Advocacy Officer at Action Against Hunger | ACF-International

Location: Damaturu, Yobe
Start Date: ASAP

Job Description
Objective 1 - Supports the formulation and implementation of advocacy and communications plans for projects.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Liaise closely with Advocacy Manager to develop and support the integration of new communication approaches, tools and techniques into AAH programming in the State.
• Create messaging materials designed to target beneficiaries and relevant actors on the design and delivery of AAH programming.
• Document and share good practices and lessons learnt from the programme’s activities through the development of regular updates reports, case studies, briefs and IEC materials
• Support staff capacity building, particularly the Behaviour Change Communication staff in use of communication tools, materials and approaches.
• Undertake regular visits to all intervention sites to monitor communication messaging, use of tools and materials and to identify challenges and solutions.
• Manage image and video library for communication, reporting and other needs.
• Organization and implementation of the celebration of International/national days and campaigns (Global Handwashing Day etc).
• Working with the Deputy Advocacy Manager, liaise with media outlets to ensure that the appropriate information and messages are reaching the public, including preparing press releases.
• Provide necessary support to the institutional capacity building of government stakeholders and partners as per AAH mandate.

Objective 2 -Participate in regular external meetings at LGA and State levels when required.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Raise awareness and knowledge about AAH mandate, activities and principles
• Raise awareness about humanitarian principles
• Represent AAH at State Working groups and other coordination meetings when required by the Deputy Advocacy Manager
• Provide Coordination team with regular updates on the political and policy developments in the State as well as humanitarian updates and state level conversations.
• Undertake additional coordination as requested by the Advocacy Manager and Area Coordinator.

Objective 3-Collect evidence based information and testimonies that AAH can use to inform programming and advocacy.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Collect and provide evidence based information, specifically around challenges and concerns, to inform state and national level advocacy.
• Collect testimonies and stories from the beneficiaries that can be used for advocacy at a national and international level.
• Organize learning, knowledge sharing and capitalization workshops to enable lessons learned to be used in future program designs as well as build institutional capacity of external stakeholders.

Internal & External Relationship
Internal:

• Advocacy Manager: hierarchical relationship- reporting, exchange of information, collaboration, coordination.
• Area Coordinator:  Exchange of information and collaboration on program, operational and security issues
• Operations Support Coordinator: Collaboration and exchange of information on relations with Government Institutions at district level, operational and security issues
• Senior Advocacy and Protection Advisor: work very closely to provide information, specifically around challenges and concerns within the humanitarian response.
• Advocacy Manager: Exchange of information, collaboration, coordination on early recovery, policy and development agenda
• Other Managers: Collaborate to ensure exchange of information, collaboration and coordination.  In addition, oversee technical oversight, technical support, coaching.

External:

• Governmental and non-governmental partners : exchange of information, coordination, training, supervision, influence on choice of technical options
• International and Local Aid Organizations : exchange of information
• Donor representatives: hosting field visits, exchange of information
• Cluster and other coordination forums.

Position Requirements
Qualifications:

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree from reputed university in Mass Communications & Journalism, Media Studies, Communications Strategy, Development Communication or relevant discipline.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience at the national/state level in providing communication packages to promote the activities of organization, preferably in humanitarian and development contexts.

Skills & Experience
Essential:

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).
• Professional, motivated, open, creative, mature, responsible, flexible and, culturally sensitive.
• Excellent team player.
• Previous experience with advocacy or communication duties.
• Microsoft Office Skills (Outlook, Excel, Power Point, Word) and graphic designing.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Commitment to AAH mission, values and policy.
• Familiar with Northeast Nigeria context.
• Willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote areas, where services are limited.

Preferred:

• Previous experience with AAH.
• Fluency in Hausa or Kanuri.
• Administrative and management competence would be an asset.
• Experience in handling of web-based management systems.