Global Policy Advisor At Life and Peace Institute

In October 2018, LPI launched a novel and ambitious programme which aims to change how peacebuilders and policymakers interact and work together. We believe this will create better global policies for responding to conflict and promoting peace around the world. We also hope it will result in policymaking processes that are genuinely participatory and mutually beneficial. This is the goal of the Inclusive Peace in Practice initiative (IPIP).

We are seeking a Global Policy Advisor to guide and support the implementation of the IPIP programme. In addition, they will play an important role in the development and implementation of LPI’s growing policy work, including by supporting the development of country programmes’ policy engagement strategies. We are specifically looking for support to LPI’s Ethiopia and Horn of Africa Regional programmes.

About us

The Life & Peace Institute (LPI) is an international centre that supports and promotes nonviolent approaches to conflict transformation through a combination of research and action. At the core of this work is the strengthening of existing local capacities and enhancing the preconditions for building peace. For the past thirty years, LPI has partnered with civil society organisations and research institutions to strengthen locally-led peacebuilding processes through capacity development and accompaniment. Through programmes in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan, LPI brings a range of participatory approaches and methodologies that are effective in creating space for dialogue, violence prevention, and peacebuilding action. LPI also supports the development of policies that help to improve the lives of people in places affected by violence, including through its Horn of Africa Regional Programme based in Addis Ababa. Increasingly, LPI is also seeking to link its work to the global policy discussions on peacebuilding and conflict transformation with a view to inform the theoretical and policy debates with the practice of lived experience of peacebuilders.

About your role

We are seeking a Global Policy Advisor to guide and support the implementation of the IPIP programme. In addition, they will play an important role in the development and implementation of LPI’s growing policy work, including by supporting the development of country programmes’ policy engagement strategies. We are specifically looking for support to LPI’s Ethiopia and Horn of Africa Regional programmes.

Specific tasks include:

Support to the Inclusive Peace in Practice Initiative (IPIP)

• Work within LPI’s IPIP team and alongside country programme teams to pilot innovative models for local-to-global policy engagement in invited and created spaces.
• Participate fully in the Initiative’s ongoing programme implementation and development, and lead initiatives as required.
• Ensure collaboration between IPIP, country programmes and Horn of Africa Regional Programme around jointly agreed upon issues or processes.
• Support internal reflection and communications on IPIP progress as well as contribute to external donor reporting.
• Support the drafting of outcome and policy reports, as well as other policy, learning and research outputs.
• Convene and coordinate events connected to IPIP, including liaising with staff, partners and participants, drafting concept notes and meeting agendas, identifying and corresponding with speakers and co-hosts, inviting participants and chairing meetings.

Strategic support to policy engagement efforts in LPI’s programmes as required (currently DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Sweden and the Horn of Africa Regional Programme)

• Facilitate the integration of LPI’s policy engagement approaches and objectives in programme design processes
• Support teams in mapping and engaging with policy processes and stakeholders in key contexts at regional, national and local levels.
• Support the development of annual policy plans with programme teams and partners.
• Provide guidance, capacity strengthening and mentoring to programme staff and partners elated to the implementation of annual policy plans.
• Support the development of policy briefs and other policy outputs emanating from LPI’s programmatic work.
• Where appropriate, represent programmes vis-à-vis policy stakeholders at various levels, in collaboration with programme management.

Relationship-building and Networking

• Monitor key thematic areas, policy spaces and actors relevant to LPI’s work and strategic priorities and advise on strategic opportunities to prioritize and seize (including around key global events and moments)
• Engage in networking and representation on behalf of the Institute at various levels, with particular emphasis on developing new relationships for the Institute relevant for its global policy efforts as well as liaising/coordinating with key civil society platforms and networks
• Maintain key relationships with global policy actors
• Set up and maintain database of key global policy contacts

Required Qualifications

• At least a Master’s degree in peace and conflict studies, global studies and international relations, political science, public policy and international development, or related fields.
• A minimum of 5 to 7 years of professional experience of policy engagement for peacebuilding in civil society, government and/or intergovernmental bodies.
• Knowledge and understanding of policymaking and implementation as it relates to peace and security at various levels as well as effective advocacy for peacebuilding.
• Ability to provide technical and thought leadership on inclusive and participatory policy engagement processes.
• Extensive experience with compelling policy writing.
• Proven ability to network, speak, write and communicate effectively, and to tailor messages to diverse audiences.
• Experience with monitoring, evaluation and donor reporting of policy work.
• Great interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work and thrive in a multi-cultural team.
• Fluency in Amharic, Arabic, French, Somali, Swahili, or Swedish is advantageous.
• Previous work with peacebuilding organisations is an asset.
• Knowledge of the Ethiopian policy space is an asset.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally, including to insecure, conflict-impacted areas (up to 20%).