Safeguarding Senior Technical Expert Jobs in Fitzrovia, Greater London
Senior Advocacy Advisor - International Financial Institutions
Contract: Permanent, Full time
Location: The role can be based in the United Kingdom, London or United States, Washington, or other locations that can be considered subject to right-to-work eligibility in the respective country.
Salary & Benefits: Salaries and benefits for different countries will vary in line with the location of the successful candidate and depending on experience. See further details below:
- United Kingdom, Grade 3: £48,300 to £50,700 with excellent benefits
- United States: Grade D: Salary range, to be discussed with the successful candidate
About WaterAid:
Want to use your skills in influencing World Bank and IFIs to play a vital role in making clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone everywhere?
We need passionate, creative and dedicated people. In return, you will be encouraged and empowered to be yourself at your very best. Together, we will make a bigger difference.
Join WaterAid as our Senior Advocacy Advisor on International Financial Institutions to change normal for millions of people so they can unlock their potential, break free from poverty and change their lives for good.
About the Team:
The WaterAid International Affairs team The Global International Affairs team plays a leadership role across the WaterAid Federation to drive the design and delivery of WaterAid's major influencing with key donors, international and multilateral institutions to achieve SDG 6. The team's purpose is to convince influential political decisionmakers to prioritise water, sanitation and hygiene in their policy and funding agendas, and to create the conditions that enable everyone, everywhere to access WASH by 2030.
About the Role:
As our Senior Advocacy Advisor on International Financial Institutions you will increase and strengthen our advocacy and capacity to influence global development finance institutions, particularly the World Bank but also be informed on major developments in other IFIs, e.g. recent Paris Summit and Global Financing Pact. We want to ensure our engagement is systematic, impactful and builds up an increased evidence base for influence on the institution.
In this role, you will will employ a range of strategies to advocate for changes in the policies, standards and practices of the World Bank particularly as it relates to water sanitation and hygiene particularly in the context of the twin climate change and global health crises. This position will include a focus on the World Bank Group's Water Global Practice and the Global Water Security and Sanitation Partnership, as well as also support WaterAid Country Programme teams and partners to influence the World Bank's operations at the country level.
You'll also:
- Develop and implement advocacy strategies designed to influence the policies of the World Bank and other relevant IFIs on water sanitation & hygiene in line with WaterAid's globally agreed policy and campaign priorities, and in coordination with allies.
- Build a network of contacts and relationships, including relevant IFI/ World Bank staff and Executive Directors, gather information, and advocate with the Board and staff of the World Bank on particular country operations and key policy areas
- Build technical knowledge and understanding of the Bank's policies and practices in relation to the WASH sector, including the activities of the International Development Association (IDA) and how these relate to countries in which WaterAid has CPs
- Keep abreast of complex and fast changing political debates and monitor emerging trends internationally, across the Bank's key donor governments to inform WaterAid's political positioning, ensuring the organisation's advocacy is responsive and relevant;Actively participate in and contribute to the political influencing and campaign strategies for the Global Advocacy Priority campaigns on WASH & climate and on WASH & women's health.
- Engaging with the networks and coalitions for relevant IFI advocacy.
- Liaise with WaterAid Country Programmes, the Pan-Africa Programme, Federation Members to strengthen collaboration and further WaterAid's advocacy towards IFIs;
About You:
- Excellent understanding of the World Bank and other IFIs, including their policies, lending practices, mandates, ways of working, and how to influence them.
- Expert understanding of international aid and development finance as it relates to health, climate and inequalities.
- Demonstrated experience in effective advocacy and policy influencing, with strong skills and track record relationship building and networking for advocacy impact. (including institutions, teams, individuals)
- Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to work well and support international teams and country-based colleagues as well as working with international coalitions.
- Develop and implement advocacy strategies designed to influence the policies of the World Bank and other relevant IFIs on water sanitation & hygiene in line with WaterAid's globally agreed policy and campaign priorities, and in coordination with allies.
- Build a network of contacts and relationships, including relevant IFI/ World Bank staff and Executive Directors, gather information, and advocate with the Board and staff of the World Bank on particular country operations and key policy areas
- Work with the Pan-African advocacy lead and staff in key regions to leverage IFI relationships.
- Integrate a range of disciplines and innovative tactics to achieve political change and build momentum towards the achievement of SDG 6;
- Represent WaterAid at meetings/conferences, speak publicly and give media interviews.
Closing date: Applications will close at 23:59 on 15th May 2024. Availability for the interview is required from the week commencing 27th May 2024.
How to Apply: To see the full job pack, please click 'Apply'.
- Please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter into one document in either Word Document or PDF format.
- Please indicate your location and the right to work eligibility in your Cover letter.
Pre-employment screening: To apply for this post, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to the applicable laws in the respective country. All our UK-based vacancies require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to comply with our Safer Recruitment policy.
Our Commitment
Our People Promise:
We will work with passion and focus to ensure safe and sustainable water, toilets and hygiene are available to everyone, everywhere. WaterAid is a place of purpose - where people have a real commitment and shared responsibility for the impact we have. We are a global community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, motivated by inspiring, stimulating work. We are determined to put the wellbeing of our people first, to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values.
Equal opportunities:
We are an equal opportunity, disability-confident employer and are dedicated to achieving the highest standards of diversity, equity and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions and ways of life. This includes, but is not limited to, race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, national or social origin, health status, and economic or social situation.
Safeguarding:
We are also committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously.
Do you believe in the power of learning and evidence to improve outcomes for some of the world’s most vulnerable young children and caregivers?
If the answer to this question is yes, this is the role for you!
The Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) is an advocacy impact network focused on Early Childhood Development in Emergencies (ECDiE). It comprises a (growing) network of 38 organizations working together to increase the quantity and quality of funding, policy prioritization, and leadership needed to effectively support young children and caregivers affected by crisis and displacement. MMA’s goal is for all children and caregivers to have access to the power and resources necessary to meet their self-determined needs in an environment of dignity, equity and care, especially in situations of national and international displacement.
MMA does not provide funding for implementation of early childhood programs. As a network, its activities are led by members collaborating in working groups responsible for operationalizing specific areas of work, with support from the Core Team and some external consultants. Operational costs and activities are financed by a sub-group of philanthropic foundations, which are part of the overall MMA membership, through a combination of annual member fees and additional donations and grants. A Steering Committee provides overall strategic direction. MMA is hosted by the International Rescue Committee (IRC-UK).
Our Vision: Rebuilding resilience of the youngest refugees
Forced displacement worldwide is at a record high. Young children and caregivers are disproportionately represented among those fleeing from emergencies and crisis-affected contexts. More than 43 million children have been displaced by conflict. One in four children around the world lives in contexts affected by conflict or disaster. Most children born in displacement will go on to spend their entire childhoods away from home.
Children’s experiences during their formative early years shape the architecture of the brain. This creates the foundation for future development, learning and physical and mental health. Prolonged exposure to violence and toxic stress can have life-long negative effects on children’s development. It can lead to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and in some cases post-traumatic stress disorder. Evidence indicates that quality ECDiE services that support parents, caregivers, and families to provide nurturing care during crisis can mitigate the negative effects of trauma and stress on young children and promote resilience and well-being for a lifetime.
Whilst the international community has made significant efforts to ensure children have access to basic healthcare and nutrition, more must be done to ensure that caregivers and young children can access quality ECDiE services. These services are severely lacking in crisis situations across the globe, as well as in communities hosting refugees and asylum-seekers.
The Purpose of the Role
The Knowledge Management and Learning Lead is a critical new appointment. The post-holder will support MMA’s ambition to become the thought leader and ‘go-to’ agency for the latest global, regional and local thinking, evidence and advocacy content on ECDiE. They will strengthen MMA’s capacity for disseminating learning and evidence for impactful advocacy, promoting uptake of evidence that emerges from research, linking researchers with policy makers and practitioners who can use it, including the development of learning products and policy statements.
The post-holder will understand that high quality research, information and learning exchange is the lifeblood of an effective network. They will support MMA to systematically strengthen learning and knowledge exchange. They will ensure that the views and perspectives of affected children, caregivers and communities are centred. They will support the Research Forum on Young Children in Emergencies, which generates research that can be used to influence policymakers and practitioners to provide more effective support to enable young, displaced children and their families to thrive.
Responsibilities:
1. Develop and implement MMA’s MERLA framework and Strategy with the support of technical experts from across the MMA network:
a. Define MMA’s learning agenda and gather data and evidence on its core research questions.
b. Collect, curate and aggregate learning across MMA member initiatives and generate evidence on the outcomes / impact of MMA activities.
c. Harvest, distil and (internally and externally) disseminate evidence and learning on ECDiE from its members.
d. Create platforms and processes to support and enhance internal learning, knowledge sharing, and alignment across the MMA membership and Working Groups.
e. Develop mechanisms to support the MMA’s ongoing performance improvement. This includes ensuring that appropriate digital platforms are in place for data collection and working with the MMA Director to make sure that our learning approach is supported through effective use of data.
f. Work with the Communications Manager to curate, build and share our digital library of resources, information and knowledge across the Alliance membership.
g. Identify, engage and support local partners to harvest emergent evidence from community-based innovations in ECDiE. Present this evidence in case studies and other learning products which can be used to increase the effectiveness of advocacy.
h. Increase outreach to and collaboration with regional and global organizations working on issues related to young children in emergencies through participation in events and meetings.
2. Oversee the annual production of key learning products. This will include reports which summarise the extent to which national humanitarian and climate response plans identify and prioritise young children and caregivers.
3. Provide day to day co-ordination and support to the Moving Minds Alliance Research Forum. This will include:
a. Organizing and producing webinars, to shed light on ongoing research efforts taking place worldwide, specifically focused on young children and families in emergency contexts.
b. Creating monthly research roundups to compile the most recent, relevant, and impactful research findings in ECDiE.
c. Promoting the “Meet the Fellows” series on the MMA’s social media platforms (LinkedIn & Twitter), in collaboration with the Communications Manager.
d. Expanding participation by members and Research Fellows at conferences and events.
As part of a small team, the post-holder will also share the MMA team’s collective responsibility to deliver an effective and impactful secretariat function.
Key Working Relationships
The Knowledge Management & Learning Lead will work independently, reporting to the MMA Director. They will be a senior member of the core team and will be expected to support day-to-day activities. The post-holder will work collaboratively with MMA member representatives. They will work alongside MMA working groups and committees, such as the Steering and Strategy Committees
They will work closely with the Arab Resource Collective (ARC – the host organization of ANECD) in Lebanon and BRAC IED in Bangladesh, two of MMA’s key members which will be actively involved in the management of The Research Forum.
The role will involve coordinating with monitoring and evaluation and/or programmatic staff from the different organisations across the membership and with our partners.
They will identify, engage, and work with local partners directly involved in implementing ECDiE in diverse contexts and settings.
They will collaborate with IRC team members where required. From time to time, they may oversee consultants.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
Skills, Knowledge and Experience.
You will bring a track record of:
· Curating and disseminating research and learning to influence policymakers and practitioners.
· Using research and learning to strengthen network members’ engagement and enhance collective impact.
· Developing and implementing relevant and proportionate monitoring, evaluation, research, learning and accountability frameworks.
· Using innovative and creative approaches (jncluding participatory, qualitative research methodologies and data collection tools) to support local ‘non-research specialist’ partners to generate research and learning across a variety of diverse, typically low resource settings.
· Developing strategies to strengthen advocacy to diverse national, regional and global decision makers using research and learning generated by local partners.
· Practical application of research ethics and safeguarding.
· Working in a network with proven ability to build effective relationships and matrix-manage across geographically dispersed teams and organisations.
· Recruiting and managing technical experts, ensuring their products are useful and incorporated into ongoing work.
Values & attributes
Passionate about and committed to:
● Using research, evidence and learning to contribute to sustainable change for children in crisis.
● Commitment to the decolonization of knowledge and learning
● Principles of equity, transparency and inclusion.
● Ensuring systems, approaches and relationships are free from any form of racism, bias, discrimination, or exclusion.
Is excited to:
● Bring a creative, entrepreneurial, and dynamic approach
● Work independently with light touch supervision.
· Use knowledge and learning to strengthen the quality of network collaboration, convening and relationships.
· Able to work in a dynamic, dispersed and adaptive team, comfortable with complex challenges.
MMA’s Core Team and pooled fund is held by the International Rescue Committee. As such, staff are employed on IRC contracts.
Candidates must have the right to work in the UK. The deadline is for 17th of April 2024. The salary for this role is £55,000 per annum.
IRC-UK is committed to equality of opportunity and non discrimination for all applicants and employees. IRC-UK seeks to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce regardless of gender, race, religious belief, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability. IRC-UK welcomes applications from all candidates, including underrepresented groups and refugees who have the right to work in the UK.
IRC UK will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application and/or interview process, and for essential job functions if appointed to a role. Please contact us if you may need such adjustments