Job Vacancy – Advocacy & Engagement Lead at an NGO
The Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa (YOTA), a non-governmental organization based in Ghana is recruiting Advocacy and Engagement Lead. As Advocacy & Engagement Lead, you will be responsible for leading and coordinating YOTA’s work in advocacy, communications, and stakeholder engagement. You will oversee the organization’s strategic and policy engagement efforts while ensuring that advocacy activities remain focused on established priorities and contribute to concrete deliverables. You will further position, build the profile and manage the reputation of YOTA with government, development partners, the media, and the young people we serve, with a particular focus on expanding our digital and social media footprint. You will also oversee key national and international public engagements as they pertain to advocacy and engagement, and ensure that the views and perspectives of young people are fully represented. You will take lead in enhancing YOTA’s influence and position as a leading youth focused organization in Ghana and Africa. If you believe that young people have a critical role to play both as targets and agents in local and global development, and if you enjoy working in a fast-paced and creative organization, then we would love to hear from you.
Responsibilities:
a. Advocacy
- Develop an advocacy and campaign strategy, and policy agenda, ensuring that strategic priorities are aligned to global, regional and national youth agendas
- Lead advocacy activities based on strategic priorities and campaigns, with a particular focus on the Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2063, and National Youth Policy
- Coordinate documentation of best practices and evidence related to YOTA’s advocacy and campaign activities
- Ensure that young people’s voices are represented through local level advocacy efforts and through local-national-global linkages
- Lead the process of assessment and research activities to gather information and analysis that would inform policy and advocacy briefing documents, assessment reports, and research paper.
b. External engagement
- Build strategic partnerships with donors, governments, private sector, UN entities and other organisations to enhance collective response to young people’s issues
- Strengthen partnership and collaboration with other civil society organisations at various levels in order to influence and monitor policy implementation to enhance young people’s wellbeing
- Provide strategic direction for business development to pursue advocacy funding, through support in the development and implementation of the external engagement plan as well as via identification of resources, key stakeholders and relationship building and management
- Work with the business development team to develop advocacy related capacity statements and funding proposals, with particular focus on amplifying youth voices in policy spaces
- Act as the focal point person for external and media engagement on pertinent youth issues which may require profiling and advocacy interventions.
c. Project leadership
- Supervise planning and implementation of activities of the YOTA Network, YOTA Alumni and other coalition building initiatives under the advocacy and engagement portfolio.
- Oversee implementation of project activities, including tracking progress towards core indicators and learning objectives, and identifying the need for support.
- Oversee financial allocations and expenditures and ensure timely payments in accordance with YOTA’s financial management policy.
- Ensure that all project initiatives benefit from YOTA’s operational MEL system, or other MEL systems jointly deployed with partners, and supervise data collection and analysis as needed.
- Ensure timely reporting according to donor requirements and formats.
- Facilitate continuous learning over the different project activities and ensure that outcomes of learning loops are operationalised across projects.
d. Team leadership
- Provide guidance, coaching and mentoring to the Advocacy & Engagement team in the setting and achievement of team goals and individual professional development activities
- Manage team performance planning and appraisals
- Ensure space and opportunities to promote team wellness and safety; report critical incidents to the Management Team
- Identify and recruit appropriate resource persons and service providers to support the team in the accomplishment of team objectives
- Promote and practice compliance with YOTA’s core values, code of ethics and other standards
- Ensure and practice team compliance with YOTA’s policies and procedures including those relating to finance, travel, procurement, IT, programmes and specific donor requirements.
e. Other duties
- Perform other duties that may be required from time to time, including responsibilities which require work on weekends and holidays for which time off in lieu (TOIL) may be taken
Person specification:
- Master’s degree in development studies, international development, social sciences or related fields
- Knowledge of and experience working with national, regional and global policy frameworks relating to youth, including national youth policy, the African Youth Charter, the Sustainable Development Goals, among others
- Minimum five years leading policy advocacy, campaigns, communications, and engagement with government and other stakeholders
- Experience working in a similar role in a non-profit or other development organisation
- Must have ability to manage a multi-disciplinary portfolio
- Advanced understanding of social accountability methodologies
- Ability to engage at a strategic level and build collaborative relationships with government, donors, media and civil society organisations
- Experience developing an array of communication materials and assets, including publications, video segments, web and other new media
- Strong track record designing and delivering workshops and other training programmes
- Experience in contract and budget management
- Experience in event management
- Strong facilitation and presentation skills
- Excellent planning and organisational skills
- Demonstrated team management and leadership experience
- Ability to support cross-organisational projects
- Fluency in English required; working knowledge of local languages
Salary & benefits:
- Competitive salary structure
- Accra Cost of Living allowance
- 13th month salary
- Pension contributions
- Medical and dental cover
- Group Personal Accident cover
- Time off in lieu (TOIL)
- Annual leave
- Sick leave
- Parental leave (maternal and paternal)
- 2 weeks Christmas and New Year break
- Professional development initiatives
How to apply:
If you meet the aforementioned minimum requirements,click here to submit your application.You will be required to upload your updated CV and a cover letter.Be sure to highlight in the motivation letter how specifically you meet the qualifications, skills, and experience requirements for this role.Due to capacity constraints, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
