Context of Role:

WISH 2 (Women’s Integrated Sexual Health) is one of three components of the overarching WISH Dividend programme that is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO). This programme is central to delivering the UK’s priorities on empowering women and girls as set out in the International Development Strategy, the UK’s strategic approach to sub-Saharan Africa and the International Women and Girls Strategy.

The programme focus areas are increasing access to SRHR to underserved communities focusing on women and young girls, people living in extreme poverty people with disabilities and communities in humanitarian crises settings. IPPFAR is the lead a consortium that is implementing the programme. The project countries include Burundi, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Zambia. IPPF manages the programme from their Nairobi Regional Office. The post holder will become a member of the IPPF WISH2 Hub team based in Nairobi. 

Deliverables:

•  In collaboration with program team, identify research priorities and implement research strategies that respond to the program to facilitate adaptive programming.
• Coordinate with WISH 2 teams and partners to ensure smooth execution of operational research activities and provide any technical support required by Evidence and Learning Partner.
• Lead the design of programme-related research activities including operational research, CEIs and poverty surveys ensuring alignment with programme budget.
• Develop relevant study protocols, data collection tools and obtaining all ethical approvals/country-level approvals to implement research-related activities in all of the Lot 2 countries.
• Monitor research-related spend against budget, working where possible to provide cost-savings without compromising the quality of the research processes.
• Develop all the required CEI training materials and oversee the local recruitment and training of enumerators hired by country teams to ensure high-quality data collection.
• Oversee the programme-related research activities, travelling to countries to provide technical oversight and support with a particular focus on fidelity to research processes and ensuring research data quality.
• Oversee the analysis all research data and generate meaningful insights through generation of comprehensive reports, capturing promising and good practices to influence learning and adaptive programming.
• Serve as the focal point for all Third-Party Monitor (TPM) discrete study activities including finalisation of study background notes, identification of external and internal study respondents, collating WISH 2 hub feedback on study findings and updating the study reports accordingly.
• Partner with the Deputy Director MERL to present programme-related research findings at appropriate forums including Member Associations, consortium partners and conference.
• Lead the research input into technical reports, peer-reviewed manuscripts, conference abstracts and presentations, evidence and policy briefs.
• Build internal and external partnerships to optimize resource and maximum impact.
• Provide capacity building and mentorship to research staff, WISH 2 hub teams and IPPF MAs to foster a collaborative research culture within the organization.

Reporting/Management Responsibility:

None.

Expertise:

• At least 7 years of experience working in a research position with a particular focus on programmatic surveys, and operational research studies for multi-country programmes with a health/SRHR focus.
• Extensive expertise in leading evaluation methodologies, including qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, and impact assessment approaches, as well as advanced data collection and analysis techniques. Experience planning and managing large-scale surveys including coordinating survey work through third parties. 
• Experience in building and refining data collection tools e.g. KOBO
• Demonstrated ability to think conceptually about research evaluation questions and to pragmatically apply evaluation theory to practice.
• First rate strategic thinking and analytical skills.
• Experience working in matrix organisations.

Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to influence and negotiate.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong leadership skills including the ability to effectively engage a range of stakeholders.
• Excellent project management skills including experience of reporting to donor agencies.
• Excellent time management skills able to meet tight deadlines.
• Fluent English essential. French or Arabic an advantage.
• Excellent IT skills.

Your Ethos:

• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in a local and international context.
• Demonstrates ability and willingness to work in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual and intergenerational environment that is anti-racist and respectful of others.
• An intersectional (pro) feminist passionate about sexual reproductive health care rights + justice, including safe abortion.
• Supportive of people’s rights regardless of sexuality or gender identity/expression and supportive of workers’ rights and access to health care in sex work.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested individuals should fill the application form attached below and submit a 1-page cover letter to: [email protected] with the job position you are applying for as the subject of the email by 25th April 2025. Please note that IPPFAR will not consider applications that are not done in the requested format.

IPPF is an equal-opportunity employer. As a leading global human rights organization focused on equality, empowerment, ending discrimination, and poverty eradication, we internally reflect social justice principles. We, as IPPF, strongly oppose racism in all its forms and resolutely go for a cultural change that will shift the existing imbalances in power and process.

Applications are particularly encouraged from women, persons living with disability, and candidates openly living with HIV.

IPPF has​ been made aware of various fraudulent vacancy announcements circulated via e-mail from websites falsely stating that they are issued by or in association with IPPF.  These correspondences, which may seek to obtain money from the recipients of such correspondence are fraudulent and IPPF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

IPPF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers, contractors and partners to share this commitment. Anyone employed with IPPF agrees to sign and adhere to IPPF’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding (Children and Vulnerable Adults) Policy.

Job/Role Title : Regional Senior Advisor-Advocacy
Grade : G
Responsible to : External relations Director
Location : Nairobi (Kenya)

Role Purpose:

IPPF Africa Region (IPPFAR) is looking for a Senior Advisor – responsible for managing Regional and sub-regional Advocacy and identifying potential advocacy opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa. The incumbent will develop and implement IPPFAR’s advocacy strategy, programmes and campaigns to build commitment to, and support for SRHR through inter-governmental related processes at the regional and sub-regional level. They will showcase innovative and successful approaches from IPPFAR Member Associations and key advocacy partners, taking lessons from other organisations and emerging best practices. They will help to renew and increase regional political and financial commitments for SRHR in Sub-Saharan Africa and ensure the prioritization of SRHR in regional and international dialogues, agendas and policies.

Context of Role:

This is a role for a seasoned mid-level intergovernmental expert with experience working to advance SRHRJ in Sub-African contexts to advance IPPF’s positioning and political advocacy work. With 40+ Member Associations (MAs) and collaborative partners, IPPFAR has built deep connections among civil society, intergovernmental, AU and UN partners so that MAs can bring their lived experiences and policy ambitions to regional processes to influence change, participate on their country delegations to advocate for progressive SRHRJ policies and hold their governments accountable for their commitments. IPPF is uniquely positioned to advance this work because our MAs represent the needs of their countries in AU/UN fora.

Deliverables:

The Regional Senior Advisor-Advocacy will be responsible for the following key tasks:

• Monitors and maps the political landscape and developments at regional and sub-regional level and helps implement relevant coordinated cross-African support and mobilization activities together with IPPFAR Member Associations.
• Undertakes research and documents SRHR violations and abuses with a view to leading evidence-based advocacy and campaigns in different areas of SRHR protection and promotion.
• Leads Human Rights advocacy and dialogue with regional and sub-regional economic and human rights entities and instruments
• Maintain strong relationships with other IPPFAR departments including Communcations, and Membership Support and Development, towards the full integration of advocacy across the organisation.
• Provides advocacy related capacity building for Member Associations and other relevant partners, including through the organization of (peer-to-peer) training, mentoring, coaching and hands on support to MAs and other entities that require this kind of support.
• Establishes networks and partnerships to make synergies among SRHR organizations (including regional human rights institutions, Civil Society Organizations and SRHR champions), for concerted SRHR advocacy at regional level. Provides support in the area of intergovernmental engagement as it pertains to the coordination of advocacy and liaison activities with strategic intergovernmental forums, both at regional level - with the African Union, and other regional and sub-regional bodies, and international level with UN and Human Rights mechanisms in New York and Geneva in collaboration with IPPF’s UN Liaison Team.
• Supports policy advocacy efforts in relation to IPPFAR-led or IPPFAR-supported Campaigns.
• Manages regional advocacy projects (technical, human resources and financial management).
• Manages budgets and monitor expenditures
• As part of the broader IPPF advocacy team, the post holder will also contribute to various organisational tasks and processes needed to advance the advocacy, capacity building and protection objectives of the organisation in the area of SRHR.
• Contributes to the Global and IPPFAR Advocacy team planning, system enhancement, monitoring and evaluation and general team working.
• They will exercise a high degree of accountability – ensuring timely submission of narrative and finance reports as required; and to embrace safeguarding as well as all organisational policies and values.
• Any other tasks that may be assigned by the supervisor or senior management team.

Expertise/Skills:

• QUALIFICATION: MA degree in international relations, social sciences, public policy, communications and/or other related fields
• WORK EXPERIENCE: A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in political advocacy, policy advocacy and/or communications. Knowledge of the African Union and UN systems, Africa Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Member State/Intergovernmental Processes is required. Track record of developing advocacy initiatives which yield results in the international development arena. Previous work on SRHR issues is an advantage.
• LANGUAGES: English and French are the working languages of the IPPFARO. For this post fluency in English and French (both oral and written) is required. Portuguese is an advantage.
• SKILLS: Excellent interpersonal skills - articulate and diplomatic. Ability to interact with diverse groups; Excellent written communication skills; Strong analytical skills and the ability to summarise and simplify complex information; Strong influencing skills; Sound research skills; Good understanding of development issues and fundraising; Excellent project management, time management and organisational skills to meet multiple deadlines; Good IT skills – Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint; Flexible – team player.
• OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Awareness of and sensitivity to the multi-cultural environment in which IPPFAR operates; Sensitivity to and understanding of SRHR issues; Willing to work outside standard office hours as required; Willing to travel internationally – about 30% of time.

Your Ethos:

• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in a local and international context.
• Demonstrates ability and willingness to work in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual and intergenerational environment that is anti-racist and respectful of others.
• An intersectional (pro) feminist passionate about sexual reproductive health care rights + justice, including safe abortion.
• Supportive of people’s rights regardless of sexuality or gender identity/expression and supportive of workers’ rights and access to health care in sex work.

Interested individuals should submit an application form in the IPPFARO CV form and a 1-page cover letter to: [email protected] with the job position you are applying for as the subject of the email. Please note that IPPFAR will not consider applications that are not done in the requested format.

IPPF is an equal-opportunity employer. As a leading global human rights organization focused on equality, empowerment, ending discrimination, and poverty eradication, we internally reflect social justice principles. We, as IPPF, strongly oppose racism in all its forms and resolutely go for a cultural change that will shift the existing imbalances in power and process.

Applications are particularly encouraged from women, persons living with disability, and candidates openly living with HIV.

IPPF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers, contractors and partners to share this commitment. Anyone employed with IPPF agrees to sign and adhere to IPPF’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding (Children and Vulnerable Adults) Policy.

IPPF has been made aware of various fraudulent vacancy announcements circulated via e-mail from websites falsely stating that they are issued by or in association with IPPF. These correspondences, which may seek to obtain money from the recipients of such correspondence are fraudulent and IPPF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing, training or any other fees).