Network Development & Coordination at Help Age International

Network Development & Coordination Job Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Strategic development

• Lead development of regional network development strategy and related plans, ensuring members are represented in a structured way in regional and country planning.
• Provide network development perspective to development of other organisational strategy and planning documents, e.g. country and thematic plans.
• Contribute to global level planning processes to strengthen network development led by the Director of
• Network, Advocacy and Communications.
• Create opportunities for network members from the Africa region to contribute to global level strategic planning initiatives.
• Ensure HelpAge staff members within the Africa region are clear about how to integrate network members into the planning, delivery and monitoring of their work.

Network coordination

• Establish strong mechanisms to ensure regular communication between HelpAge and network members across the region.
• Support network members to learn, exchange information and work together on relevant strategic issues, e.g. developing policy positions in a particular thematic area.
• Establish mechanisms for network members from the Africa region to connect with network members in other regions in their priority areas of work.
• Facilitate linkages between network members and other stakeholders such as government line ministries, universities or private sector where HelpAge is positioned to broker relationships.

Accountability to network members

• Contribute to the shaping and roll out of the new membership model for the HelpAge Global Network and ensure existing and prospective members are clear about the benefits.
• Ensure appropriate mechanisms are in place to collect feedback from members about HelpAge International’s work and share this feedback internally.
• Regularly review how well HelpAge coordinates with network members in the region and ensure Regional SMT are aware of key recommendations to improve performance.
• Share two-way communication between HelpAge International Board and network members.
• Develop & deliver HelpAge network development strategy across the Africa region
• Instutionalise systems within the network for learning on thematic engagement
• Develop and manage a performing team and ensure cross-function collaboration
• Develop and coordinate a strong Africa Age Network with diverse members
• Strategic and long term fundraising to sustain and grow the work of Africa Age Network
• Identify areas of policy and practice shift needed within HelpAge Africa region to enable work as a network

Communications and knowledge management

• Ensure communications work across the region is planned and delivered in ways that strengthens the profile and work of members in their own geography.
• Ensure HelpAge International’s own reporting and communications profiles the work of network members.
• Ensure regular updates are shared between network members in the region and that network members have access to relevant global communications.
• Contribute to the development of global level work to set up systems to manage key resources on behalf of the wider network (e.g. research reports, evaluations, communications assets).

Capacity building

• Establish a database containing key information on capacities of network members within the region (technical, project management, policy etc).
• Develop a regional capacity building plan tailored to the needs / interests of network members across the region.
• Develop special capacity building projects for different types of members where appropriate, e.g. leadership programmes, technical training packages, training on effective campaigning techniques etc.
• Facilitate connections between network members in the Africa region with relevant HelpAge expertise, or expertise of other network members, in support of meeting capacity building objectives.

Resource Development

• Lead development of fundraising for network activities in the region.
• Work with resource development and other teams to develop proposals for network activities.
• Provide support to network members in carrying out their own fundraising.

Advocacy and Campaigning

• Support the Regional Director in representing the HelpAge Network externally.
• Manage advocacy and communications staff and ensure their day to day work engages network members e.g. in the design and delivery of campaigns such as the forthcoming Campaign against Ageism)
• Build and promote the extension of the Age Demands Action (ADA) platform to facilitate strategic advocacy and campaigns initiative e.g. spike dates for ADA and the Ageism Campaign
• Provide support to network members’ own advocacy and campaigning activities at national and regional level where relevant, e.g. through sharing experience from other contexts.

Terms of Reference

HelpAge International, Africa region is currently looking for staff members who are interested and able to take on the role as focal points for gender, disability and accountability.

The person will also be able to interact with across a cross section of the organizational leadership within the region and UK office to share information as well as to influence on broad policy issues concerning the theme.

Broad Responsibilities for the Network Development & Coordination Job

• Understanding of the relevant organizational guideline/ framework
• Discussing ways in which the issue is currently being looked at/ integrated in organizational priorities
• Identify specific activities/ approaches that can be implemented to ensure integration of the issues
• Develop and work with a group of champions within the country teams and network members on the issues
• Provide broad guidelines to teams on ways in which issues can be integrated
• Organize and coordinate training for staff
• Scheduling calls within the region to discuss the issues and updates
• Providing a report every 6 months (format and metrics to be developed)

Network Development & Coordination Job Requirements

• Demonstrable past experience on the specific issue
• Knowledge on various organizational ‘good practices’ on integration of the issue
• Ability and willingness to coordinate with team members within the region and provide team members with technical support necessary
• Passion and personal interest to further the issue within the region
• Ability to influence others through support, sensitisation and factual advocacy