Policy & Advocacy Coordinator at SOS Children Villages

Locations: Gwagwalada - Abuja, Jos - Plateau, Isolo - Lagos and Owu-ijebu - Ogun
Slots: 5

Position Summary

• The Policy and Advocacy Coordinator will contribute to policy development, technical analysis, background research, and content development, increase advocacy activity, including the provision of high-level policy advice, stakeholder engagement, and organize a wide range of activities to influence policies according to the scope of our programmes/projects priority areas.
• This position acts as a key contact for government, non-government organizations, peak bodies and other stakeholders, contributes to the strategic direction of SOS Children’s Villages in Nigeria, and improves its profile by leveraging its expertise as a Child Care & Protection Organization.
• The job role involves strategy development, research, monitoring and analyzing policy developments, information sharing, advocacy, networking and building relationships across a range of sectors (politics, policy making, child protection networks, international aid organizations, religious groups and structures, and academia).
• He/she will develop policy and advocacy approaches, and will be responsible for providing high level policy analysis on a number of identified key issues
• He/she will be responsible for identifying ways to address key institutional and partner capacity needs that will accelerate progress towards policy and advocacy goals
• Provide leadership in the development of strategic plans and budgets for all Advocacy campaigns
• Conduct engagements through existing platforms to strengthen strategic communications and stakeholder engagement
• Determine communication methods that will generate global support required for reforms and accountability
• Ensure that evidence-based data are generated for informed decision making and knowledge and lessons learned are effectively managed and shared
• Coordinate activities and communicating same among a diverse set of stakeholders
• Produce a wide range of high-quality written outputs for various audiences including well targeted policy briefings, and other outputs
• Foster strong relationships and work closely with internal and external stakeholders in policy and advocacy work to keep abreast of key policy changes and relevant external issues, and to maximise their role as advocates for change
• Ensure strong linkages with the Monitoring and Evaluations team so that advocacy and policy approaches are based on evidence
• Contribute to quality program delivery and innovation in line with the documented plan
• Analyse and provide programmatic inputs into financial reports
• Development of short- and long-term governance and advocacy agendas
• Collaborate with Management and support the analysis process, developing policy positions and programme strategies, establishing new networks and partnerships
• Provide technical inputs into the design and implementation of project activities, development of advocacy strategies, delivery of capacity building activities, development and review of advocacy tools, conducting social mobilisation activities and development of relevant communication materials
• Identifying technical working groups to partner with at the state and federal levels.

Qualifications, Experience and Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field (Law, Political Science, International Affairs, Human Rights, Sociology, Psychology or any related field)
• At least 5 years of proven professional experience in Policy & Advocacy (at national level will be an asset)
• Experience with leading advocacy-related studies and researches, monitoring and analysing trends and developments in national and state-level child care legislation spaces.
• Proven experience in developing project/campaign plans
• Proven experience in handling Advocacy Campaigns in the NGO sector
• Sound understanding of Policy Strategies and Analysis
• Demonstrates high level of social-cultural sensitivity when dealing with stakeholders and colleagues
• Excellent interpersonal skills including diplomacy and tact to liaise effectively with a range of stakeholders including NGO partners, community leaders, beneficiary’s key population and government officials
• Understand Communication Strategies
• Proven ability to develop workplans and implement same
• Ability to identify advocacy opportunities
• Ability to write policy documents.