Head of ECOWAS Advocacy and Influencing Desk at Oxfam

​​​​​​Contract: Initial fixed term, one year.
Internal Job grade: C1, national terms and conditions.

The West Africa (WAF) Regional platform works to realize the vision of a region free from chronic vulnerabilities and inequalities; where each citizen enjoys her/his rights for assistance in crisis situation and where sovereign resources drawn from extractive industries, a fair taxation system and inclusive farming development are sufficient and fairly redistributed, bringing an end to extreme inequalities, vulnerability and poverty.

In collaboration with our country programs, we identify and work with networks of social movements, CSOs and their coalitions and alliances, West African institutions and governments to influence, develop and implement key international and regional policies, programs, pledges and human rights instruments

All our work is led by three core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness. To read more about our values please click here

The Role

The Head of ECOWAS Advocacy and Influencing Desk will have the overall objective of leading West Africa and country team’s engagement with ECOWAS and its organs as well as facilitating Oxfam’s engagement with ECOWAS. This new position will be a pilot to see the effectiveness to open an advocacy office in Abuja to strengthen the relationship with the regional West African institution, ECOWAS

Team PurposeTo work as part of WestAfrica platform team, which worksto realizethe vision of a region free from chronic vulnerabilities and inequalities, where each citizen enjoys her/his rights for assistance in crisis situation and where  sovereign  resources  drawn  from  extractive  industries,  a  fair  taxation  system  and  inclusive  farming development are sufficient and fairly redistributed, bringing an end to extreme inequalities, vulnerability and poverty. In collaboration with our country programs,we identify and work with networks of social movements, CSOs and their coalitions and alliances, WestAfricaninstitutions and governments to influence, develop and implement key international and regionalpolicies, programs, pledges and human rights instruments. TheRegional Platform is created in order to:

a) Provide strategic leadership, management and accountability

b)  Achieve  regional  impact  through  regional  programming  according  to  the  West  Africa  Oxfam  Regional Strategy  

c)  Connect  learning  and  capacity  building  processes  across  the  region  and  provide  cost-effective capacity building to countries

Job Purpose

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

The  main  concept  is  investing  in  strategic  locations  to  work  with  and  engage  regional  institutions  and/or influencing hubs, ECOWAS forthis position. A unique selling point (USP) of Oxfam is its ability to work with others to make change happen by influencing different layers / levels involved in change. For this to happen, Oxfam in general and in the region, needs to transform our country and regional programs to focus more on influencing while optimizing and building on its long-term development and humanitarian works. The Head of ECOWAS advocacy and influencing deskwill have the overall objective of leading West Africa and country team’sengagement with ECOWAS and its organs as well as facilitating

Oxfam’s engagement with ECOWAS.

The specific objectives of this position are:i.Exchange intelligence, information, data, or knowledgewith ECOWASto inform their developmentpoliciesand strategies as well as Oxfam work at national, regional, pan African and global levelsii.Facilitate participation of regional and national CSOsin policy definition and support citizens monitoring and influence.

iii.Strengthening influencing capacities of CSOs by providing information on current policiesand processes.iv.Facilitate collaboration with ECOWASin linewith our programs to improve alignment and create synergy.v.Lobby ECOWASto develop and implement policies and strategies that are gender-transformative and address the root causes of poverty and inequalities in the region and in countries.
Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Management 

• Serve  as  a  member  of  the Influencing  team  of  the  west  Africa  regional  platform,  and  as  adviser tothe program platform team on engagement with the ECOWAS commission and related institutions relevant for the campaign and policy objectives of Oxfam’s regional strategy
• Collaborate  with the Oxfam  Nigeria  team  that will host  the  position  and  ensure the  synergy  of  Oxfam Nigeria’sinfluencing agenda with the regional one.
• Participate  in  the  designof  the  new  program  orientation  in  Nigeria,  Ghana  and  Senegal  as  influencing hubs. 
• Lead policy development on issues relevant to ECOWAS in collaboration with thematic teams, and advise the  OI RegionalDirector  on  sign-off  for  relevantinternal  andexternal  campaign  products  and  policy positions
• Facilitate a high level of collaboration between Oxfam affiliates and country teams and regional platform on ECOWAS-targeted advocacy and campaigningSupportOxfam colleagues (Country teams, regional platform colleagues and global Campaign teams) to engagethe ECOWAS and its organs
• As  delegated  by  the  OI West  Africa  regionalDirector,  act  as spokesperson  including giving  media interviewson OI agreed positions.
• Participate in OxfamInternational Advocacy and Campaigns teams as appropriate
• Facilitate partnership and alliances with regional civil society organizations and building coalitions in issues around fighting inequalitiesECOWAS
• Develop   and   maintain   key   relationships   with ECOWAS and   its   organs,   and   relevant countryrepresentatives’missions 
• Maintain high level of expertise on ECOWAS processesand strengthen Oxfam’s relationship withWest African Civil Society Organizations.
• Develop and implement coalition-based strategies for advocacy on ECOWAS
• Act as targetmanager between OI and ECOWAS and advise the regional platform and countrieson all engagements with the ECOWAS commissionCivil Society
• In  collaboration  with the  regional  program  team,  facilitate  partnership  and  alliances  with  regional  civil society organizations and building coalitions in issues around fighting inequalities
• Implement  strategies  for  engaging  and  partnering  with  CSO  coalitions  andnetworksaround ECOWASaffairs.
• Facilitate  exchange  and  coordination  of  the  CSO  working  on  ECOWAS  policies  and  practices,  and represent Oxfam on the network of NGOs working withECOWAS
• In collaboration with influencing and programs team, provide advice, support and technical assistance to CSO coalitions working on ECOWASaffairs

Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge

Essential

• At least 8-10 years of Advanced knowledge of  ECOWAS and or related policies, West African civil society and regionaladvocacy workDemonstrable  experience  developing  and  implementing  high  impact  advocacy  strategies  that  integrate lobbying, research, media and other campaigning tools in order to influence decision-making bodies
• Demonstrable  experience  effectively  representing  issues  and  institutions  before  high  level  decision-makers, colleagues, media and the general public.
• Strong people-and project-management skills, with experience working in diverse alliances
• Excellent communication skills for advocacy and media work, and awareness of political sensitivitiesStrong interpersonal skills that include experience with mediation and consensus building 
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively in writing

Languages: Fluency in English and French required
Other 

• Eager and required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values (click here) as well as the promotion of gender justice and women's rights (click here).  
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.Key Attributes:
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities. 
• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work. 
• Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible. 
• Organizational Values:

Accountability –Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
Empowerment –Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
Inclusiveness –We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.
Oxfam International

Key BehavioralCompetencies(based on Oxfam’s Leadership Model)Competencies

DescriptionDecisivenessWe are comfortable to make transparent decisions and to adapt decision making modes to the context and needs.InfluencingWe have the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders in a way that leads to increased impact for the organizationWe spot opportunities to influence effectively and where there are no opportunities we have the ability to create them in a respectful and impactful manner.HumilityWe put ‘we’ before ‘me’ and place an emphasis on the power of the collective, nurture the team and play to the strengths of each individual. We are not concerned with hierarchical power, and we engage with, trust and value the knowledge and expertise of others across all levels of the organization.

Relationship Building

We understand the importance of building relationship, within and outside the organization. We have the ability to engage with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in ways that lead to increased impact for the organization.ListeningWe are good listeners who can see where deeper levels of thoughts and tacit assumptions differ.

Our messages to others are clear, and consider different preferences.

Mutual Accountability We can explain our decisions and how we have taken them based on our organizational values.  

We are ready to be held to account for what we do and how we behave, as we are also holding others to account ina consistent manner.Agility, Complexity, and AmbiguityWe  scan  the  environment,  anticipate  changes,  are  comfortablewith  lack  of  clarity  and  deal  with  a large number of elements interacting in diverse and unpredictable ways.Strategic Thinking and Judgment

We  use  judgment,  weighing  risk  against  the  imperative  to  act.

We  make  decisions  consistent  with organizational strategies and values.Self-AwarenessWe are abletodevelop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others.

Our self-awareness enables us to moderate and self-regulate our behaviors to control and channel our impulses for good purposes.

Enabling We  all  work  to  effectively  empower  and  enable  others  to  deliver  the  organizations  goals  through creating conditions of success.We passionately invest in others by developing their careers, not only their skills for the job.  We provide freedom;demonstrate beliefand trustprovide appropriate support.We give more freedom and demonstrate belief and trust, underpinned with appropriate support

Our commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.