Senior Advocacy and Policy Officer

Vacancy Announcement

Title: Senior Advocacy and Policy Officer

Type of contract: Employment

Contract duration: 24-month contract with possible renewal

Work time: Full-time position (40 hours per week)

Reporting to: Head of National Advocacy and Technical Support

Location: Unspecified location, home-based (ideally within CET+2 and CET-2 time zone), with regular travel to countries with projects

Start date: As soon as possible

Application deadline: 04 April 2024

Background

The Global Survivors Fund (“GSF”) was launched in October 2019 by Dr Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Prize laureates 2018. Its mission is to enhance access to reparations for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence around the globe, thus responding to a gap long identified by survivors. GSF acts to provide interim reparative measures in situations where states or other parties are unable or unwilling to meet their responsibilities. GSF advocates for duty bearers as well as the international community to develop reparations programmes. It also guides states and civil society by providing expertise and technical support for designing reparations programmes. GSF’s survivor-centric approach is the cornerstone of its work.

Role Summary

GSF’s work is structured around three key pillars that are interlinked: Act (interim reparative measures (IRM) projects), Advocate and Guide. The Advocacy pillar aims to influence the international, regional and national advocacy and policy agendas to enable reparations for conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).

The Advocacy and Policy Officer will work under the Head of National Advocacy and Technical Support (NATS) focusing on national country advocacy and policy initiatives as part of GSF’s programmes department and in close collaboration with other GSF Units, to ensure survivors’ access to reparations.

Position Responsibilities

• Support the Head of NATS in development of an overarching advocacy and policy strategy at GSF aimed at engaging multiple stakeholders at the national level in prioritising reparations for CRSV survivors;
• In coordination with the Head of NATS, lead GSF’s strategic engagement with governments and other stakeholders at the national level to influence policy change to prioritise reparations for CRSV survivors based on GSF Global Reparations Study findings and identify key national partners, including survivors’ networks to implement the strategy as appropriate;
• Support the development and execution by national partners and survivors of relevant advocacy and technical support goals aiming to enhance access to reparation for survivors, including initiatives and campaigns, in liaison with national teams and/or regional project coordinators;
• Lead on developing appropriate guidelines, tools and resources to support national advocacy efforts, including the development of a community of practice, exchange of experiences and lessons learned among practitioners and activists;
• Develop networks of experts, partner organisations and other key stakeholders including but not limited to NGOs, multilateral organisations, donors, government officials, coalitions, and local CSOs to engage on advocacy and policy initiatives;
• Engage with States, coordinate efforts with UN agencies and other international actors in select countries and collaborate with other stakeholders where possible to influence policy at the national level;
• Develop materials, talking points and messages for strategic communication purposes in focus countries together with the Head of Communications;
• Conduct research to identify relevant policy initiatives as well as background research on advocacy partners and targets;
• Work directly with SEMA and other survivor groups to engage CRSV survivors and ensure that advocacy initiatives are co-created with survivors and that survivors actively participate in the design and implementation of advocacy efforts;
• Organise strategic advocacy events, draft policy and advocacy documents and other submissions (amicus, policy briefings, infographics, podcasts, etc) to respond to key advocacy and policy opportunities identified by GSF in areas such as children born of war, survivor-centric approaches and survivors’ participation in reparation processes and transitional justice and reparations by third party actors, under the supervision of the Director of Programmes and the Head of NATS;
• Oversee and contribute to the design and writing of funding applications, narrative and budget proposals relevant for national advocacy by GSF staff and national partners;
• Monitor and evaluate national advocacy work using predefined key performance and impact indicators and adjust work as required based on such results;
• Represent GSF in external events and forums as they relate to national advocacy and policy efforts at GSF.

Collaboration with Act Team (Interim Reparative Measures Projects)

• Work closely with the Head of International Advocacy and Policy (IAP) and the Head of Act/IRM Projects and IRM team to develop strategies to influence policy change in IRM countries and provide support to IRM staff engaged in advocacy and technical support work;
• Share relevant information, contacts and experience with the Head of NATS, Head of Act/IRM Projects and Act/IRM Projects team to ensure the two pillars are mutually reinforcing each other on their advocacy and policy work as well as on the identification of key advocacy and policy opportunities.

Collaboration with International Advocacy Programme

• Coordinate with the Head International Advocacy and Policy (IAP) and the IAP team to ensure that relevant information, contacts, needs and experiences are shared and that the two pillars are mutually reinforcing;
• Contribute, as required, to design concept notes for roundtables and other events to deepen expert knowledge, share experiences and strengthen communities of practice;
• Support the organisation of trainings, workshops, advocacy and awareness-raising campaigns, and other such events to share best practice and lessons learned;
• Ensure that international advocacy priorities are integrated in country advocacy strategies and that country experiences on these themes inform our international advocacy efforts.

Other core activities

• Review advocacy and policy project proposals from partners, make recommendations on whether GSF should support them, draw necessary paperwork to document partnerships and help materialise new partnerships;
• Assist in developing project plans and budgets, and monitor implementation of NATS projects to ensure they remain within scope, time and budget;
• Support external communication activities liaising with GSF Communications team;
• Travel to countries where GSF is active as required for key advocacy and policy engagement;
• Perform any other duties as required to support the work of the Advocacy unit and broader Programmes team.

Position Requirements

Education and Experience

• A master’s degree in international human rights law, transitional justice, or other relevant equivalent studies;
• Five to 7 years of progressive relevant advocacy experience working on human rights, humanitarian law, conflict-related sexual violence, reparations, and/or transitional justice.
• Solid experience in project management, including in reviewing budgets and project proposals.

Other requirements

• Excellent research, drafting and editing skills in English. English is the working language of the Global Survivors Fund. Good knowledge in written and spoken French and in any additional UN language would also be an asset;
• Strong content knowledge and work experience related to CRSV, reparations, and/or transitional justice;
• Proven ability researching, writing, and finalising key outputs in the fields of work of GSF such as key publications (advocacy or academic);
• Professional demeanour and excellent communication skills;
• Excellent networking skills;
• Creativity and ability to think “out of the box” for solutions to complex problems;
• Robust planning and organisation skills, ability to identify priorities and adjust plans and actions as necessary;
• Attention to detail and ability to work independently, sometimes under tight deadlines;
• Strong work ethics and demonstrated ability to take initiative;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint) desirable;
• Experience working in at least one of the countries where GSF is implementing projects.