Advocacy Officer

Advocacy Officer  – Ninewa – Northwest

Reporting to                          Senior Project Officer

Internal Job Grade                D2

Contract type                         Fixed, Iraq

Staff reporting to this post  N/A

Total Workforce                    1

Annual Budget                      None

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, adults, and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. 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.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organization.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter-Agency.  In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job 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 his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

About Oxfam

Oxfam is a global community who believe poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice that can be overcome. We are shop volunteers, women’s right activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won’t stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

Oxfam GB is a member of the international confederation Oxfam.

Project Takhateb

Project Takhteb is a project focusing on dialogue and community engagement, funded by GIZ. Under this project, Oxfam will focus on meeting humanitarian needs and resilience building within returnees, displaced, and host communities by conducting and facilitating an inclusive dialogue between the affected communities and the local authorities. CSO, communities and local authorities will be involved in these inclusive dialogues to address socio-economic challenges linked to climate change and access to public services in Ninawa and Diyala governorates”. To achieve this outcome, Oxfam’s intervention will be articulated around three outputs:

1.Dialogues between communities and local authorities are implemented to address issues related to climate change and limited access to public services.

2.Capacities of CSO, communities, and local authorities to implement dialogues on climate change and access to public services are strengthened.

3.Good practices and lessons learned on inclusive dialogues are documented and to be disseminated and scaled up.

The project will be implemented in Ninewa governorate.

Job Purpose

As an Advocacy Officer in Iraq, the incumbent will be responsible for leading and supporting the implementation of the project activities under the project “Takhadeb ” in Ninewa governorate.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Technical Programme implementation and monitoring

1. Work closely with the Takhadeb program team in Diyala, Erbil, and Ninewa l in the continued implementation of the programming activities in Ninewa governorate to advance advocacy work.
2. In coordination with the PAC team in Erbil, develop a strategy and detailed workplan for the advocacy component of the project Takhadeb
3. Ensure the timely implementation of the project activity through close coordination with the field team in each of the governorates to support the ongoing activities for dialogues and advocacy
4. Follow – up on the advocacy and campaigns plans and activities implemented by the field offices to ensure that local advocacy bolsters these actions where relevant.
5. Prepare training module, materials and agenda for identified members from the project staff, partners, community members, and governmental actors on different topics including: advocacy, dialogue and debate, stakeholders mapping, and power analysis
6. Follow up with the field team on the activities implementation on the ground, meetings, and other advocacy activities with different stakeholders. The Roving Advocacy Officer should also visit and be a part of some of these meetings if not all
7. Facilitate the creation of links between existing community committees/structures with other project stakeholders including key interlocutors.
8. Under the guidance of the Programme Managers together with the Policy, Advocacy, and Communications (PAC) department, support the development of the advocacy IEC materials for different project outputs to enhance the visibility of the project.
9. Attend relevant meetings or training related to the project
10. Facilitate training in the field locations in Ninewa as required by the team
11. Frequent travel to the field locations in Ninewa and Diyala is required for this position. The travel frequency will be as needed to ensure the timely implementation of the project activities, and as per required by the project leading team.
12. Required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values, including the promotion of gender justice.
13. Understanding of and commitment to the principles of equality of all people, protection of vulnerable groups, and wellbeing.

Reporting & Project support

14. The position holder will require to provide and report on a detailed advocacy training plan to the Programme Manager and PAC team for review.
15. Together with staff in the project team, prepare weekly updates and monthly prograess reports for Oxfam team, the donor and other external use as needed.
16. Engage in continuous review and flag out any challenges in following project work plans. Proactively suggest solutions for improvement to the Programme Manager to address identified challenges.
17. Support translation and interpretation from English to Kurdish, English to Arabic, Arabic to Kurdish, and vice versa when needed.
18. The incumbent will also be responsible for documentation of the activities in the two governorates culminating into Standard Operation Procedures (SoP) to conduct community-led inclusive dialogues for social change.
19. Continuously document key success stories of the project and develop communication materials relevant to the project.
20. Draft the final learning event report with support from the project team. The learning report will be used to as an advocacy tool to promote the learnings extracted from the project.

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, , development studies, media and communication, or other relevant fields.
• At least two years’ experience in designing and working in the fields of advocacy, community and civil society engagement and project coordination.
• Experience in facilitating training and workshop preferred, especially in the areas of advocacy and dialogue.
• At least 2-4 years’ experience of working with NGOs /INGOs
• Experience working in Ninewa and/ or Diyala Governorate with an understanding of the context
• Track record and commitment to working in a results-oriented environment.
• Strong communication & interpersonal skills.
• Creativity and innovation in developing new ideas
• Willingness and fitness to travel and stay in the field locations in Ninewa and Diyala for sustained period of time.
• Ability to work in Multicultural team
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure and beyond working hours if required
• Excellent written and spoken Arabic and English. Knowledge of Kurdish will be an added advantage
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, and MS Projects.

As part of your online application, please upload your up-to-date CV and Cover Letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.