Senior Advocacy Coordinator

Preference location Southern Africa, East Africa or MENA region

About Power Up! & project background
The Power Up! Consortium is an alliance of women’s rights organisations including JASS (Just Associates), Yayasan Pemberdayaan Perempuan Kepala Keluarga (PEKKA), and Gender at Work (G@W). Power Up! works in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (MFA). Collaborating in a 5-year programme (2021-2025), the Consortium engages with women human rights defenders (WHRD) and their organisations and networks to build, organise, mobilise and transform power around three strategic agendas – bodies, voices and resources. Our aims are the prevention and elimination of sexual and gender based violence against women and girls; strengthening women’s leadership and women’s participation in (political) decision-making; and strengthening women’s strategies for economic resilience and stability, including access to and control of resources and land. Within this, the partnership focuses on amplifying the voices, agency and leadership of constituencies that have been marginalised in their communities and social movements (LBQ women, HIV+ women, sex workers, women workers and rural and indigenous women). Their capacity to sustain pressure and influence policies, resources, institutions, and social norms is essential to the advancement of gender equality and women’s rights at all levels and to ensure women’s greater safety in the face of increased backlash and violence. The consortium’s work is spread across 6 geographic regions (17 countries) and prioritises Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and South and Southeast Asia.

Overview of the Role
The objective of the Senior Advocacy Coordinator role is to lead in shaping and coordinating the implementation of Power Up!’s consortium’s joint advocacy that amplifies our intersectional and political analysis, positions and agendas related to bodies, voices and resources. As a strategic role, the Advocacy Coordinator is expected to engage local partners especially LBQTI+ groups/collectives so that they remain as front liners and authentic owners of the issues and agendas that PU! seek to amplify and influence. Key to this role is to promote mutual capacity strengthening, relationship building and political alliances with local partners/collectives and women human rights defenders who are marginalised, excluded and discriminated against. In doing so, the Advocacy Coordinator supports and accompanies local partners, and advises and guides the PU! Working Groups in its profiling and influencing work including risk management.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Coordination of joint advocacy and influencing Initiatives (25%)

• Lead and coordinate the design of the joint advocacy work of the Power Up! consortium, including supporting PU! members to ensure coherence in the implementation of the joint advocacy and communications plans;

• In coordination with the PU! Coordinator, prepare key messages/positions and contribute to policy debates and discussions related to the Strengthening Civil Society and Power of Women strategic partnerships of the Dutch MFA including the development of future policies and partnership frameworks;

• Proactively offer innovative ideas and proposed action to PU! Coordination Committee on policy actions and key messages which contribute to the influencing activities targeting the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other strategic donors and international actors;

• Ensure that intersectional lens is effectively integrated throughout advocacy and communication activities, work plans, reports, research, and analyses;

• Support the PU! Communications Working Group in developing communications products for external positioning and influencing;

  Provision of strategic direction and top quality advice on policy based- research (20%)

• Lead the policy monitoring and provide updates on priority issues that intersect with the PU! strategic agenda especially those that affect LBQTI+ persons/groups, those related to feminist economic alternatives; and other emerging PU! agendas.

• Management of and guidance on policy based research, policy briefs ensuring top quality, relevance, and timeliness;

• Contribute substantially to the development of relevant research initiatives and related papers, particularly related to feminist economic alternatives;

• Together with PU! members, identify and synthesise best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to advocacy and amplifying voices of LBTQI+ groups/collectives.

Accompaniment and support to LBQTI+ groups/collectives (40%)

• Support PU! members and local partners in context and political analysis as well as in advocacy strategy development and implementation that concern LBTQI+ groups/collectives in pan Africa and MENA regions; lead/coordinate the development of key messages/positions;
• In coordination with PU! members, identify key national, regional/global/international spaces for dialogue and influencing and support/accompany LBQTI+ partners in their participation in these spaces;
• Identify capacity strengthening (CS) opportunities for LBTQI+ groups/collectives and support/coordinate with PU! members and/or PU! Coordination Committee for the planning and implementation of CS activities;
• Support cross-movement organising efforts of PU! members and local partners (convenings, joint agenda development, articulations, networking, etc.)Provide the PU! Coordination Committee and when relevant/necessary, the PU! Executive Committee with updates/progress, including risks and issues.

Ensure effective implementation of knowledge sharing and learning (15%)

• Promote cross country/regional knowledge sharing and learning among PU! members and local LBTQI+ partners and with other relevant allies, with a view to supporting solidarity, coordination and alliance building among PU!’s LBTQI+ partners;
• Effectively identify and coordinate any needed follow-up actions to help address knowledge gaps/opportunities and/or address programme implications generated by the knowledge generation/learning activities related to LBTQI+ groups/collectives; and;
• Actively advocate PU! key messages in relevant knowledge and learning spaces and platforms that support LBQTI+ issues and agendas.
• Provide inputs in the development of annual plans and reports with special focus on bringing in insights related to LBTQI+ persons/groups; and

Qualification/Experience:
* A feminist advocate and activist with deep intersectional knowledge of gender and women’s
rights issues especially those affecting LBQT+ persons;
*Strong embeddedness in feminist social movements and LBQTI+ networks and platforms and
alliances across Africa and internationally;
*Profound knowledge of the pan African political and cross – movement context
*Minimum 7 years experience in advocacy and influencing and in supporting/accompanying
grassroots feminist movements and LBQTI+ persons/groups/collectives in Africa and MENA
regions;
*Ability to navigate spaces/contexts that are oppressive [communities, States] where colonial
laws are held high and patriarchal systems dominate;
*Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing effective advocacy strategies for
multi-country and international programmes with a wide range of stakeholders;
*Strong analytical skills, sound judgement, the capacity to think strategically, including the ability
to produce high quality policy and advocacy materials, high level strategic documents and
advice;
*Proven process facilitation and coordination skills, sensitivity to language inequity, including
aptitude for building trust and addressing tensions and conflicts in a way that strengthens
partnerships;
*Ability to take initiative and leadership, contribute to quick decision making, and problem solve;

*Strong ability to work both independently and as a member of a project team;
*Strong verbal and written communications (English & French), negotiation and interpersonal
skills;
*Interest and ability to travel occasionally;
*Ability to work independently, operate under pressure, manage multiple tasks, deliver time
sensitive, high-quality work.

Salary and duration of contract

JASS is committed to equitable salary and benefits based on roles and responsibilities, regardless of location. The salary range for the position is between USD 4,083 to USD 4,916 per month depending on relevant years of experience, knowledge and skills. Benefits include employer-paid health insurance, generous vacation leave, national holidays and sick leave. The initial offer of employment is for 1 year (with 3-month probationary period), with a possibility of renewal based on mutual satisfaction.

How to apply

How to Apply:

Send the following materials (in English) to [email protected] with the subject ‘Power Up Application – YOUR NAME’:

1. Full CV (detailing the nature, scope and scale of responsibilities held)

2. A letter of intent (maximum 2 pages) highlighting relevant skills and experience for this position (please note where you learned about the vacancy)

3. Names and contact details of 2 professional references