Advocacy Manager

The Advocacy Manager will serve as a champion and focal point for advocacy through strategic leadership and active involvement with National Organizations (NOs). S/He will coordinate with Habitat for Humanity International’s (HFHI) Government Relations & Advocacy Office in Washington DC to achieve full policy alignment across the HFHI organization. S/He will provide knowledge, expertise and advocacy related to various aspects of shelter/housing programs conducted by Habitat for Humanity and its implementing partners.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership – Advise and support the Area and National Offices on advocacy and policy integration. Design and oversee the development and implementation of advocacy strategies which contribute to changes in unjust policies and practices. – Lead review processes and help strengthen the application of advocacy models in disaster response – Provide leadership to planning and coordination of public advocacy campaigns – Enhance HFHI’s advocacy capacity and focus in line with its mission, principle level choices and strategic mandate. – Contribute to the development of global policies, guidelines and standards

Strategy – Participate and contribute to development of regional strategy and global advocacy strategies, priorities and plans ensuring that the advocacy and policy priorities of Asia Pacific are integrated and prioritized – Support the National Organizations (NOs) in developing effective advocacy strategies and plans appropriate to their context in alignment with the regional and global strategies and priorities – Position Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) in strategic engagements with key interagency partnerships to influence governments on implementation of key public policies affecting housing/shelter – Engage with key policy monitoring mechanisms, opinion-forming processes to influence changes of policy and practice.

Operations – Work closely with NOs providing technical leadership support and critical guidance and input in the area of advocacy integration and campaigning. – Provide leadership in contextualizing global guidelines and mainstreaming standards within the region – Support implementation of local level advocacy as a vehicle of community empowerment and sustainable practice – Support NOs in resource acquisition for regional/multi country advocacy projects – Coordinates closely with program staff to ensure advocacy alignment and that advocacy represents needs of the field – Coordinates closely with communications staff to develop and inform issue based print and social media opportunities

Knowledge Management – Lead the process of continuous learning related to advocacy and integration of advocacy with other functions – Encourage mutual learning between NOs within the Asia Pacific and between other Areas – Facilitate formation and coordination of regional advocacy forum/network that promotes learning – Oversee research and analysis where necessary to support areas of advocacy and policy engagement within the Asia Pacific

External Relations – Provide support to the area leadership team in engaging external agencies in line with the regional business plan – Develop and maintain good external relations with key regional advocacy organizations and networks so as to ensure that HFHI is well positioned as a credible and influential player in the region – Work with coalitions at the regional level to help achieve advocacy objectives

Other related duties as assigned by supervisor

Minimum Requirements: – Education: Degree in Political Science, Public Policy or International Affairs. – At least 5 years’ experience in public advocacy at management level. – Work experience in Asia Pacific countries highly preferred – Knowledge of other relief policy actors such as United Nations (UN), World Bank, National Governments, the US Government, the European Union (EU), International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), and INGO coordinating bodies, etc.

Qualifications: – An understanding of shelter/housing policy in the broader relief and development policy environment in the field and at the policy developing/decision-making level. – An understanding of government policy and systems frameworks in the Asia-Pacific environment and countries. – Superior communication skills with strong diplomatic and conflict negotiation capability

Preferred: – Willingness to communicate Habitat for Humanity’s (HFH’s) Christian principles – Willingness to travel