[Vacancy] Advocacy Officer

Job purpose

An Advocacy Officer is responsible for developing and implementing advocacy strategies to influence policy decisions of the country by engaging with stakeholders, conducting research, creating campaigns, and communicating key messages to promote a specific cause or issue, often working with government officials, media, and community groups to achieve desired policy change. Overall, the role is expected to perform the following key functions:

• Work across multiple programmes and teams within Soul City Institute, ensuring a coordinated and impactful approach to advocacy to advance gender justice, sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) and social justice.
• Lead policy research, stakeholder engagement, campaign coordination and data- driven advocacy initiatives that influence decision-makers and empower marginalised communities
• Develop strategic plans for agreed advocacy objectives.
• Responsible for monitoring the implementation of targeted campaigns, updating these as appropriate
• Use knowledge and insight into the political environment to inform the organisation’s advocacy action
• Develop policy positions and other useful resources in relation to the advocacy objectives.

Key performance activities areas

Strategy

• In close collaboration with the Communications and Advocacy Manager develop and implement the organisation’s advocacy strategy that will seek to influence national and regional policies related to SRHR, gender-based violence (GBV), and social justice
• Analyse political landscapes and identify key advocacy priorities and opportunities, developing comprehensive advocacy plans to influence policy.
• Conduct policy research and gather data to support advocacy positions of the organisation, tracking legislative and budgetary developments that impact young women, girls, and marginalised communities.
• Conduct data-driven advocacy, using qualitative and quantitative research to strengthen policy recommendations and campaign impact.
• Produce four advocacy briefs or reports per year, ensuring evidence-based recommendations for policy change.
• Ensure that all advocacy messages and documents are evidence- based and of high quality.

Development and implementation

• Outreach and Relationship Building:
  • Build and maintain relationships with government institutions, civil society organisations, donors and advocacy networks to advance the organisation’s advocacy agenda.
  • Engage and work closely with feminist networks, grassroots organisations and gender justice movements, ensuring that advocacy efforts reflect the lived realities of marginalised groups
  • Lobby decision-makers to support desired policy changes.
  • Leverage strategic contacts within the gender justice and feminist movement to strengthen collective advocacy efforts.
  • Represent Soul City Institute in advocacy coalitions and working groups and participate in network and alliance meetings, events and forums at National, regional and international levels
• Communication and Advocacy Campaign Management:
  • Develop and execute targeted and high impact advocacy campaigns, including media strategies and public awareness initiatives, ensuring alignment with Soul City’s broader mission
  • Collaborate with the Communications officer to develop compelling campaign messaging, toolkits, and media engagement strategies such as policy briefs, press releases, and presentations.
  • Utilise and leverage social media and digital advocacy tools and platforms to promote and amplify the organisation’s advocacy messages and engage diverse audiences.
  • Organise and facilitate public engagement events, dialogues, and capacity-building workshops to mobilise community voices in advocacy efforts.
  • Ensure effective information flow and communication with all relevant stakeholders including partners
• Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Work closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation team to develop frameworks that track advocacy outcomes and inform future interventions.
  • Track and evaluate the effectiveness of advocacy efforts and report on key progress of advocacy campaigns and identify areas for improvement.
  • Document case studies, best practices, and advocacy impact stories to demonstrate progress and influence stakeholders.

Person specifications

Education and certification

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, political science, international relations, gender studies, public health, or a related field.
• At least five years of experience in advocacy, policy engagement and stakeholder management.

Essential experience

• Political Acumen & Strategic Thinking: Ability to navigate complex policy environments and political sensitivities in gender justice and SRHR advocacy.
• Media Engagement: Ability to engage with the media, contribute to opinion pieces, and leverage press coverage for advocacy goals.
• Experience in feminist movement-building.
• Knowledge of regional and international human rights frameworks related to gender and SRHR.
• Experience in media engagement and digital advocacy strategies.
• Experience in policy analysis, research and legislative advocacy, including drafting parliamentary submissions.
• Demonstrated ability to run impactful advocacy campaigns that mobilise communities and influence decision-makers.

Essential skills and Competencies

• Commitment to feminist principles and social justice.
• Strong knowledge of SRHR, GBV, feminist advocacy and social justice issues in South Africa and the region.
• Astute stakeholder engagement skills, with an existing network within the gender justice and feminist movement.
• Strong writing and analytical skills, with experience producing policy briefs, advocacy reports and position papers.
• Ability to work across multiple programmes and teams, ensuring alignment between advocacy efforts and organisational priorities.
• Excellent presentation, communications, and negotiation
• Networking, influencing and interpersonal skills
• Crisis management and conflict resolution
• Planning, organisation, time management, and coordination
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Proficiency in MS Office
• Work on own initiative with minimum supervision and to stay on task.
• Work under pressure and tight deadline
• A self-starter who is creative, diplomatic, mature and decisive o Willingness to travel
• Own car and valid driver’s license

This is an internal & external advert!

This is an EE position. Preference will be given to people with disabilities and particularly women.

Closing date for applications: Friday, 14th march 2025, 16h30.
Please forward your cv and cover letter to: recruitment@soulcity.org.za