The Opportunity

Our global strategy “All girls standing strong creating global change” has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalized and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 200 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality in both humanitarian and development settings. Our organisation is transforming itself to meet the enormous challenge everywhere we work. We need bold, forward-thinking, and innovative individuals to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to reach our target of 200 million girls.

The African Union (AU) is the primary pan African Inter-Governmental platform for promoting and protecting human rights, including the rights of children.

The purpose of this role is to influence the AU to drive changes in policy and practice across Africa to improve the situation for children’s rights and equality for girls.

Specifically, the role is charged with the following accountabilities:

Influencing AU

• Accountable for defining and delivering Plan’s engagement with the AU and all its entities with clear and achievable priorities that ensure results are achieved for children’s rights and equality for girls

• Accountable for building relationships and collaboration between Plan, AU bodies, African Policy making institutions, civil society and inter-governmental organizations and government missions, and their staff, in order to develop and enhance co-operation at the AU to achieve impact on issues related to children’s rights and equality for girls.

• Accountable for establishing Plan as a recognized and respected organization among those working for the AU and for government or non-government missions to the AU so that the organization is sought out by decision-makers and activists on issues related to children’s rights and equality for girls.

• Accountable for gaining access for Plan to relevant AU related forums and events and using the space to influence for the furtherance of Plan’s Purpose.

Managing AULO and team within the MEESA and WACA regions

• Accountable for management of the AULO presence in Addis Ababa and for the performance of the Team

• Accountable for informing Plan Country Offices in Africa about events and influencing opportunities related to the AU and enabling them to engage effectively.

• Accountable for safeguarding within Plan at any event or activity in which the AU Liaison Office is involved and for ensuring that all staff and visitors at the AU Liaison Office understand their obligations to protect children and from harm, abuse and exploitation as detailed in the organisation's Child protection policy.

• Accountable for raising sufficient income for the office and for accountabilities related to that income.

Engaging globally on African issues

• Accountable for raising issues from Africa at the EU and UN through close collaboration with the EU and UN liaison offices, and for engaging with the other liaison offices and global advocacy teams on big policy moments such as CSW, HLPF, UNGA, CPD.

Job Requirements

• Excellent understanding of child rights and/or human rights within international relations

• A deep and thorough understanding of the AU system gained through extensive experience of program and networking experience, including within AU institutions.

• Intercultural understanding and excellent representational, networking and communication skills

• Extensive understanding of advocacy-based programme approaches.

• Extensive understanding of Child Rights issues, with a strong understanding of the African dimensions of this.

• Extensive experience of hands on project cycle management experience.

• Extensive knowledge of pan African institutions, especially the AU, and a broad accessible network at pan African level.

• Extensive experience in building partnerships with pan African institutions, especially with the AU organizations.

How to Apply

Register using the following LINK