Location: FCT, Abuja

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And its girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

In our 2017-2022 Global Strategy, Plan International has committed to achieving a step-change improvement in equality for girls, and taking action so that 100 million girls learn, lead, decide and thrive. Achieving this ambition will require us to change fast, and step up bold, credible influencing from the local, to the national and international level, acting together as a global organization.

Dimensions of Role:

• The Advocacy & Research Coordinator (Humanitarian) is expected to provide high quality advocacy services in support of the policy influencing initiatives of Plan International Nigeria’s Humanitarian works and maintain close working relationship with the organisation’s Policy, Research and Influencing Manager.

Key Roles/Responsibilities:

• The Advocacy & Research Coordinator (Humanitarian) will lead in coordinating the organisation’s humanitarian advocacy actions in Borno and Adamawa States and support CMT situational awareness and analysis.
• Lead on the development of humanitarian advocacy strategy, and work with the Policy, Research and Influencing Manager on the development of integrated development and humanitarian strategic framework for the organisation.
• Lead on the rapid development and implementation of a short-term humanitarian advocacy plan, using tools and guidance from the HAWG and in close collaboration with the HAWG country backstop and Country Office and where relevant, Regional Office advocacy counterparts
• Manage all advocacy initiatives in close coordination and cooperation with ERM, operations and technical emergency response staff, the HAWG, and communications, media and global influencing staff, as appropriate.
• Work closely with the Plan Nigeria Policy, Research and Influencing Manager to ensure alignment and inclusion of humanitarian advocacy priorities in the National Influencing strategy.
• Ensure that all advocacy messages, documents and strategies for the emergency response are evidence-based, of high quality, and when necessary signed-off by the Country Director
• Lead the coordination of research efforts by IH, the Regional Office and the Lake Chad unit which focus on the crisis in Nigeria and which support advocating for girls and communities that are affected by the crisis in North east Nigeria
• Provide regular analysis of how children and young people, especially girls have been affected and the emergency response and policy framework, as well as other factors such as UN coordination, security, and current and future challenges which have an impact on children and young people and their access to humanitarian assistance.
• Define key advocacy opportunities and targets at national, regional and international levels and lead, mobilize and coordinate national, regional and international advocacy colleagues to influence these, as appropriate.
• Develop, with influencing and communications focal persons, production of advocacy messaging and material to be used at national, regional and international levels.
• Liaise with HAWG colleagues on what information and products are required to support international and capital-level advocacy on the emergency response.
• Ensure Plan International’s emergency response strategies and situation reports have clear advocacy objectives and strategies, and indicators for assessing the impact of Plan’s advocacy work.
• Carry out, with the support of Policy, Research and Influencing Manager, advocacy capacity-building with emergency response staff, as needed.
• Represent Plan International at appropriate country-level working groups.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge:

Essential

• Significant prior experience working in advocacy on humanitarian issues, child rights, human rights, or development issues, preferably in emergency response contexts or fragile states
• Experience of influencing and advocacy work including lobbying, policy development and information provision in humanitarian issues at national, regional and/or international level
• Excellent skills in advocating towards government officials, humanitarian actors and UN agencies in developing countries
• Experience of and strong skills in developing and implementing humanitarian advocacy strategies
• Good attention to detail
• Extensive knowledge of child rights and international humanitarian law
• Understanding of UN and donor operations at country level and humanitarian response-planning cycles
• High-level analytical and strategic thinking skills and strong research skills
• Cultural awareness and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people
• Patience, adaptability, flexibility, and ability to improvise and remain responsive and to communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities
• Strong communication (written and spoken), and interpersonal skills in English, with experience in managing multicultural teams
• Strong leadership skills with an ability to seek people’s views while also taking responsibility to determine the most appropriate course of action and to act decisively
• Experience in working with other NGOs and coordinating inter-agency advocacy activities, strategies and products

Desirable

• Proven skills in media work, including engagement with popular media and celebrity campaigners
• Ability to work in a team

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