Advocacy Officer (Maternity Cover) At Adeso

Position: Advocacy Officer (Maternity Cover)

Reporting To: Executive Director

Working With: NEAR Secretariat (including Executive Director, Regional Representatives, and other project team members), NEAR members and stakeholders

Duty Station: Remote (ideally around the GMT time zone)

Duration: 4.5 months

Starting Date: October 1, 2021

ABOUT NEAR

NEAR (Network for Empowered Aid Response) is a movement of local organizations with a bold ambition – to reshape the top-down humanitarian and development system to one that is locally driven and owned, and is built around equitable, dignified and accountable partnerships. NEAR is a membership based organization with members coming from four regions: Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

ABOUT ADESO

NEAR is currently hosted by Adeso, an expanding and vibrant African based international development and humanitarian organization. Adeso and NEAR both aspire to prevent and overcome situations that adversely affect community well-being by: Influencing policy change and enacting systemic change through innovative solutions led by local and national actors.

POSITION PURPOSE

This consultancy is a maternity cover for NEAR’s Advocacy Officer. The consultant will be expected to lead the advocacy work of the network, under guidance from the Executive Director, and in cooperation with the NEAR Secretariat and the advocacy working group.

SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

· In cooperation with the NEAR Secretariat, lead in all advocacy efforts

· Focus 60% of time on supporting the Grand Bargain and the local leader present in the Facilitation Group

· Support the Facilitation Group meeting and subsequent coordination with other Facilitation Group members

· Ensure that NEAR consults and engages with a broad section of Global South constituencies

· Lead or co-lead some on specific pieces of work NEAR is engaged with as part of the organanization’s presence in a workstream or a caucus

· Support National Reference Groups and ensure cooperation with the Global working structures

· Engage and represent NEAR in other global forums, while ensuring strong engagement of the NEAR membership, i.e.:

o the Global Cluster System SAG and the Advocacy Task team

o IASC working groups on localization and financing

· Continue to convene a few groups:

o Local representatives in national Country Based Pooled Fund advisory boards

o Local representatives in different groups within the IASC system

· Lead relationships with NEAR partners such as INGOs, think tanks and other relevant institutions. This includes the planning, organizing and delivery of relevant activities including webinars, and the testing/piloting of the Localization Performance Measurement Framework

· Support the planning of influencing activities for 2022

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

· A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant area

· Extensive experience with advocacy work at the global level, especially in the humanitarian sector. Knowledge and in depth understanding of the current conversations, especially around the Grand Bargain

· Experience working with networks, platforms understanding their functioning and their needs

· Experience of working with local and national NGOs, ideally in the Global South

· Experience working with or for non-profit organizations

· Experience in working in multicultural teams and environments

· Excellent written and interpersonal skills

· Confident in networking in a wide variety of groups and sectors

· Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail

· Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

· Ability to thrive in a small team

· Agility and multitasking are key