Advocacy and Policy Officer, Malawi Network of AIDS Service Organizations, Malawi

Organization Name: Malawi Network of AIDS Service Organisations
Placement location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Eligible Citizenship: Malawian

About: Founded in 1996, the Malawi Network of AIDS Service Organisations (MANASO) was formed to coordinate the activities of AIDS service organizations (ASOs) in Malawi. With a vision of a Malawian society free of HIV and AIDS and associated issues, MANASO exists to contribute towards the reduction of HIV and AIDS prevalence and alleviation of suffering caused by the epidemic. Over the past years, MANASO has increasingly worked with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to strengthen coordination and collaboration, share experiences and best practices as well as improving technical and financial capacities of its members.

As a civil society network organization, MANASO’s role is to guide the civil society sector in the national response against HIV and AIDS in Malawi. Currently, the main priority areas of the organization include:

• Co-ordination: developing mechanisms for members to share, collaborate, and communicate, and for resources to be directed to the appropriate organisations
• Capacity building: ensuring MANASO has access to skill and knowledge development programs to deliver their on organisation’s mandate
• Resource mobilization: ensuring MANASO has to the resources required to operate and deliver programs and resources
• Advocacy: influencing change and raising awareness of key issues impacting Malawians, as well as issues recognized internationally
• Knowledge sharing: facilitating knowledge sharing within MANASO, and between external organisations and MANASO

Position Overview: MANASO is seeking to recruit a Policy and Advocacy Officer to facilitate the development and support of the organization’s advocacy priority areas and initiatives. During their placement year, the fellow will provide support to the Secretariat’s advocacy campaigns and implement the 2013-2016 Advocacy Strategy. They will be required to develop and support high-level policy and advocacy engagement that will strengthen and maintain MANASO’s leading role as a coordinating and networking body of civil society response against HIV and AIDS in Malawi at local, regional, national and international levels.

Responsibilities:

• Support and assist MANASO Secretariat in developing and maintaining close relations with external organizations, including key stakeholders, donors and partners in the health and HIV and AIDS sector at national and international levels
• Produce and disseminate relevant policy information and guidance on health and HIV and AIDS and highlight opportunities for advocacy to MANASO members, stakeholders and partners (i.e., new grants, policy changes, national and international developments)
• Provide support and assist in the organization of advocacy meetings, forums and events that MANASO is a member of (notably: Regional NGO Forum, Local NGO Forum, International NGO Forum and CSO Advocacy Network) and, where necessary, provide logistics and administrative support to these meetings
• Identify and suggest possible opportunities and entry points for developing MANASO’s policy and advocacy work at district, regional, national and international levels
• Lead and support advocacy efforts on specific advocacy priorities that MANASO has identified, representing MANASO to high profile policy-makers, practitioners, think-tanks, academic partners, the media and the public
• Facilitate and support MANASO members and partners in their policy making and lobbying activities
• Produce materials for advocacy, communications and media purposes on MANASO advocacy priorities
• Prepare and produce background notes, briefing notes, reports, meeting reports and other materials pertinent to MANASO’s advocacy work and on the policy environment in Malawi and Southern African region
• Create and maintain internal advocacy database, including contact lists, upcoming events and opportunities and other databases

Required Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrated work experience for this position, i.e. campaigning, lobbying and policy engagement, stakeholder management in civil society, project management, advocacy and representing an organization at various levels.
• Oral and written fluency in English (preferably in Chichewa as well)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills (in English and preferably Chichewa)
• Excellent analytical skills with a proven ability to synthesize material and produce comprehensive, concise, and well written work relevant to advocacy and policy
• Excellent relationship-building, networking and coordination skills with an ability to communicate and liaise with a wide variety of actors, organizations and institutions
• Strong time management skills, with a proven ability to multi-task and work on different work areas simultaneously
• Excellent public engagement, facilitation, and presentation skills
• Demonstrated good judgment and attention to detail
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in MS Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Minimum of 2-4 years working experience in advocacy and/or policy within the civil society sector
• Degree in social sciences (i.e., international relations, political science, public policy and administration), development or other related area in liberal arts (preferably a Master’s degree or relevant accreditation)
• Knowledge in the following areas would be very helpful in this position: public policy and administration, international affairs, health and HIV and AIDS, development issues pertaining to civil society, communications tools, and advocacy theories and principles

Living Conditions: Fellows will be provided with housing, health insurance and a living stipend of $650/month. Fellows will receive an award of $1500 upon successful completion of the fellowship year. Flights to and from the placement site and all other costs associated with GHC programming are included, including $600 in professional development funds.

*Note: the living stipend and completion award may be paid out in USD or local currency, as determined  by the placement organization.

To apply to this position click here: http://ghcorps.org/fellows/apply/application/