COORDINATOR, ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATIONS At CARE USA

CARE is an international NGO with local staff and community partners in more than 90 countries. We create local solutions to poverty and inequality and we seek dignity for everyone every day and during times of crisis. These solutions have a broad range, from clean water to access to education; from microfinance to ensuring that everyone has nutritious food; from agriculture and climate change to disaster response. CARE puts women and girls at the center of everything we do because they have proven to be the best hope for creating lasting change in the world. Our staff live where they work, which makes us effective at understanding the challenges they face. We’ve been doing this for over 70 years, since World War II. It started with the world’s first CARE Package® of food for the post-war hungry in Europe. Our work today is as important as ever, we believe that poverty and inequality are historic injustices that we can end within a generation, for good. If you share our core beliefs: poverty is an injustice; poverty is solvable; and together, we have the power to end it, join us, and fight with CARE.

Job Location: can be based anywhere in the Middle East region where CARE USA has a presence. Expected frequent travel to Yemen

The Advocacy and Communications Coordinator will support the CARE Country Director to advance CARE Yemen’s ability to undertake informed analysis and communicate effectively to influence internal CARE decision-making, external policymakers and other stakeholders on Yemen.

The aim will be to raise the profile of Yemen by highlighting the critical issues to include humanitarian access, longer term funding, resilience and livelihoods programming, a gender focused approach, strong leadership, meaningful consultation and a political solution to the crisis.

To do so will require extensive networking, information sharing, relationship building, capacity building and mentoring of the team, and strong representation. S/he will be required to regularly attend meetings and do some travel to areas where INGO members work (expected 15% travel).

Responsibilities:

Coordinate CARE Yemen’s policy analysis and influencing strategy

• Closely monitor and keep informed on key humanitarian policy, political, social developments and dynamics relevant to Yemen and the wider regional dimensions of the current conflict
• Shape systems and procedures to ensure informed analysis is used to shape positions, written documents, talking points, briefs, that target both internal and external audiences
• Author papers, briefing documents, press releases, letters, statements, talking points, other messages, both independently and jointly, to inform and press for change.
• Work closely and maintain constant communications and coordination with CARE Member Partner and MENA regional advocacy focal points to ensure colleagues are regularly updated on context updates and messaging.
• Propose comments and inputs on strategic materials produced by the UN, Government of Yemen, and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure CARE Yemen’s humanitarian and recovery advocacy are aligned with humanitarian principles, grounded in Yemeni realities, are reflective of the Yemeni perspective, and present a balanced view within Yemen’s complex operating environment.

Develop effective communications mechanisms

• Coordinate with other actors (UN, INGOs) in country and CARE Member Partners on communication messages
• Shape and support implementation of CARE Yemen’s communication strategy to inform and influence humanitarian actors, UN, donors, policy makers, Yemeni public, and other well positioned stakeholders.
• Oversee maintenance of and updates to CARE Yemen’s website and social media channels, ensuring continued growth in terms of audience reach
• Support the programs team to ensure that all contractual communications deliverables for Donors are on time and of high quality, ensuring a clear process relating to content generation and dissemination.
• Develop good working relationships with CARE Yemen’s Donor communication focal points.

Facilitate and make available information, linking with other stakeholders to inform and ensure coherency of analysis, messages, positions, etc.

• Assemble and maintain an up-to-date database of relevant information to support an informed analysis of the context.
• Engage with others to ensure coherency and resonance of messaging on key issues and topics.
• Maintain and/or develop productive relationships with key individuals in relevant government ministries, UN, international and local NGO community.

Management and Capacity Building

• Provide proper supervision and management for all direct reports and mentoring and support for technical reports and lead the establishment and functioning of a strong, effective and coordinated communications Team
• Ensure proper implementation of CARE’s performance management system for direct reports, including job descriptions and development of annual performance objective, regular feedback, mid-term reviews and annual performance appraisals.
• Proactively address performance issues through regular, constructive and honest feedback and coaching.
• Identify necessary staff talent development, career development and succession planning strategies for direct reports.
• Ensure that space, motivation and incentives are provided to staff to develop and innovate.

Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree in communications, advocacy, international development or related technical field or equivalent combination of education and work experience
• 3-5 years of experience in Yemen, Middle East or countries with similar conflict contexts.
• Strong background in working with INGOs and familiarity with key humanitarian coordination forums/mechanisms.
• Proven diplomacy and ability to articulate clearly, with impact and respect
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Relevant work experience in policy analysis, communications, research, data gathering and/or information management.
• Previous experience in coordinating or managing a multi-agency consortium is ideal.
• Ability to work under pressure and insecure operating environment.
• Excellent written and spoken English language skill