proposals or project based work methods for collaboration between the GTP, ETP, ERRP and Education NGO Forum.
• Overall coordination support to implementation of advocacy projects or project based work.
• Develop proposals for the use of the GTP innovation funds funding windows based on dialogue with GTP partners and the Governance Team during the quarterly partner forum.

****SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING****

• Identify and support training opportunities for IBIS partners and IBIS staff related to advocacy.
• Maintain and update the IBIS advocacy tool box, drawing on experiences and tools from HO and other likeminded organizations.
• Facilitate an annual review of achievement against the IBIS in Liberia Advocacy Strategy.
• Ensure continuous learning and documentation of the program based advocacy approach.

****LIAISON****

• Liaise with GoL education sector counterparts relevant to the work of the Education NGO Forum, ETP, ERP and GTP Outcome 2.
• Support liaison with relevant GoL counterparts for GTP Outcome 1 and 3, drawing on lessons from the education sector.
• Support liaison between IBIS partner platforms and participate, as relevant and appropriate, in all platform meetings.
• Liaise and act as focal point for engagement with IBIS regional programs WAHRD, AAP and EAPI on advocacy related activities.

****COMMUNICATIONS****

• Identify relevant stories and other communications products based on IBIS’ work for dissemination via relevant websites or other channels.
• Support the development of stories on IBIS’ advocacy work.
• Identify and coordinate the work flow for ensuring the production of relevant advocacy stories and other communications products.
• Support the communications officer in collaboration with WACA and act as liaison for the WACA on IBIS Liberia’s advocacy work.
• Identify and help formulate key interest stories for IBIS donor reporting and annual DANIDA reports.

****RESEARCH****

• Support research formulation under the GTP, ETP and Education NGO Forum with a view to ensure relevant linkages with planned advocacy work, with support from the Programme Development Manager.
• Identify concrete advocacy opportunities based on completed research.

****NON-SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITY****

Perform any other assignments reasonably associated with but not listed in this Job Description as and when assigned by the country director and programmes directors.

Competencies

Required skills & Qualifications

• A Post-Graduate Degree in Development Studies, Communication or similar areas.
• Proven experience with policy and advocacy work.
• Proven experience from working with NGOs and/or NGO networks.
• Proven experience working with national Government and NGO partners.
• Proven experience with capacity building and mentoring.
• Experience working with issues related to Education and/or Governance.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills.
• Strong verbal and writing skills in the English language. Danish is considered an advantage.

****Desirable skills****

• Experience from the Liberia context, preferably from similar work.
• Experience from West Africa, preferably from similar work.
• Experience managing and mentoring staff.
• Experience managing consultant and/or service contracts.

****Required attitudes****

• Solution and result-orientation.
• Innovative approaches to work.
• Team spirit.
• Leadership.
• Inter-culturally sensitivity and non-discrimination.
• Initiative and imagination.
• Ability to adjust and show flexibility in a changing context.
• Ability to manage stress and work in a busy environment.
• Terms of employment

Initial contract period: March 1, 2015 – April 30, 2017 (2 years).

Due to the prevailing situation in Liberia the post is not considered suitable for bringing children to stay during the assignment.

The terms and conditions for the position follow ‘Regulations for Expatriates assigned by IBIS’.

IBIS’ salary package for category III includes a monthly basic salary of DKK 21,722, a monthly pension contribution of 10% of the basic salary and a monthly gratuity allowance of DKK 2,000 (payable after expiry of contract).

Further more IBIS offers payment of an allowance to cover expenses in connection with expatriation and repatriation, provides an unfurnished housing, payment of outward and return travel as well as an insurance package. Quarterly rest and recreation trips.

Duty station is Monrovia; however, the candidate should be prepared for extensive travel throughout Liberia of up to 50%.

How to apply:

Application guidelines

We look forward to receiving a motivated application letter and a detailed Curriculum Vita completed in English. Please state application no. AA/LIB-0115 in the subject line and forward applications by email to job@ibis.dk before January 8, 2015 at 12 noon.

Interviews are planned to take place in Copenhagen on February 27, 2015.

IBIS considers diversity to be an advantage and we encourage everybody – irrespective of age, gender and of religious, sexual or ethnic affiliation – to apply for this position.