Water Aid’s vision, is of a world of where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. Our mission is to transform lives by improving access to water, hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. In Malawi we have built a great reputation for championing poor and marginalized people’s rights to access safe water and improved sanitation. We are seeking to add to our dynamic team to the following listed position.
Job Title : Policy and Advocacy Manager
Reporting to: WaterAid Malawi Country Representative
Location: Lilongwe
Job purpose
The policy and Advocacy Manager is a member of waterAid Malawi’s senior Management Team (SMT). The post holder contributes to strategic management decision making in the leadership and management of the country program and leads the overall delivery water Aid Malawi’s Advocacy agenda.
The incumbent will take responsibility for overall strategic planning, development, coordination and management of WaterAid Malawi’s policy and Advocacy program to enable the country achieve its goals as set out in the country strategy s/he will champion policy influencing emerging from policy analysis, research, and practice which should result in sustainable improvement and equitable access to safe water and sanitation to all people in Malawi. S/he will lead WaterAid’s engagement with national level policy debates in the sector, drawing on practice and robust research carried out at all levels.
The policy and Advocacy Manager will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following specific roles
• Producing leadership in the development and management of waterAid Malawi’s policy and Advocacy programs and initiatives. Working with all program units, analyze key issues, gaps and themes to guide waterAid malawi’s policy research and analysis, and advocacy interventions
• Carrying out regular analyses of the wider policy, social, political and economic contexts, key sector issues and best practice to ensure that waterAid Malawi stays informed and makes relevant contributions to national development policy debates and actions.
• Developing strategic partnerships within the WASH sector and with other relevant sectors to raise the profile of sanitation, hygiene and water within the national development agenda
• Identifying and exploiting opportunities to influence priorities with government, and other sectors actors as informed by relevant sector issues
• Providing leadership in wateraid’s campaign work. Liaising with other agencies, and program activities to establish alliances and platforms for campaigning and identify new opportunities for national level influence
The following education, experience, knowledge and skills, and personal qualities will be required for this position
Education
Post graduate University degree or professional qualification in relevant subject ( political or social Sciences, Development Studies or Communication)
Experience
• Minimum of ten years experience in conducting policy research and analysis, documentation and advocacy
• Participation in studies and research on poverty and its impact on social development
• Program management at senior level
• Experience of capacity building of partner organizations in advocacy
• Experience of working with government and NGO’s on policy and advocacy issues
Knowledge and skills
• Excellent networking, facilitation and coordination skills
• Excellent command of English to produce professional documents of national and international standards and participate in policy discussions and debates
• Ability to provide leadership in planning and implementing advocacy activities to an agreed work plan
• Managing competing demands and setting priorities
• Computer-literate (word processor and spreadsheet)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent negotiation skills
Applications
Interested applicants should send their current CV with names of three traceable referees
