The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organisation that promotes children’s rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Senior Advocacy Adviser will lead our influencing work in the African Union (AU) on humanitarian issues, peace and security and education – engaging widely with the AU Commission and delegations, and civil society organisations active in this arena. He or she will make a key contribution to our global advocacy success in these thematic areas, especially our organisational breakthrough of ensuring that children in humanitarian crises have access to a quality education.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Director, AU Global Advocacy Office/AU Liaison and Pan Africa Office

Staff reporting to this post: Advocacy Officer

Key internal relationships: Advocacy Office Director; Child Rights Governance Advisor, Humanitarian Advocacy Working Group; Education Global Initiative Advocacy Working Group; Advocacy and campaign staff in Africa regional and country offices; Humanitarian Advocacy Advisers in other Save the Children global advocacy offices; Save the Children members and Humanitarian and Education programme staff in Africa.

Role Dimensions: Addis Ababa is home to the African Union and other regional institutions that play a critical role in shaping African children’s lives and helping to ensure their rights are fulfilled. Save the Children’s ability to engage and influence the AU is central to our aim of creating lasting positive change for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable children. The post holder will therefore work effectively with AU Peace and Security Architecture, the Education Science Technology and Innovation Department targeting relevant institutions and bodies in the AU to influence decision-making that enhances better protection of the rights and welfare of children in humanitarian settings, especially those affected by armed conflicts in Africa.

This role is a high profile, externally facing role, with responsibility for advocacy on a visible and politically sensitive set of issues in Addis Ababa, requiring excellent judgement, strategic sense, content on the issues, strong external networks and an ability to be agile and manage a demanding and varied workload. Most of this advocacy will need to be done in conjunction with advocacy at the national level in the region; in donor capitals and at the UN – requiring very close collaboration with other parts of Save the Children, and an ability to navigate a networked structure in a large international organisation.

The post holder will work as an integral member of the AU Liaison and Pan-Africa Office and wider cross-organisational teams. S/he will also collaborate closely with Save the Children regional and national advocacy staff in Africa, in our advocacy offices in New York, Geneva and Brussels, and in key Save the Children members, as well as with humanitarian and education programme colleagues in the region.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

INTERNAL

1. AU Liaison & Pan Africa Office

a. Strategy implementation

Lead the implementation of an ambitious strategy inspired by:

• the emerging trend of violation and abuse of the rights and welfare of children affected by armed conflicts in Africa. In particular, prioritise the protection of education from attacks
• the demand for sustained investment for humanitarian education
  the humanitarian advocacy capacity needs of Save the Children Country Offices in Africa
• an analysis of the key trends and influential actors in the African Union

b. Humanitarian and Education Unit in AULPAO

• Lead the operation of a humanitarian and education advocacy unit with broad ranging mandates including but not limited to the following key components:
• Protection of Education and Safe School Advocacy- Safe School Guidelines Advocacy, Policy Reforms & implementation
  Humanitarian Child Protection Advocacy- focused on the six grave violations against children
• Humanitarian Education Investment Advocacy-Resource mobilization and sustained investment in Refugee Education advocacy
• Nexus between conflicts and climate change

c. Driving internal synergy

• Establish a mutually supportive relationship with the Child Rights Governance function in the AULPAO

d. Engaging with Advocacy Offices in Geneva, New York and Save the Children Europe

• Motivated by opportunities for accessing global information, technical support and funding opportunities, build and sustain mutual relationships with key contacts in these offices.

e. West &Central as well as East and Southern Africa Regions

• Building relationships with the Regional Advocacy key contacts to enable Country-
• Office Regional Office–Continental level advocacy engagements

f. Humanitarian Advocacy Working Group (HAWG)-SCI UK

• Engage with the group for information sharing and technical support by participating in the weekly meetings and/or through engaging individual members.

g. Education Global Initiative-SCI

• Engage collectively and/or bilaterally with the global team based on an analysis of where to access strategic technical support as well as for AU-Global level information sharing and learning.

h. Save the Children Members

• Identify and engage selected contacts based on their interest of contributing to the achievement of the humanitarian and education strategic objectives in Africa.

EXTERNAL

2. Advocacy at the Africa Union

a) Engaging the AU Peace and Security Architecture

• Promote a closer collaboration between the PAO and the Committee of Experts through establishing a working relationship with the Secretariat to further leverage CAAC issues in Member States, especially ensuring safe schools in CAR and South Sudan.
• Work closely with the Child Protection function of the PSC to enable understanding of the dynamics of decision making in the AUPSA that helps in leveraging CAAC issues.
• Identify and target key PRC members to champion the safe school agenda, especially in conflict affected countries.
• Establish a working relationship with the Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD) that promotes knowledge and inventory on policy decisions/outcomes on safe schools and identifies policy gaps for a possible review.
• Collaborate with the Defence and Security Division of the PSOD in creating awareness among Member States on the Safe School Guidelines.
• Identify and collaborate with key initiatives/projects in PSOD that have the potential of protecting the rights and welfare of children affected by armed conflicts in Africa.eg The Regional Initiative on LRA and the Office of the Special Envoy of Women (Children), Peace and Security.

b) Engaging at the Political Affairs Peace and Security Department

• Advocate for the promotion of inter departmental collaboration that promotes policy outcomes on the protection of education from attack during armed conflicts
• Actively participate in cluster meetings to advocate for the prioritisation of child protection in the Protection of Civilians agenda

c) Engaging at the AU Education Science Technology and Innovation Department

• Identify and target Education cluster platforms to influence policy decisions in favor of quality learning outcomes for children in Africa
  Actively participate and influence policy platforms in favour of: sustained and more investment in education and especially during emergencies; protection of education from attack during emergencies; stronger inter -departmental collaboration between education and the humanitarian divisions for ensuring safe schools policy outcomes and implementation in Member States

d) Engaging with the Africa-Platform for Children Affected by Armed Conflicts (AP-CAAC)

• Serve as a focal person within the Secretariat of AP-CAAC and support the implementation of the Platform priorities.

e) Engaging at the AU Commission

Strategically target the Office of the Chairperson and/or other Commissioners, informed by an analysis that assures the best use of time and the greatest advocacy opportunity.

f) Collaboration with NGOs/CSOs working with the AU

• Identify child focused and like -minded Humanitarian/Education/peace and security NGOs and establish a workable mechanism of collaboration that ensures relevant information sharing and facilitates joint advocacy actions during key moments/ opportunities at the AU level; ensuring that this relationship also re-enforces partnerships at local-national-RECs levels, if possible.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

The Advocacy Advisor will:

• Advocate for change with key AU policy makers and decision makers on humanitarian, peace and security and education agendas (and on the interface between these issues)
• Build and maintain advocacy networks with influential allies, within the AU and among civil society, recognising that we cannot achieve the change we want by ourselves
• Deliver ambitious plans to engage and influence the AU on humanitarian and education agendas, in line with agreed organisational objectives, and provide strategic insight to help shape wider Save the Children advocacy efforts in these areas
• Build profile and credibility for Save the Children, by being a convincing spokesperson for the organisation, a source of knowledge and analysis, and through personal commitment to our values and mission
• Be a strong member of the Addis team, actively participating in building a strong global advocacy office that is networked within the wider organisation and has strong links to Africa Country Offices, the other advocacy offices and members

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (SCI 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 their team to do the same
widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

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; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education to degree level – an academic background in a directly relevant field is desirable.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

• Proven record of advocacy success and ability to develop and implement strategy, preferably at the regional level in Africa.
• A background in influencing African national governments and engaging civil society partners in the region
  Experience of creating networks of influence, and an ability to manage diverse professional relationships, thereby securing significant new opportunities for the organisation
• Proven ability to speak and communicate effectively, and to tailor messages to different audiences
• Experience of successfully operating in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy in.
• Demonstrated understanding of development and humanitarian issues, including in education.
• Knowledge and understanding of the AU, and its role in development, human rights and humanitarian issues.
• Commitment to Save the Children’s values.
• Experience of, and willingness to travel widely, often at short notice and in conflict- and crisis-affected settings
• Ability to work in English and French essential. Other official AU languages would be an advantage.

Additional responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Health and Safety

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.