Head of Advocacy ,Campaigns, Communication and Media At Save the Children

ROLE PURPOSE:

Advocacy and Campaigns are central to securing lasting change in children’s lives and is a key aspect of Save the Children’s Theory of Change: be the voice – build partnerships – innovate – achieve results at scale. The Head of Advocacy & Campaigns shares in the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Country Office program and leads our policy and political influencing in a country. The role provides overall senior leadership, management and strategic direction to the advocacy work in country x. He/she is responsible for the development and implementation of advocacy and campaign strategies that will engage with the public and partners, to influence government and other institutional policies and practice to achieve positive and lasting changes to fulfil children’s rights. The role will work closely technical and operations colleagues and with partners in INSERT CO, building their advocacy capacity and building ownership and agency of local organisations. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1. TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP
2. Provide overall leadership, vision, strategic direction and management of the Save the Children advocacy and campaign work across thematic areas and ensure that advocacy is an integral part of Save the Children’s Theory of Change
3. Ensure coherence and reinforce strong and effective synergies between programme and advocacy and campaigns to maximise Save the Children impact
4. Lead in identifying and managing potential risks associated with Save the Children’s public positions and design strategies to mitigate the risks that have been identified
5. Provide overall leadership, vision, strategic direction and management of the Save the Children’s advocacy and campaign work across thematic areas and the Global Campaign delivering on the key Global Moments in the country, based on the Global Strategy.
6. Develop and nurture relations with key coordination groups across the organisations and ensure that Save the Children’s advocacy work in country is informed by Save the Children global campaign strategy, thematic advocacy strategies and the advocacy steer of the Global Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns Group
7. The post holder will ensure that a percentage of total grant expenditure for Advocacy and Campaigns is agreed in order to deliver on our full Theory of Change.
8. Build advocacy capacity of programme staff and of Save the Children partners and ensure advocacy is included in their plans and annual objectives
9. COORDINATION AND DELIVERY
10. Work with the programme team to ensure substantial integration of advocacy into holistic programme planning and implementation, especially ensuring that evidences and best practices generated by Save the Children’s programmes inform advocacy and campaign work to achieve results at scale
11. Work with senior programme managers for the development of large grant proposals and ensure that advocacy and campaigning is included in the grants and resources are adequately budgeted where relevant.
12. Establish on a six monthly basis an advocacy and campaign calendar with key moments and key opportunities for advocacy. Be alert to seize advocacy opportunities when and as they arise
13. Establish monitoring and evaluation processes of advocacy work and ensure that advocacy implementation and impact are effectively monitored and evaluated (including as part of the Country Reporting process)
14. Undertake and/or commission researches on specific issues to inform present and future advocacy and campaign choices and to build Save the Children’s position and coordinate high-quality briefings, letters and other written material for internal and external use
15. Produce policy briefing papers, policy position statements and public communication related to key issues
16. Work with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL) teams to conduct quality monitoring against international standards through participatory methodologies (including child-friendly and disability inclusive methodologies);
17. Contribute towards the creation of an organisational learning culture that promotes the use of data, evidence and analysis and understands its link to quality and accountable programming;
18. EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT
19. Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of key advocacy and campaign issues and of the positions of key actors, including key ministers, political, civil society and economic leaders, donors, media editors, etc…
20. Position Save the Children as the leading organisation for children’s issues in the country, with child rights at the core of the advocacy work
21. Engage with partners, coalitions and networks including children to influence the public and decision-makers in line with Save the Children priorities and policy asks
22. The post holder will ensure that active advocacy, campaigns and external communications are used to influence public opinion and political commitment nationally in support of children’s rights
23. Work closely with the media country team to advise on media lines and media strategy and to make optimal use of national and international media to influence key targets and public opinion
24. Provide high level representation for the advocacy work, with media, alliances and targets
25. HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT
26. In emergencies, lead on the development of advocacy messages and, if required, a complete advocacy strategy (in line with Save the Children’s humanitarian procedures and categorisation of emergencies) and work with the Humanitarian Advocacy Working Group and other stakeholders in SCI and SC Members
27. Support Humanitarian colleagues (as needed) to develop emergency preparedness plans, and conduct sectoral assessments (including gender analysis and disability situation analysis using SC assessment processes and tools) and to design and deliver emergency response and recovery programmes.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• A degree in Development, Social Science, Development, Law, Public Policy or equivalent.
• A minimum of 7 years advocacy experience in a corporate or an NGO environment, with experience in successfully leading the development and implementation of advocacy strategies
• Experience of a range of campaigning and advocacy techniques and approaches
• Experience in influence government, donors, and other organisations through representation and/or advocacy
• Demonstrable track record of leading change which has led to significant results for the organisation and their stakeholders
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing and negotiation
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mindsets
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner
• Strong research and policy development skills
• Experience of partnerships including building networks, resulting in securing significant new opportunities for the organisation
• Knowledge of children’s rights key international agreements and conventions
• Commitment to Save the Children values
• Excellence in written and spoken English

KEY COMPETENCIES

Technical competencies:

• Campaigning: Demonstrates an understanding of campaigning as a collected effort to influence external actors and shape social norms using policy, advocacy, communications and mobilisation tools.
• Advocacy: Organises activities to influence external actors’ policy and practice that impact children through evidence and knowledge from children at the technical and political level.
• Public Engagement: Organises activities to create an action-orientated public environment for national and international political and policy change by inspiring, demonstrating and harnessing widespread support for people to take action.

Generic Competencies

• Being the Voice of Children: Promotes evidence-based policy and public engagement that includes the voices of children and their communities
• Advancing Equality & Inclusion: Displays a commitment to ensuring everything we do considers the most deprived and marginalised children
• Building & Strengthening Partnerships: Promotes working with diverse partners as critical to delivery
• Child Rights: Promotes the rights of children in own work and in work with colleagues and peers