Advocacy Manager – Child’s i Foundation

Job title: Advocacy Manager

Location: Head Office

Department: Communications, Advocacy and Fundraising

Reports to: Country Director

Direct reports:

Communications and Advocacy Officer, Communications Coordinator

JOB PURPOSE:

● Support the implementation of the Foundation’s National Advocacy Strategy to effectively delivery Child’s i Foundation mission and promote the Child’s i Foundation brand

● Drive change by positioning Child’s i as a pioneering NGO in Alternative Care through events, networking and management of the Ugandans Adopt Campaign, an advocacy program managed by Child’s i on behalf of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to promote domestic adoption in Uganda.

KEY JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Job Functions (KRAs)

Roles / Duties

Communications

● Produce regular press releases and identify PR and marketing opportunities to raise awareness of Child’s i Foundation, and be the main point of contact for all press inquiries.

● Produce regular press releases and identify PR and marketing opportunities to raise awareness of alternative care in Uganda, and be the main point of contact for all press inquiries.

● Participate in meetings to discuss ideas for videos and stories for the latest blogs, advocacy, and fundraising appeals.

Advocacy; Outreach and influence

● Lead in the implementation of strategy initiatives with partners.

● Be the main point of contact for all events related to the national advocacy strategy, and coordinate and plan necessary events.

● Build and manage strategic relationships with key stakeholders that will help us achieve the national advocacy strategy. This includes politicians, national and regional partners, key stakeholders, corporate sponsors, and influencers.

● Liaise with and provide support to the Adoptive Parents Association.

● Develop partnerships with churches, clubs, societies, and corporate sponsors in Uganda to deliver presentations to promote fostering and adoption in Uganda to recruit more prospective parents.

● Liaison and point of contact regarding media exposure around Child’s i initiatives and events including coordinating and managing possible external press requests, drafting, refining (and issuing) articles, interviews, and press releases, and overall management of press initiatives as related to specific events and/or general media interest. Where opportunities present, invite, and host media at Child’s i HQ and events.

● Speak publicly on behalf of Child’s i by taking an active role in changing hearts and minds at government meetings, private forums, and training.

Reporting and evaluation

● Monitor and report on all advocacy events and key achievements to determine the efficacy of the different approaches.

● Provide bi-monthly updates to the Country Director for the monthly performance indicators and targets and contribute to the Child’s i Foundation annual report.

Internal communications

● Be active on Workplace and encourage other staff to share exciting stories.

● To communicate progress and any exciting news on a regular basis with pictures and updates on children and other Child’s i progress.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS (CONTACTS):

Internal contacts

● Work closely with the Communications, Advocacy, and Fundraising Department team.

● Work closely with MEAL team

● Work closely with Social Work team

External contacts

● Government Officials

● Media

● Policy Makers

● NGOs

● Donors

● Child’s i’s project and program beneficiaries

JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

Education & Working experience

● University Degree in Mass Communication, Public Relations, Journalism or other relative fields (undergraduate)

● Minimum of 3 years of previous experience in a Journalism or Advocacy position.

● In-depth understanding of the Uganda political and social context and familiarity with key stakeholders in the CCI sector.

● Ability to grasp complex information and accurately translate these into briefings and other forms of advocacy communication.

● Demonstrable experience of effectively engaging with government at all levels

● Experience writing press releases

● Previous experience with Ugandan media and civil society

● Demonstrable experience of effectively mobilizing and working with civil society networks and organizations to generate momentum on a common agenda

● Demonstrable advocacy/stakeholder management experience and readiness to apply skills in a unique and challenging context

Skills and Abilities

● Excellent interpersonal & influencing skills

● Ability to lead and coach our internal team as well as the various stakeholders.

● Proven ability in managing and fostering relations with stakeholders

● Ability to manage a complex and varied workload and to work under pressure

● Strong communication skills, both oral and written

● Presentation and Public Speaking Skills

● Good computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, PPT, and WordPress

● Proven ability to develop and implement advocacy strategies

● Proven ability to support local, national and international advocacy initiatives of others.

Personal Attributes *(can be related to company core values)*

● Outgoing and proactive personality

● Self-starter

● Proven ability to work as a member of a team

● Ability to work independently and with minimal direction or supervision

● Interest in Alternative Care and Child Protection issues

● Ability to motivate/inspire others with ideas

● Innovative, energetic, solution-orientated approach to work