Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer Erbil (with frequent travel) Iraq

About Oxfam

Oxfam is a global movement of people who won’t live with the injustice of poverty. Together we save and rebuild lives in disasters. We help people build better lives for themselves. We speak out on the big issues that keep people poor, like inequality, discrimination against women, and climate change. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can live without poverty.

Oxfam GB is a member of the international confederation Oxfam.

Oxfam in Iraq

Oxfam’s programme has been established in 2014 in response to the ISIS conflict in Iraq. Oxfam implemented activities during the past few years was built around the delivery of 3 main areas: A) Lifesaving humanitarian assistance b) Recovery assistance, and C) Promotion of Women Rights.

In order to serve these three objectives, Oxfam work aimed to integrate the following key sectors together for every intervention in a given location:

• Water Sanitation and Hygiene
• Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods
• Non-food-Items and Shelter
• Protection of lives and rights of civilians
• Gender Justice
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
• Advocacy and Media work

OUR TEAM

The function of the Policy, Advocacy and Communications (PAC) team is to support and promote our program portfolio and advocacy objectives in Iraq.

Working closely with our local and national partners as well as the global Oxfam Confederation, the PAC team works with colleagues across the field offices in Iraq to develop advocacy, communications, and policy initiatives that support the core areas of our work.

Job Purpose

To develop and promote policy and research for Oxfam in Iraq and its national NGO partners to support advocacy, fundraising and programs. Adapt and develop policy positions to support advocacy and influence a wide range of local, national and international audiences. And to follow the policy and advocacy activities implementation under different projects in the different field locations.

Core Details

Location: Erbil, with frequent travel to the field.

Our package: As per Oxfam salary scale

Internal Grade: D2

Contract type: Fixed term

Hours of work: 40 hours per week.

This role reports to: Policy, Advocacy, and Communications Manager

Staff reporting to this post: N/A

Key interactions: DBS checks (for roles based in the UK):

Screening checks: All successful candidates will be screened through Refinitiv World-Check One to comply with counter-terrorism and financial sanctions regulations.

key Responsibilities

Technical:

• To produce, commission, and manage high-quality policy and research content to support Oxfam advocacy, fundraising, and programmes.
• Work closely with local, regional and international colleagues in the Oxfam Confederation to develop and influence policy dialogue around priority issues.
• Develop regular policy/position papers relevant to Oxfam’s work in Iraq for various audiences.
• Work with Oxfam’s national NGO partners to support their policy and advocacy work or to involve them in developing Oxfam’s work.
• Support content development for communications and media for Oxfam in Iraq and under ongoing projects.
• Identify opportunities to promote Oxfam policy, research, and comms content to relevant local, national, and international stakeholders. For example, policymakers, parliamentarians, think tanks, media, and other influencers in Iraq and globally.
• Support the development of policy work that connects with Oxfam’s regional and global priorities, in line with Oxfam’s Global Strategic Framework and other strategies.
• In coordination with the PAC team in Erbil and the Area Managers, develop a strategy and detailed workplan for the policy and advocacy components of the different ongoing projects.
• Ensure the timely implementation of the project activity through close coordination with the field team in each governorate to support the ongoing activities of the different policy and advocacy activities.
• Support the Oxfam team, partners, and other stakeholders in developing policy and advocacy strategies, campaign strategies, context analysis, power mapping, stakeholders’ analysis, and advocacy action plans as needed.
• Support and lead, as needed, the capacity building of Oxfam team members, partners, governmental actors, community members, and other stakeholders in the field of policy and advocacy as needed.
• Follow up on the advocacy and campaign plans and activities implemented by the field offices and the project partners to ensure that local advocacy bolsters these actions where relevant and in line with Oxfam’s national and global campaigns.
• Capture learning under the different projects and stand-alone activities to ensure impact reporting and development of learning modules and knowledge to be shared internally and externally.
• Lead in designing and implementing different events with identified stakeholders as needed. This includes learning events, advocacy round table discussions, dialogue events, etc.
• Work closely with the technical leads to support the implementation of relevant activities under the ongoing project and the stand-alone activities. In addition, support the designing and developing activities for future proposals as needed.
• Frequent travel to the field locations is required for this position. The travel frequency will be as needed to ensure the timely implementation of the project activities and as required by the PAC manager and the projects’ leading teams.
• You are required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values, including the promotion of gender justice.
• Understanding of and commitment to the principles of equality of all people, protection of vulnerable groups, and wellbeing.

Reporting and project support

• Together with staff in the project team, prepare weekly updates and monthly progress and financial reports for the Oxfam team, the donor, and other external uses as needed.
• Support the development of work plans with the field team at the Erbil office level for the different ongoing projects.
• Engage in continuous review and flag any challenges in following project work plans. Proactively suggest solutions for improvement to the relevant managers to address identified challenges.
• Continuously document key success stories of the project and develop communication materials relevant to the project.

Leadership

• Support the policy and research development for the Oxfam country programme.
• Attend and represent Oxfam at relevant policy (and other) forums and directly to relevant stakeholders in coordination with the PAC manager.
• Build relationships with policy and communications colleagues in other organizations (e.g. NGOs, UN agencies, civil society, donors) to coordinate and collaborate on initiatives.
• Support the representation of Oxfam’s programmes, activities and research within the Oxfam Confederation.
• Proactively identify relevant policy positions/ issues that Oxfam should lead/support.
• Promote and live Oxfam values within your work, the team, and the Oxfam country office.

Qualifications & Preferred Skills

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree with years of experience in social sciences, development studies, media and communication, or other relevant fields
• At least 3-5 years of experience working with NGOs /INGOs, of which a minimum of 3 years in policy and advocacy.
• Significant and relevant experience in developing and producing policy-oriented content.
• Strong experience in working with community members and representatives and engagement with governmental actors.
• Track record in similar positions and leading the design and implementation of activities relevant to the job description, including developing policy briefs and reports, campaign strategies, advocacy and influencing actions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Arabic.

Desirable

• Strong writing and research skills, preferably with a history of writing policy, communications and research materials and the ability to produce high-quality work within tight deadlines.
• Management of significant processes and relationships, particularly with colleagues in field offices and other teams, as well as external contacts and representation in external forums.
• The ability to analyze and communicate complex information to a wide range of audiences.
• Sound political judgement on issues of extreme sensitivity. Make decisions and solve problems on complex issues, requiring creative thinking to find the best solutions and drawing on information from various sources to inform decision-making.
• Excellent teamwork skills and experience working closely with programme teams, technical experts, partners, and management to provide sound policy inputs/guidance.
• Strong organizational and personal management skills, with the ability to prioritize work issues to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in complex global networks of multi-national, multi-cultural teams and to develop good working relationships.
• Ability to model Oxfam’s values (empowerment, accountability and inclusiveness) with staff, partners, allies and other stakeholders.
• Willingness and flexibility to travel and stay in field locations for sustained periods is a must.
• The post holder needs to be fluent in English and Arabic. Knowledge of the Kurdish language is an added value.

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.
• Willingness to support Oxfam’s partners in developing policy and research work.
• Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.