Advocacy Advisor at National Democratic Institute

SUMMARY:

The Advocacy Advisor will have advocacy campaign expertise to contribute to NDI’s Electoral Empowerment of Civil Society (EECSP) program in Nigeria.  The Advisor will work with local staff to plan and implement tailored technical assistance to local partners undertaking post election, issue advocacy campaigns by marginalized Nigerian communities, including women, people with disabilities and youth.  The Advisor will provide practical expertise and support to existing NDI-Nigeria programs.   As needed, the Advisor may be asked to travel and work with teams established in countries across the region to plan and implement specific activities identified by NDI's regional management teams.

This position will also work closely with staff in NDI’s Washington D. C. office that manage day-to-day communications and support field activities. This position will be based in Abuja, Nigeria with an expected duration of nine (9) months. This position works closely with the Resident Director and country-based program staff, as well as NDI-DC-based program staff and the Citizen Participation team to manage day-to-day communications and support field activities. The Advisor reports to the DC-based Regional Director for the assigned region.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Transfer key advocacy skills and knowledge to NDI staff to enable them to strategically guide NDI’s local partners to gain political influence over their policy issues at various stages of their advocacy campaigns;
2. Provide hands-on technical assistance to NDI’s local advocacy partners to support them to refine their advocacy techniques, tactics, methods of work, approaches, and strategies in response to political developments, that directly affect their advocacy campaigns;
3. Design and conduct skills building and coaching sessions for local partners in various aspects of advocacy including: message development, power mapping, political organizing, volunteer management, strategic communications and outreach, problem analysis, and formulating policy recommendations, issue identification, issue framing, among others;
4. Produce teaching aids for use in NDI programs or by NDI partners;
5. Collaborate with Nigeria and DC colleagues and other country team colleagues if applicable;
6. Engage with program consortium implementing partners to ensure joint assistance provided across program components is provided in line with NDI’s program approach, and in a coordinated and complementary manner;
7. Coordinate representation of NDI and its program at public events and functions with the country director or regional management;
8. As needed, provide technical expertise to the design and implementation of selected NDI activities in countries across the region; and
9. As needed, provide technical expertise on request to the design of NDI program proposals or workplans.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Law, Political Science or related subject;  graduate degree preferred.
2. Minimum fourteen (14) years experience;
3. Solid experience in running advocacy campaigns, program design and management of civil society strengthening and promoting political participation by minority/marginalized groups;
4. Proven ability in working with organizations that are inexperienced in political activism and organizing, ideally in a development setting;
5. Demonstrated ability assisting organizations with strategic planning, advocacy campaign planning, advocacy message development, coalition organizing and management, mobilizing organizational resources to align with advocacy campaigns, conducting and applying sophisticated political analysis, and to develop relationships that gain them access to political decision making processes,
6. Experience working as a team member and developing staff in the area of political organizing and advocacy.
7. Interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to effectively interact with all levels of staff, policy makers, local partners, US and foreign government personnel, members of donor organizations, and funders;
8. Oral and written communication skills in English, French skills are a plus.
9. Experience living and working overseas in a multicultural environment, preferably in Africa;
10. Working knowledge of PC-based word processing, spreadsheet applications, and e-mail technology; experience with Google Applications (Gmail, Calendar, Google Drive, G+, etc.) strongly desired.

COMMENTS

Applications without cover letters will not be considered. Only those applicants under consideration will be contacted.  No phone calls please. 

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all, NDI bases its employment decisions on merit, qualifications and abilities. NDI is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law.