MENA REGIONAL HUMANITARIAN POLICY AND ADVOCACY ADVISOR At Oxfam

Position: MENA Regional Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Advisor

Salary and benefits: in line with Oxfam Values and subject to location

(N/B The position is International unaccompanied )

Internal Job Grade: C1

Contract type: Fixed-term (one year renewable)

Reporting to: MENA Regional Advocacy and Campaigns Manager

Staff reporting to this post: None – Key relationships and interactions across countries and at the confederation campaigns level.

Locations: Amman or Beirut (depending on ability to obtain residency if required)

Budget Responsibility : No budget responsibility

Job Purpose

The Regional Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Advisor will take overall responsibility for ensuring the delivery of humanitarian policy and advocacy at the regional (Middle East and North Africa) level, with a focus on Oxfam’s humanitarian programs in MENA: Yemen, Syria, Iraq, OPTI, Lebanon, and the Western Sahara crisis.

The Regional Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Advisor will work closely with various Oxfam entities (Oxfam country offices, Oxfam affiliates and Oxfam International advocacy offices and networks at global level) to design and deliver policy and advocacy that will support those affected by conflict in claiming their rights and tackling the root causes and drivers of humanitarian crises.

Key responsibilities

Policy, advocacy and strategic support

• Lead on the region’s humanitarian policy and advocacy work through the delivery of deep and thorough analysis, advisory support, and the development of superior quality written products.
• Keep abreast of latest trends and developments in the evolving MENA context, particularly related to the humanitarian and conflict situations, and provide strategic advice and analysis to Oxfam’s regional and global humanitarian leadership on policy developments related to humanitarian and conflict related issues, including access, protection of civilians, and risk management.
• Provide strategic support as required to Influencing leads in-country to enable the delivery of Oxfam’s Rights-in-Crisis campaign, helping them navigate and adapt policy and programs to emerging and complex, fragile, and high-risk environments in MENA.
• Ensure a regional approach that also informs Oxfam’s coherent positioning and messaging across the confederation on humanitarian issues such as long term response, Nexus, durable solutions, gender and protection and the Rights, Resilience, and Response agendas
• Ensure support for in-country staff or to fill gaps as necessary, and for recruitment of humanitarian Influencing staff.
• Work with country teams for the implementation of the advocacy part of the Local Humanitarian Leadership and Charter for Change agenda
• Input as needed into country general or influencing strategies
• Work with colleagues in programming and MEAL to help ensure a systemic link between Oxfam’s programs and influencing work
• Work closely with the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator ensuring joined up approach to supporting countries and regional engagement on our humanitarian agenda.
• Provide strategic support to regional or country-level business development teams in designing and developing multi-country, multi-affiliate funding proposals to support humanitarian advocacy and campaigning;
• Work closely with other key colleagues such as the regional Gender lead, regional protection lead, and country focal points on gender, partnerships among others, helping ensure that women’s rights, gender justice and local humanitarian leadership are at the heart of Oxfam’s humanitarian influencing work
• Support on conflict analysis and mapping assessment and exercises as need be
• Ensure as needed proper sign off process of these strategic positions.

Advocacy at the regional level

• Lead on regional humanitarian advocacy issues, including the delivery of regional humanitarian advocacy activities, in close collaboration with country colleagues and in line with Oxfam country, regional and global strategies.
• Engage with regional and national fora, processes, convenings, public events, and coordination mechanisms to strengthen the capacity to deliver on Oxfam’s humanitarian agenda
• Develop Oxfam’s network in the region through outreach to influential CSOs, think tanks and other relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure a conflict sensitive lens is taken in advocacy activities and initiatives
• Work with country programmes to ensure the delivery of an appropriate range of policy and advocacy activities and products to convey Oxfam’s positions and messages to prioritised advocacy targets and media outlets on key issues
• Complement and support to country programs’ meeting Charter for Change and related commitments, work to engage civil society actors and civil society networks, especially women’s rights organizations and local humanitarian leadership efforts as needed
• In coordination with country programs, work in collaboration with other INGOs and regional actors at the regional level on common positioning and joint-advocacy opportunities

Representation

• Represent Oxfam and actively participate in the Durable Solutions Platform (DSP) Advisory Group, including strategic engagement, contribution to research and managing sign-off of products with Syria Crisis countries. Follow up on behalf of Oxfam on SIRF regional advocacy initiatives and products. Follow up on 3RP processes as needed
• In full coordination with relevant country offices or target managers, represent Oxfam when necessary in meetings with external stakeholders and visiting delegations at the regional level and during lobbying visits at the international level, ensuring coherence of our policy position at a regional level
• Provide regular analysis for Oxfam representation and lobbying in international platforms
• When necessary, act as a spokesperson for Oxfam at the regional level
• Work with Oxfam humanitarian ‘Rights in Crisis’ networks to help identify potential public engagement opportunities in various markets, and regional, transnational campaigning work across the Oxfam confederation
• Represent MENA in Oxfam’s Humanitarian policy and advocacy spaces, including the Rights in Crisis campaign team, and engage with the Brussels, NY and Geneva offices to contribute to policy and advocacy inputs from a regional perspective, including global products and spaces. As needed, also engage with teams working on Civic Space, Climate Change, Conflict & Humanitarian Crisis and Social protection.

Other

• Eager and required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values (click here) as well as the promotion of gender justice and women’s rights (click here).
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.

Skills, Experience & Knowledge

• Degree in Political Science/Development/International Affairs/Public Policy /Humanitarian affairs or related issues.
• At least 6 years’ experience in advocacy, research, policy, lobbying, media work and/or public campaigning.
• A proven track record in policy and advocacy for humanitarian or human rights, as well as women’s rights.
• Solid understanding of humanitarian response architecture, policy and practice in complex humanitarian emergencies, conflict sensitivity, conflict mapping and analysis, the triple Nexus, and International Human Rights/Humanitarian Law and Refugee Law
• Ability to think and operate strategically, independently and creatively.
• Flexibility: comfortable operating in support and stepping into leadership, including the willingness and ability to act as a spokesperson when necessary
• Lobbying and political skills: persuasive, diplomatic and articulate, as well as conflict sensitive.
• Ability to communicate clearly and work independently yet collaboratively in a cross-cultural setting with a number of remote working relationships
• Diverse and complex problem-solving skills and strong leadership
• Fluent in English, both written and verbal. Arabic highly desirable. Other regional languages and French key assets.
• Initiative, influencing skills, self-awareness, ability to work effectively with others and critical analysis skills
• Experience in working with local movements and networks, women’s rights, protection of civilians and refugee work will be an advantage.
• Willingness to stay abreast of professional standards, trends and issues affecting this set of responsibilities, demonstrating continuous learning of the field.
• Willingness to work effectively and collaboratively in support of building a team-based culture of work and partnership will perform all duties appropriately for a multi-cultural environment, treating all persons with dignity and respect, and will be familiar with and committed to Oxfam mission and values