PVPSSA MZBQ Engagement and Advocacy Officer

Job Title : Engagement and Advocacy Officer.

Reports to Position Title : Project Manager.

Research Project Title : Promotion of the Vancouver Principles in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Faculty/Department : Africa Center of Excellence, The Dallaire Institute.

FTE (based on 35 paid hr. work week) : 100%.

Duration: 12 months. Full-time

About the Dallaire Institute:

Lt. General Romeo Dallaire founded the Child Soldiers Initiative in 2007 and Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, provided a home to the Initiative in 2010.  In 2020, the Initiative became the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, an international repository of expertise, research, and advocacy to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed violence.  The Dallaire Institute is the co-developer of the 2017 Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers. As part of Dalhousie University, the Dallaire Institute hosts a prestigious Tier 1 Canada Research Chair on International Peace, Security and Children and offers undergraduate and graduate courses. Through academic and practitioner training and community engagement, the Dallaire Institute’s interdisciplinary and applied research advances innovative strategies for preventing the recruitment and use of children in armed violence.  The Dallaire Institute is supported through private, public and international contributions.   

· To achieve this important objective, the Dallaire Institute conducts activities on four fronts: World-class, interdisciplinary research to build and share knowledge, which in turn leads to new solutions. 

· High-level advocacy activities to create and promote the political will to end the use of children in violence as central to the achievement of global peace and security. 

· Education and programming to sustain the efforts to make the recruitment and use of children as soldiers unthinkable by inspiring leaders, educators, and policy makers to implement new approaches, conduct research, and actively share their knowledge on the prioritization of the children’s rights upfront approach.   

· Comprehensive, prevention-oriented training to security sector actors, in the service of broader security sector reform, as well as collaboration with civil society to create and implement tools that protect children from the dangers associated with recruitment. 

Job purpose:

The Community Engagement and Advocacy Officer helps to ensure the integration of the Vancouver Principles in Mozambique by implementing the PVPSSA curriculum through ground-up programming and fostering targeted advocacy to gain traction and partnership in new operational areas. The role operates community outreach, stakeholder liaison, and event coordination, with great independence in known, but consistent, scenarios while maintaining adherence to project guidelines, policies, and directives from the Project Manager and technical experts (Kigali/HQ). All activities lead to the PVPSSA project results as well as the Dallaire Institute's mission in Mozambique.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Engagement and Curriculum Implementation

·  Facilitate community dialogues, roundtables and curriculum deployment sessions which include community members, security sector actors, youth, journalists and CSOs in the provinces.

·  Attend briefing sessions with the Project Manager and local staff on event preparation, design, and selection.

· Integrate the PVPSSA training curriculum into a structured community process through scheduled and approved materials and facilitation.

· Align and tailor the local community engagement strategy to help the project and the Dallaire Institute’s mission, such as partnering with businesses, civil society and faith-based organizations.

· Be the first point of contact with community organizations, orient participants and resolve routine issues as per protocols.

Advocacy and Representation

· Represent the Dallaire Institute at local and provincial forums, meetings, and events in Pemba and Nampula to help promote the Vancouver Principles and garner support for project activities.

· Develop and manage relationships with key stakeholders (government officials, security actors, CSOs, media, school districts, and child protection services) to bring visibility and traction to new parts of the region.

· Deliver presentations to community and partner groups in the form of fact sheets or advocacy instruments (prepared by the Project Manager/HQ or reviewed by them).

· Identify advocacy opportunities, which help the Dallaire Institute to strengthen connections with local supporters and the greater community.

· Coordinate with child protection forums such Protection cluster, CP AoR, CAFAAG Taskforce and CAAC Working group

Monitoring, Reporting and Learning

· Perform monitoring visits and gather information (such as feedback forms and focus group discussions) to ascertain that the activities are on pace.

· Keep track of progress, challenges and remedial measures; produce After-Action Reports after every dialogue or deployment session.

· Deliver actionable insights in quarterly reviews and donor reports.

· Support end-of-project lessons-learned events and disseminate internal summary reports.

· Keep a local resource bank of stakeholders, contacts, and materials accessible to the project team and partners.

 Capacity Building

·Provide continuing coaching for project staff, community members, stakeholders, and local partners on engagement and curriculum delivery practices.

·Conduct capacity-building assistance so that community and advocacy work is timely and quality.

·Work with colleagues on amplifying messaging on how communities might encourage support for children and families impacted by armed conflict.

Additional Responsibilities

·Engage in planning and performance processes such as annual appraisals and regular meetings.

·Provide a safe working environment consistent with the Dallaire Institute values and the workplace principles.

·Show continuing support for promotion and protection of children, such as the protection against recruitment and the use of children in armed conflict.

· Meet the financial and operational needs of the Dallaire Institute and maintain professional and ethical standards in personal conduct.

 · Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Requirements

·  Bachelor's Degree: Social Sciences, Community Development, International Development, Peace Studies or related field.

· Minimum 2 years of experience in community engagement, facilitation, or similar.

· At least 2 years of experience in organizing community dialogues, consultations, or advocacy activities.

· Must have previous volunteer or professional experience in community development or stakeholder liaison.

Skills

·Able to work independently on familiar scenarios whilst managing and being managed in a dotted line hierarchy.

·Ability to operate and work quickly and effectively with multicultural, multilingual and multidisciplinary teams both remotely and on-site.

·Excellent written and verbal skills in English and Portuguese.

· Excellent relationship building, diplomacy, and networking skills.

· Ability to be a self-starter with a high level of problem-solving skills.

Knowledge

·  Proficient in using Microsoft Office.

·  Speaking local languages spoken in northern Mozambique (Cabo Delgado and Nampula) is an asset.

Abilities

· A proven ability to multi-task with prioritizing responsibilities and effective time management.

· Self-direction and the ability to complete tasks and follow through with clear directions.

· Comfort working in an environment that is multi-cultural and undertaking frequent travel.

Working Conditions:

Presential role: Due to operational requirements, the applicant must work in person in Mozambique. The position is in Maputo-Mozambique, with frequent travel to Pemba (Cabo Delgado) and Nampula (up to 50% of the time).

Supervisory/Managerial:

The position is an individual contributor who will interact, advise and coordinate with the PVPSSA country team and must be ready to participate in daily activities. This role does not supervise staff members but works with the Project Manager and implementation partner in planning, implementing and monitoring community engagement activities.