Climate Change Policy and Advocacy Coordinator

Climate Change Policy and Advocacy Coordinator

Trócaire

Freetown, Sierra Leone

The Climate Change Policy & Advocacy Coordinator will lead on the delivery of Trócaire’s climate change programme, supporting women and youth’s resilience and adaptation to the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation in Sierra Leone. The role will serve as the lead technical expert for climate change policy and advocacy programming. To achieve this the coordinator will be responsible for designing innovative and impactful solutions and strategies in the relevant thematic areas. The role will represent Trócaire Sierra Leone’s programming in this sector to major public and private donors, NGOs, universities, Civil Society Organisations, and other professional organizations and build and strengthen relationships with these key stakeholders. The role will have responsibility for managing a portfolio of civil society partners and providing technical assistance to ensure programme quality, with a focus on supporting women-centred organisations. The role will also support the development of a climate change advocacy network.

Technical and Programme Quality

• Lead and assume accountability for the successful delivery of climate change policy and advocacy programming, including the development and implementation of a localised climate strategy.
• Lead and coordinate Climate-Centred CSO Network formed in 2023, in advocacy and climate justice initiatives.
• Provide high quality technical support to partners, Women-Centred Organisations (WCOs), and CSOs on climate change adaptation, communal natural resources management, resource rights, and resilience.
• Provide high quality technical support to partners, WCOs and CSOs on the development of advocacy campaigns and networks.
• Support the country team and Climate Change & Gender Portfolio to proactively drive an evidence-based agenda around advocacy on climate and environmental justice.

Partnership and Capacity Building

• Lead partnership portfolio management of Trócaire’s thematic partners delivering climate change policy and advocacy programming, with a particular focus on WCOs and CSOs.
• Work closely with the Gender & Women’s Empowerment Programme Officer to map and scope women-centred organisations working on climate change in Sierra Leone.
• Coordinate with Global Hub on the development of tailored capacity building tools and support package for WCOs.
• Lead on capacity-building initiatives, coaching, and mentoring of partners, WCOs and CSOs on technical areas.
• Design and deliver capacity building trainings, manuals, and guidance documents for partners in key technical areas using participatory techniques appropriate to a semi-literate audience.
• Monitor ongoing implementation of partner projects through field visits and provide written feedback to all partners on compliance with agreed project objectives and Trócaire’s standards.
• Contribute proactively to the successful implementation of integrated programming framework as one of Trócaire’s key programming strategies.

Reporting and Information Management

• Lead in the development of donor, government and programme reports for projects within your portfolio.
• Collect and review partners’ narrative and financial reports and ensure timely submission and quality assurance.
• Manage and monitor programme and partner budgets and ensure timely budget expenditure and value for money ensuring compliance with financial norms and standards.
• Coordinate with MEAL Advisor to manage programme Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and support partners to have effective results-based M&E systems, including needs assessments and programme baselines and endlines.
• Develop Service Level Agreements and lead on reporting and correspondence with the relevant line ministry.
• Contribute/lead case studies and lessons learned documents and disseminate to key stakeholders.
• Participate in wider organisational planning and review work, as and where appropriate.

Programme Growth and Representation

• Support the development of institutional funding applications (concept notes and full proposals) in close coordination with the programme team, Business Development and Compliance, partners, and HQ.
• Build Trócaire Sierra Leone’s reputation in Environment, Climate Change, and natural resource management through participation in relevant networks, working groups and conferences.
• Coordinate with the Climate Change & Food Security Programme Officer to explore new opportunities for the growth of climate change adaptation opportunities, including forest enterprise development, clean cooking solutions, valorisation, and renewable energy.
• Represent Trócaire Sierra Leone in thematic spaces that reflect on climate change, natural resource management, and resilience and actively engage key stakeholders/actors in and outside of Sierra Leone.

Other (Desired)

• Support on implementation of disaster risk reduction (DRR), and humanitarian preparedness and response activities.
• Any other reasonable duty as may be assigned by the line manager that is consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility.

Requirements

Qualification:

• Third level qualification in: Environmental Science, Climate Change, Agricultural Science, or other related disciplines.

Experience:

• Minimum of seven years’ experience working in climate change programming, with a focus on policy and advocacy.
• Significant experience related to women’s livelihoods activities, including small business development, and resource rights with a strong gender perspective.
• Experience of working in a partnership arrangement with civil society organisations and with the use of participatory approaches to development.
• Experience in advocacy on climate and environmental justice.
• Thorough understanding of adaptation and loss and damage issues with focus on agriculture, food security, sustainable development, and livelihoods.
• Experience in related women’s empowerment areas including financial inclusion strategies and labour-saving technology, tools and equipment suited to women’s needs.

Skills:

• Excellent writing skills (proposals, reports, strategies).
• Ability to develop a strategy and work strategically, coordinating key stakeholders to achieve clearly defined objectives.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and facilitation skills.
• Strong coordination and ability to lead at community, district, and national levels, and represent Trócaire with professionalism.
• Proven results-based management skills.
• Gender analysis/mainstreaming skills.
• Excellent planning, prioritisation, and problem-solving skills.
• Good financial skills, particularly in designing and managing budgets.
• Monitoring and evaluation skills, including digital data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
• Competent in Microsoft packages (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and with internet/email.
• Spoken fluency and written proficiency in English.
• Strong research and analytical skills – ability to quickly absorb wide-ranging material, analyse information and produce coherent conclusions.
• Ability to teach Participatory Assessment, Analysis and Collaborative planning methods.

Qualities:

• Commitment to Trócaire’s Vision, Mission and Values and sympathetic understanding of the Catholic Church’s role in relief and development,
• Openness to learning especially about new agroecological food systems, gender analysis and social norms approaches.
• Strong team player who can establish solid working relationships with colleagues in country as well as in Head Office.
• Demonstrates an active commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Self-motivated with proven ability to take initiative and learn on-the-job.
• Willingness to travel frequently and stay in rural areas in country.
• Able to work irregular hours on an occasional basis.

Knowledge:

• Technical knowledge of areas relating to climate change, natural resource management, forest enterprise development, humanitarian response, and resilience.
• Understanding local context & issues affecting women’s socio-economic & political empowerment.

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