Influencing Specialist

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

As part of the country-level influencing and communications team, the role will lead advocacy, communications and partnership initiatives in humanitarian contexts and emergency responses in the country. She/he will develop the humanitarian influencing plans in line with the country strategic plan priorities and global strategy with the aim of attaining gender justice for girls, adolescent girls and young women in crises.

Accountabilities and MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

   Develop Strategies, Guideline, and Operational Plan Development and Review Periodically (30%)

• Conduct policy and political analysis in humanitarian context to inform on influencing strategies and outcomes.
• Develop and review humanitarian influencing strategies, guidelines, and operational plans through major partners and stakeholder engagement.
• Develop and execute annual work plan in collaboration with major partners and stakeholders

Carryout Advocacy Outreach (20%)

• Identify and influence major humanitarian stakeholders and partnersÂ
• Coordinate the delivery of internal and external policy and advocacy briefings and materials in humanitarian contexts.
• Develop key influencing/advocacy messages, defining effective tactics and leveraging the influencing strength to mobilize support for desired change
• Think creatively and come up with ideas about potential advocacy entry-points on ERM specific priorities
• Develop action plan to engage major stakeholders and partners locally and internationally.
• Identify gaps and maintain good working relationships with critical humanitarian partners and stakeholdersÂ
• Rollout campaigns and organize events (national and international level), including campaigns’ coordination and event planning when necessary.
• Work closely with the Programme (Humanitarian team), Programme Quality Team and Business development team to ensure influencing is evidence-based and the Programmes and influencing approach is applied (lessons from the field, case studies, and research when needed).
• Build effective internal and external working relationships.

Partnership Management (20%)

• Identify plausible partnership engagement modalities, engage and monitor the impact of such partnerships
• Identify and engage with the government and relevant stakeholders, networks, power institutions and movements in opportunities that contribute to long term goals and objectives for policy and advocacy work at relevant levels

Resource /Public / Mobilization (10%)

• Develop updates on current events, which are of interest to Plan International Ethiopia Strategic focus.
• Identify processes, events, institutions and other influential platforms relevant for identifying opportunities for campaign activity and partnerships.
• Perform any other duties within the scope of the position as assigned by the supervisor

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

• Understand and put into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC).
• Ensure that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion fully embedded in day-to-day work.
• Ensure that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data submitted.

LEADERSHIP, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Sets and communicates ambitious but realistic work goals and priorities, explaining how these contribute to Plan International’s purpose.
• Sets high standards for self and others’ behaviour, inside and outside work. Champions our values and commitment to rights, gender equality and safeguarding. Supports the health, well-being and both physical and psychological safety of our staff, including their safety to speak out.
• Holds self and others to account for what we have agreed, dealing with poor performance quickly, firmly and constructively.
• Creates a positive team spirit, helping people work well together, to reflect and continuously improve the efficiency and quality of what we do.
• Collaborates with team members, colleagues and partners in finding creative solutions to problems by sharing information, experience and ideas and actively seeking their input.
• Motivates and develops others by taking an interest, giving constructive feedback and praise, ensuring they are properly trained and helping them develop their potential.
• Positive about change and support others in adjusting to it, helping them understand.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

• Aware of the values and the global strategy and understands why Plan International’s purpose is so important in advancing children’s rights and equality for girls globally.  Understands and applies the principles of safeguarding and protection of the vulnerable populations with which Plan International works.
• Aware of the different structural and governing elements, including national organisations, global hub, regional hubs, country offices, liaison offices, members assembly, international board, and the leadership team. Aware of Plan International’s main sources of funding and knows where to find company information.
• Aware of the processes, institutions and organisations that shape the development and humanitarian context. Understands their local operating environment, demonstrating
• Can succinctly articulate the purpose, values, and global strategy to a range of audiences.
• Can explain how Plan International will deliver on its objectives through the theory of change and communicates the implications for their team.
• Understands the purpose, lines of accountability and decision-making capacity for each structural element of the organization. Helps their team to understand where they sit within the organizational structure.
• Supports their team to understand the local operating environment and to consider the implications for work activities. Adjusts work activities and practices to reflect the political, financial, social and cultural context.
• Enforces appropriate use of brand throughout all written and verbal communications.
• Cascades knowledge throughout the organization by sharing key messages, having team meetings and working collaboratively with other teams or departments.Â
• Encourages two-way channels of communication, facilitating conversations using digital and non-digital methods.

Technical Competencies

• Understanding Issues:  Human rights and social and gender justice, how they interlink with global and local development; processes (such as the SDGs) and their impact on different groups. Concepts, processes and mechanisms which drive power relations and structures, participation, and political and social change and how these work in various contexts and societies.
• Understanding strategies to: drive social and political change and improvements in national legal frameworks and budgets including by supporting and strengthening civil society and movements relevant to our impact group and directly influencing power holders at local, national, regional and international levels. Integrating influencing and campaign strategies and tactics and measures to strengthen civil society, monitor and periodically report on human rights into programmes and projects; monitor civic space and human rights violations.
• Driving Quality by applying strategies to: ensure that policy and practice navigates inequality and power dynamics within political and institutional structure. Create space and processes for meaningful participation and engagement of key stakeholders and partners; support citizens/civil society, particularly children and young people, and their initiatives and organisations to demand rights and accountability, including through using new technologies, and activities to help them assess and address the challenges and risks they face in different contexts.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications/ Experience Essential:

• Minimum of 5 years relevant Experience in developing and implementing advocacy, communications and/or campaign strategies
• Knowledge and experience working in humanitarian settings and engaging with humanitarian partners.
• Sound analytical and problem-solving capability
• Familiarity with government structures and policy decision-making process.
• Qualification Desirable:
• Ability to influence policies at ground and national level
• Proven ability to work with media, diverse networks, coalitions and partners to achieve common goals
• Ability to write clear and concise reports, statements, and to meet short deadlines.
• Experience training and capacity building other staff in principles of influencing and media.
• Computer literacy skills with excellent oral and presentation communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to manage complex and sensitive organizational relationships to achieve cross-organizational mutually agreed goals.
• Languages Required:
• Fluency in English language is essential (perfect written and spoken)

Location: Addis Ababa

Type of Role: Specialist

Reports to: Head of Influencing and Communication

Grade: D1

Closing Date: September 17, 2021

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures