Organization: CGIAR System Organization
Location: Addis Ababa
Grade: Senior level – Senior
Occupational Groups:
Legal – Broad
Political Affairs
Communication and Public Information
Managerial positions
Closing Date: 2025-02-06
About CGIAR
CGIAR is an international research collaboration aimed at ensuring future food security. The goals of CGIAR science are to improve natural resources and ecosystem services, decrease poverty, and increase food and nutrition security. Hundreds of partners, including academic institutions, development agencies, the commercial sector, national and regional research institutes, and civil society groups, collaborate closely on its research.
About the position
In order to provide diversified, healthful, safe, adequate, and reasonably priced meals, as well as to guarantee better livelihoods and more social equality, CGIAR has set out to offer knowledge and innovation and promote the transformation of food, land, and water systems. With each Center having its own governance and leadership structure functioning in tandem with CGIAR’s overall integrated governance and leadership structures, CGIAR functions as a matrix.
In order to strengthen CGIAR’s voice, influence, and effect globally, the Communications and Advocacy section offers programmatic and consulting services for the engagement of internal and external stakeholders in the CGIAR Systems Organization. Using a clear, consistent voice to advance research for the growth of CGIAR as a whole and of individual centers,enhances investment and the knowledge and applicability of CGIAR’s science, putting the agency in a position to fulfill its purpose of transforming food, land, and water systems. The cornerstone of the organization’s relevance and its standing as a renowned supplier of counsel and solutions in the agricultural and food industry is its ability to anticipate the requirements of global stakeholder groups and respond with focused insights and programs.
The Senior Manager, Advocacy – International Fora, reporting to the Director of Communications and Advocacy, designs and leads the execution of advocacy strategies and campaigns to expand CGIAR’s presence and increase influence in public policy debates, at international fora, and among global policy bodies. The Senior Manager will act as a strategic advisor to CGIAR leadership and management on emerging issues and trends relating to international policy and on discourse related to the transformation of food, land, and water systems at national, regional, and global levels.
Responsibilities
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- Anticipate emerging trends and debates in advocacy, civil society, and public policy and determine areas to focus strategies and campaigns that amplify CGIAR’s voice in global policy discourse on agricultural research for development.
- Design national, regional, and global advocacy strategies and campaigns that define CGIAR’s stand on key topics, articulate and advance CGIAR’s policy positions and increase the credibility and impact of CGIAR science with a growing network of supporters among policy makers, champions, and influencers.
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- Lead the development CGIAR-led advocacy initiatives and activities that convene stakeholders and mobilize champions to further CGIAR’s policy positions and advocacy goals, including declarations, events, white papers, informational materials, and initiatives aligned to international fora and events .
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- Oversee the development and management of monitoring approaches and metrics that track public policy discourses and engagement to inform, and gauge the impact of, advocacy activities.
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- Establish and nurture CGIAR’s presence and dialogue with key international and regional forums such as G7, G20, Davos, Munich Security Council, COP, UNGA and others, seeking to bring and amplify CGIAR’s voice strategically and leverage key “moments” as part of integrated advocacy plans ; build and maintain key relationships; support leadership in their engagement with a range of stakeholders.
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- Under the DEMD leadership, and the Director’s guidance on external engagement strategies, and working hand in hand with Donor Relations, support RM in critical geographies and globally by deploying smart advocacy and campaign plans and leveraging adequate opportunities with champions and allies.
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- Provide insight and guidance to Advocacy Officers and the broader Communications and Advocacy team on effective multi-stakeholder, audience-led advocacy campaign approaches to strengthen capacity in delivery of effective communications campaigns.
- Advise, guide, and prepare internal stakeholders (e.g., scientists, leaders, etc.) for engagement with policy makers and appearances in international fora to ensure consistent messaging, and mitigation of risk and exposure.
- Convene communities of practice across the CGIAR to gather and share information, best practices, and coordinate strategies for advocacy and public policy engagement.
- Foster relationships with grassroots agricultural organizations, private sector coalitions, development finance institutions, UN agencies (e.g., FAO, WFP, IFAD) establishing CGIAR as a thought leader and driver of innovation in food and agriculture science.
- Develop an advocacy campaigns calendar aimed at influencing public policy and utilizing inputs (e.g., content, events, networks) from across the Communications and Advocacy team and CGIAR stakeholders, aligned to the overall engagement and resource mobilization and science strategies.
- Define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and develop rigorous methodologies for monitoring public policy discourse, engagement of civil society and champions, to sustain assessment and continuous improvement of campaigns and communications and advocacy approaches.
- Create and maintain a platform for the collection and dissemination of best practices in advocacy, archive successes of the CGIAR in influencing the public policy debate, and directories of champions and policy makers to expand the capacity of the Systems Office Communications and Advocacy team as well as the public information functions across the CGIAR.
Requirements:
Education and Experience
- Advanced Degree in Journalism, Communications, Social Sciences, Political Science, Public Relations, or other related disciplines.
- Specialized experience in advocacy including working with international, multilateral organizations, not for profit, and civil society stakeholders.
Key Competences
- Substantive Knowledge: Demonstrated Capacity gained through experience and reflecting subject mastery in (name the field/subject).
- Communication skills: Demonstrated Skill gained through varied exposure/experience in presentation/promotion.
- Execution skills: Demonstrated Achievement in the execution/delivery of multi-step/layered programs/services.
Languages
Fluency in English essential to communicate in writing and speaking. Knowledge of at least one additional language from a major donor market in the region is highly desirable.
The selected staff member will be offered terms and conditions commensurate with the grade of the position.
How to apply
Simply click on the apply button, fill out of the form, upload your documents