APHRC Policy Outreach Manager Job in Kenya

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization that carries out policy relevant research on population, health, education and development issues facing sub-Saharan Africa. 

The Center seeks to fill the following vacancy:
 

Policy Outreach Manager

 

Department: Policy Engagement and Communications (PEC)
 

Reports to: Head, PEC

Overall Description: 

The Policy Outreach Manager (POM) will sit within the Policy Engagement and Communications Division and support the policy engagement work of the Center and will be based in Nairobi, Kenya APHRC campus. 

The POM will work to ensure that policy and programmatic audiences are engaged and are not only aware of critical APHRC research strategic areas, as identified by the program PE strategies, but are also utilizing research evidence to improve policy and programs. Specifically the POM will lead the Division’s work on expert convening using the Working Group model.

The POM will use a range of policy engagement and communications tools to engage these audiences including but not limited to; working groups, policy dialogues, working dinners, launches, one-on-one meetings, partnership development and traditional and online communications.

The POM responsibilities will also include supporting senior researchers in developing policy related reports, formulating policy recommendations from research findings, and producing other support documents such as policy briefs, fact sheets and evidence briefs.

Therefore the candidate should be able to quickly understand technical research and have excellent writing skills.

The ideal candidate will have managed policy related working groups or similar policy dialogues, developed strategic partnerships with policymaking bodies and policymakers, and have an understanding of regional institutions and other key development partners. 

A background in population, education or health related research and some experience with communications is preferred.

Requirements:

• Master's degree in a related field such as public policy, political science, public health, development, international relations etc.
• 5-7 years of experience working with policy and communications
• Experience in expert convening e.g. managing high-level working groups and/or holding policy dialogues
• Experience working with international development partners
• Experience working with African institutions is a plus but not required

Major responsibilities:

Policy Engagement: Working Groups and Expert Convening

• Manage the day to day activities of the working groups including coordination of all communication and logistics for meetings and related activities
• Support research needed to develop working group products (literature reviews, interviews, case studies etc.)
• Prepare and draft working group products for background documents and final working group products (such as concept notes, final reports, case studies) Develop and maintain outreach strategy for all working groups.
• Develop and maintain website presence for Working Group program and all working group information.
• Represent all working groups at external events.
• Identify future opportunities to use the working group policy engagement tool
• Build the capacity of the policy engagement and communications team to manage and develop working groups, work with program leaders to use the working group model
• Research Program policy development, research, engagement
• Lead the implementation of the program focused policy objectives.
• Identify, build relationships, engage and mobilize stakeholders into networks/forums that advocate for the policy objectives outlined in the Center’s PEC strategy.
• Create policy engagement opportunities and participate in strategic policy forums and events to achieve program-specific policy objectives.

Policy Strategy and Engagement Capacity building

• Develop internal and external policy strategy and engagement curriculums
• Actively work to build the capacity of local, national and regional research and policymaking bodies to use evidence based policy making.

Fundraising

• Participate in fundraising for unfunded policy engagement activities such as working groups that fit within the PEC strategy around key program areas.

General Communications Support

• Support the PEC Division to produce annual products, newsletters and ongoing communications products as needed
• Interested candidates who meet the requirements above should submit their applications enclosing a detailed CV, quoting current and expected remuneration and providing contact details of three referees to the address below by February 21, 2014. 

Online applications should be sent to jobs@aphrc.org . 

Please, indicate “Policy Outreach Manager” on the subject line of the email application or on the envelope. 

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.