Advocacy Specialist at Pathfinder International

Summary

• Provides strategic support in advancing Pathfinder’s programming and leadership on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• Represents Pathfinder in external forum/meetings. Liaises with key stakeholders, including local governments, partners and donors in achieving projects' outcomes.
• Develops new program and business opportunities.
• Supports advocacy initiatives of ongoing projects. Manages an integrated public policy program that monitors and responds to current and emerging trends in legislative and
• regulatory actions that affect sexual and reproductive health funding and policies globally.
• Works on advocacy projects to enhance resource commitment and to raise priority of a population’s welfare program within the operational format of public sector undertakings supported by grant assistance.
• Plans, implements, coordinates, monitors and holds review sessions to observe progress against objectives of the project and drives home the main points of improving commitment and resource allocation for population welfare.

Key Job Outcomes

• Advocacy Policy and Programming Strategy: Seeks to develop SRHR champions in advocacy, policy communications and negotiations including government, women leaders, and civil society. Works with Pathfinder leadership and program staff to determine organizational and global advocacy and policy priorities. Works to influence the state government in program planning and allocation of resources/funds from approved project plans.
• Relationship Management: Fosters and facilitates relationships with a broad range of key stakeholders, including development partners, donors, state government representatives, and the political class through development of networks. Ensures that the advocacy messages and communication tactics are disseminated in an effective manner. Lends support to mapping of potential in-country/external donors.
• Advocacy Planning and Implementation: Leads state-level advocacy efforts of Pathfinder for improving family planning indicators in assigned country or state Leads the development of annual work planning, design, implementation, and reporting related to policy and advocacy technical activities. Establishes communication among other organizations, especially SRHR groups, to ensure an informed and coordinated response to policies, and an increased engagement by country organizations in advocacy.
• Technical Advising: Conceptualizes and provides leadership support for technical activities in SRHR policy, advocacy, and other related areas. Stays up-to-date on key developments in SRHR policy in developing countries in order to inform technical support activities in Pathfinder programs. Provides guidance and assistance to country programs in monitoring and evaluation and documentation of policy and advocacy results. Identifies opportunities to scale-up family planning in other states or countries. Conducts consultations to identify opportunities.
• Project Planning and Budgeting Support: Supports the concerned state or country governments in planning and budgeting of programs.
• Learning and Development: Contributes to learning and sharing process within the country to identify relevant advocacy and policy directions and build consensus among staff on key issues.
• Advocacy Reports and Documentation: Prepares SRHR policy analyses, recommendations, policy briefs, and assessments for Pathfinder programs. Coordinates the dissemination of policy materials to audiences at the local, national and global levels. Develops and shares reports with concerned officials.
• Brand Ambassador: Serves as the public face for Pathfinder in the realm of global SRHR advocacy policy. Facilitates stakeholder consultation and meetings at the local, national and subnational levels. Represents Pathfinder in the SRHR policy area at regional and global forums, as well as with others in the professional community and countries.
• Site Visit Coordination: Coordinates and facilitates country or state visits to other project sites.
• Project Management and Participation: Leads, manages or participates on cross-functional project teams.

Minimally Required Education, Training and Experience

• Bachelor's degree or higher in public health, public administration, public policy or related field.
• 7 year's experience working in public policy or policy advocacy with an advocacy organization or an organization that implements international health
• and development projects.
• Prefer: Experience in developmental countries or in the global or regional sexual and reproductive health arena.
• Prefer: Expertise in citizen-led accountability work.
• Prefer: Experience in practical field work in sexual and reproductive health and rights
• Prefer: Experience working with USAID, the Department of State, the White House, or other executive branch organizations affecting US health.

Minimally Required Job-Specific Competencies:

• Politics and Legislative Process: Foundational knowledge of countries' politics and legislative processes.
• Research: Ability to review and synthesize published and unpublished materials (especially relating to global health, global development, health policy, and US foreign assistance).
• Strategies on Policy Issues: Advanced skills in strategic communications with the public sector, private organizations and policy makers about relevant legislation, policies and procedures relating to SRHR.
• Advocacy Technical Solutions: Advanced skills providing technical assistance, writing technical reports, and policy briefs targeted to decision makers.
• Relationship Management: Advanced knowledge of donor relationship management, reporting, and program work planning.
• Branding: Proven ability to create and deliver stories from the countries for use in U.S. advocacy.
• Advocacy: Advanced advocacy skills with advocacy assignments and tasks in the development sector projects.
• Public Sector Budget Process: Advanced knowledge of the budget formulation process of the public sector.
• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Services: Advanced knowledge of family planning and reproductive health principles, practices and services of assigned program, including program strategies and indicators.
• Software Applications: Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, especially MS Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Project Management Planning and Management: Proven ability to plan and manage cross-functional initiatives.
• Presentation and Facilitation Skills; Ability to present to large and small groups. Ability to lead in facilitating meetings with key stakeholders.

Minimally Required Organizational Competencies

• Analysis and Sound Judgement: Advanced analytical and trouble shooting skills. Ability to make sound judgments. Ability to improve processes, promote excellence and demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness.
• Languages: Proven ability to write and speak using local language and English language.
• Communication: Advanced oral and written communication skills using different forms of media. Ability to translate complex concepts to individuals at all levels. Ability to speak across a range of technical issues within individual’s area of expertise.
• Passion for Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: Demonstrated commitment to family planning, reproductive health services, gender, maternal, child health services, and eradication of harmful traditional practices.
• Influencing and Customer Service Skills: Proven ability to influence using diplomacy skills with key stakeholders. In-depth demonstrated customer service skills.
• Organization, Planning and Multi-tasking: Advanced organizational and planning skills, project planning and management skills. Proven ability to set priorities,
• meet deadlines and multi-task with minimal supervision. Proven ability to coordinate activities.
• Self-Management and Teamwork: Ability to work independently or as a member of the team, ability to be detailed-oriented and consistently accurate, ability to manage stress effectively in a fast-paced environment, and ability to quickly learn new systems, processes and procedures and adapt local practices to global standards.
• Matrix Management: Ability to thrive in a matrixed organization.
• Confidentiality: Proven ability to maintain confidentiality on work-related issues.

Other Information:

• Travel required (20% or less)
• Uses cellular and desk phone; laptop or desktop computer.