Head Policy, Advocacy and Cooperation at WaterAid Rwanda: (Deadline 8 February 2024)

Job Title

Head Policy, Advocacy and Cooperation  

Place of work:  

Kigali, Rwanda

Grade:  

G

Contract type:  

Fixed term (3years renewable)

Reports to:  

Country Director

Direct Report (s)

Research and Knowldge Management Specialist

Communications and Campaigns Specialist

Work Relationships

Internal: Head of Programmes, Head of Business Development , PMEAL Manager, Head of Finance, Head of POD, Programme staff, WaterAid East Africa Regional Team, UK and other WaterAid Federation Member offices.

External: Development Partners, Consortia partners, implementing partners, Parliamentarians, partners, government  Ministries and agencies – Local and National,  Researah insititutions, academia, Media, private sector, Civil Society Organisations, and other INGO’s, donors  and communities.

Job Purpose

The Head of Policy, Advocacy and Cooperation will lead and is accountable for influencing, networking and deliver WaterAid policy and advocacy priorities through influencing that comprises of policy analysis, advocacy, campaigns, communication, research and knowledge management and government relations.  S/he will be responsible for national, sub-national, regional and global policy-advocacy agenda within the context of WaterAid Strategy 2023-2032. Along with the team, the role will manage operational and sustained engagement with all the stakeholders (public-private) including government representatives, policy makers, sector actors, civil society, academia, Media, donors, partners, communities to promote WASH agenda.

In addition, the person will lead the Policy and Advocacy team, overseeing implementation to achieve WaterAid Rwanda’s policy and advocacy strategy and plan, advising both staff and Country Management on design and implementation of policy and advocacy work and campaigns as well as contribute to WaterAid’s global advocacy initiatives. This will work with the program department to ensure that advocacy goals are reflected in the priorities of Programme and MEAL.

Strategic Leadership

• Contribute to the overall leadership of CP as SMT member.
• Regularly update and account to SMT on policy, advocacy and influencing work and provide expert advice
• Lead on developing and delivery of a country advocacy strategy and annual Advocacy campaign plan, providing clear vision for WaterAid Rwanda policy objectives and advocacy agenda that is based on evidence from analyses, practical and programmatic experiences.
• Provide leadership in mainstreaming influencing, thought leadership, evidence generation based, convening approaches in implementation of the WARW strategy. 

Policy and Research

• Oversee a high-quality policy and research agenda that shapes and supports WaterAid Rwanda’s advocacy agenda and is well utilized to build thought leadership in Rwanda on the WASH agenda.
• Working with others, undertake evidence-based research on the assumptions informing key WASH policy options and generate evidence to support or refute such policy positions in line with WaterAid global position on the issue.
• Lead and anchor the periodic contextual analysis of the Political Economy Analysis and context in country and region in the strategy implementation.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the wider social, political and economic contexts as well as sector-specific issues and advocacy best practice to ensure that WaterAid stays at the forefront of national policy debates and effectively navigates political dynamics.
• Synthesize findings and recommendations from completed research(es) into clear policy recommendations that will enable a scale-up of equitable WASH in Rwanda.
• Develop and disseminate a range of policy and research products that clearly outline WaterAid’s policy positions with compelling evidence to support this (including background papers, discussion papers, project research reports, policy briefs, policy messages, position papers and briefing notes).
• Oversee WaterAid Rwanda’s work to strengthen civil society’s policy engagement with WASH and rights-based organisations, working closely with identified CSO networks to build capacity to effectively engage with national policy making processes.
• Conduct Policy dialogues on WASH and identify windows of influence and act to ensure WaterAid Rwanda’s policy objectives and advocacy messages and recommendations are heard by decision-makers.

Advocacy & Influencing:

• Identify key sector issues and opportunities on which WaterAid and its partners should focus their advocacy efforts.
• Lead the delivery of influencing programmes and plans at National and Local Government Levels
•  Design programming activities to influence government (national, and local policy & legislation, budgets, co-ordination mechanisms and innovative delivery approaches to strengthen WASH services and increase WASH access.
• Identify and proactively seek linkages and integration between policy, programmes, business development and PMER.
• Plan, guide and showcase WaterAid’s policy advocacy and research and innovations to influence policy makers. Provide guidance to reports on maintaining quality of research products and ensuring effective conversion of research products into use in the sector and beyond.
• Collaborate with Head of Programs for District Wide approach implementation and embedding system strengthening approach and gender equality in WaterAid pragmatic work.
• Establish and maintain good relationship between WaterAid and strategic decision-makers, donors and sector actors to persuasively advocate for WaterAid’s policy objectives and influencing agenda.
• Raise the profile of WaterAid Rwanda through a positive, proactive and strategic approach to brand building; Act as a spokesperson for the organization in the media and through participation in meetings, seminars and other strategic/important events at national, regional and international levels.
• Deliver materials for the media including speeches, articles, statements, press releases, blogs and other social media content developed with strong collaboration and input from the Communications team.
• Facilitate the development of strategic partnerships with relevant agencies within and beyond WASH sector, donors, academia, media and research institutions
• Develop and strengthen partnerships, networks and alliances among sector stakeholders, government counterparts and NGOs involved in water and sanitation related activities to foster mutual learning and identify innovations that would increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the sector.
• Encourage and actively promote cross sectoral linkages so that WASH is mainstreamed in other sectors and strong links are established with other sectors
• Monitor and critically evaluate WASH market developments; Support innovative thinking in this area and bring in appropriate and innovative market-based solutions where they will add value to WASH access.
• Contribute to regional and global policy and programmes by shaping the regional and global influencing agenda as well as participating in WaterAid regional and global initiatives
• Lead in building relationships with key private sector organisations.

Campaigning and Influencing

• Lead the development and execution of the Advocacy Campaign plan for the WARw.
• Work with regional and Global Communications teams to maximise opportunities for WaterAid Rwanda on social and conventional media and ensure the effective and professional promotion of the role, profile of WaterAid.
• Ensure that legislation, policy and practice is monitored and analysed to support campaigns, and policy priorities for WaterAid Rwanda.

Management

• Set, manage, and monitor expenditure budget for strategic and annual plans in policy and advocacy, adhering to financial guidelines, ensuring value for money and acting as appropriate within delegated authorities. This includes funding for civil society work.
• In collaboration with the Business Development Manager secure funding to deliver WARW advocacy agenda through supporting the scoping of donors at local, regional and global level, to identify fundraising opportunities and work with others and producing specific documents for fundraising.
• Lead a monitoring, evaluation and learning process for advocacy plans and strategies, in order to refine and improve advocacy impact.
• Support the recruitment of competent staff and effectively manage the team to deliver high performance; develop team members in order to maximize their contribution to the team and organization.
• Coach, guide, and mentor the policy, advocacy, campaigns, communications, and research and knowledge management teams.
• Create and maintain a positive environment conducive for high performance of the department.
• Ensure proper staff performance management processes are undertaken and maintained with people management responsibility, ensuring that all processes are properly documented.

Networking and Cooperation

• Develop and maintain productive working relationships with key actors/ strategic partners and networks in national policy debates, including government officials, development partners, representatives of civil society and thought leaders.
• Build and sustain relations with government ministries and agencies at both national, regional and district levels including undertaking joint initiatives on Universal WASH, Public and Women’s Health.
• Represent WaterAid through participation in sector discussions, meetings, and other strategic events that support achievement of WARw AIMs and strategic goals.
• Represent WaterAid in key sector events nationally or globally as may be deemed appropriate.
• Work with Regional Platforms and Networks including the East African Community, Africa Union, and other Regional and International bodies to which Rwanda is a member to advance WARW’s agenda for Universal WASH including public health and climate resilient WASH.
• Remain abreast of national and international debates on sector policy, finance and performance monitoring and feed lessons from Rwanda into these debates directly and through WaterAid Federation and the regional team.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization

• Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with governments, donors, academic institutions, research institution and implementing agencies.
• Contribute to WaterAid’s fundraising initiatives through concept, proposal development and donor compliance.

Safeguarding, Safety & Security

• Create and maintain an environment which upholds WaterAid’s Global Code of Conduct and associated safeguarding and child protection policies.
• Ensure that Safeguarding, Child Protection, and Gender Equality policies are fully embedded in project design and implementation as well as relationships with all actors
• Ensure that comprehensive health, safety and security measures (e.g. risk management plans, local security protocols) have been put in place when designing Programmes / project and are consistently upheld during their implementation.
• Ensure that partners WaterAid works with are adopt the same health, safety and security standards (as defined in any applicable WaterAid health, safety and security policies), and arrange for capacity building support where gaps or weaknesses are identified.
• Understand and put into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding, Child Protection and Gender policies and Code of Conduct (CoC).
• Adhere to any local security protocols that have been put in place when working in the office, travelling to the field or undertaking project / Programme activities.
• Immediately reports any health, safety and security incidents or near-misses that occur on WaterAid duty to their line manager, Security Focal Point or CD.
• Behave and act in a manner that does not put colleagues or anyone that interacts with WaterAid in immediate danger or harm’s way.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Master’s Degree in International Development, Human Rights, Sociology, Public Policy or Political Science or any other related discipline.
• Have at least 10 years’ experience in policy, advocacy and/or campaigns including research in the field of development with reputable regional or international development organisations. Desirable experience of at least 3 years in the WASH area of policy analysis and advocacy will be an advantage.
• 5 years’ experience in a leadership policy and advocacy position.
• Excellent understanding of public policy-making and legislative processes, and the role of research in these processes
• Knowledge of political structure, culture and policy making process in Rwanda Detail understanding of landscaping statutory WASH related policies. Global developments in development policy, global health, among others
• Good knowledge of current issues and debates in WASH, development policy and international development politics
• Knowledge of policy and advocacy networks and social movements in Rwanda, East Africa region including policy and advocacy engagements with the East African Community, Africa Union, and other regional and international organisations.
• An in-depth understanding of national and international development issues, including experience working with key WASH sector donors
• Competency in WaterAid common approaches to work including partnerships, convening, inclusion, systems strengthening, creating behavioral change, and mainstreaming gender and inclusion of youth.
• Understanding of rights-based approaches to development and how they apply to the WASH sector in Rwanda.
• Excellent analysis and political judgement, with a track record of achieving progress in advocacy agendas and realising the rights of marginalised groups of people.
• Ability to negotiate and form credible relationships with policy makers, government offices, senior decision-makers in external institutions.
• Strong writer especially policy-oriented; and oral communicator with ability to make compelling arguments and insightful ability to engage with multiple audiences; and to build support for an advocacy vision.
• Ability to convey technical arguments in clear and vivid prose. Excellent presentation and public-speaking skills.
• Good understanding of national WASH issues, sector-wide approaches, and functioning of government structures.
• Experience of collaborating, managing and motivating others and driving change within a multi discipline team.
• Organisation, problem solving and budget management skills.
• Excellent relationship management skills, build and maintain trusting relationships, strong negotiation, influence and resolve conflicts with multi-level stakeholders including, policy maker’s/ government officials, Think tanks and CSOs community level actors.
• Knowledge of development policies, especially in the WASH sector and its challenges and blockages, and how they can be addressed.

Desirable Criteria

• Existing links and network within the WASH sector.
• Desirable Criteria
• Cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Ability to work to deadlines and under pressure.
• Strong proven delegation, time management and prioritizing skills.
• Flexible, patient, and adaptable to a changing environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and team building skills.
• Effective networking abilities.
• Excellent people management capabilities.
• Good public speaking ability in English.

 Behavioral competencies

• Proven expertise of persuading and inspiring negotiation.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative partnerships and alliances for influencing government policy and programme delivery.
• Demonstrated expertise and skills of planning, budgeting and taking appropriate remedial in critical situation.
• Excellent skills on leading and managing a high performing team to drive excellence and nurture leadership. Skills in team development, coaching, mentoring, problem solving.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and to contribute strategically.
• An in-depth understanding of national and international development issues, including actors, development politics and social movements in Rwanda and East Africa Region.
• Able to contribute to the regional and global platforms within and outside WaterAid.
• Knowledge and understanding of the WASH sector in country, key sector stakeholders and critical blockages will be preferred.
• Ability to present and act as a spokesperson for WARw in a way that builds credibility and influence.

• Understanding of system strengthening approach preferred.
• Commitment to WaterAid’s values and a working style that reflects these.