Advocacy Manager at GSM Association (GSMA)

“This is a great opportunity for someone who is passionate about communicating the role that mobile plays in energy, water and sanitation. That passion will be the driver for producing high quality advocacy content, scoping out the best advocacy opportunities, and supporting the development of strategic partnerships for our advocacy objectives. The successful candidate will work very closely with an energetic and diverse team, increase their knowledge in this cutting edge sector, and work alongside top talent across GSMA Mobile for Development.”

Ilana Cohen, Mobile for Development Utilities Market Engagement Director

• Curate agendas, content and speaker selection that can deliver programme messages, provide value for key stakeholders, and share valuable industry insights.
• Develop key messaging by pulling from the programme’s existing reports and case studies, and from current relationships with past and present innovation fund grantees
• Support the programme’s engagement in key industry events, such as those organised by the Global off-grid Lighting Association, World Water Week and Faecal Sludge Management (FSM series)
• Event support on marketing and logistics will come from other members of the team.
• External event identification, scoping, and selection:
  • Identify and select key industry events for attendance and participation as speakers, based on achievement of programme KPIs, visibility and availability of staff.
  • This would be done with support from the regional market engagement managers (who can provide input into the value of regional events), the marketing manager, and the knowledge manager.

Prepare content for other Advocacy engagements (in-person or written):

• Content preparation will support the Market Engagement Director, Programme Head, and the Head of M4D to speak about the programme’s work in high-level events. This could include speaker briefs and liaising with event organisers, as well as preparing presentations.
• Content preparation for advocacy engagements will pull on existing programme reports and data, and sometimes through liaising with the market engagement managers and insights team.
• Review/Develop content for other parts of GSMA that wish to use our content/data. The advocacy manager will liaise with the insights team to re-package our insights and data for other GSMA publications (e.g. the Mobile Economy series), donor proposals, or other requests, ensuring these are accurate and deliver any key programme messages where possible.

• The programme leverages other industry bodies in energy, water and sanitation to deliver its messages and insights, and this role will be responsible for helping to frame and agree on such strategic partnerships. For example, developing MOUs, co-marketing agreements, or co-planning shared events.
• While more senior members of the team may be responsible for content-focused discussions with such partners, the advocacy manager will track all engagements to ensure regular follow-ups with these parties, and lead on some.

Support the alignment of strategy and messaging across programmes, particularly around mobile operator engagement:

• The advocacy manager will periodically meet with other M4D programmes, starting with the Ecosystem Accelerator, to ensure alignment on advocacy messaging and alignment on strategic engagement of mobile operators. 

Other activities include:

• Contribute towards shaping the overall strategic direction of M4D Utilities, to ensure that the programme delivers value to the industry and achieves its goal of creating more scalable and sustainable business models for energy, water and sanitation service provision.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree

BACKGROUND

• Demonstrable professional work experience in a role relevant to this position
• Experience in the utilities sector (e.g. PAYG energy, water or sanitation) is essential
• Experience in the mobile industry, particularly mobile money or experience in ICT4D.
• Experience developing outward facing advocacy content in different formats and at times on short notice – examples may be requested.
• Excellent communicator: ability to write well in non-academic style & present complex technical, commercial or regulatory issues in plain language, without losing the important points; ability to develop visual communication of insights in powerpoint, content for infographics. Very strong English abilities required, French is a plus.
• Comfortable managing relationships with various internal and external stakeholders
• A team player, being able to effectively connect together a wide group of internal GSMA interests and resources, to lead on work and support others in theirs
• Naturally curious, and genuinely interested in both the commercial and social benefits that are presented by the programme.
• Excellent cultural awareness and a desire to work with teams around the world.

Working at the GSMA offers you unparalleled access to the mobile industry. We offer a chance to truly shape the direction of mobile, whatever your role. By joining the GSMA, you will be exposed to a fast-paced rapidly evolving environment, working on global solutions, genuinely fascinating and industry-changing projects and a stimulating and dynamic environment designed to enable you to flourish.
 

In addition to architect-designed offices and competitive compensation, our benefits include fantastic learning & development opportunities, generous holiday allowances, four additional days off for professional development and many others.
 

We offer a working environment that reflects our organisational values. We also hire in line with our values and recruit candidates who demonstrate a strong affinity with these 7 principles:

• DREAM BIG - Demonstrate vision and insight to lead the industry forward
• BE BOLD - Have the courage to take risks and make tough decisions
• OWN IT - Take full accountability for your decisions and actions
• WORK AS A TEAM - Collaborate to deliver impactful results
• DO THE RIGHT THING - Conduct yourself with honesty and integrity at all times
• SHOW RESPECT - Treat others as you would expect to be treated
• LOVE WHAT YOU DO - Bring passion and pride to your work