Advocacy & Communications Manager Algeria/Sahrawi crisis At Oxfam Solidarité

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. 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.

At Oxfam, we believe in a world where all people can enjoy their rights and opportunities. Towards this purpose we are seeking an Advocacy and Communications Manager in Algeria who will be responsible for carrying strategic messages to institutions and policy-makers in order to influence their decisions and to obtain concrete and measurable change.

Location: Based in the Sahrawi Refugees camps in Tindouf, Algeria with regular travel to Algiers, Tunisia and to other Oxfam operations areas.

Possibility of remote work initially, pending the issuing of travel documents.

Purpose:

Lead on the update and implementation of Oxfams’ advocacy, policy and communications strategy and activities in support of the Oxfam humanitarian program for Sahrawi refugees in Algeria. The role is part of the Oxfam team in Algeria and the wider North Africa sub-region.

Reports to: Country Representative-Humanitarian Program Manager, with matrix management from the North Africa Advocacy Coordinator.

Other Relations and interactions: Program team in Tindouf and Algiers, RIC WESAC team including Oxfam International and affiliate colleagues in all target markets (US, UN, Brussels, Addis Ababa, EU capitals). Close coordination with the Morocco team (Advocacy lead, Media Lead and Country Representative) for risk management and sign off, and with the MENA advocacy and campaigns manager.

Languages needed: English and Arabic;Spanish and French are highly desirable.

Oxfam in Algeria – Sahrawi Refugee Camps

For over 40 years, Oxfam has been carrying out projects of humanitarian assistance and development in the Sahrawi refugee camps in South-West Algeria, close to the city of Tindouf. In collaboration with local partners and the financial support of various international donors, Oxfam’s activities are structured around four main axes:

1. Food security: distribution of fresh food, and micro and sustainable agriculture.
2. Resilience and capacity-building, with a specific focus on youth.
3. Sustainable WASH, access to water for affected populations, and resilient infrastructure.
4. Activities of advocacy and communication.

1. Function:

Under the line management of the Oxfam Humanitarian Program Manager/Country Representative, the Advocacy & Communications Manager is responsible for developing/updating and implementing the advocacy strategy and the activities related to advocacy, policy and communications, linked to the Oxfam mission in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria.

2. Tasks and Responsibilities:

a. Policy / Advocacy /Communication:

• Responsible for keeping the advocacy strategy for Western Sahara up to date, relevant and impactful, taking account of developments in the field, the region and at international level.
• Participates in the elaboration of policy messaging relative to the humanitarian and political situation in the refugee camps; ensures coherence of these positions with our humanitarian mandate in the region and globally.
• Manages the development of advocacy and campaign products such as briefing or lobby notes, letters or reports, and adapts them to the needs of target groups, and coordinates to ensure sign off processes according to agreed procedures.
• Develops and maintains a network of contacts in the camps and in the region.
• In coordination with the subregional focal point, organises meetings, conferences or roundtables when necessary.
• Serves as the focal person with the Sahrawi authorities of Cooperation, supporting as needed authorizations and communications related to project identification, planning and implementation
• Represents Oxfam throughout the humanitarian ecosystem, and in various coordination meetings in the Sahrawi refugee camps, and, as needed, in conferences in Algiers, Tunis, Brussels and other possible destinations.
• Coordinates the work of the policy and advocacy department, and the implementation of the following activities:
• The elaboration of the communications strategy for the Western Sahara crisis, in coordination with department staff, in close coordination and with direct input from the regional NAF communication and media manager point(s).
• The elaboration of a communication and media strategy and related products to support our advocacy on the crisis.
• Provides leadership and active participation as Oxfam’s representative in the NGO consortium, inter-agency working group, and inter-sector working group, including coordinating Oxfam’s contributions to these groups.
• Contributes to influencing actions of the NGOs Consortium based in the refugee camps, in order to optimize its impact and influence towards local and international decision-makers (elaboration of a common strategy, drafting of communications and advocacy products)

b. Policy and Analysis

• Conducts regular monitoring and analysis of the humanitarian and political situation concerning the Western Sahara crisis; provides regular briefings to the Algeria management team and program team, the North Africa advocacy and media managers and other colleagues, and relevant stakeholders across the confederation working on the Western Sahara crisis.
• Analyses different practices of humanitarian assistance provided to the Sahrawi refugees in the camps.
• Maintains dialogue at local level with the local authorities, donors, and the other humanitarian institutions operating in the refugee camps, among others.
• In close coordination with subregional focal point(s), leads on communication with external stakeholders, including the press and institutional donors, and represents Oxfam in Algeria in the international milieu.
• Identifies funding opportunities and prepares funding proposal for the implementation of the advocacy strategy, in close coordination with Business Development and Funding Coordinator and Country Representative.

3. Partnerships

• Investigates and advises on prospective partnerships with both national administrations and local authorities and maintains and develops relations with the local civil society partners.
• Participates in various actions and events organised by the members of the Sahrawi civil society.
• Leads on mapping exercises and participates in strengthening capacities of local civil society organisations

4. Job requirements

• University degree in international law, development, international relations, or media and mass communication or equivalent experience

• Proven experience of at least five years in the development sector

• Previous experience in the field of communications, advocacy, or public policy.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills, including representational capabilities, fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic. Spanish and French are strongly desired.

• Familiarity with international law and international humanitarian law, as well as with work in the sector of humanitarian assistance.

• Excellent analytical and writing skills.

• Critical thinker and capacity to operate in a multidisciplinary and multicultural context.

• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to live and work in a hardship duty station.

• Salary based on Oxfam’s salary scales (depending on relevant experience)

• Full-time fixed-term contract of one year; contract is renewable depending on funding.

• Starting date: 1 August 2022.

Key Attributes:

• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.
• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work.
• Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.

Organizational Values:

• Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
• Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
• Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.

Key Behavioral Competencies:

Competencies

Description

Decisiveness

We are comfortable to make transparent decisions and to adapt decision making modes to the context and needs.

Influencing

We have the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders in a way that leads to increased impact for the organization. We spot opportunities to influence effectively and where there are no opportunities and we have the ability to create them in a respectful and impactful manner.

Humility

We put ‘we’ before ‘me’ and place an emphasis on the power of the collective, nurture the team and play to the strengths of each individual. We are not concerned with hierarchical power, and we engage with, trust and value the knowledge and expertise of others across all levels of the organization.

Relationship Building

We understand the importance of building relationship, within and outside the organization. We have the ability to engage with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in ways that lead to increased impact for the organization.

Listening

We are good listeners who can see where deeper levels of thoughts and tacit assumptions differ. Our messages to others are clear and consider different preferences.

Mutual Accountability

We can explain our decisions and how we have taken them based on our organizational values. We are ready to be held to account for what we do and how we behave, as we are also holding others to account in a consistent manner.

Agility, Complexity, and Ambiguity

We scan the environment, anticipate changes, are comfortable with lack of clarity and deal with a large number of elements interacting in diverse and unpredictable ways.

Systems Thinking

We view problems as parts of an overall system and in their relation to the whole system, rather than reacting to a specific part, outcome or event in isolation. We focus on cyclical rather than linear cause and effect. By consistently practicing systems thinking we are aware of and manage well unintended consequences of organizational decisions and actions.

Strategic Thinking and Judgment

We use judgment, weighing risk against the imperative to act. We make decisions consistent with organizational strategies and values.

Vision Setting

We have the ability to identify and lead visionary initiatives that are beneficial for our organization and we set high-level direction through a visioning process that engages the organization and diverse external stakeholders.

Self-Awareness

We are able to develop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others. Our self-awareness enables us to moderate and self-regulate our behaviors to control and channel our impulses for good purposes.

Enabling

We all work to effectively empower and enable others to deliver the organizations goals through creating conditions of success. We passionately invest in others by developing their careers, not only their skills for the job. We provide freedom; demonstrate belief and trust provide appropriate support.