- Background
Oxfam is an international confederation of 20 organizations networked together in 97 countries. As part of a global movement for change, we are working together to end world poverty and injustice. We work with thousands of partners in countries around the world and employ staff in a wide variety of posts. We work directly with communities and we seek to influence the powerful to enable the most marginalized to improve their lives and livelihoods and have a say in decisions that affect them.
Working at Oxfam is so much more than just a job. As an Oxfam employee, consultant, or volunteer, you will join a team of dedicated and passionate professionals working to save lives, help people overcome poverty, and fight for social justice.
Transboundary Rivers of South Asia (TROSA) is a five year program aimed at reducing poverty of communities in the transboundary river basins of Ganges-Bramhaputra-Megha (GBM) and Salween (Myanmar). The program will build on existing knowledge and programs of Oxfam teams, local partners and other regional partners in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The value of the program is USD 11.4 million over five years and is funded by the Government of Sweden (SIDA).
Oxfam and partners envisage that poverty will be reduced for marginalised and vulnerable river basin communities through increased access to and control over river water resources. TROSA program components are:
- Improve policies and practice of governments that protect the rights of communities along Ganges, the Brahmaputra-Meghna and the Salween river basins to water resources.
- Improve policies and practice of private sector and other actors that respect the rights of river basin communities to water resources.
- Strengthen capacity of river basin communities and civil society to influence trans-boundary water resource management.
- Strengthen women’s profile and influence in dialogues and decision-making on water management and water infrastructure
- Purpose
The Consultancy for Policy and Engagement Specialist is responsible for coordinating and leading the delivery of water governance policy engagement and influencing work in the GBM and Salween Basins. The primary focus will be on delivering the TROSA program’s policy outcomes working across all four components and contributing to the goal of the project outlined above. The position is initially contracted for 4 months (May 2020-August 2020). The post holder will work closely with TROSA partners, other relevant stakeholders/allies in these basins and with the Oxfam in Asia policy and influencing and campaigns team.
The consultant will play a lead role in facilitating policy and influencing strategy development with partners and networks, building partners’ capacity in effective advocacy and influencing approaches, and work with partners and on behalf of Oxfam to make linkages, including other Oxfam campaigns, and influence targeted regional and national actors/networks on priority water governance issues (including: gender, hydropower, energy, transboundary river basin planning and community water governance).
The consultant will coordinate the implementation of policy analysis, Oxfam public positions and policy briefs, and identify strategic policy analysis and research for the program.
- Core Responsibilities
The Consultant will lead in policy and influencing work, but not limited to the following:
- Policy Lead
- Regularly revise and update the regional political and power analysis for the program, and track and record key changes in the policy context of the project
- Advise, initiate and contribute to the development and periodic review of other policies and initiatives, mostly at the regional level, as it relates to the project target areas.
- Support TROSA program partners on policy and political economy analyses and help build their capacities for effective of evidence in policy engagement and influencing activities at various levels
- Lead on the integration and compliance (and ensure support is provided to TROSA project staff and partners) of Oxfam’s policies (such as Gender, Safeguarding, Child Protection) and relevant sector codes of good practices (such as the Environmental & Social Safeguard Policies and the Environmental, Social and Governance Accountability)
- Represent the program’s advocacy and policy priorities and positions to decision makers, development practitioners, research institutes/think tanks, private sector and opinion formers including staff of international financial institutions (IFIs), government agencies and intergovernmental/regional institutes and networks.
- Collect and analyses evidence of policy opportunities, outcomes and the effectiveness of Oxfam and partners’ influencing and advocacy strategies, contribute to the program’s learning and annual reporting, evaluations, and case studies (working closely with the MEAL team and Communications team to ensure alignment with the overall TROSA MEAL framework and Communications Strategy).
- Coordinate production and dissemination of thematic policy briefs/learning documents/evidence briefs on key issues, building on lessons and insights from the program and ensure their timely dissemination to align with key policy windows and other engagement/policy uptake opportunities such as high-level political forums, annual meeting of IFIs and other development banks and regional/national level policy discussions/review.
- Regularly monitor and advise the project management on the development and change in context in the GBM and Salween basins and related water governance and policy gaps and needs on water resources, including gender.
- Identify and advise management on emerging opportunities and challenges for policy influencing including identifying and advising on potential influencing work.
- Coordinating and Influencing
- Build networks and collaborate with local, national and international organizations and existing networks working in the same scope of work.
- Advise on and contribute to TROSA program planning and implementation and coordinate policy influencing (at appropriate levels) into plans.
- Coordinate and implement this regional policy influencing agenda, including:
- Work with country teams to ensure a coherent approach that enhances national level work and policy plans.
- Coordinate with other regional team members to determine the content of policy dialogue
- Coordinate with partners, regional allies, and other stakeholders on their policy priorities and agendas
- Coordinate with the project management team, country teams and regional partners to ensure that policy influencing skills are included in the capacity building plans, and facilitate or broker capacity building activities with partners on policy influencing strategy and approaches, as required
- Ensure that regional and national policy influencing work is culturally and politically sensitive, gender inclusive and informed by and linked to Oxfam’s work with civil society and communities.
- Participate in relevant policy debates, networking and dissemination of learning and analysis amongst allied organizations and other communities of practice in pursuit of agreed and joined-up policy influencing strategies and priorities.
- Management
- The consultant has no responsibility for the management of staff; but works to advise and support regional and country staff in areas of responsibilities
- Coordinate delegated for project risks and report regularly.
- Accountable to the TROSA Project Manager; and works closely with other policy/influencing staff in Oxfam and other regional programs such as the Water Governance Program, Extractive Industries and Fair Finance Asia (FFA) programs.
- Timeline: Initially for 4 months (01st May 2020 – 31st August 2020)
- Required Skills and Experience
Key Selection Criteria
- Advanced university degree (masters or PhD) in international development, development/environmental economics, public policy, economics, or a related field with a minimum of 5 years relevant experience working in the international development sector;
- Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in natural resources governance, including energy, preferably in the south Asia region;
- Advanced knowledge and experience of working with natural resources governance issues in the South Asian/Salween context; including transboundary river basin management, gender, hydropower, energy, fisheries and water pollution;
- Leadership and facilitation skills in working with civil society partners, research institutes/think tanks and networks to conduct stakeholder and power analysis and develop policy and advocacy strategies and messages to influence decision makers, including private sector investments and other IFIs;
- High level of skill in representation, liaison, negotiation and networking with different internal and external stakeholders on policy issues, including civil society, government and the private sector;
- Strong commitment and ability to contribute to strengthened women’s rights across policy advocacy and influencing to reduce inequality;
- Experience and ability to work in a cross-cultural setting within the South Asian region.
- Ability to prioritize, plan, and organize work in a complex institutional setting;
- High level of proficiency in analysis and written and oral communication skills in English, and experience producing evidence-based policy recommendations, policy briefs, reports and communication materials tailored for different audiences;
- Experience working in environments with political sensitivities, and using influencing strategies appropriate for sensitive contexts;
- In-depth knowledge of South Asian regional development context and key institutions and actors;
- Knowledge of current research and policy development processes in South Asia
- Experience promoting gender-responsive and socially and environmentally responsible business practice by private companies;
- Leadership skills and the ability to motivate others, and initiative and capacity to work as a member of a team;
- Facilitation of interactive workshops and training with partners and networks
- Research, documentation and analysis skills and experience in monitoring and evaluating policy outcomes;
- Receptiveness to new ideas and a capacity to analyses those of practical value
- Relevant computer skills, including experience in using project management software tools, PowerPoint, Word and Excel;
- Fluency in written and spoken English is essential;
- Fluency in Nepali/Bengali/Hindi/Burmese languages an advantage; and
- An ability to undertake significant travel to support program teams and partners in multiple countries, and to join field-based work and donor visits from time to time.
- Experience of living and working in one or more of the program countries is desirable.
Other
- Eager and required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values (click here) as well as the promotion of gender justice and women’s rights (click here);
- Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.
Key Attributes
- Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.
- Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work.
- Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.
Organizational Values
- Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
- Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
- Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.
Application procedure
Intersted applicants should apply through our recruitment website: https://career2.successfactors.eu/career?company=OxfamNovibP by April 3, 2020 before 5 pm Bangkok Time .
Please include your full proposal including net consultancy fee and CV (not more than 3 pages). Please note that only applications received using the link provided can be taken into consideration.
For further questions, please contact Mr. Jyotiraj Patra at [email protected]
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