Regional Head of Advocacy, Campaign, Communication and Media at Save the Children

The Regional Head of Advocacy, Campaign, Communication and Media provides overall leadership, strategic direction and management to the advocacy, campaigns, communication and media work of Save the Children across the East and Southern Africa region.

While our Business Units are the country offices, his/ her main task is to support Countries Offices to develop and implement some SMART advocacy, campaign, communication and media strategies and translate those strategies into proposal funded with adequate resources.

His/ Her first responsibility will be to undertake advocacy work to advance Save the Children’s policy positions and influence decision-makers, both at national level and internationally. He/ she will support countries to shape and ensure the delivery of high quality Save the Children’s efforts to influence and bring about change in the awareness, attitudes, behaviors and policies related to the rights of children in East and Southern Africa. He/ She takes shared responsibility for the delivery of Save the Children’s 2030 ambition and strategy and coordinates with global advocacy and communications efforts and manages the regional campaign, advocacy.

As a key member of the ESA Extended Regional Leadership Team, Head of Campaigns and Advocacy takes shared responsibility for the delivery of Save the Children’s 2030 ambition and strategy. He/she represents Save the Children at a senior level to key regional stakeholders, with the ambition to position Save the Children as a leading child-focused campaign and advocacy organization in ESA

He/she is responsible for creating an enabling internal environment for campaigning and advocacy by leveraging resources, building partnerships, and strengthening capacity and capability of Country Offices and engaging Save the Children Members in ESA. He/ she also may be required to support specific countries to develop some SMART advocacy plans in response to important humanitarian crisis in the region. 

•  Strong background in advocacy leadership at a senior level, including policy development and the ability to link programmes with advocacy work.
• Experience in engaging the public in campaigns, including the ability to identify “campaign able” objectives within the policy goals, and to plan and evaluate campaign activities
• Experience in leading the creation and implementation of a strategy, demonstrating the ability to identify the necessary steps towards an ambitious goal.
• Proved experience in developing some strong program integrating advocacy or mobilizing fund for advocacy, including a good Experience in proposal development;
• Proved experience in supporting countries offices from distance or working in “virtual” team;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to motivate influence and negotiate both internally and externally.
• Sound understanding of the major economic, social development and poverty issues in East and Southern Africa.
• Experience of working within a complex and matrix organisation structure. Excellent training, facilitation, and team building skills. Innovative and creative approach to problem solving. Able to lead by example.
• Experience of building personal networks at senior levels, resulting in securing significant new opportunities for the organisation.
• Commitment to Save the Children values.
• Fluent spoken and written English

Contract duration: 2 years 

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. 

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.  We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.