Policy Manager at The Career Network

About the Job
The Policy Manager will play a key role in scoping, developing, and executing the organisation's policy and advocacy portfolio with the overall aim of ensuring that the organisation is positioned as a thought leader in relevant decision-making spaces, and influences relevant policy that will increase the scale and impact of our work. The key objective is for the business to strike new partnerships (both financial and operational) and deepen existing ones that advance our vision of Health, Hope, and an HIV-free Future. The ultimate goal is to position the organisation and its programmes for greater visibility and leadership to improve the lives of our clients and employees.
This position will report to the Global Communications Director, with a dotted line to the Director of Programmes and Technical Support. The Policy Manager will also be expected to develop strong relationships with the company's Country Leadership and members of their Policy Working Group.
Job Specifications (Minimum education, qualifications, legal requirements, knowledge, languages, previous work experience, skills, on the job training and competencies required to perform the job)
Required

• Undergraduate Degree in a relevant field (e.g., Health, Public Policy, International Development) from a recognised tertiary education
• At least seven years of policy experience (African or Global), demonstrating an increasing level of responsibility and achievement in previous roles. Candidates with an advanced degree with five years or more of experience will also be considered.
• Demonstrated ability to research, synthesise and publish on complex policy topics, demonstrated through a portfolio of relevant white papers, submissions to consultations, op-eds, presentations to stakeholder groups and similar.
• Experience and confidence serving as an advocate for an organisation, both in-person and virtually. Examples include speaking slots, media interviews, and one-to-one briefings with stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the policy and advocacy landscape and processes relevant to the organisation’s work, including United Nations bodies and agencies, African Union institutions and forums, African Regional Bodies (e.g., SADC and ECOWAS), and relevant coalitions.
• A strong network of key contacts in relevant spaces.
• Excellent attention to detail, including an ability to understand and translate complex data sets into understandable takeaways.
• Understanding and patience when working closely with colleagues from other cultures with various languages.
• Compassion, respect, and understanding of the work that is done.
• A team player who is highly adaptive, works well under time pressure, and has excellent interpersonal skills.
• Post-COVID-19, willingness to travel extensively (up to 20% of the time), particularly within Africa.
• The legal right to live and work in South Africa.
• Excellent written and spoken English, including on technical topics.

Preferred

• An advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., Masters in Public Health or Public Policy) is strongly preferred.
• Fluency in additional languages, especially working languages of the United Nations and the African Union.
• Direct policy experience in an area relevant to our work (e.g., Community Health and Universal Health Coverage, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Gender Equality, Maternal, and Child Health).

Internal / External Relationships (important/essential relationships that need to be developed and maintained)

• The Policy Manager will coordinate the organisation's Internal Policy Working Group, which includes leaders and senior members of the Departments of Programmes and Technical Support, Communications, and Global Resource Mobilisation. Excellent working relationships with this group will be essential. In addition, the Policy Manager will need to form strong working relationships with Country Leadership, to ensure that policy and advocacy work is informed and embraced by frontline experience.
• Externally, relationships with stakeholders such as UN Agencies/Bodies, Regional Bodies, National, Provincial & Local Governments, and selected corporates will need to be nurtured and/or built. Working Conditions (if applicable make mention of the fact that the incumbent will be required to travel locally and/or internationally, work regular overtime and/or during weekends, etc.)

Post-COVID, travel of up to 20% of the time will be required, primarily within the African continent, but may also include trips to major international conferences or policy meetings.

In advance of major deadlines, some overtime (longer days, weekend working) may be required.

Description of Tasks / Key Performance Areas

• Policy Strategy, Execution and Measurement (15%) - Working closely with the Policy Working Group, help to define and shape overall Policy priorities, positions, and objectives, and finalise advocacy strategy canvas. -
• Translating policy objectives into actionable plans. Spanning the African and Global Policy landscape, this will include stakeholder mapping and power analysis; identification of key events, fora, consultations, coalitions, and publications; creating calendars and workplans, and coordinating with colleagues to execute these plans.
• Ensuring that objectives and plans are measurable, and take lead responsibility for measuring progress towards goals, changing targets, and suggesting ways to course-correct frequently. Policy Research, Synthesis, and Publication (35%) The organisation believes in evidence-based policy work. To advance this, the
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• Policy Manager will: - Undertake detailed research in riority policy areas to provide messaging and proof points to inform, shape, and support our policy work. This research could take many forms including desk research, conversations, attendance at relevant events, interviews, one-one briefings, and more. - Clearly and accurately synthesise research findings into formats accurate for the target audiences. This could include formal position statements (proactive and reactive), research reports, white papers, briefing notes, presentations, and more. - Where appropriate, seek external publication opportunities for this research in spaces such as journals, coalitions, working groups, and so forth. - In addition, opportunities to share our positions and shape the policy agenda must be researched and included in the workplans referenced above. Of particular importance is identifying relevant consultation opportunities with policy-making bodies, and collaborating with colleagues to ensure that the business makes compelling, clearly-messaged, evidence-based submissions.
• External Representation (35%) The Policy Manager will play two key roles in this work area. S/he will serve as an advocate/representative in certain key spaces, and will also assist with preparing senior team members who take on external representation duties. Representation - Serve, as assigned, as representative in strategic spaces. This could include representing the organisation at conferences (panel discussions, speaking slots), holding one-one briefings or small meetings with stakeholders (in person or virtually), and undertaking media relations work. Media relations will likely include interviews, op-ed drafting, and letters to editors. Close collaboration with the communications team will be essential to identify story hooks/ideas and translating these into external profiles.

Build strong relationships with identified counterparts at stakeholder organisations. Hold regular check-ins and updates with these partners as appropriate. - Serve as lead representative in selected coalition/membership spaces, helping to align and advance the organisation and coalition policy positions. - Hold briefing events or conversations for key donors and partners (existing or potential). Preparation - In collaboration with the Communications and Global Resource Mobilisation Departments, identify and secure strategic representation opportunities for senior leaders such as Heads of Department and Country Directors. - Ensure leaders are well prepared for these opportunities, through the preparation of briefing packs and talking points. - Where appropriate, attend meetings alongside other representatives to field queries and move forward with follow-up actions. Coordination (15%) - Ensure the smooth coordination of internal policy working group, including: o Scheduling and chairing meetings o Preparing meeting agendas, supporting materials, and distributing these in a timely fashion o Minuting the meetings, and following up on actions as required - Maintain an organisational policy and advocacy calendar, and collaborate with relevant colleagues to ensure key processes/dates are included in communications and resource mobilisation strategies. - Coordinate knowledge management across policy and advocacy activities/actions (i.e., creating internal sites and processes to document and track activities, lessons learned, evaluation of efforts, etc.)