Advocacy and Campaigns Officer at Save the Children

ROLE PURPOSE: 

All Save the Children programming in Kenya aims to develop and demonstrate evidence-based, replicable breakthrough solutions to problems facing children.  It is essential that good quality programme work and learning is then communicated to civil society, government actors, donors and other practitioners to advocate for better practices and policies for children. 

Save the Children works with the Ministry of Health at National and County level through a health system strengthening approach. Through our advocacy work, we are ensuring that we are the voice for children especially in our programme areas that have some of the most deprived children in Kenya. Our approach to advocacy is based on the following key principles: 

• Evidence (research and policy): our advocacy work draws directly on our programmes and is informed by evidence and best practices generated by our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Accountability and Learning (MEAL) systems and by our research. One example is the annual global report on mothers and children, the State of the World’s Mothers.
• Influence (media and advocacy): Our advocacy work engages all media and aims to catalyse public opinion and influence decision makers to bring about change. 
• Outcry (mobilization): in partnership with civil society, children and community led initiatives, we mobilise children and communities to claim their rights and to monitor their implementation. 

The Advocacy & Policy Officer  will:

Coordinate all health and nutrition related policy, advocacy and programme learning work at county level in Mandera County as well as at National level with support from relevant technical specialists and the country office Head of Advocacy and Communications.

The post holders will work closely with County and Sub County Health Management Teams, with the scope of the role including development and implementation of a county advocacy plan focused around health and nutrition with a special focus on maternal and new-born health, identifying and participating in county level health and nutrition networks that Save the Children can be a part of to contribute to wider agenda for children’s health and survival; identifying targets and processes to use learning to influence policy formulation/policy change/policy implementation; developing a research agenda to advance learning and policy on issues affecting the health and nutrition of children and mothers; packaging information/research findings and developing appropriate communication channels for dissemination of information/research findings; project documentation and dissemination; capacity building, learning and knowledge management. 

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

Reports to: Programme Manager

Contract duration:  1 year, Contract to be extended subject to availability of funds and performance

Staff directly reporting to this post: None

Key staff engaging directly with this post: Programme Manager; Project Specialist; Project Coordinators; Project Officers; Head of Advocacy and Communications; Head of Health and Nutrition; Health Technical Specialist; Research Manager; MEAL officer; Head on MEAL.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strategy development and implementation

• The Advocacy Officer will be responsible for implementing strategic MNH advocacy, learning and policy support to the area office.
• Engage in key budgetary cycle moments, law and policy reform initiatives related to MNH at the County.
•  Responsible for the development and delivery of an annual implementation work plan on MNH for the area office. 
• Support Climate Change and Child health/rights advocacy initiatives at the county level.
• Support implementation of relevant, context specific strategies for effective child participation within the advocacy activities in collaboration with the field office teams and relevant staff at the country office. 
• Support the Health and Nutrition team in identifying policy and practice change, which would promote and protect the nutrition and health of children in Mandera.
• Support and feed into advocacy efforts at the national level for policy change to allow CHPs to treat uncomplicated wasting & pneumonia under iCCM.
• Support policy & implementation framework development for CHS bill & Disability bill.
• Formulate key MNH advocacy messages and targets from lessons learned, assessments, research and evidence gained through project implementation.
• In collaboration with other CSO’s, support budget advocacy for nutrition intervention to enhance resource allocation for child survival interventions at county level. 

Advocacy and Communications

• In liaison with Advocacy coordinator, mapping of key opportunities and events, organisation of Save the Children ‘moments’ and events. 
• Support dissemination of key policy and advocacy messages (for health and nutrition to influence county government, and partner’s position on MNH. 
• Lead in influencing county government, political processes and key decision-making structures on issues related to nutrition for mothers and children.
• Conduct power mapping to identify and engage key influencers in the County for increased resource mobilization and allocation to child survival interventions.
• Support the CHMT to revise and cost health, nutrition and emergency contingency plans in case of eventualities within the two counties, including through the use of household economy analysis (HEA) Baseline and Response Analysis information.
• Contribute to the development and dissemination of policy briefs/IEC fact sheets and county profiles to get nutrition on to the policy agenda at the county levels.
• Support in county level monitoring and evaluation of advocacy and policy related activities on MNH for the area office.
• Advocate and create public awareness on fortified foods in the market, supplementation and dietary diversification through linkages with nutrition sensitive partners.

Building Partnerships 

• Identify local networks, coalitions and alliances to influence the policy and practice landscape on MNH.
• Representing Save the Children at strategic forums, networking with strategic CSOs and other social movement processes that are relevant to Save the Children’s policy work nutrition platforms.
• Support area offices to build partnerships with communities and programme beneficiaries in establishing accountability mechanisms, capacity building and knowledge management.
• Support the capacity building of programme and field staff and key partners on advocacy through training, sharing best practices and supporting learning and knowledge management. 

Programme Development & Management 

• Participate in Save the Children programme meetings and related sessions to draw out/or articulate advocacy messages in programmes. 
• Keep abreast of current research, national and donor policies and debates in Kenya, relevant to advocacy for nutrition. 
• Support programme managers to monitor and evaluate child survival communication and advocacy activities within budgets 
• Support in implementation and dissemination of any nutrition related research. 

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

Honest, encourages openness and transparency

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• At least 3 years’ experience in advocacy work, as well as contributing to the development and implementation of advocacy strategies. Experience working within Kenya Health systems is an added advantage.
• Excellent understanding of Kenya’s budget cycle and moments.
• An understanding of policy and legislative development processes at both national and county levels.
• Knowledge of the devolution processes, and its impact on the health sector. 
• Good verbal communication skills for external representation
• Experience of effective team work and outstanding inter-personal communication skills
• Experience of coalition building and working with civil society actors to deliver change
• Fluency in written and spoken English and comprehension of the local language dialects in the Mandera County and the resident communities is a MUST.
• Good report writing  and communication skills
• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions. 
• Willingness to work in remote locations with minimal infrastructure; limited social amenities and high-risk insecurity.
• Understanding of the dynamics of the ASAL context is essential.
• Commitment to Save the Children’s mission and values.

Desirable

• An academic qualification with a minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, law, Governance, International development , Community development or related field of study. 
• Experience and training on policy and advocacy. 
• Previous experience working in Mandera or ASAL regions of Northern Kenya 
• Good knowledge of the nutrition and health field, including the work of academic/research contacts, NGOs, UN agencies.
• Good presentation and analytical skills.
• Great negotiation and persuasion skills.
• Proven ability to develop partnerships for driving a policy agenda.
• Experience of policy research, having written and published policy reports and briefings and evaluating evidence of their impact.