Senior Advocacy & Engagement Officer

Base Location: Peshawar

Number of Positions: 01

Gender: Male/Female

Salary Range: PKR 125,000 - 150,000

Duration: Contract – extendable subject to satisfactory performance and budget availability

Reports to: Area Program Manager – KP

Job Purpose: Community-centered advocacy, based on sound Research and analysis, envisages strategic Alliances and coalitions with like-minded civil society organizations (CSOs) at district, provincial level to take forward the cause of climate change and its impacts on marginalized communities in an effective manner. Bridging the gap and initiating a consistent dialogue between communities and government departments to address the inconsistencies between climate change policy, provincial plans and implementation. The incumbent will contribute to social and behavior change across organization’s multiple initiatives including Climate Change. The incumbent would work on developing and implementing organization’s focused advocacy strategies, design and deliver advocacy and campaign interventions. The candidate for this position would also provide technical support to staff and partners involved in the implementation. Support the development and implementation of awareness programs in the targeted communities and Liaisons at community level and district/provincial line department staff.

Key Accountabilities:

The job holder is accountable for fulfilling his / her roles and responsibilities in line with Islamic values and principles of fairness, humanity, honesty, respect and fair treatment of his/her colleagues and team members.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Technical

• Evolving an advocacy agenda via designing of Campaigns for district and provincial level with focus on existing policies gaps and community’s needs.
• Lead an advocacy agenda on relevant forums.
• Design and backstop initiatives and campaigns to engage different stakeholders, particularly government at district and provincial.
• Strategically mainstream the climate change into  advocacy initiatives with DRR, Food Security, WASH and Livelihoods’ existing policies and identified issues on  ground through promoting culture of dialogue and accountability between community and government line departments.
• Embedding peoples’ focused advocacy in the social mobilization processes as community groups should be enabled and empowered to raise voice for their communities bearing the impact of climate change.
• Closely engaging with area office teams in designing and organizing advocacy initiatives and campaigns.
• Provide support and expertise to Specialist, coordinator, management and other staff particularly social mobilization on a range of advocacy issues methods and approaches that are cleared with agreed strategies of program and organization.
• Building Alliances and coalitions at district and provincial level with likeminded organizations to effectively take forward the cause of the deprived people.
• Leading, managing and coordinating the forums and events under advocacy initiatives in consultation with area management.
• Lead and assist the area management and program team to arrange press briefings, providing talking points and other materials as required for project/ program as well as management.
• Capacity building in advocacy of the staff particularly involved in social mobilization.
• Chalking out media strategy for advocacy initiatives in close coordination with the communication department that outcomes of the initiatives can widely published & disseminated.
• In view of changing policy arena at local, provincial and national level, the organization may assign additional assignment related to advocacy.
• Serve as advocacy point of contact with the communities and implement greater accountability to the beneficiaries and communities.
• Collate all the data in regard to climate impact related activities and assist in preparing periodic reports both internal and external.

Operational

• Preparation of monthly Advocacy activities- work plans against PMT to ensure timely completion of assigned tasks in stipulated time period.
• Maintenance of record that includes field visits reports, Stakeholders meeting minutes & other documentation.
• Ensure appropriate stakeholders data collection & screening prior to making any transaction
• Ensure proper filling of forms & formats as per desired standard
• Extend support to MEAL / MIS / Communications staff for gathering desired information.
• Ensure availability of up to date info in MIS on regular basis with consultation of MIS / M&E.
• Close coordination with line manager for effective implementation of project activities.

Organizational

• Ensure compliance with organization’s policies & procedures in true spirit for effective delivery of services to communities.
• In depth understanding of organization’s values and their demonstration in the field while working with communities.
• Abide by the organization’s zero tolerance policy towards bribery & corruption through sensitization / empowerment of communities on coping mechanism so that they can raise voice as & when feel inappropriate.
• Thorough knowledge of the organization’s strategic priorities to ensure effective implementation with future sustainability.
• Assist in identification & documentation of organizational successes for show casing organization’s work.
• Facilitate communities in adaptation of environment friendly & cost effective approaches to meet their current as well as future needs with specific attention to climate change.
• Focused efforts to be made for mainstreaming of marginalized groups i.e. Persons with disability and old age, minorities, Women & children etc. in consultation & implementation of project activities at ground.
• Strengthen mechanism to Influence the decision makers through communities to pay attention towards DRR planning, give voice to suffering and the excluded, highlighting the protection needs of people.
• Participation and facilitation in implementation of organization’s seasonal programmes.

Person Specification: It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and sympathy with the organizational values & principles, vision and mission as well as commitment to its PSEAH (preventing sexual exploitation abuse and harassment) protocols. The organisation has a zero-tolerance policy towards PSEAH and don’t support any action that promotes or encourages PSEAH.

The organisation is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom the organisation engages. The organisation expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The person should have:

• Ability to create niche for this important role in the organization, particularly project team.
• Analytical skills and Writing skills in English and Urdu.
• Ability to speak succinctly and effectively represent the viewpoint of the organization in public meetings.
• Excellent interpersonal communication and persuasive skills.
• Strong facilitation using participatory skills.
• Acumen to anticipate the implications of ever-changing policy arena at national and provincial level.
• Ability of networking and establishing new contacts with academia, government and CSOs.
• Prior experience of people’s centered advocacy, policy and governance issues at district, provincial and national level
• In-depth knowledge of policies and gaps at provincial  level
• Lobbying and negotiations with government departments and public representatives.
• Alliance building with CSOs

Qualification: Bachelors in Law, Master in Public Policy, Public Administration and Environmental Sciences, Journalism and Mass Communication.

Experience: Dedicated experience in Advocacy & Campaigning of 7 Years with Bachelor / 5 years with Masters.

Language: Pashto, Urdu, and English

Knowledge and Skills:

• ERP systems familiarity
• MS office
• Advance level Social Mobilization and Advocacy
• Protection & Inclusion
• DRR / Resilience / Climate Change
• Advocacy & Campaigning
• GBV / Protection
• Health & Hygiene Promotion
• Monitoring & Accountability
• Water, Health & Sanitation
• Food Security & Livelihood ( Water Resource Management)
• Peace & Social Cohesion
• Experience of working for a Humanitarian Organization specifically in the context of KP is desirable.

Please note, we are only able to accept applications from candidates who are eligible to live and work in the Pakistan. We are unable to progress applications which would require sponsorship. 

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

The organisation is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom the organisation engages. The organisation expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records checks. The organisation also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Pre-employment Checks:

Any employment with Islamic Relief will be subject to the following checks:

• Screening clearance
• Receipt of satisfactory references

We are an equal opportunities employer.

DECLARATION:

By applying for this position with the organisation;

I confirm that the above information in the CV/Application is complete, correct, and updated and that any untrue or misleading information will give my employer the right to terminate any employment contract offered.

I agree that information contained within this application and supporting documents (including "sensitive information) may be accessed, stored and used and by the organisation in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998