Policy and Advocacy Officer at ICS- SP Africa

Purpose of function

The policy and advocacy officer will lead policy efforts, liaise with policy-makers (including elected officials), inform ICS SP staff and partners of any pertinent policy issues, and expand ICS SP capacity to participate in and successfully intervene with policies that impact children and their families.

Specifically, the officer will support the development and co-ordination of policy knowledge and insights in order to inform and influence government agencies and other stakeholders through policy research, policy evidence, advocacy messaging, stakeholder involvement, networking and environment scanning.

The officer will lead our policy advocacy on assigned priority areas in child health, development and protection.

Key areas of responsibility

• Policy research and environmental scanning
• To undertake environmental scanning to identify opportunities and threats in the child development and protection policy environment.
• To investigate ECD, health and child protection issues which will impact on future on child wellbeing and ICS SP
• To undertake literature reviews and policy evaluation and contribute to the delivery of effective communications, campaigns and marketing strategies.
• In conjunction with program staff and communications unit, closely monitor policy debates and media pertaining to child health, development and protection , ensuring that relevant information is analyzed and disseminated in a timely and effective manner
• Applies policy content knowledge to projects and communicates content to relevant internal and external partners
• Policy influence, support and promotion
• Provide policy expertise to child health, development and protection strategic priorities and initiatives
• Develop detailed, evidence-based positions on child health, development and protection work presenting them in a clear, well-argued and compelling manner.
• To work proactively with colleagues across the organization to ensure consistent policy messages and inform campaigning, influencing and improvement activities through written briefing notes, consultation responses, good practice guides, policy fact sheets, action alerts and related materials.
• Supporting counties and/or national government in strategic planning around early childhood development, child protection and education planning and policy.
• Identify and facilitate opportunities to highlight the learning and policy recommendations generated from ICS SP work
• Stakeholder engagement:
• Engage with the national government and the devolved governments on child health, development and protection agenda and represent ICS SP externally, managing key relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
• Lead or support organization and facilitation of roundtables and other events with key policy makers
• Engage in dialogue with Government and other key external stakeholders to build technical capacity on proven tools and strategies, and share evidence and best practices from ICS SP work and research
• Strategic planning
• To contribute strategic planning across the organization and Support the development of proposals and partnerships to increase resources to support child health, development and child protection programming
• Develop and support relationships with strategic stakeholders, and the private sector.
• Assisting with programme planning: attending strategic meetings, identifying key opportunities to collaborate with partners or influence decision-makers.

Qualifications and skills

• University degree in public policy, law, development studies, or other related field.
• At least six years of professional experience in policy and context analysis, and policy development, as well as crafting and delivering successful advocacy work responding to, and influencing, complex health and development interventions
• Experience in providing policy development and implementation expertise in processes where agendas are being set to drive change in child health, development and protection
• Proven complex problem solving skills and assembling an evidence base.
• Strong skills and experience in communicating complex policy ideas to a diverse array of audiences.
• Sound knowledge of ECD, child health and child protection policy systems and key issues faced.
• Strong coordination skills and demonstrated experience coordinating joint advocacy initiatives, with a demonstrable track record of real impact.
• Demonstrated ability to foster strong collaborative relationships and working rapport with colleagues, partner agencies and other key stakeholders and effectively prioritize.
• Strong communication skills, both interpersonal and written.
• Willingness to travel within the region on a regular basis