Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer

Job Title:                     Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer (South Sudanese nationals only)

Function:                     Policy and Advocacy

Duty Station:               Juba, South Sudan

Expected travel:          30% travel, domestic and international

Line Manager:             Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor

Line Management Responsibilities**:**   n/a

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is a dynamic, international non-governmental organization. We work with people affected by violent conflicts to enhance their security and dignity through Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP). We work to reduce violence, protect civilians in countries affected by violent conflict and its aftermath, and help transform the world’s response to conflict situations.

Overview:

We are seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer to join our team and contribute to our efforts working and advocating with civilians in South Sudan. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the political landscape and civilian protection needs in South Sudan, experience advocating for policy change, and enjoy engaging with internal and external stakeholders to improve civilian safety. This is a rare opportunity at a critical time to work with a diverse range of stakeholders – from affected communities, NP colleagues, INGOs, and duty bearers – to advocate for the safety of civilians and the importance of unarmed and nonviolent protection responses

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a focal point on South Sudan between the South Sudan Country Programme and Global Policy and Advocacy Team and facilitate regular and timely reporting of key trends, activities and initiatives between teams;
• Work with South Sudan Country Programme staff to closely monitor, identify, and amplify key civilian protection needs, risks, and responses in South Sudan;
• Work with South Sudan Country Programme staff and the Global Advocacy Team to develop advocacy outputs, including written briefs, case studies, talking points, training materials, and reports;
• Represent NP in relevant stakeholder meetings and advocacy working groups on South Sudan;
• Build relationships with relevant media stakeholders and facilitate media on civilian protection issues and NP work in South Sudan;
• Support, facilitate, and train advocacy skills and strategy development for South Sudan Country Programme staff and local partner organisations and communities;
• Maintain an up-to-date database for advocacy and media contacts and networks for South Sudan.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate the following skills, attributes and experience:

• A bachelor's degree in international Affairs, Policy & Advocacy, Political Science, Law, Journalism or other related fields;
• At least three years professional experience related to civilian protection, humanitarian crises, peacebuilding, human rights and/or post-conflict situations;
• An in-depth understanding of South Sudan’s humanitarian and political context;
• Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken) is essential;
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels of seniority;
• Sound personal organisational skills, including excellent time management, strong analytical skills, ability to meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, and work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a diverse team, including relationships both in person and in remote locations and abroad;

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Arabic and English essential. Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities.
• Ability to work effectively in a team and independently
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels of seniority including strong and demonstrated public speaking
• Sound personal organizational skills, including excellent time management, strong analytical skills, ability to meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, and work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a diverse team, including relationships both in person and in remote locations and abroad.
• An in-depth understanding of South Sudan’s humanitarian and political context.

Preferred Qualifications:

Commitment to NP Principles:

• Demonstrate a commitment to NP’s mission and principles
• All NP employees are expected to work in accordance with the organization’s guiding principles:
• Nonviolence
• Non-partisanship
• Primacy of local actors
• Civilian-to-civilian action

These principles and beliefs shall guide our actions and relationships in protecting civilians in violent conflicts through unarmed strategies.

Working Conditions:

• This position requires flexibility as will have key working contacts in various time zones
• Short term availability for meetings and advocacy opportunities will also be expected
• Ability to travel domestic and internationally is essential
• You must be prepared to live in basic or non-traditional accommodation, which may include shared housing, camps, or field-based settings.
• Demonstrated ability to adhere to strict security protocols and maintain high level of confidentiality.

Application Process

• Candidates meeting the above requirements are requested to submit a CV (max. two pages) and cover letter (max. 1 page) through our website detailing their experience and how they qualify for the role. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The closing date for applications is 12th Aug 2024
• Candidates may be selected before the closing date; apply early
• As part of the recruitment process, shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a technical assignment before participating in an interview.

SPECIAL NOTICE

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability.

Nonviolent Peaceforce acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of employees, contractors, volunteers, interns, communities we work with, and other stakeholders and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance and complies with best practices in the Humanitarian and Development sector.NP expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We prioritise ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. NP also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

NO FEE

We never ask for payment as part of our selection process, and we always contact candidates via our corporate accounts and platforms. If you are approached for payment, this is likely to be fraudulent. Please check whether the role you are interested in is posted here on our website.

Keywords

PolicyAdvocacyCivilian ProtectionHumanitarianPeacebuildingHuman RightsSouth SudanAdvocacy SkillsMediaStakeholdersNonviolent ProtectionCommunication Skills