Head of Policy and Advocacy

Job Purpose

The Head of Policy and Advocacy will lead WaterAid Ethiopia’s policy and advocacy initiatives as per the Country Programme Strategy in areas of policy analysis, advocacy, campaigns, communication, research and knowledge management. The job holder is responsible for promoting the organisation's national, sub-national, regional and global policy-advocacy agenda in the context of WaterAid’s Global Strategy (2023-2032) that is aimed at ensuring everyone everywhere has access to safe and sustainable water, improved sanitation, and hygiene. The role draws on WaterAid’s global advocacy priorities and national influencing strategy to achieve transformational change.   

Along with relevant teams across the organisation, the job holder is expected to have strategic engagement with stakeholders such as government representatives including policy/decision makers, sector actors, civil society, academia, donors, partners, private sector, communities etc. to promote WASH and climate resilience agendas. In addition, s/he will lead and manage the policy and advocacy department team, facilitating the implementation of WaterAid Ethiopia’s policy and advocacy strategy and annual plans and advise staff and the Country Leadership Team on policy and advocacy work.  S/he will work with the programme team to ensure that advocacy goals are reflected in programme priorities and MEAL and these inform and reinforce the policy and advocacy work. S/he is expected to engage with WaterAid East Africa Regional and UK teams in advancing the organisation's overall advocacy priorities. The role also contributes to WAE resource debilitation processes.

Strategic Leadership 

• Lead the development and implementation of the country programme advocacy/influencing strategy and annual campaign plans. 

• Lead and anchor the contextual analysis (social, economic, political) of the country to inform the country programme overall strategy and the policy advocacy strategy, maintain up-to-date knowledge of the wider policy contexts as well as sector-specific issues and best practice to ensure that WAE stays at the forefront of national policy debates.

• Initiate ideas on WaterAid’s advocacy/influencing priorities on universal WASH access and climate resilience to maximise the prospects of successful policy change.

• Provide leadership in mainstreaming influencing, thought leadership, evidence generation, convening approaches in implementation of the WAE strategy.

• Lead monitoring and evaluation of the policy and advocacy works.

• Work to ensure WaterAid Ethiopia is vibrant in national and regional policy debates in WASH and climate resilience themes.

• Take active part in collective leadership processes as member of the Country Leadership Team  

Policy and Research

• Initiate relevant policy and research thoughts that shape and support WaterAid Ethiopia’s advocacy agenda informed by the country strategy 

• Facilitate regular analysis of latest developments in WASH and Climate Resilience sector policies to ensure WaterAid active in these sectors and is aware of how key institutions work and 

• Lead the identification of decision makers and strategic allies to work with and the assessment on how policy changes can be influenced targeting relevant audiences.  

• Analyse the policy and budget issues affecting the WASH and climate resilience sectors in Ethiopia and capture the information in case studies, position papers and policy messages / briefing notes.

• Synthesis findings and recommendations from policy research into clear policy recommendations and influencing to scale-up good practices.

• Develop and disseminate policy and research products that outline WaterAid’s policy positions with compelling evidence to support this (including background papers, discussion papers, project research reports, policy briefs, policy messages, position papers, briefing notes and case stories).

• Identify regional and global moments and platforms relevant for influencing and showcasing country level achievements and best practices.   

• Initiate WaterAid Ethiopia’s work to strengthen civil society’s policy engagement with rights-based organisations, working closely with CSO networks/forums and support on building their capacity to effectively engage in national policy making processes. 

Advocacy & Influencing:

• Analyze the universal WASH and climate resilient contexts and identify advocacy/influencing sector issues on which WaterAid and its partners should focus their advocacy efforts.

• Design programmes to influence government (national, regional and woreda) in policy & legislation, budgets and co-ordination mechanisms to advance WASH and climate resilient works. 

• Work collaboratively with MEAL to monitor progress and evaluation of the policy and advocacy work of the country program.

• Ensure linkages and integration between the organization’s policy and programme works.

• Guide and showcase WaterAid’s policy research and innovation works to influence policy makers. 

• Represent WaterAid in relationships with senior decision-makers to persuasively advocate for WaterAid’s change agenda.

• Raise the profile of WaterAid Ethiopia through a positive, proactive and strategic approach to brand building. 

• Act as policy spokesperson as may be directed by the Country Director in meetings, seminars and other strategic/important events at national, regional and international levels.

• Produce materials for the media including speeches, articles, statements, press releases, blogs and other social media contents related to the organizations work.

• Facilitate the development of strategic partnerships with relevant agencies within and beyond WASH and climate resilience sectors, academia, media and research institutions.

• Develop and strengthen partnerships, networks and alliances among sector stakeholders, government counterparts and NGOs involved in water and sanitation as well as climate resilience related activities in order to foster mutual learning. 

• Contribute to regional and global policy advocacy initiatives by shaping WaterAid’s influencing agendas.

• Lead in building relationships with key private sector organisations.

• Remain abreast of international debates on sector policy, finance and performance monitoring and feed lessons from Ethiopia into these debates directly and through WaterAid - UK and WaterAid East Africa.

• Work with regional and Global Communications teams to maximise opportunities for WaterAid Ethiopia on social and conventional media and ensure effective and professional promotion of the role, profile and campaigns of WaterAid.

• Ensure that legislation, policy and practice of the country is monitored and analysed to support campaigns, and policy priorities for WaterAid Ethiopia.

Management

• Set, manage and monitor expenditure budget for strategicand annual plans in policy and advocacy, adhering to financial guidelines, ensuring value for money and acting as appropriate within delegated authorities.

• Support the recruitment of competent staff and effectively manage the team to deliver high performance; develop team members in order to maximize their contribution to the team and organization.

• Coach, guide, and mentor the policy, advocacy, campaigns, communications, and research and knowledge management teams in the implementation of influencing objectives of the policy advocacy work. 

• Create and maintain positive environment conducive for high performance of the department.

• Ensure effective staff performance management processes are undertaken and maintained with people management responsibility. 

Networking and Representation 

• Develop and maintain good working relationships with key actors in national policy debates, including government officials, development partners, representatives of civil society and networks to ensure WaterAid’s policy advocacy initiatives are effectively promoted. 

• Work with Regional Platforms and Networks including the East African Community, IGAAD, Nile Basin Initiative, Africa Union, and other Regional and International bodies to which Ethiopia is a member to advance WaterAid’s agenda for Universal WASH and climate resilience 

• Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with governments, academic institutions, research institution, implementing agencies and funders. 

• Work with GAPs and members of the regional team and Campaign technical working group to ensure linkage to regional and global policy agendas as well as bringing out impact at national level to contribute to regional, pan African and global levels

• Contribute to WaterAid’s fundraising initiatives through concept, proposal development and donor compliance. 

• Support in the scoping of donors at local, regional and global level, to identify fundraising opportunities and influence; liaise with the Head of Business Development and other staff involved in fund acquisition to produce specific documents for fundraising.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization  

Perform any other assignment, tasks or activities as reasonably required as the range of duties are not intended to be a complete description of all.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Master’s Degree in International Development, Human Rights, Sociology, Public Policy or Political Science or any other related fields in the Policy and Advocacy discipline.

• Have at least 10 years’ experience in policy, advocacy and/or campaigns including research in the field of development with reputable regional or international development organisations. Desirable experience of at least 3 years in policy analysis and advocacy will be an advantage.

• 5 years’ experience in a leadership policy and advocacy position.

• Excellent understanding of public policy-making and legislative processes, and the role of research in these processes

• Knowledge of the political structure, culture and policy making process in Ethiopia, detail understanding of landscaping statutory WASH and climate resilient related policies, 

• Good knowledge of current issues and debates in WASH and climate resilience, policies and international development politics

• Knowledge of policy and advocacy networks and social movements in Ethiopia, East Africa region including policy and advocacy engagements with the Africa Union, and other regional and international organisations.

• Competency in WaterAid common approaches to work including partnerships, convening, inclusion, systems strengthening, creating behavioural change, and mainstreaming gender and inclusion of youth.

• Understanding of rights-based approaches to development and how they apply to the WASH and climate resilience sector in Ethiopia.

• Excellent analysis and political judgement, with a track record of achieving progress in advocacy agendas and realising the rights of marginalised groups of people.

• Ability to negotiate and form credible relationships with policy makers, government officers, senior decision-makers in external institutions.

• Strong writer especially policy-oriented; and oral communicator with ability to make compelling arguments and insightful ability to engage with multiple audiences; and to build support for an advocacy vision.

• Ability to convey technical arguments in clear and vivid prose, excellent presentation and public-speaking skills.
• Good understanding of national WASH and climate change issues, sector-wide approaches, and functioning of government structures. 

• Experience of collaborating, managing and motivating others and driving change within a multi discipline team.

• Organisation, problem solving and budget management skills.

• Excellent relationship management skills, build and maintain trusting relationships, strong negotiation, influence and resolve conflicts with multi-level stakeholders including, policy maker’s/ government officials, Think tanks and CSO's community level actors.

• Excellence in analytical writing and speaking in English language. 

• Existing links and network in the WASH and climate related sectors.
• Track record of gender sensitive advocacy approaches.

Desirable Criteria

 Behavioural competencies

• Proven expertise of negotiation with persuading and inspiring conversations.

• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative partnerships and alliances for influencing government policy and programme delivery.

• Demonstrated expertise in planning, budgeting and taking appropriate remedial in critical situation. 

• Excellent skills of leading and managing a high performing team, to drive excellence and nurture leadership. 

• Ability of team building, coaching, mentoring, and conflict resolution.

• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and to contribute strategically.

• Knowledge of political structure, culture and policy making process in Ethiopia 
• Understanding of right -based approach to development is preferred.
• Detail understanding of landscaping statutory of WASH related policies.

• Demonstrate respect for gender, diversity, organisational cultural and promote safeguarding and uphold WaterAid values.