Policy and Advocacy Adviser at Trocaire

The role of the Policy and Advocacy Adviser will be to lead on the development and delivery of an advocacy strategy for the Kenya country programme; to support the programme teams and partners to develop and deliver on citizen monitoring and advocacy (CMA) interventions and strategies that feed into the country strategy; to develop and roll out trainings with partners and Trócaire staff and to accompany the programme team to ensure they are empowered to support the delivery of the policy and advocacy elements of their programme area with partners, including integrating CMA in programme design and implementation; to lead on the engagement with the Policy and Advocacy team in HQ and to ensure Kenya is appropriately and well represented in any Policy and Advocacy issues being highlighted by that team on a global level.

Reporting to the Country Director,

Duration - 2 years fixed term contract and is based in Nairobi.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Advocacy Strategy

• In close collaboration with the Kenya programme team, and with the Programmes and Policy and Advocacy Units in HQ, develop and implement an advocacy strategy for the Kenya Country Programme in line with the Country Strategic Plan and Trócaire’s best practice approach to advocacy, including citizen-led advocacy approaches
• Ensure regular monitoring and evaluation of the advocacy strategy and prepare quarterly briefs on the status of the country strategy for presentation to the CMT (Country Management Team)
• Represent Trócaire on key external networks, and at meetings and conferences related to the priorities outlined in the country advocacy strategy.
• Engage with relevant stakeholders as appropriate to influence policies and practices
• Clearly articulate Trócaire’s message on the country advocacy priorities when required in the media and in other public and on-line communications and events – as agreed with the Kenya CD.
• Ensure compliance with legal responsibilities in relation to lobbying.
• Develop and facilitate the process of identifying programming and advocacy priorities in collaboration with the programme teams and partners ensuring they are in line with the country advocacy strategy and with the integration of CMA throughout all country programming.
• Develop and roll out a training programme to Trócaire staff and partners to translate advocacy priorities into concrete actions with key deliverables (Partner Advocacy Strategies)
• Provide ongoing support/accompaniment to the Kenya programme team as they roll out and monitor CMA strategies with partners
• In collaboration with programme managers, develop quarterly briefs on the status of partner CMA strategies to be presented to the CMT.
• Develop and maintain an excellent working knowledge of current and emerging policy trends relevant to the country and partner strategies.
• Ensure that all policy development is rooted in and informed by the work of partners in Kenya
• Ensure that policy development and advocacy initiatives are evidence based and are presented in a credible and professional manner
• Advise on and support research initiatives that provide evidence for Kenya policy and advocacy priorities.
• Oversee the commissioning and/or lead research projects on specific policy areas
• Lead (Trócaire) or support (partners) the development of high-quality policy position papers, publications and briefing papers on priority policy and advocacy issues for the Kenya country programme.
• Provide ‘rapid response’ policy and advocacy support to the Country Director/CMT as required (e.g. development of ad hoc briefings etc.)
• Participate in a Global Advocacy Priority Working Group as an integrated way of working with colleagues across the organisation to develop and deliver on the Kenya advocacy strategy.
• Support the wider organization to mobilise behind advocacy on Kenya priority themes by collaborating when appropriate/requested with Campaigns, Development Education, Church and Communications units in HQ.
• Any other duties as may be assigned by Trócaire from time to time.

Advocacy Support/Capacity Building

• Develop and facilitate the process of identifying programming and advocacy priorities in collaboration with the programme teams and partners ensuring they are in line with the country advocacy strategy and with the integration of CMA throughout all country programming.
• Develop and roll out a training programme to Trócaire staff and partners to translate advocacy priorities into concrete actions with key deliverables (Partner Advocacy Strategies)
• Provide ongoing support/accompaniment to the Kenya programme team as they roll out and monitor CMA strategies with partners
• In collaboration with programme managers, develop quarterly briefs on the status of partner CMA strategies to be presented to the CMT.

Policy Research

• Develop and maintain an excellent working knowledge of current and emerging policy trends relevant to the country and partner strategies.
• Ensure that all policy development is rooted in and informed by the work of partners in Kenya
• Ensure that policy development and advocacy initiatives are evidence based and are presented in a credible and professional manner
• Advise on and support research initiatives that provide evidence for Kenya policy and advocacy priorities.
• Oversee the commissioning and/or lead research projects on specific policy areas
• Lead (Trócaire) or support (partners) the development of high-quality policy position papers, publications and briefing papers on priority policy and advocacy issues for the Kenya country programme.

Broader organisational collaboration and integration

• Provide ‘rapid response’ policy and advocacy support to the Country Director/CMT as required (e.g. development of ad hoc briefings etc.)
• Participate in a Global Advocacy Priority Working Group as an integrated way of working with colleagues across the organisation to develop and deliver on the Kenya advocacy strategy.
• Support the wider organization to mobilise behind advocacy on Kenya priority themes by collaborating when appropriate/requested with Campaigns, Development Education, Church and Communications units in HQ.
• Any other duties as may be assigned by Trócaire from time to time.

Requirements

• Relevant third level degree
• At least three years of a proven track record in policy analysis, research and production of analytical and/or advocacy material on a relevant policy area in Kenya
• At least two years of a proven track record in effective advocacy, including development of advocacy strategies, on a relevant policy area in Kenya
• Knowledge of political systems within Kenya and political lobbying.
• Familiarity with the policies and operations of key donors / institutions.
• Demonstrable capacity and commitment to working in collaborative fashion with colleagues and partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and willingness to undertake media and public speaking work.
• Training and Facilitation Skills
• A proven commitment to teamwork.
• An ability to maintain a positive attitude working in an environment where results are difficult to achieve and quantify.
• Experience in web-based communication.
• Experience of working with right based organisations
• Experience of working with local partners on policy and advocacy, ideally, with citizen-led methodologies
• Development and implementation of citizen monitoring tools and strategies for citizen-led advocacy
• Development and implementation of Monitoring and Evaluation system

Safeguarding Programme Participants

Trócaire is committed to Safeguarding people within our programmes from Exploitation and Abuse and has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct) which outlines the expected behaviour and responsibility of all staff, consultants and other organisational representatives. Any candidate offered a job with Trócaire will be expected to sign Trócaire’s Safeguarding Policies and Global Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.