Health Policy and Advocacy Adviser - Talent Pool Volunteer Job

Working from home and at project location - In this role, you will spend some time providing part-time remote support (e.g. from your home) to VSO projects or partners, and alsoa set period working full-time in the projectlocation and/or VSO office.

The ideal candidate for this post is skilled in networking within government or semi-government bodies and support them in structuring Policy, processes, strategic planning, and budgeting and strategy implementation including advocacy work. Next to this, you will be interpreting and reviewing relevant policies, evaluating options and making recommendations for new policies. Extra tasks might consist of proactively participating in organising topical policy dialogues with Youth, local partners, sectoral stakeholders, or the government. If you have excellent skills in policy and advocacy, reviewing current policies, advising and providing support to improve local Government processes and planning, this is your job!

Skills, qualifications and experience

Bachelors or Masters degree in development studies, political sciences, public management or other related business studies;
3-4 years of Experience in Organization Development, Policy and advocacy, working with Government Institutions etc.
Experience in developing policy for Health programming in particular sexual reproductive health.
Ability to quickly analyse Health Programming and governance mechanisms;
Proven experience in training and development of staff ensuring continuous learning;
Proven track record in planning, developing and implementing organisational structures and sustainable improvements;
Strong communication, documentation, report writing and presentation skills including excellent written and spoken English;
Experience with ongoing advocacy initiatives in different development sectors in developing countries.

Competencies and Behaviour

At VSO we believe progress is only possible by working together. Whether you want to join us as an employee, or as a volunteer working in your own country, overseas or online, our selection process includes an assessment based on these core competencies:

Ability to be open minded and respectful
Ability to be resilient and adaptive to new situations
Ability to facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships
Ability to seek and share knowledge

Equal Opportunities

VSO promotes equal opportunities and values a diverse workforce.

Allowance

As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full time basis. VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency. This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home. You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your on-going expenses at home.

Accommodation

VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.

Some background about VSO

Much has changed since VSO started 60 years ago. Weve gone from being a UK charity to a truly global development organisation. In 2016/2017 alone, we worked with over 7,000 volunteers from all over the world and from all backgrounds to deliver services that had an impact on the lives of almost 2.6 million people in the 24 countries where we work. Our programmes focus on the areas of health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We believe progress is only possible when we work together and that strong partnerships are crucial to delivering positive change. Thats why we work with over 500 partner organisations, from local and national governments, to businesses, NGOs, funders, charities and community groups. Currently, over 30% of our people are recruited from within the country in which they work, and we continue to grow the share of community and national volunteers involved in our programmes. We also send increasing numbers of volunteers from one developing country to another. However, our vision has remained the same; to build a world without poverty.

Your application and COVID-19

We are continually reviewing our ability to safely programme and implement projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many local restrictions are being implemented in several VSO locations, which impacts VSOs existing programme delivery.

We will continue to follow the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and national governments to protect the wellbeing and safety of all communities, employees and volunteers.

Were continuing to build a talent pool of prospective professional volunteers so we can get back to supporting communities as soon as were able to.

If your application is shortlisted, a VSO hiring manager will be in touch to discuss the next steps and any changes to your placement and role.

You can read VSOs COVID-19 statement and frequently asked questions about volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic here.

If youre interested in applying for this role, please download the job description for more information.

Please note that this advert is for a role we are expecting to become available in the near future once we have secured funding for the project. If you are interested in this, or similar positions, please express your interest by clicking on the make an application button below.

Type of role	Advocacy policy and research
Location	Kenya
Partner organisation	VSO International
Application Closing Date	31 Oct 2022
Interview date	Soonest Possible
Start date	Soonest Possible
Mode of delivery	Working from home and at project location

VSO is the worlds leading international development charity that works through volunteers to create a fair world for everyone. At VSO we pride ourselves on doing development differently. We fight poverty not by sending aid, but by working through volunteers and partners to create long-lasting change in some of the worlds poorest regions. We bring key stakeholders together to co-ordinate collective action, from local organisations to national governments. Our programmes in Africa and Asia focus on health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience, peace building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. Were not about delivering quick fixes, but instead we focus on long-lasting, sustainable change that will improve the lives of generations to come.