Policy and Advocacy Lead

Location: Nairobi, Kenya with regular travel

Reporting to: AHN Convener

Duration: Full time 2-year contract term (with possibility of extension based on performance and funding)

Remuneration: competitive package offered – based on value, skill, and experience

About ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN)

The ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN) is a platform driven by local and national NGOs dedicated to fostering a humanitarian system that supports more locally-led action. Since its establishment in March 2019, AHN has grown to include 30 member organizations working across ten Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) counties in Northern Kenya.

AHN brings together a diverse collective of expertise spanning the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding (HDP) nexus. This includes specialized knowledge in cash and voucher programming, women’s rights, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Reporting, and Learning (MEARL), Complaint/Redress Feedback Reporting Mechanism (CFRM), media and advocacy, food security, livelihoods, nutrition, climate change adaptation, WASH, gender-sensitive budgeting, governance, logistics, large-scale emergency operations, and community mobilization.

At AHN, we are committed to advocating for the localization of humanitarian efforts, facilitating open information exchange, and engaging key stakeholders. We hold ourselves, stakeholders and duty bearers accountable to ensure that our collective actions deliver effective aid to communities in need. Our mission is to amplify local voices, empower local leadership, and create sustainable, long-term impact through advocacy, capacity building, and proactive policy engagement and development.

Job Summary

The Policy and Advocacy Advisor will lead efforts to shape and influence public policy and advocacy strategies on behalf of the network of local and national NGOs. This role involves working closely with government officials, signatories of Charter4Change, Pledge4Change, and Grand Bargain signatory, UN agencies, INGOs, Red Cross, local and national NGOs in Kenya etc., and community leaders to promote and influence policies that align with AHN’s objectives of localization, disaster resilience, and humanitarian leadership. The successful candidate will be instrumental in driving AHN’s advocacy agenda, ensuring local voices and needs are at the forefront of policy discussions.

Key Responsibilities

• Advocacy Strategy: Develop and implement advocacy strategies to influence policy at local and national levels, ensuring alignment with AHN’s goals on localization and resilience building. Coordinate campaigns and outreach efforts.
• Policy Analysis and Development: Research and analyze policy issues, prepare briefs, and recommend positions. Monitor legislative and regulatory developments that impact the ASAL region and humanitarian sector.
• Lead particular areas of work for AHN on local humanitarian leadership, to identify and develop opportunities for advocacy together with AHN member organizations, including advocacy and campaigning as relevant.
• Coordinate and provide support to relevant research and evidence production on Localisation jointly with different stakeholders. This includes coordinating and managing research activities in different AHN projects.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, legislators, UN agencies, INGOs, and civil society organizations. Represent AHN in policy meetings, forums, and public consultations across ASAL counties and at national level as needed.
• Communication and Media: Prepare and disseminate policy briefs, reports, and position papers. Collaborate with the AHN Communication and Media Officer to manage the network’s advocacy communications, including social and traditional media outreach.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Track and evaluate the impact of advocacy efforts. Develop monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess progress toward policy goals, particularly in relation to localization and humanitarian action.
• Capacity Building: Provide training and support to AHN members on policy and advocacy issues. Facilitate workshops and seminars to enhance the advocacy capacity of local partners, with a focus on localization principles and leadership
• Travel: Regular travel within ASAL counties and rest of the country as necessary and advised by the convener for stakeholder engagement, policy advocacy, and capacity-building activities (slot quality time of travel per month to be agreed with the convener).

Qualifications

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Public Policy, International Relations, or related field.
  • Master’s degree in a relevant field (preferred).
• Experience:
  • At least 5-9 years of Proven management experience in policy analysis, advocacy, , and stakeholder engagement, with a specific focus on development and humanitarian issues, particularly in localization efforts, influencing Change at Local and Global Levels.
  • Experience working with senior government officials and staff.
  • Senior-level management experience and ability to work well with decision-makers.
  • Experience of managing teams, including networked capacity in multiple remote locations and organizations
  • Strong understanding of Kenya’s political and regulatory landscape, including legislative processes and humanitarian frameworks.
• Skills:
  • Excellent policy analysis and advocacy strategy formulation and driving skills.
  • Strong communication, networking, and relationship-building skills with government officials and local partners.
  • Proven capacity in organizing and facilitating workshops and training for diverse stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated experience and skill in effectively managing multiple stakeholders and successfully juggling multifaceted priorities
  • Strong project management and organizational skills.
  • Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.
• Core Competencies:
  • Strong understanding of local humanitarian leadership and localization agendas.
  • Proven ability to conceptualize and implement a policy agenda to drive change at multiple levels from national, regional to global.
  • Proven ability to develop partnerships for driving a policy agenda
  • Strong understanding of and familiarity with Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, and Pledge for Change initiatives.
  • Outstanding written and oral communications and editing skills; proven ability to draft policy documents and position issues effectively, both orally and in writing;
  • Expertise in advocacy capacity-building methodologies, monitoring, and evaluation.