Advocacy Specialist

The Advocacy Capacity Building Initiative (ACBI) has been set up to play a critical role in strengthening country level advocacy, connecting effective global and regional level advocacy. This includes designing, implementing and monitoring strategic advocacy capacity building efforts – including on advocacy strategy, implementation and monitoring, developing tailored modules to meet needs across a range of operating contexts, as well as by creating a cadre of advocacy experts.  

The Advocacy Capacity Building Initiative (ACBI), Advocacy Section has three core objectives:  

• To grow the advocacy skills, knowledge and confidence of colleagues across HQ, Country Offices (Cos) and Regional Offices (Ros) – including building a cadre of advocacy trainers
• To help and influence senior leaders across all levels to understand, champion and invest in strategic advocacy as a core strategy to achieve results for children
• To embed advocacy-driven results, initiatives and approaches, monitoring indicators, work plans, as well as roles and responsibilities, as a core part of the country, regional and HQ planning process​

The position will work closely with the Advocacy Manager, ACBI, Advocacy Section to: 

• Play a critical role in implementing the Advocacy Capacity Building Initiative, which aims to ensure staff at all levels understand and champion the central role that advocacy plays in realizing UNICEF’s mandate.
• Work with and influence cross-divisional teams and leadership to invest in and enable whole-of-office approaches to advocacy strategy, implementation and monitoring.
• Ensure the development of comprehensive advocacy training and capacity building modules, tools, resources — for developing, implementing and monitoring advocacy strategy — across a range of organizational advocacy needs.
• Support colleagues in a wide-range of operating contexts — across HQ, Regional Office (Ros) and Country Offices (Cos) — to develop, implement and monitor robust advocacy strategies for UNICEF’s national, regional and global advocacy priorities.
• Provide strategic support to the ACBI and Advocacy Section in documenting advocacy good practices, lessons learnt and case studies to help UNICEF align behind specific advocacy objectives and driving their implementation across UNICEF HQ, ROs and COs.

Role Responsibility:

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Advocacy Capacity Building Initiative Implementation
• Advocacy Strategy Development and Monitoring
• Cross-Divisional Partnerships and Leadership Engagement for Integrated Advocacy
• Cross-organizational learning and knowledge management

Description of the assignment:

Advocacy Capacity Building Initiative Implementation:

• Work closely with the Advocacy Manager to lead and/or support the design, implementation, and monitoring of advocacy capacity-building efforts at HQ, Regional Offices (ROs), and Country Offices (COs).
• Develop tailored advocacy training modules and resources to address varied strategic advocacy needs in different operating contexts.
• Facilitate training sessions and workshops to grow advocacy skills, knowledge, and confidence among UNICEF staff and partners.
• Build and support a network of advocacy trainers to amplify advocacy skills at all levels of the organization.

Advocacy Strategy Development and Monitoring:

• Support HQ, ROs, and COs in developing, implementing, and monitoring advocacy strategies tailored to achieving specific advocacy goals in that context, through (online/in-person) workshops, webinars etc.
• Provide hands-on support and advocacy strategic guidance to select country and regional offices to achieve the objectives of the Global Advocacy Priorities.
• Strengthen monitoring and tracking of advocacy initiatives, both at the ACBI and at CO/RO level, as relevant, using key performance indicators and reporting tools to assess impact.

Cross-Divisional Partnerships and Leadership Engagement for Integrated Advocacy:

• Engage and influence cross-divisional teams and senior leadership to champion strategic advocacy as a core approach to achieving UNICEF’s mission.
• Promote an integrated, whole-of-office approach to advocacy across various offices, ensuring alignment of strategies with UNICEF’s global, regional, and national priorities.
• Provide strategic advice and support to senior leadership on integrating advocacy into operational and programmatic plans, helping them to understand and invest in advocacy efforts.
• Advocate for investment in advocacy resources, capacity building, and the embedding of advocacy objectives into organizational work plans and performance indicators.
• Support leadership in championing advocacy as a critical lever for driving results for children globally.

Cross-organizational learning and knowledge management:

• Identify and document relevant best practices, lessons learned, and case studies to promote UNICEF’s strategic advocacy efforts globally
• Compile and disseminate successful advocacy approaches to build institutional knowledge and foster alignment on advocacy objectives across the organization
• Strengthen and maintain the Advocacy Portal, ACBIs knowledge-sharing platform, to ensure easy access to advocacy tools and resources for all staff
• Undertake other key responsibilities to support the performance and impact of the Advocacy Section as required.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

• An Advanced University degree in Public Policy, Political Science, International Relations, International Development, Public Administration, Economics, Communication or other relevant fields or
• A first level university degree with an additional two years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years’ progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in advocacy and campaign strategy development (with measurable objectives and clear theories of change), execution and monitoring, preferably at global and national level.
• Demonstrated success in influencing diverse national and global stakeholders, using strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills, to foster collaboration and drive impactful results.
• Expertise in adult learning principles and instructional design, focused on practical capacity-building techniques.
• Experience in training and facilitation, including developing advocacy modules, tools and resources, based on a comprehensive needs assessment of the target audience.
• Proven track record in managing multi-stakeholder projects, with strong project planning, monitoring, and coordination skills, adept at managing tight deadlines and using collaboration tools.
• Experience in establishing advocacy indicators and evaluating success, with the ability to assess impact and communicate lessons learned using M&E frameworks.
• Experience in operating independently at a senior level and in providing expert advice and support on advocacy and campaigns.
• Knowledge of international development, humanitarian issues and children’s rights.
• Experience working for an advocacy or campaigning organization, e.g. an international or national NGO, UN or other multilateral organization is an asset. 
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English (both written and verbal) is required.  Knowledge of an additional UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) is considered an asset.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/577693