Assistant Advocacy Officer

Job Purpose:

Community-centred advocacy, based on sound Research and analysis, envisages strategic Alliances and coalitions with likeminded civil society organizations (CSOs) at Divisional / district 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, Divisional / District plans and implementation.
• The incumbent will contribute to social and behaviour change across multiple IRP initiatives including Climate Change and Disaster Risk management.
• The incumbent would work on developing and implementing IRP focused advocacy strategies, design and deliver advocacy 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 line department staff.

 Key Result Areas: 

Technical Level

• Technical Backstopping of Area Programmes in program implementation / Advocacy Mainstreaming into Programmes
• Maintain a strong working relationship with Line departments / Government counterparts / field teams and thematic officers on policy Advocacy and Engagements.
• Liaise with external stake holders/clusters/consortiums to ensure IRP representation and show casing IRP thematic work and development successes.
• Contribute to IRP’s programmatic branding through engagement with government counter parts.

 Operational Level

•  Developing work plans for Advocacy activities in project implementation.
• Building Evidence Base research
• Leveraging High Profile Events/Meetings.
• Working knowledge of MS Word, Excel, Power point, Outlook, ERP systems
• Communication, Planning & Scheduling, Time, Stress & Conflict Management, Situation handling, Leadership Skills, People & team management

 Organizational Level

•  Demonstration of IR Values while working with stakeholders.
• Empowering communities to ensure organizational accountability
• Strategic Visioning and programme alignment
• Knowledge of IR strategic priorities
• Identification & documentation of organizational successes
• Adaptation of environment friendly & cost effective approaches / activities for policy development
• Special attention to inclusion during the implementation.
• Strengthen mechanism to influence the decision makers through communities’ advocacy, IWRM and Climate Change Programming.

 Key Accountabilities

Technical

• Supporting Role in evolving an advocacy agenda in relation to the Campaigns from district to provincial level with focus on existing policies and gaps.
• Implementing advocacy agenda in the form of suitable forums, initiatives and campaigns by engaging different stakeholders, particularly government at district and provincial.
• Strategically linking the climate change specific advocacy initiatives with DRR, Food Security, WASH and Livelihoods, Shelter’ existing policies and issues on the 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 team of area offices.
• Facilitating / organizing media outreach; arranges all media contacts, press briefings, and interviews; provides talking points and other materials as needed 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 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 Focal point of contact in Division / District 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 (performance measured time frame) by ensuring timely completion of assigned tasks in stipulated time period.
• Maintenance of hard 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 IR’s policies & procedures in true spirit for effective delivery of services to communities.
• In depth understanding of IR values and their demonstration in the field while working with communities.
• Abide by the IR 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 IR strategic priorities to ensure effective implementation with future sustainability.
• Assist in identification & documentation of organizational successes for show casing IR 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 IR seasonal programmes.

Person Specification

• Ability to create niche for this important role in the organization, particularly project team.
• Writing and analytical 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 centred advocacy, policy and governance issues at district, provincial level
• In-depth knowledge of policies and gaps at provincial  level
• Lobbying and negotiations with government departments and public representatives.
• Alliance building with CSOs.