Advocacy Officer (Consultant Level I), RBDakar

ABOUT WFP WESTERN AFRICA REGIONAL BUREAU (RBD)

The WFP West Africa region extends from Mauritania to Chad and along the coast from Cameroon to Senegal. It consists of 19 countries; Benin Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. The Regional Bureau for West & Central Africa (RBD) is based in Dakar and provides strategic guidance, technical support, and direction to country operations in these countries.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

To advance its mission to end hunger in the region, WFP must effectively advocate on the issues related to food security and nutrition, engage with policymakers, influencers, decisionmakers, national and regional institutions to help engineer changes in approach or policy that will ensure that no woman or man, girl or boy goes to bed hungry. The purpose of this assignment is to articulate advocacy strategies, identify advocacy opportunities to influence regional and/or country level discourse on WFP areas of interest, undertake stakeholder mappings, support in message articulation to amplify corporate positions and contribute to capacity strengthening for staff on advocacy and influencing.

ACCOUNTABILITIES / RESPONSABILITIES

This role includes, but is not limited to, the following accountabilities:

• Support RBD Management to establish advocacy (influencing, positioning) as an approach to promote lasting change and achieve zero hunger in Western Africa.
• In liaison with HQ CAM Advocacy Unit, roll-out training in advocacy for RB & CO CAM, RBD leadership, HoUs and CO management based on WFP’s global advocacy toolkit.
• Support RBD CAM and Management to analyze and identify opportunities to influence regional and/or country level discourse on WFP areas of interest.
• Identify policy and decision makers, and determine moments to influence them either directly, or indirectly through partners, champions, and supporters.
• Be up-to-date and inform all key stakeholders on regional decision-making processes and fora related to development and humanitarian-related issues to identify opportunities and points of entry/leverage, alerting relevant thematic teams (Social Protection, Resilience, Nutrition, School Based Programmes, Emergencies), and COs where/when appropriate, to enable WFP to influence and contribute to policy discussions.
• Produce well-researched, clear, concise advocacy briefs on agreed agenda, map out key targets, stakeholders, opportunities, messages, and way forward with specific recommendations.
• Lead WFP advocacy publications in the region and provide guidance to COs with regards to events, advocacy initiatives as well as engagement to ensure maximum reach and coherence with regional and corporate narratives and priorities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to build strategic partnerships and coalitions – cultivating broader advocacy networks or coalitions with like-minded partners in the UN, NGO, regional bodies, national governments, think tanks, media houses, academia, civil and digital society and private sector for advancing WFP’s causes
• Mobilise the public through popular campaigns that combine advocacy with social and traditional media outreach to exert influence on decision and policy makers to support of advocacy goals.
• Any other duties as delegated

Deliverables

• A work plan is produced and implemented in support of the two advocacy strategies: school health and nutrition; Social Protection.
• A workplan with key dates and events is produced and rolled out with the best way to influence key stakeholders before and after the agreed events.
• Support is provided for the training of RBD leadership, Regional Advisors, Country Directors and CAM staff on influencing.
• Support is provided for the development of thematic/unit/CO specific advocacy plans/strategies.
• The Regional Director’s social media account is efficiently managed to advance advocacy efforts.

Education:

You have

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree equivalent, BAC+4/5) , recognized by https://www.whed.net/home.phpin Public Policy, Public Relations, International Relations, International Development, Communications and or any other relevant field OR a first university degree (Bachelor’s degree equivalent, BAC +3) in the same disciplines with additional years of experience.

Experience:

You have:

At least three (3) years of progressively responsible professional post graduate experience working in advocacy for policy change, influencing, social mobilisation and campaigns.

Desirable experiences

• Excellent understanding of development and humanitarian sectors, strong portfolio of contribution to successful public advocacy, social and policy change initiatives, and engagement with national governments and regional institutions.
• A developed network of communications and advocacy partners. Experience working in Africa, especially in west and central Africa.

Languages:

Fluency (level C in reading, writing and speaking) in English and French.

Knowledge & Skills requirements:

• Excellent writing, conceptual and analytical skills including the ability to present complex processes and issues clearly to a heterogeneous audience and in an actionable manner.
• Understanding of cross-functional relationships and integrating priorities for successful collaboration.
• Understands how to maximize all possible elements of a partnership
• Ability to gather and summarise relevant information from and for partners to enable efficient decision making.
• Ability to supports planning campaigns – which includes an understanding of sensitivities and complex political landscapes
• Ability to network and function well in a multi-cultural context and working with diverse teams.
• Willingness and ability to travel in difficult terrain with minimum amenities

Deadline for application: 07 March 2023