Head of Advocacy, Policy and Communications at WaterAid

Grade: G

Department: Programmes Directorate.

Reports to (title): Director of Programmes

Location: WaterAid Nigeria. (Abuja)

Direct Reports (titles): Policy and CSO Engagement Manager, Communications & Media Manager.

Travel:          40% (Local and International)

WaterAid has continued to advocate for the primacy of achieving WASH goals as central to delivering the SDG targets. Without concrete political will and committed leadership at the highest level to drive universal WASH access, its realization will not be possible in Nigeria. Taking into cognizance the size of the country and the existing challenges, achieving SDG 6 by 2030 will require extensive political will and extraordinary efforts to enable improved WASH coverage to unserved populations. The Federal Government of Nigeria has risen to these challenges by formally declaring a State of Emergency in the WASH sector and launching the National Action Plan for its revitalization. While this represents tremendous political will and a huge milestone in the quest to achieve WASH for everyone everywhere in Nigeria, the challenge lies in effective translation of these policy pronouncements to practice.

In recognition of these opportunities and challenges in Nigeria and the huge benefits to the sector of addressing them, WaterAid designated WaterAid Nigeria a priority country. The implication of this prioritization is that the country programme has to perform at full potential. Some of the requirements of this are that WaterAid Nigeria is thought and practice leader in WASH with a clear, well-recognized distinctive role of elevating WASH issues and putting them at the forefront of the development agenda; have cutting edge programmes of exceptional quality so that what we do on the ground influences at national level; be networked in the most influential spaces both within the WASH sector and with other sectors relevant to WASH; engage meaningfully with both national and international development actors including the government, utilities, think tanks, relevant businesses, media and civil society; and where appropriate will be leading the civil society WASH platforms, shape strategic alliances and convene influential spaces to progress the WASH agenda.’
We therefore, require the services of a Senior Advocacy, Policy & Communications expert to support the Nigeria Country Programme to deliver on its Influencing ambitions in the WASH sector.

Purpose of Role

This role will have key responsibility for ensuring that the strategic shift to a more influencing approach is reflected in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the delivery of the three pillars of WaterAid Nigeria’s Country Strategy. These include Sector Strengthening with key attention to Urban Sanitation, Citizen Empowerment and building strong WASH Sector Partnerships, as well as the advocacy elements of our work to deliver a more influencing led programme. Additionally, the role will be expected to ensure WaterAid Nigeria effectively engages and influences the process of translating the National Action Plan from policy to practice through identifying key moments, issues, entry points and platforms and maximizing this to further our influencing ambitions. The role will work closely and draw inputs from WaterAid’s global advocacy priorities. It will also lead on in-country research, analysis, communications & campaigns and programme monitoring.

Responsibilities

Delivering WaterAid Nigeria’s Influencing Ambitions

• Under the guidance of the Director of Programmes, leads in the development of strategies and plans to deliver WANG’s advocacy around the three strategic pillars of sector strengthening, citizen empowerment and strong WASH sector partnerships in the translation of the National Action Plan from policy to practice
• Provide support and capacity strengthening to State Programme Leads in their Advocacy activities. Ensure that WaterAid Nigeria WASH Programme delivery at the field level is designed to positively influence and impact the building of better WASH systems and generate replicable results that can be profiled to contribute to universal access for Nigeria.
• Analyse policies, budgets and related issues affecting the WASH sector in Nigeria and effectively capture information in case studies, position papers and policy messages / briefings notes, targeting different audiences, in order to pro-actively influence effectiveness of WASH investments in Nigeria.
• Identify opportunities for linking National WASH action plan priorities to states where the needs exist, and with key priorities in the education, health and other related sectors; innovate linkages and influencing moments between senior actors across related sectors to maximize resource sharing and utilization towards achieving WASH outcomes.
• Generate analytical briefs, advocacy materials and case stories of evidence and excellence generated from programming at field in line with the CP and global priorities.
• Coordinate and give strategic direction to WANG’s capacity building support on pro-poor service delivery and utility reforms to water supply and sanitation delivery agencies, municipalities and utilities (State Water Boards/utilities, RUWASA, LGAs and municipal authorities).
• Develop and ensure WaterAid Nigeria’s intent and purpose in the WASH sector strengthening arena is clearly understood across the organisation. 
• Develop strategies and plans to market WANG’s models and approaches to key sector stakeholders
• Collaborate with other WASH actors in delivering sector support initiatives and ensure WaterAid participation in sector coordination meetings at state and national levels such as the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS), Technical Working Group on Water Quality, WASH Development Partners Group and others where appropriate.
• Provide required support to CSOs to enable them effectively influence the WASH sector, including capacity strengthening on Advocacy strategies.
• Coordinate WANG’s engagement and collaboration with CSOs and other networks participating in urban water and sanitation sector reforms and on the Nigeria water operators’ partnership/association in Nigeria, across Africa and among bilateral and multilateral institutions.

Networking and Lobbying 

• Identify the different stakeholders within the WASH sector in each state and in the country and set out strategies for informing and influencing them.
• Periodically review / develop WANG Influencing and Advocacy strategies to ensure that it is adequate to enable realization of our influencing ambitions.
• Promote and support intra-country and intra-state learning, co-operation and networking around policy and advocacy themes
• Establish, develop and maintain relationships with other agencies working in the WASH sector, academia, media and research institutions for the purposes of gaining information and advice from them on key issues and feedback on the results of research.
• Maintain linkages with the Policy & Campaigns department in WAUK and advocacy staff in other WaterAid country programmes.
• Strengthen the collaboration between WANG CSO partners, NGOs and government departments at federal and state levels.
• Strengthen co-ordination and networking of sector CSOs/CBOs at federal and state levels.

Team and People Leadership

• Support the recruitment of competent staff and effectively manage the team to deliver high performance; develop team members in order to maximize their contribution to the team and organisation.
• Coach, guide, and mentor leaders of sub teams within the department so that they are effective as leaders and managers in managing their teams.
• Create and maintain a positive environment conducive for high performance of the team
• Accountable for forecasting and developing periodic budgets for the department; manage day to day expenses in a manner that demonstrates WaterAid value of accountability and provide periodic budget management reports as may be required.
• Responsible for proactively seeking and optimising opportunities to increase WaterAid’ Nigeria’s image, visibility and profile as a leader in the international NGO and WASH sector.

Person Specification.

Essential Criteria

• Master’s Degree level education in International Development Studies, Economics, International Relations, or any related area is required
• Minimum of Ten (10) years’ experience in programme management, including demonstrated ability to effectively plan, execute and manage programme projects & budgets of which three (3) years should be in senior level position
• Strong technical experience of WASH programming, demonstrate sound
• understanding of WASH and broader development and poverty reduction themes; experience with conducting political economy analysis of different context.
• At least 5 years’ experience leading teams of experienced professionals and effectively managing their performance; Ability to effectively support and challenge colleagues and other stakeholders and to effectively plan, prioritise and co-ordinate the work of own team and collaboration with other teams
• Sound knowledge of basic project management approaches, experience with conducting formative research and using research outcomes to make programme decisions.
• Experience in setting up, managing and monitoring partnerships
• Understanding of monitoring and evaluation tools and approaches of programmes and projects
• Demonstrable experience in the development of and management of complex multi-donor funded project budgets and in supporting partner staff to manage budgets
• Experience with building capacity of implementing partner organizations especially CSOs and government
• Experience in developing strategic & operational plans. Able to effectively organise self and others, plan and prioritise in line with such plans.
• Excellent relationship building skills. Able to build and maintain trusting relationships, negotiate, influence and resolve conflicts. Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with multi-level stakeholders including donor representatives, government officials and community level actors.
• Strong communication skills, including active listening and ability to effectively convey information and ideas verbally and in writing
• Experience of leading, managing and motivating others and driving change
• Commitment to WaterAid’s values and a working style that reflects these.
• An understanding of technical, social and institutional issues relating to water, sanitation and hygiene education in developing countries, both in rural, small towns and urban areas
• Knowledge of development policies, especially in the WASH sector and its challenges and blockages, and how they can be addressed
• Understanding of the role of policy analysis, research and advocacy work in development.
• Extensive senior level experience of action research and policy analysis
• Proven experience of planning advocacy activities.
• Experience of lobbying and / or campaigning work in the region and in planning
• Experience of developing training programmes and facilitating training activities for development organisations and networks
• A successful track record in the design and delivery of highly successful advocacy strategies
• Experience of rights based programming in advocacy and campaigning

Desirable Criteria

• Existing links and network within the WASH sector
• Membership of relevant professional body