Advocacy and Communication Coordinator At Catholic Agency for Overseas Development

Starting Salary: $33,460

Contract: 12 months with possible extension

Location: South Sudan, Juba.

Job Profile

South Sudan is one of our most important programmes responding to the ongoing crisis in the world’s newest nation. The Advocacy and Communication Coordinator will support “CAFOD and Trócaire in Partnership” (CTP) for their work in South Sudan. They will play a pivotal role in coordination and collaboration between South Sudan and Head Offices in London (CAFOD) and Maynooth (Trócaire) on advocacy and localization issues.

The postholder CTP in advocacy, localization and media and communications initiatives in South Sudan (virtually and in person) to both internal and external audiences under the overall leadership of the CTP Country Representative. They will work closely with the Joint Agency Governance Group (JAGG) members which consist of CAFOD Africa Region Head, and Trocaire FCAS Head; and non-JAGG advocacy and communications team of CAFOD and Trócaire.

The post holder will be expected to travel to the field to collect and collate evidence of humanitarian concerns, project success stories, lessons etc, that would be produced for external and internal communications.

Key Responsibilities

Advocacy, Representation and Communication (60%)

• Act as the main contact for CAFOD and Trócaire within the CTP in South Sudan, liaising with stakeholders and partners on advocacy, localization, and communication, as well as working with HQ advocacy teams in the UK and Ireland to ensure coherent and updated advocacy efforts for South Sudan, informed by local experiences.
• Identify opportunities to influence humanitarian policy for more effective assistance, aligning with global frameworks like the Grand Bargain, and provide senior management with analysis on humanitarian trends, identifying strategic opportunities for engagement and partnerships
• Represent CAFOD and Trócaire in various platforms, including clusters, interagency meetings, and government forums, to coordinate advocacy and policy development, and send regular updates and reports to CAFOD & Trócaire Head Offices and provide other necessary communications, including situation reports (Sitreps).
• Develop and update the South Sudan advocacy strategy, creating relevant advocacy positions and policy recommendations that reflect partner voices, , as well as support partners to develop and deliver their advocacy messages and represent CTP in specific forums and advocacy networks.
• Develop and supervise the creation of country-specific briefing notes and press kits, and organize briefings for UN agencies, NGOs, governments, donors, and relevant coordination mechanisms.
• Promote partners’ work in South Sudan through media and communications, collaborating with HQ teams to write stories, gather images, and manage the country-level communications plan, as well as identify advocacy issues, prepare and implement advocacy plans, and document and communicate lessons and good practices

Programme systems, quality, and standards (30%)

• Promote the delivery of high-quality and appropriate assistance to CTP and our partners’ programmes, specifically championing the localisation agenda of CTP.
• Provide ongoing support to the overall country strategy and support the CTP Senior Management Team in the review, monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness, impact and direction of each programme.
• Support the work of the South Sudan PDFO (Programme Development and Funding Officer) in the development of proposals for funding, and reporting to donors and partners.

Emergency Response (10%)

• Provide surge capacity to respond to new and ongoing humanitarian crises and responses in South Sudan as required.
• Work CTP implementing partners to contribute for programme quality and partners capacity strengthening on areas of advocacy and localization

International Travel and Work (delivered as part of the above)

• Undertake the above tasks and undertake surge responsibilities when necessary.
• As required, provide field-level operational support, including assessments, monitoring and evaluation, and programme management to CTP staff, partner organisations and inter-agency response teams.

Your role is responsible for ensuring that the programming work you are accountable for is safe, accessible, dignified and inclusive, providing ongoing support and follow-up to our partners in this area.

Accountability

• The post holder is line managed by the South Sudan Country Representative who will set priorities to ensure that advocacy and communication opportunities are identified and promoted by both agencies.

Safeguarding

• All CAFOD staff share the responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.

Person Specification

Job Specific Competencies

• Master’s Degree in one or more of the following disciplines: Communication, Journalism, Public/international Relations, social sciences and other relevant subjects.
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in advocacy, and communication, media relations or public relations, including efficient networking and relationship-building with diverse stakeholders incl. government and donors;
• In-depth understanding of working in a partnership model, working in a partnership-based NGO and the localisation commitments.
• Experience of leading and organising key events with donors, INGOs and NNGOs, multinational platforms, facilitation/moderation of events including external and internal communications of key messages.
• Excellent networking, representation, facilitation, communication and coordination skills, demonstrated ability to work in an independent and highly organised manner.
• High sense of responsibility, attention to detail and diplomatic etiquette. Tact, discretion, initiative and good judgment in dealing with diverse teams, partners and other stakeholders.
• Excellent computer/information management systems skills.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults.

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. This post involves contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, or has responsibility for people who will do, and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues. If based in the UK the post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service). If the post is based outside the UK the post holder will be subject to a different checking process.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD 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 their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.