Policy & Advocacy Adviser – Ukraine (INT10209)

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.

In March 2022, Oxfam launched its response to the influx of refugees and other people forced to flee from Ukraine and Poland. A Programme Management Unit (PMU) was established to provide leadership, oversee, support and provide technical assistance to the response in the affected countries. The PMU is led by the Organizational Lead and includes dedicated advocacy and influencing capacity; business support functions, and a programme quality team with technical support on gender in emergencies, protection, cash and voucher programming, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), and safeguarding. Oxfam is supporting a partner-led humanitarian response for the assistance and protection of refugees and other vulnerable people from Ukraine and the communities, organisations and authorities that are hosting and supporting them in neighbouring countries.

RECRUITMENT IS URGENT: INTERESTED CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND NOT TO WAIT UNTIL THE CLOSING DATE, AS CVS WILL BE REVIEWED AS THEY ARE SUBMITTED AND INTERVIEWS WILL BE CONDUCTED ON A ROLLING BASIS

The Role

JOB PURPOSE:

The Ukraine crisis response Advocacy, Communication and Engagement (ACE) team, partners in Ukraine, allies and the wider Oxfam confederation, develop Oxfam’s policy lines and approaches for effective influencing work by Oxfam with regards to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Please see the attached job description for the full responsibilities that the Policy & Advocacy Adviser will undertake and the required skills and competencies.

Location: Ukraine

Job Type: Fixed Term – up to 31 Jan 2025.

What we are looking for

Essential

• Self-Awareness
• Influencing
• Listening
• Enabling

In addition:

• Strong knowledge of global humanitarian and conflict issues, particularly those related to localisation, humanitarian principles, International Humanitarian Law, protection of civilians, displacement, and impacts of conflicts on women and girls.
• Excellent analytical and writing abilities, including the ability to adapt writing styles for specific audiences, also under time pressure.
• Experience with engaging in advocacy on conflict, gender, displacement in the context of a humanitarian crisis.
• Strong experience and understanding of developing accurate power analysis, advocacy strategies, and theories of change, including awareness of political sensitivities and ability to support partners in developing these skills.
• Effective negotiation abilities and informal leadership skills in a multi-stakeholder, network environment.
• Ability to liaise with a wide range of people, both internally and externally and at many levels, with credibility, tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to interrogate and openly discuss privilege and how to address power imbalances.
• Adherence to Oxfam’s vision and principles, including feminist and humanitarian principles
• Excellent spoken and written English with proven track record of publications and wide range of writing (policy papers, briefs, blogs etc).

Understanding of inequality and gender justice issues

Desirable

• Knowledge of the Ukrainian and/or Russian language is an added value.
• Knowledge/experience of the context of Ukraine and surrounding countries
• Experience working with partner organisations, applying a partner-led approach
• Lived experiences with intersecting systems of oppression, with knowledge and experience of how power and privilege play out in the contexts we work in.

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour 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 organisation.

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 Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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 organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

How to apply

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

About us

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 international confederation of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries.

A thriving diverse Oxfam:

It’s people power that brings about change. To play our part as a global organisation working to overcome poverty and inequality, we need equality, diversity and inclusion across our community of staff, partners and volunteers. Together, we’re committed to becoming a more diverse workforce, better able to tackle the global challenges that face our world today.

To do that:

• We need to dismantle the unequal power structures that exist everywhere, this including Oxfam and the wider development and charity sectors.
• We need an inclusive Oxfam where everyone can bring who they are to our work and feels celebrated for the differences they bring.
• We want and need everyone, and that means we need you.

In response to Covid-19 if you are offered a role where you are required to travel between countries please ensure you have been briefed by the Hiring Manager about any changes to working or precautions you should take as part of your role.