About Brooke

Brooke is an international animal welfare charity working to improve the lives of working horses, donkey and mules and the people who depend on them. We reach over 2 million working animals across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Our staffs include vets, animal welfare experts and advocacy and development specialists. Our aim is to equip local people with the knowledge and skills to give their horses, donkeys or mules a lasting better life.

In Ethiopia, Brooke works with stakeholders and partner organisations who take leadership to transform the lives of vulnerable working donkeys, horses and mules by relieving their immediate suffering and creating lasting change.

Our Vision: Our vision is of a world in which working horses, donkeys and mules are free from suffering and have a life worth living.

Our Mission: Our mission is to achieve immediate and lasting positive change to the lives of vulnerable working horses, donkeys and mules and the communities that depend on them. We do this by working with people, communities and organisations.

Our Values: We are proud to be Brooke. We are resourceful, share new ideas and help each other succeed. Together we make change happen.

We are currently implementing our new strategy 2025 – ‘A Life Worth Living’. The strategy builds on the tradition, heritage and outstanding work that Brooke has achieved since 1934. But it also marks a bold, new level of ambition for the future of working horses, donkeys and mules and those who depend on them. Brooke’s vision has evolved as we want more for working equids than just the eradication of suffering. 

 Thus, over the next few years Brooke works to meet the following Global Goals:

• Global Goal 1: Transforming equine welfare in communities helping them to thrive and become more resilient. Generally aimed at enabling the wider equine owning communities to bring attitudinal and behavioural changes towards equine welfare improvement in rural and urban areas.

• Global Goal 2: Influence the visibility and inclusion of equid needs in policy and practices at all levels, including disaster and emergency preparedness. Aimed at lobbying for animal welfare conducive Policies and strategies being endorsed and enforced.  Working with empowered stakeholders and networks to be implement AW policies. This includes building on evidence on the contribution of working equids to people’s livelihoods, and undertaking coordinated actions with the global and regional networks against Donkey hide trade

• Global goal 3: Develop sustainable animal health systems that meet the immediate and future needs of working horses, donkeys and mules. Working with key stakeholders to building the capacity of animal health providers, Farriers, working with universities, promoting access to welfare friendly animal health infrastructures in hard-to-reach areas and promoting access to essential veterinary medicines to the health work force.

Brooke is building on a movement of change, while developing an organization fit for the future and creating the best place to work and succeed

Purpose of the Role

1.     The entire population of donkeys in African region is at a risk due to donkey hide trade driven by the highly demanding ejiao industry in China. The hides are boiled to produce gelatine used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. With hundreds of thousands of donkeys slaughtered and exported from Africa each year, there is no doubt that donkey numbers across Africa have been decimated, causing a crisis for animals and people.

 In Ethiopia, and indeed the region, donkeys are important working animals for rural, peri-urban and urban communities who rely on them for transport services and tillage operations. From 2018 census, Ethiopia had a population of 8.8 million donkeys. However, the currently operational donkey slaughter houses in Ethiopia and licenced slaughter houses in neighbouring countries like Kenya has been endangering the donkey population in the country and the livelihood of the community who depend on these working animals. Having huge population of equine, Ethiopia continued to be the main source of the ever growing and demanding donkey skin trade. Brooke Ethiopia is calling for a ban on the illegal Donkey Trade and a crackdown on cross border smuggling of donkeys into Kenya for their skins.

 2.     Among other developments, the Brooke is working to improve equine inclusive animal health service through capacity building to veterinary professionals, strengthening drug and vaccine revolving fund, development of standard veterinary clinics, working on access to essential veterinary medicines. Years of experience indicate that much has to be done at system level to promote the veterinary service and embracement of animal welfare, and specifically equine welfare. It is believed that a stronger and concerted advocacy work is required to further promote for better animal welfare and veterinary service, and equine inclusive livestock development in the country. 

Key Responsibilities and Duties

•   In consultation with the Country Director and Senior Manager for Advocacy and Fundraising, he/she will develop and execute well-defined high-level campaign and advocacy plan that target opinion leaders and policy influencers around advocating for the crackdown on cross border smuggling donkeys. 

• Advise the line manager and country team by suggesting better strategies, planning and lead the implementation of crackdown of the ongoing Donkey Skin Trade;

• Develop and cultivate linkages and relationships in the wider development and working equine welfare sector, including in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals

• He/she will work in establishing or maintaining important networks and strategic links to key influencers and decision makers within Government, non-Governmental organizations and UN agencies to influence policies for better animal welfare and health policies, and equine inclusive veterinary service.   

• In collaboration with Communication Officer, leads consistent and targeted media actions for increased awareness about the contribution of equine to economy, livelihood and the possible crisis of donkey hide trade, while at the same time able to raise awareness on the Brooke’s position.

• The Advocacy Advisor will build compelling cases and arguments basing credible evidences built on impact of the trade which can be used for the crackdown of illegal donkey trade.

• Research and policy development: Working with the Brooke UK team, lead the development of clear, innovative, consistent and coherent messaging regarding Donkey Skin Trade.

• Support the Policy and Research coordinator in the development of high-quality analysis, policy briefings, recommendations and positions relating to our advocacy and policy priorities.

• Proactively engage in the process of the illegal donkey smuggling assessment and feed the global policy and advocacy.

• Strengthen ties with critical mass of strategic advocates and lobby groups (celebrities such as musicians, athletes, etc) to advocate our voice and links in other sectors/SDGs that are also affected by the trade

• Identification and assessment of any strategic risks including appropriate mitigation measures

• Representation of Brooke Ethiopia in key relevant national, regional and international forums

• Support community level BE interventions against donkey smuggling and compile lessons for further advocacy.

• Lead on specific advocacy / policy influencing opportunities and ensure a coherent approach for influencing through networks.

• Ensure high quality delivery of events, activities and communications necessary to deliver in-line with BE Country Policy and Practice strategy (e.g. workshops, position papers, briefings, consultations, roundtables, online media).

• Proactively identify and develop external relationships with NGOs, government agencies and UN agencies to meet our Country advocacy objectives.

• Identify possible policy engagement areas related to equine health and welfare and support the country office in the development proposals for grants. 

General

• Follow the Brooke’s equal opportunities statement which aims to clarify the value we place on diversity and steps we take to promote equality of opportunity for all.

• Perform such additional tasks as may reasonably be requested from time to time by the Line Manager.

• Adhere at all times to Brooke’s policies and procedures  

Job Requirements

• Relevant university degree from a recognized university

• At least 10 years proven professional experience in campaigns, Advocacy, communication and policy influencing 

• Experience in developing effective relationships with government and sector/ organizational wide representation at senior level.

• Awareness of continental, regional and country specific animal welfare issues and links to development agenda

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Strong interpersonal, networking and organizational skills

• Proven research and evaluation skills

• Sensitive to social and cultural issues

How to Apply

If you are interested in the job and fulfil the above requirements, please send ONLY your updated CV and application letter through THIS LINK

Please also include 3 references from the current and former of your employers.