Position: Advocacy & Communication Manager
Location: Dar es Salaam
BACKGROUND
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan has over 80 years’ experience and works in more than 75 countries across the world. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.
Plan International has been working in Tanzania since 1991. Our work supports marginalised children and youth, especially adolescent girls, to grow up physically and mentally healthy and ready to shape their future. We create an enabling environment and empower girls to be active drivers of change in realising their rights. We prioritise working with partners, and ensuring all of our work is evidence based
role PURPOSE
The position exists to coordinate the Advocacy processes in line with the Global Strategy and Country Strategic Plan to ensure Plan Tanzania is represented effectively. This will also include communicating Plan Tanzania’s best practices to all key stakeholders (internally and externally) including communities, partners, donors, sponsors and Government through employing relevant communication channels.
The position will support the advocacy and communication within the organization and closely liaise with the Head of Child Protection and Gender.
Dimensions of the Role
- The Advocacy and Communication Manager may represent Plan International Tanzania at various platforms and promote the Plan International Brand as a child centered community development organization. S/he has the role of being the Public Relations Agent of the organization. The role involves dealing with the media and verifies that all correspondence by any Plan Tanzania staff member with the Media is per the organization’s policy and standards. The Advocacy and Communications Manager role also includes interacting with Partners and Communities to ensure appropriate messages are relayed.
S/he will develop and implement a strategy and budget for engaging diverse audiences, from Plan International staff, multilateral institutions, national government authorities to the general public.
S/he is expected to have the ability to write, influence and advocate with a passion for children rights and equality for girls.
Accountabilities
Policy & advocacy
- Advise on policy and political analysis to inform on advocacy strategies and projects
- Coordinate delivery of internal and external policy and advocacy briefings and materials
- Coordinate influencing initiatives and position Plan International as a go to agency on child/youth-led development in Tanzania through evidence based policy analysis and advocacy
- Delivery of advocacy strategies in line with program and humanitarian context objectives
- Identify and engage with the government and relevant stakeholders in opportunities that contribute to long term goals and objectives for policy and advocacy work at relevant levels
- Monitor and influence policy processes in order to identify emerging opportunities for policy and advocacy work through the National Development Plans and the Sustainable Development Goals
- Build effective internal and external working relationships
- Coordinate and conduct capacity building to staff and partners on influencing
- Identify potential risks in conducting influencing activities and ability to identify possible mitigation plans
- Work with the Head of Communications and Advocacy to design and implement a country program advocacy and influencing strategy
- Take lead and guide on strategic engagement with the media at National level, regions and district/ward level
- Oversee the compilation and dissemination of information from all Plan International offices (Country Office, PU and Project offices) to monitor and ensure messaging consistency and content to be in line with Plan Global and Country strategy and policies
- Take lead to facilitate special visits to the field, stakeholder or meetings with Ministers or government officials
- Ensure appropriate Plan branding is utilized in all communications.
- Oversee the preparation and dissemination of high-quality development educational /IEC materials for PU’s and Projects
Public Mobilisation and Partnerships
- Develop updates on current events which are of interest to Plan Strategic focus
- Identify processes, events, institutions and other influential places/spaces relevant for identifying opportunities for campaign activity
- Facilitating consultations and events with wide range of stakeholders including the government
- Identify key government departments, stakeholders and strategic power institutions and engage them in various influencing activities linked to Plan International’s areas of work
- Advice on strategic engagement of CMT and other relevant staff on opportunities that positions and promotes Plan International’s influencing agenda
- Maintaining government and relevant stakeholder contacts and relationships
Youth influencing
- Coordinate youth-led programmes and initiatives that engage children and young people to develop youth-led influencing strategies for influencing change
Emergency Response Influencing
- Support policy and political analysis in humanitarian contexts and develop relevant policy messaging
- Advise and think creatively about potential advocacy entry-points on ERM specific priorities
Key relationships
Internal (High)
- Communication and Advocacy at CO
- Thematic Leads
- Program Unit Managers
- Communication Focals at PU’s and Emergency Area
- Region Communication team (MEESA Communication team)
- CD and CMT
- Global Hub/NO Communication and Advocacy teams
External (Medium)
- Networks (TECMN, TENMET, MKUKI)
- Journalists and Reporters
Technical expertise, skills and knowledge
Essential
- Must possess a minimum of University Degree in Development studies, Social sciences, Communications or a related discipline; Master’s degree in relevant field will be an added advantage
- At least a minimum of five years field experience in Social work, Advocacy Campaign Coordination, Behavior Change Communication in the field of development practice (e.g. Child Protection, WASH, Livelihoods Development, Gender Equality, and Inclusive Education)
- Excellent oral and written skills and demonstrated ability to write and develop strong communications and advocacy materials in English and Swahili
- Experience of working with partners and good knowledge of partnership approach
- Strong facilitation and capacity building skills
- Ability to influence policies at ground and national level
- Proven ability to work with diverse networks and partners to achieve common goals
- Previous experience working in communications and/or advocacy field
- Ability to write clear and concise reports, statements, etc and to meet short deadlines
- Experience training and capacity building other staff in principles of advocacy and media
- Experience working in a multi-cultural setting
- Computer literacy skills with excellent oral and presentation communication skills
- Previous experience working with international partners, in particular UN, INGOs, as well as local partners
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to manage complex and sensitive organizational relationships to achieve cross-organizational, mutually agreed goals
Plan International’s Values in Practice
We are open and accountable
- Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
- Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
- Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
- Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
- Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people
We strive for lasting impact
- Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
- Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
- Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
- Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
Physical Environment
The work environment will involve frequent field visits (55%) and Office based work (45%), travel to Program Unit and other Plan offices for project support.
Level of contact with children
High level: Frequent interaction with children, the post holder will require working with children in the project communities.
Strategic communications
