Position Title: Advocacy Advisor
Reports To: Project Manager
Location: Erbil
Closing of Application Date: October 31, 2024
About Heartland Alliance International
Heartland Alliance International’s (HAI) mission is to secure the rights and well-being of marginalized people and communities. HAI envisions a world in which those whose rights have been violated are safe and empowered to actively engage in their communities and be at the forefront of social change. In Iraq, HAI provides holistic services focusing on psychosocial support, legal aid, violence prevention, livelihoods strengthening, and social cohesion to diverse vulnerable populations.
Position Summary
The Advocacy Advisor will work closely with three local partners from Christian, Shabak, and Turkmen communities in Iraq to identify key issues related to the civic and political rights of these communities and develop advocacy strategies to address them. The role involves collaborating with community leaders, building alliances, and developing advocacy campaigns that amplify the voices of minority groups in decision-making processes. The Advocacy Advisor will also work on implementing these strategies in partnership with local subgrantee organizations, ensuring that advocacy efforts are culturally sensitive and tailored to the specific needs of each group.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Essential duties of the Advocacy Advisor include:
· Collaborate with local partners to prioritize civic and political rights issues affecting Shabak, Christian, and Turkmen minority communities and develop targeted advocacy strategies to address these challenges.
· Support local partners in mapping stakeholders and building networks within their communities to engage in advocacy efforts, ensuring inclusive representation of minority voices.
· Develop comprehensive advocacy plans that include goals, messaging, timelines, and engagement strategies, while pulling in key community members to participate in the process.
· Lead efforts to organize meetings, workshops, and forums with community leaders, government officials, and civil society organizations to raise awareness and promote minority rights.
· Provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to local partners, ensuring they are equipped to implement advocacy campaigns effectively.
· Work closely with local partners and community leaders to ensure advocacy initiatives align with their cultural values and priorities, while addressing the broader civic and political rights landscape.
· Draft reports to communicate project progress, challenges, and recommendations to donors, government bodies, and other stakeholders.
· Monitor and evaluate the impact of advocacy campaigns, adjusting strategies as needed based on feedback and results.
· Travel frequently to minority communities across Iraq to engage directly with local partners and support the implementation of advocacy strategies.
Policy compliance and safeguarding
· Ensure partner organizations understand and adhere to HAI’s and donor policies on prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, fraud, and corruption. Monitor and report any concerns or suspicions related to policy violations.
Reporting and success stories
· Contribute to quarterly reporting to donors. Support partners in obtaining informed consent and documenting success stories in a way that prioritizes survivor safety and ethical considerations. Gather success stories when appropriate and safe to share.
Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL)
· Collaborate with the MEL team to evaluate the implementation of legal services and assess project progress against the work plan and deliverables. While the Project Manager leads overall project evaluation, the Advocacy Advisor will provide inputs and support in monitoring efforts related to partners and legal service delivery.
Languages
English Proficiency Level Required: Advanced
Arabic Proficiency Level Required: Advanced
Qualifications and Education (required):
· Bachelor’s degree in law, political science, human rights, international relations, or a related field.
· Minimum 3-5 years of experience in advocacy, particularly in advocating for minority rights, civic, and political issues.
· Strong understanding of the civic and political challenges faced by minority communities in Iraq, with a demonstrated ability to advocate for their rights.
· Experience working with minority communities and NGOs in Iraq, with a focus on building alliances and empowering minority voices.
· Proven track record of developing and implementing successful advocacy campaigns or initiatives.
· Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, including community leaders, government officials, and civil society organizations.
· Fluency in Arabic (required); English (desired); knowledge of a minority language spoken in Iraq (bonus).
· Strong writing skills, with the ability to draft reports, briefs, and advocacy materials in Arabic (and English if applicable).
· Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team, managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
· Willingness to travel frequently in Ninewa, the Kurdistan Region, and to Baghdad to engage with partners and government stakeholders.
Interpersonal Skills:
· Strong communication skills, with the ability to build trust and relationships within minority communities and with diverse stakeholders such as local partners, government officials, and civil society organizations.
· Empathy and cultural sensitivity, particularly when working with minority populations and understanding the unique challenges they face.
· Ability to motivate and inspire others to take action, including community leaders and members involved in advocacy efforts.
· Conflict resolution skills, with the capacity to manage tensions or disagreements during advocacy efforts or stakeholder engagements.
· Adaptability and emotional resilience, especially when working in challenging and politically sensitive environments.
· Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively as part of a team and also independently when needed.
Technical Skills:
· Expertise in advocacy planning and execution, including developing goals, strategies, messaging, and timelines tailored to specific civic and political rights issues.
· In-depth knowledge of Iraq’s political and legal systems, particularly in relation to the rights of minority communities.
· Proficiency in drafting advocacy materials such as policy briefs, reports, and other documentation in Arabic, with a bonus for English proficiency.
· Experience in monitoring and evaluating advocacy campaigns, with an ability to adjust strategies based on impact and results.
· Capacity-building skills to empower local partners and community members to take ownership of advocacy initiatives.
· Strong organizational skills, including project management, stakeholder mapping, and coordinating advocacy efforts across multiple groups or regions.
· Familiarity with digital communication tools and platforms that may be used for advocacy and awareness campaigns.
Work conditions
Physical Demands:
The physical demands outlined here reflect the requirements necessary to perform the essential duties of this role, including frequent travel. Reasonable accommodations can be made for individuals with disabilities to perform these duties.
· The role requires frequent verbal communication and active listening, particularly in meetings with NGO partners, compensation committee and court, and government offices.
· While much of the work involves sitting at a desk for computer-based tasks, the role also requires frequent travel, which may include walking, standing, and carrying materials between different locations.
· The employee may need to lift or move items weighing up to 20 pounds, though this will occur infrequently during travel and trainings.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
Sometimes the candidate may be required to work for extra hours to deliver emerging unprecedented priorities.
Heartland Alliance is committed to fair and equitable treatment in all aspects of employment and program operation. We make hiring and employment decisions, and deliver all programs, services, and functions, without regard to race, color, age, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable laws and regulations.