Global Policy & Advocacy Officer

Overview

Women for Women International (WfWI) has invested 27 years to advancing the social and economic power of marginalised women in some of the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected countries (FCAS). Our comprehensive programmes equip women with knowledge, skills and resources to enable their self-reliance, voice and participation as well as leadership in driving sustainable change within families and communities.

In addition to equipping marginalised women to make changes in their individual lives, we contribute to improving the environment for women’s voice and participation by skilling grassroots women leaders to be Change Agents and advocate for the changes they want to see in their communities and beyond; using our programme based evidence to influence national and international decision-makers, processes and agendas that impact women’s lives; and working in partnership with allies, coalitions and networks to influence policy and practice.

We are seeking to appoint 2 x Global Policy & Advocacy Officers (UK & US) to support the Global Policy & Advocacy team in our busy and dynamic organisation. The position will suit someone who experience, talent and/or potential in policy and advocacy; using their communication and networking skills; building relationships with civil society, government or a multilateral institutions. Experience and commitment to women’s rights, peacebuilding, development, humanitarian and/or international relations issues will also be of interest.

Key Responsibilities

Engagement

Networking and external representation

• Support the development of advocacy-oriented partnerships/collaborations.

Advocacy Communications

• Support the Global Policy & Advocacy Team’s development and delivery of advocacy communications outputs including publications and website content.
• Support the translation, production and delivery of global documents that can be adapted for use by national advocacy colleagues across the global team.
• Support global and US-based media activity (including online and offline traditional and social media) related our advocacy work, working closely with the rest of the Global Policy & Advocacy Team, and WfWI’s Global Communications Team.

Advocacy Strategy implementation and monitoring

• Work closely with the rest of the Global Policy & Advocacy Team to ensure our advocacy work is strategically supported by research conducted by our global Monitoring, Research, Evaluation and Learning (MERL) Team as well as external research and identifying advocacy opportunities.
• Support internal communications to ensure understanding and buy-in for our global advocacy strategy, and policy and advocacy work across WfWI.

Global Advocacy Team planning and coordination

• Working with the rest of the Global Advocacy Team, coordinate the development of budgets and annual plans.
• Support, as needed, proposal development processes that are advocacy related.
• Support internal communications to ensure understanding and buy-in for our global policy and advocacy work across WfWI.

General Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with other teams to share ideas and contributions where applicable.
• Support other teams’ activities such as fundraising events as required.

Delivery

Networking and external representation

• Represent the organization externally and increase WfWI’s presence in US-based networks and coalitions including active membership of specific working groups, where WfWI is already a member.
• Identify and grow relationships with other key policy and advocacy stakeholders (governments, donors, multilateral organizations, networks/coalitions, INGOs, women’s rights organizations)
• Identify opportunities for external engagement and actively support the planning and successful delivery of advocacy events.

Advocacy Communications

• Adapt global communications to US audiences including key messages
• Identify and present opportunities to communicate our advocacy work and publications externally during key moments and beyond.

Advocacy Strategy implementation and monitoring

• Researching and monitoring relevant US-based and international policy, decision-making or commitments to women & girls rights, gender equality etc.
• Identify moments for WfWI’s influencing and contribute to US-based advocacy and policy efforts coordinated by WfWI’s networks and coalitions.

Global Advocacy Team planning and coordination

• Coordinate and/or contribute to the development of global and US Board updates, donor reports and any internal presentations as required.
• Ensure relevant documents and systems are well managed and kept up to date.

Other

• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills and Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s/Undergraduate degree in a relevant subject
• 3 – 4 years’ experience in policy and advocacy role, or the equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Demonstrable experience of project deliverables, time management, budgeting and working with partners.
• Experience analysing, developing and drafting policy, advocacy, or research documents.
• Understanding and/or skills of policy analysis.
• Ability to demonstrate your commitment to Women for Women International’s mission.
• Ability to work with multiple stakeholders such as civil society, government, or multilateral organizations.
• Ability to work independently across multiple workloads and with diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience representing an organization within a civil society network/coalition, including working groups (ideally on gender equality, women’s rights, peace, and security – but not essential).
• Ability to demonstrate towards skills of event organization and planning, including drafting event Concept Notes, invitations, and speaker/chair briefings.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to build and maintain successful relationships with stakeholders.
• Self-starter, highly organised, and able to manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to respond flexibly to changing priorities, and to both set and work to deadlines.
• A strong team worker who enjoys supporting other members of a team and working together for common objectives.
• Works independently and take initiative.
• Share information with others.
• Computer literate, including in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel.

Preferred:

• Knowledge/experience of gender equality, women and girls’ rights, development, humanitarian and/or peacebuilding work.
• Experience of representing an organization, including to deliver key messaging.
• Experience of researching funding opportunities.
• Experience in coordinating cross-organizational working groups or equivalent.
• Proven experience in developing or contributing to the development and implementation of advocacy strategies monitoring and evaluation, developing, reporting, and working to budget.

Physical Demands:

• May require bending, lifting, standing, sitting, computer work, etc.

Organizational Values:

Our global core values define how we are to behave as we pursue our mission, our vision, and our strategic objectives:

• We believe every woman is unique and powerful in her own right. Our people are our greatest strength and we will support them to achieve our aims by providing them with the information, rewards, and power they need to take the initiative and make decisions to solve problems and improve our delivery and performance. As a learning organization – we encourage our people to take risks and make mistakes, we learn and grow and get better, stronger, and smarter.
• We will never communicate in any way that exploits or demeans the women we exist to serve, we will deliver a program of training that maximizes the impact for the women we serve to bring them the biggest benefits and facilitate the greatest long-term positive change in their lives. we do what we say we are going to do, when we say we’re going to do it. We act as good stewards of the organization’s resources.
• We believe every woman has the right to be treated with fairness and dignity. we trust each other implicitly, confident in the knowledge that we are all working towards the same goals. Equally, we hold each other responsible and accountable at all levels of the organization for the outcomes of our actions. We will be bold, clear, and kind in our communication with our colleagues across the organization and not allow disrespectful behavior to go unchallenged.
• We see every day the strength of women survivors of war and their ability to never lose hope despite having faced the greatest atrocities and horrors of conflict. They inspire us to stay strong, hopeful, focused, and committed to our global purpose. We support each other to do the same.