Communication & Advocacy Manager

Secours Islamique France (SIF) is a non-governmental organization based in France that promotes international solidarity. Founded in 1991, SIF intends to bring relief and protect the lives of those threatened by natural disasters, armed conflicts, or economic collapse. SIF intervenes in more than 30 countries around the world through emergency relief, recovery, and development initiatives. It carries out operations in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.  Its goal is to help affected communities and bring relief to the people in need throughout the world, regardless of their origin, religion, gender or political association.

SIF is seeking a dynamic, creative, and highly motivated Communication and Advocacy Manager, to be based in SIF country office, Islamabad, with field visits to the different SIF field offices in Pakistan. 

Responsibilities:

• Develop, update, and implement SIF’s global advocacy strategy in Pakistan, in line with the mission’s strategy and SIF global strategy.
• Design and implement specific thematic advocacy strategies to influence Pakistanis public policies on SIF thematic priorities
• Identification of issues, targets and key deadlines based on the political and operational environment, identify trends and opportunities for advocacy.
• Production of analyses, studies and development of message content
• Design and deliver innovative and effective advocacy tools (press releases, public statements, fact sheets, lobbying letters, case studies, briefing papers, substantive analytical reports, contents for social and electronic media etc.)
• Organize advocacy events (conferences, roundtables, panel discussion etc.); network and arrange meetings with the decision-makers to disseminate advocacy messages.
• Build and manage constructive relationships with advocacy collectives, partner NGOs in Pakistan and advocacy targets to disseminate SIF’s messages; contribute to collective advocacy within allied networks.
• In coordination with the head of mission, represent SIF to external advocacy stakeholders’ meetings, including participation in advocacy working groups, relevant clusters/technical working groups and political/policy related meetings to disseminate the advocacy messages; prepare staff for external speeches to enhance SIF’s impact (briefings, production and distribution of tools, monitoring of important deadlines).
• Internal reporting and communication with head of mission, field staff, and HQ advocacy team, to keep them informed of the mission’s advocacy activities.
• Ensure coordination with other Mission departments, especially with Programs Department for the implementation of advocacy strategies.
• Work closely with Programs department to include advocacy activities/objectives in operational project proposals, and ensure the implementation of advocacy activities.
• Facilitate the appropriation of advocacy messages by SIF staff.
• Follow SIF’s global policy and advocacy and communication opportunities - in collaboration with HQ Advocacy team - and suggest key advocacy opportunities and targets at national and international fora.
• Develop SIF Pakistan Mission’s Communication and Advocacy Strategy and create advocacy and communication products as per the advocacy and communication strategy for use at the country and international levels.
• Establish strategic networks and alliances for policy, advocacy and communication activities.
• Effectively engage with various Government Ministries, NDMA and PDMAs, NDRMF, INGOs, UN and supervise and support SIF advocacy and communications staff.
• Provide advice to country office advocacy/communication staff through capacity building and training, supporting strategy and theory of change development and ensuring that the key local priorities are visible at the national level.

The duties and responsibilities listed are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Knowledge and Skills Required:

• Understanding of institutions and policy processes in Pakistan, including institutional donors’ policies (UN, EU, ECHO etc.); prior experience conducting advocacy for these targets.
• Advocacy experience in our thematic areas of intervention
• Experience in management  
• Experience in institutional relations, particularly working with inter-associative groups and coordination working groups
• Knowledge and experience in developing advocacy related products, agenda setting, project management, including strategy development, project design, monitoring, and evaluation
• Excellent analytical, writing and presentation skills
• Excellent negotiation, diplomacy and representation skills, ability to convince, and interpersonal skills
• Good public speaking and oral skills
• Experience in advocacy training and technical capacity building of staff is an added advantage
• English and Urdu language skills are mandatory, French is an asset.