Policy Advocacy and Communications Manager (INT10312)

for Oxfam Pilipinas

Philippine Nationals Only

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.

About Oxfam

Oxfam is a global movement of people who won’t live with the injustice of poverty. Together we save and rebuild lives in disasters. We help people build better lives for themselves. We speak out on the big issues that keep people poor, like inequality, discrimination against women and climate change. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can live without poverty. 

Job Purpose

To strengthen Oxfam’s impact within the Philippines by providing leadership on feminist influencing and communications through a range of activities that include advocacy, campaigns, research, and communications.  Support the program and technical teams in delivering Oxfam’s added value to its partnership, including linking and convening, providing technical expertise and capacity development, providing access to information, and channelling donor funds to partners for high-quality program delivery.  Manage people on work areas related to policy advocacy, public engagement and campaigns, and information management.

What we are looking for: SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, ATTRIBUTES AND VALUES:

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject such as international development, journalism, gender studies, humanitarian action, or related discipline, with a strong emphasis on managing public policy and legislative reform projects or campaigns.
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in policy advocacy and campaigning, with proven capacity in building external relationships while ensuring women’s rights are at the heart of campaign work.
• Demonstrable commitment to women’s rights and gender equity, with a sound knowledge of international standards on human rights, women’s rights and related instruments.
• Proven capacity for quality research and policy analysis and a demonstrated track record of producing high quality evidence-based policy papers.
• Well-developed understanding of development and humanitarian issues, and the political, socio-economic, and environmental context in the Philippines.
• Well-developed understanding of media and campaigning issues in the Philippines.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a highly developed ability to work in multicultural settings and with community groups of varying backgrounds, developed capacity for tact, diplomacy and negotiation.
• Proven experience in lobbying and playing key representational roles.
• Proven experience overseeing monitoring and evaluation processes around campaign objectives that include evaluating progress toward incorporating gender justice in priorities and activities.
• Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively in partnership with experience of working with a wide variety of partners.
• Demonstrated capacity to apply a service-oriented approach to working in partnership and cross-functionally.
• Mature understanding of transformation derived from direct experience in a development or humanitarian context.
• High level of influencing skills with proven ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Well-developed analytical and strategic planning skills with the ability to influence the wider country programme strategy and to act within a regional framework.
• Demonstrated experience in building capacity for policy analysis, and advocacy and campaigning in partner organizations.
• Demonstrated experience of integrating gender and diversity issues into influencing work.
• Excellent communication skills with fluency in written and spoken English and Filipino.

Desirable

• Master’s degree in a relevant subject, such as law, international development, public policy, humanitarian action, gender studies, program management, or related discipline.
• Previous experience working with private sector actors. 

Key Attributes

• • Ability to demonstrate collective leadership, program management, sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.

  • Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming and diversity for all aspects of development work.

  • Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.

Organizational Values:

• Equality –  We believe everyone has the right to be treated fairly and to have the same rights and opportunities.
  
• Empowerment – We acknowledge and seek to expand people’s agency over their lives and the decisions that impact them.
  
• Solidarity –  We join hands, support, and collaborate in working towards a just and sustainable world.
  
• Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.
  
• Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions
  
• Courage – We speak truth to power and act with conviction on the justice of our causes

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Influencing through Policy Advocacy and Communications

• In alignment with the Strategic Partnership Model and Oxfam Country Strategy, provides strategic leadership for policy advocacy and communications, working collaboratively to ensure that this work is embedded in both programming and influencing delivered in partnership, as well as in Oxfam led advocacy and campaigns work.
• Leads and convenes the Policy Advocacy and Communications (PAC) Team to coordinate public-facing campaigns, ensuring that Oxfam Pilipinas maximizes its impact through clear models of change, smart objectives and priorities.
• Leads, designs, and updates the organisation’s Influencing Strategy utilizing inputs from across portfolios and contributing to the inputs to country, regional, and global strategy.
• Monitors major external economic, poverty, social development, and vulnerability trends within the Philippines, and provides regular updates and written briefings on relevant issues for both internal and partner organization consumption, in support of programme, policy and advocacy work.
• Works collaboratively with relevant technical advisors in developing policy positions on inequality, poverty, and vulnerability issues, in particular, relating to key thematic areas and cross-cutting themes in alignment with the Oxfam Country Strategy, ensuring a comprehensive and in-depth understanding and analysis of key thematic areas.
• Provides technical support on policy development for work commissioned to Oxfam by way of contract bids and tenders.
• Supports the production of high-quality policy research and commissions and coordinates external research studies as required, working collaboratively with Partnership and Portfolio Managers, Monitoring and Evaluation Team, and thematic technical advisors to identify research needs.
• Leads in producing policy briefing papers, policy position statements, and public communication materials in alignment with the Oxfam Country Strategy and ensures that the Philippines contributes strongly to the development of Oxfam’s regional and global briefing papers and briefing notes.
• Works and collaborates effectively with other key policy, advocacy, campaigns, and research staff in the Asia region and globally.

Delivery of Value Add with Oxfam Partners

• In collaboration with partners, portfolio managers, and technical advisors in key thematic areas, engages in high level lobbying and represents the country programme at critical policy and research fora as appropriate.
• Strengthens the capacity of technical advisors and the Programs and Partnerships team for policy analysis skills and methodologies.
• Employs a variety of methodologies and platforms as appropriate to strengthen the capacity of partnership organizations concerning policy analysis skills and methodologies.
• Establishes, coordinates, and maintains strong relationships with key policy think tanks and academic institutions in the country and draws external expertise and develops partnerships with these organizations in support of the country program’s policy work.
• Contributes positively to other cross-functional teams as appointed.
• Works collaboratively with national, regional, and global campaigns teams to effectively contribute to regional/global campaign objectives by providing evidence from the Philippines through our implementing partners.

People Management

• Provides management oversight roles to Senior Officer on Social Media and Digital Influencing; Senior Officer on Information and Communications; and a roster of short- to medium-term consultants and staff, including researchers, creatives, campaigners, and policy analysts
• Ensures that the Team has the knowledge, resources, and commitment to integrate gender meaningfully into their work and that they feel empowered and supported to do so
• Ensures that line staff are supported individually and that 1-2-1 sessions with them take place at least once a month, and annual performance reviews are undertaken, with a focus on empowerment and mentorship.
• Support the capacity development of line reports, ensuring that their performance goals are built from robust assessment of individual capabilities and team objectives.

Train incoming line staff on the fundamentals of Policy Advocacy, Digital Influencing, Communications, Information Management in alignment with Oxfam’s values and principles, with emphasis on the value and power of the collective as well as, but not just, individual activism and leadership

Other

• Required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values as well as the promotion of gender justice and women’s rights
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles
• Contribute positively to other cross-functional teams as appointed
• The workstation of this post is Metro Manila, with regular travel to field sites and occasional international travel.
• Applicants are requested to submit their updated CVs, sample writing (sole authorship)/publication, and cover letter expressing the essential and desirable competencies.

Contract Length: Fixed Term (2 years)

Your commitment to Oxfam

• Required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values as well as the promotion of gender justice and women’s rights
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Note: All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.