Advocacy Officer Urgent Job Vacancy in Kampala,Uganda

Job Title:    Advocacy Officer, Advocacy for Better Health
Tracking Code:    6117
Job Location:    Uganda, Kampala
Job Type:    Full-Time/Regular
Employer:    PATH

About Us
PATH is an international organization that drives transformative innovation to save lives and improve health, especially among women and children. We accelerate innovation across five platforms—vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and system and service innovations—that harness our entrepreneurial insight, scientific and public health expertise, and passion for health equity. By mobilizing partners around the world, we take innovation to scale, working alongside countries primarily in Africa and Asia to tackle their greatest health needs. Together, we deliver measurable results that disrupt the cycle of poor health.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has funded Advocacy for Better Health program in Uganda. The goal of this program is to contribute to improvements in the quality, availability and accessibility of health services by increasing citizens’ knowledge and voice, increasing community participation in health service delivery planning and improvements; and fostering cooperation among civil society actors on issues of common benefit in order to strengthen the sector over the long term. The key program objectives are to: Ensure that communities in selected districts can identify and articulate their needs and demand quality services; Ensure that the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) develop effective advocacy initiatives, and are able to represent the communities’ demands for better quality services; to build the technical and operational capacity of the CSOs to qualify them as potential direct recipients of future USAID funding.

Job Overview:
PATH seeks to recruit an Advocacy Officer to be based in Kampala, Uganda and will be responsible for the following key activities:

•     Guide and provide technical assistance to project staff, CSO partners, and umbrella organizations on the development and implementation of effective advocacy strategies/initiatives on key health and social service policies and programmatic issues
•     Train project staff and CSO partners/umbrella organizations on advocacy strategy development, advocacy messaging and communications, budget and planning processes, and related activities
•     In collaboration with other project staff assess the advocacy capacity of CSO partners and work to design and develop collaborative plans to support organizational development related to advocacy, ensuring long-term sustainability of advocacy programs
•     Contribute to the development of advocacy capacity-strengthening tools, curriculums, and trainings for CSO partners
•     Collaborate with other project staff, CSO partners/umbrella organizations, and community groups to develop strategies and approaches to engage and link mobilized community members, leaders, and groups with broader CSO advocacy initiatives
•     Facilitate improved networking, knowledge management, and collaboration among like-minded, advocacy-oriented CSOs and umbrella organizations
•     Represent the project at the district, regional, and national levels to elevate project goals and contribute to dialogue on the importance of advocacy, accountability, and good governance for health and development
•     In collaboration with other project staff, liaise with national and district officials, partner CSOs, and community groups to identify and strengthen platforms for meaningful engagement of community members and CSO representatives in decision-making and policy processes
•     Build and maintain relationships with national and subnational governments, development partners, health professionals and professional associations, consultants, and CSOs; convene relevant stakeholders and champions when necessary
•     Contribute to the development of project work plans and collection of monitoring and evaluation data for reporting on outcomes and activities

Required Skills:

•     Proven ability to create and maintain effective working relationships with government personnel, NGO partners, and international organizations at various levels
•     Knowledge of the political, social, economic, and cultural context of Uganda
•     Demonstrated ability to communicate in English (orally and in writing) complex issues in a concise, compelling, and easily understandable manner
•     Expert computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
•     Ability to travel up to 50% of the time

Required Experience:

• Master’s or other advanced degree in public health, social sciences, international development, or related field,
• A minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of professional experience coordinating and managing a wide variety of projects in Uganda;
• Demonstrated success in planning and conducting advocacy activities to influence health-related policies in Uganda;
• Proven experience of advocacy capacity strengthening and advisory work.

Must have legal authorization to work in Uganda

PATH is dedicated to diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.

Deadline Date: 31/05/2014

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