Policy, Advocacy & Campaigns Programme Officer Hivos

Program Officer – Policy, Advocacy & Campaign Regional (SRHR Fund)

To support our office, manage the implementation and technical aspects of the Regional SRHR Fund including the generating of new initiatives and mobilising of resources we are looking for a Program Officer (PO-PAC), who will work from Lusaka, Zambia.

Job context

Position within Hivos

Hivos in partnership with Sida and Ford Foundation manages the Regional Fund on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). The Regional SRHR Fund was established in recognition of the critical need for a strategic regional response to collectively address the myriad of SRHR issues in Southern Africa with particular attention to young people and adolescents as well as to provide an opportunity for donors to coordinate their support to SRHR in the region. The fund is currently focusing on strengthening the capacity of youth led and youth focused organizations to effectively advocate for their sexual and reproductive health needs in east and southern Africa. To do so, it is supporting civil society responses to a diversity of ASRHR issues that are relevant at both the national and regional levels using grant-making as the main mechanism of support. The Fund further seeks to support targeted efforts to advocate and take actions that can lead to improvements in the availability and accessibility of SRHR services for adolescent and youth with a focus on the most vulnerable people. You can find more information about this program here.

Aim of the job

The Program Officer- Policy, Advocacy and Campaign will report to the SRHR Program Manager of the Regional SRHR Program. The essential purpose of this role is to contribute to deepening the impact and effectiveness of Hivos’ policy and lobbying work at both national and regional level. With support from the Programme Manager, the Programme Officer – Policy, Advocacy & Campaigns will design and deliver high impact policy, advocacy and campaign plans and interventions with a focus on positioning youth at the heart of meaningful participation and decision-making in the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (ASRHR) discourse in East and Southern Africa. The position will also have a role in ensuring greater coherence in our advocacy work across the programme and work closely with the communications team at the regional and global office to ensure maximum impact of the programmes’s media content

Your responsibilities

Manage the Policy, Advocacy & Campaigns Portfolio (40% of time)

Develops and implement policy, advocacy and campaign strategies to promote and advance the SRHR programme’s policy and advocacy agenda in the ESA region.
Leads policy relevant analysis and research, contributing to the development and drafting of the programme’s policy publications
Tracks and analyses the regional, continental and global policy and advocacy environment, recommending strategic opportunities for Hivos’ engagement in addition to supporting programme partners in undertaking country specific analysis
Leads and supports the design of initiatives to build the capacity of youth and other partner organisations to more effectively engage in advocacy and strengthen linkages with key advocacy stakeholders.
Identifies and pursues media opportunities, including preparation and dissemination policy briefs and positions.
Monitors and evaluates the impact of policy, advocacy and campaign activities.

Building Relationships with Strategic Partners (15% of time)

Identifies and builds relationships with development agencies, policy, and research organisations that are critical to the SRHR Fund delivering its objectives and programme
Establishs and maintains relationships with key contacts in strategic partner organisations
Represents the SRHR Fund and Hivos at relevant networks, workshops, seminars and policy events
Develops ideas and projects for formal collaboration with targeted development agencies, policy, and research organisations

Strategic Grant Making in Accordance with Key Components of the Portfolio (20% of time)

Receives proposals and undertakes assessments in line with the ‘call for proposals’;
On grant approval ensures all project information and documents are completed in OSIRIS and contracts are generated and signed
Monitors performance of SRHR sub-grants and make recommendations regarding scale-up potential
Ensures that projects receiving support provide reports in accordance with contracts and the format provided
Liaise sand communicates with Grantees

Learning, Sustainability and Impact (10% of time)

Supports the collection and documentation of impact stories for sharing, learning and advocacy.
Contributes to the drafting of written materials and copy for social media as well as supporting digital communications.
Supports the internal and external learning initiatives of the programme

Resource Mobilisation and Fundraising (15% of time)

Identifies and track emerging opportunities through the programme funding strategy and programme development plan
Contributes to design and development of project proposals

Your profile

Qualifications

Degree in political science, law or other relevant social science or development studies.
Minimum of 7 years’ experience in leading policy-related development initiatives and regulatory reform in the development and public sector, primarily in East and Southern Africa.
At least five years’ experience in project management and supervision;
Proven writing and analytical skills with experience of writing policy briefs and reports, and articles for the media
Prior experience in sub granting and grants management is an added advantage.

Experience and skills

Experience of delivering impact in advocacy, campaigning or lobbying in an NGO, public policy or similar environment
Experience managing complex initiatives with proven ability to develop high impact partnerships;
Strong and proven analytical ability to design and evaluate policy options for SRHR and public health in east and Southern Africa.
Proven ability to develop collaboration across a variety of organizations, including from the private sector and civil society;
Proven ability to engage in high-level policy dialogue with governments, with a strong capacity to influence governments’ development agendas;
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a team orientation and strong collaborative skills.
Computer proficiency and familiarity with a range of software applications including MS Excel, MS Word, and project management applications.

What we offer

Hivos offers a challenging position in an international environment.

The Regional office is based in Harare, Zimbabwe. This position will be based in Lusaka, Zambia. Hivos welcomes International & Regional applicants but can only offer a position to only those with a valid work permit for Zambia. Hivos can only offer employment on local terms and conditions.