Job Purpose:

The Head of Policy and Advocacy will lead and is accountable for delivering WaterAid policy priorities through influencing that comprises of policy analysis, advocacy, campaigns, communication, research and knowledge management. S/he will be responsible for national, sub-national, regional and global policy-advocacy agenda within the context of WaterAid Strategy 2023-2032 aimed at ensuring that ensure everyone everywhere has access to water, sanitation, and hygiene. The role draws on WaterAid’s global advocacy priorities and national analysis to develop and deliver high-quality research and policy agenda, advocacy strategy and communications whilst working with others to achieve transformational change. 

Along with the team, s/he will manage sustained strategic engagement with all stakeholders (public-private) including government representatives, policy makers, sector actors, civil society, academia, donors, partners, communities etc. to promote WASH agenda. In addition, s/he will lead and manage the Policy and Advocacy team, overseeing implementation to achieve WaterAid Ethiopia’s policy and advocacy strategy and plan, advising both staff and Country Management on implementation of policy and advocacy work and campaigns as well as contribute to WaterAid’s global advocacy initiatives. S/he will work with the program team to ensure that advocacy goals are reflected in the priorities of programme and MEAL. The role also contributes to WAE resource mobilization.

Strategic Leadership

·       Lead on developing and delivery of a country advocacy strategy and annual Advocacy campaign plan, providing strong advocacy vision, political judgement and ambition.

·       Lead and anchor the contextual analysis (social, economic, political) for the country strategy plans to maintain up-to-date knowledge of the wider contexts as well as sector-specific issues and best practice to ensure that WAE stays at the forefront of national policy debates.

·       Develop, review, and update the country Advocacy Strategy and Plan that is rooted in WaterAid’s priority areas of work around WASH sector.to support the strategic plan and maximize the prospects of successful policy change.

·       Lead on developing and delivery of a country advocacy strategy and annual advocacy campaign plan, providing strong advocacy vision, political judgement and ambition.

·       Provide leadership in mainstreaming influencing, thought leadership, evidence generation based, convening approaches in implementation of the WAE strategy.

·       Lead the monitoring and evaluation efforts of the policy and advocacy work of the country program.

Policy and Research

·       Oversee a high-quality policy and research agenda that shapes and supports WaterAid Ethiopia ’s advocacy agenda and is well utilised to build thought leadership in Ethiopia on the WASH agenda.

·       Conduct regular high-quality analysis of latest developments in sector policy, budgets, and performance, with a focus on the national WASH development projects/program to ensure WaterAid is aware of how key institutions work and to identify decision makers, how policies influence outcomes and dis­tinguish between rhetoric and meaningful actions.

·       Analyze the policy and budget issues affecting the WASH sector in Ethiopia and effectively capture the information in case studies, position papers and policy messages / briefings notes, targeting different audiences to pro-actively influence efficiency of WASH investments in Ethiopia.

·       Manage collaborative case studies, impact surveys and other research to adequately inform stakeholders about the critical issues in WASH service delivery and design and Lead in dissemination events to share policy research reports.

·       Working with others, undertake research on the assumptions informing key WASH policy options and generate evidence to support or refute such policy positions in line with WaterAid global position on the issue.

·       Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the wider social, political and economic contexts as well as sector-specific issues and advocacy best practice to ensure that WaterAid stays at the forefront of national policy debates and effectively navigates political dynamics.

·       Synthesize findings and recommendations from completed research(es) into clear policy recommendations and influencing to scale-up of equitable WASH in Ethiopia.

·       Develop and disseminate a range of policy and research products that clearly outline WaterAid’s policy positions with compelling evidence to support this (including background papers, discussion papers, project research reports, policy briefs, policy messages, position papers and briefing notes).

·       Oversee WaterAid Ethiopia s work to strengthen civil society’s policy engagement with WASH and rights-based organisations, working closely with identified CSO networks to build capacity to effectively engage with national policy making processes.

·       Policy dialogues on key WASH, and identify windows of influence and act to ensure WaterAid Ethiopia’s advocacy messages and recommendations are heard by decision-makers.

 Advocacy & Influencing

 ·       Identify key sector issues on which WaterAid and its partners should focus their advocacy efforts.

·       Lead the delivery of influencing programmes at National and Local Government Levels Design programming activities to influence government (national, Woreda and local policy & legislation, budgets, co-ordination mechanisms and innovative delivery approaches to strengthen WASH services and increase WASH access.

·       Monitor, evaluate, research, and respond to local, national policy developments and issues, including legislative and regulatory proposals.

·       Work collaboratively with MEAL to monitor progress and evaluations of the policy and advocacy work of the country program.

·       Identify and proactive seek linkages and integration between policy and programmes.

·       Plan, guide and showcase WaterAid’s programme delivery and research and innovations to influence policy makers. Provide guidance quality research products and ensuring effective conversion of research products into use in the sector and beyond.

·       Further develop a District Wide Approach and ensure human rights based approach is embedded in all programmes implemented across WAE.

·       Represent WaterAid in relationships with senior decision-makers to persuasively advocate for WaterAid’s change agenda.

·       Raise the profile of WaterAid Ethiopia through a positive, proactive and strategic approach to brand building; Act policy spokesperson as directed by CD for WAE in meetings, seminars and other strategic/important events at national, regional and international levels.

·       Deliver materials for the media including speeches, articles, statements, press releases, blogs and other social media content developed with strong collaboration and input from the Communications team.

·       Facilitate the development of strategic partnerships with relevant agencies within and beyond WASH sector, academia, media and research institutions.

·       Develop and strengthen partnerships, networks and alliances among sector stakeholders, government counterparts and NGOs involved in water and sanitation related activities in order to foster mutual learning and identify innovations that would increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the sector.

·       Encourage and actively promote cross sectoral linkages so that WASH is mainstreamed in other sectors and strong links are established with other sectors

·       Monitor and critically evaluate WASH market developments; Support innovative thinking in this area and bring in appropriate and innovative market-based solutions where they will add value to WASH access.

·       Contribute to regional and global programmes by shaping the regional and global influencing agenda as well as participating in WaterAid regional and global initiatives

·       Lead in building relationships with key private sector organisations.

·       Remain abreast of international debates on sector policy, finance and performance monitoring and feed lessons from Ethiopia into these debates directly and through WaterAid - UK and WaterAid East Africa.

·       Provide leadership in the execution of the Advocacy Campaign plan for WAE.

·       Work with regional and Global Communications teams to maximise opportunities for WaterAid Ethiopia on social and conventional media and ensure effective and professional promotion of the role, profile and campaigns of WaterAid.

·       Ensure that legislation, policy and practice is monitored and analysed to support campaigns, and policy priorities for WaterAid Ethiopia.

Management

·       Set, manage and monitor expenditure budget for strategic and annual plans in policy and advocacy, adhering to financial guidelines, ensuring value for money and acting as appropriate within delegated authorities. This includes funding for civil society work.

·       In collaboration with the Business Development Manager secure funding to deliver WAE advocacy agenda through supporting the scoping of donors at local, regional and global level, to identify fundraising opportunities and work with others and producing specific documents for fundraising.

·       Set, manage, and monitor expenditure budget for strategic and annual plans in policy and advocacy, adhering to financial guidelines, ensuring value for money and acting as appropriate within delegated authorities.

·       Lead a monitoring, evaluation and learning process for advocacy plans and strategies, in order to refine and improve advocacy impact.

·       Support the recruitment of competent staff and effectively manage the team to deliver high performance; develop team members in order to maximize their contribution to the team and organization.

·       Coach, guide, and mentor the policy, advocacy, campaigns, communications, and research and knowledge management teams and program staff in the implementation of influencing objectives of program and policy work. This will require assisting in a wide range of needs based on each project, from the developing stages of a project, following through to completion.

·       Create and maintain positive environment conducive for high performance of the department.

·       Ensure effective staff performance management processes are undertaken and maintained with people management responsibility.

Networking and Representation

·       Develop and maintain productive working relationships with key actors in national policy debates, including government officials, development partners, representatives of civil society and networks to ensure that WASH particularly Women’s health as a broader agenda is at the forefront of the agenda of key decision makers. This includes working closely with identified functional CSO networks to effectively engage with national policy making processes.

 ·       Oversee WAE’s work to strengthen CSO’s policy engagement with WASH and rights-based organisations, working closely with identified CSO networks to build capacity to effectively engage with national policy making processes.

·       Build and sustain relations with government ministries and agencies at both national, regional and district levels including undertaking joint initiatives on Universal WASH and Public Health.

·       Represent WaterAid through participation in sector discussions, meetings, and other strategic events that support achievement of WAE AIMs and strategic goals.

·       Represent WaterAid in key sector events nationally or globally as may be deemed appropriate.

·       Work with Regional Platforms and Networks including the East African Community, IGAAD, Nile Basin Initiative, Africa Union, and other Regional and International bodies to which Ethiopia is a member to advance WAE’s agenda for Universal WASH including public health and climate resilient

·       Remain abreast of national and international debates on sector policy, finance and performance monitoring and feed lessons from Ethiopia into these debates directly and through WaterAid Federation and East Africa

Campaigning and Influencing

• Lead the execution of the Advocacy Campaign plan for the WAE.

• Work with regional and Global Communications teams to maximise opportunities for WaterAid Ethiopia on social and conventional media and ensure the effective and professional promotion of the role, profile and campaigns of WaterAid.

• Ensure that legislation, policy and practice is monitored and analysed to support campaigns, and policy priorities for WaterAid Ethiopia.

 Partnerships and Resource Mobilization

• Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with governments, academic institutions, research institution, implementing agencies and funders.

• Work with GAPs and members of the regional team and Campaign technical working group to ensure linkage to regional and global policy agendas as well as bringing out impact at national level to contribute to regional, pan African and global levels

• Contribute to WaterAid’s fundraising initiatives through concept, proposal development and donor compliance.

• Support in the scoping of donors at local, regional and global level, to identify fundraising opportunities and influence; liaise with the Head of Business Development and other staff involved in fund acquisition to produce specific documents for fundraising.

 Perform any other responsibilities, tasks or activities as reasonably required as the range of duties are not intended to be a complete description of all.

Job Requirements

·       Master’s Degree in International Development, Human Rights, Sociology, Public Policy or Political Science or any other related in the Policy and Advocacy discipline.

·       Have at least 10 years’ experience in policy, advocacy and/or campaigns including research in the field of development with reputable regional or international development organisations. Desirable experience of at least 3 years in the WASH area of policy analysis and advocacy will be an advantage.

·       5 years’ experience in a leadership policy and advocacy position.

·       Excellent understanding of public policy-making and legislative processes, and the role of research in these processes

·       Knowledge of political structure, culture and policy making process in Ethiopia Detail understanding of landscaping statutory WASH related policies. Global developments in development policy, global health, among others

·       Good knowledge of current issues and debates in WASH, development policy and international development politics

·       Knowledge of policy and advocacy networks and social movements in Ethiopia, East Africa region including policy and advocacy engagements with the East African Community, Africa Union, and other regional and international organisations.

·       An in-depth understanding of national and international development issues, including experience working with key WASH sector donors

·       Competency in WaterAid common approaches to work including partnerships, convening, inclusion, systems strengthening, creating behavioral change, and mainstreaming gender and inclusion of youth.

·       Understanding of rights based approaches to development and how they apply to the WASH sector in Ethiopia.

·       Excellent analysis and political judgement, with a track record of achieving progress in advocacy agendas and realising the rights of marginalised groups of people.

·       Ability to negotiate and form credible relationships with policy makers, government officers, senior decision-makers in external institutions.

·       Strong writer especially policy-oriented; and oral communicator with ability to make compelling arguments and insightful ability to engage with multiple audiences; and to build support for an advocacy vision.

·       Ability to convey technical arguments in clear and vivid prose. Excellent presentation and public-speaking skills.

·       Good understanding of national WASH issues, sector-wide approaches, and functioning of government structures.

·       Experience of collaborating, managing and motivating others and driving change within a multi discipline team.

·       Organisation, problem solving and budget management skills.

·       Excellent relationship management skills, build and maintain trusting relationships, strong negotiation, influence and resolve conflicts with multi-level stakeholders including, policy maker’s/ government officials, Think tanks and CSOs community level actors.

Knowledge of development policies, especially in the WASH sector and its challenges and blockages, and how they can be addressed.

How to Apply

Qualified applicants can send their CV and motivational letter via CLICK HERE

WaterAid is an equal opportunities employer regardless of sex, race, disability, age, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. WaterAid Ethiopia does not discriminate on grounds of gender, marital status, race, tribe, religion, culture, disability, age, HIV/AIDS status, or any other factor. WaterAid Ethiopia encourages female candidates to apply. 

WaterAid is committed to ensuring that wherever we work in the world there is no tolerance for the abuse of power, privilege or trust. WaterAid reinforces a culture of zero tolerance towards any form of inappropriate behavior, abuse, harassment, or exploitation of any kind. The safeguarding of our beneficiaries, staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf, is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. All staff and volunteers are required to share in this commitment through our Global Code of Conduct. We will conduct the most appropriate pre-employment references and checks to ensure high standards are maintained.