ThaiNGO

                                                             Plan International Thailand

Job Advertisement: Advocacy and Influencing Lead

Plan International is an international humanitarian, child-centered development organization, advancing children’s rights and equality for girls.

Position:  Advocacy and Influencing Lead

Reports to: Director, Programme Innovation and Impact

Duty station: Bangkok

Travel required: Travel within Thailand

JOB BACKGROUND:  

Plan International strives for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries. We are independent of governments and have no political or religious affiliation. 

Plan International Thailand (PIT) has been working in Thailand in 1981 and most of its work is now located in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and the greater Bangkok area with projects also in Tak, Trat and Phang Nga provinces.  Over the years, Plan International Thailand’s work has covered the areas of Child Protection, Early Childhood Care and Development, Disaster Risk Management, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, advancing rights of stateless and migrant children and youth, fair recruitment practices for migrant families, and youth economic empowerment, especially for girls.  During FY 2019 – 2022, Plan International Thailand has focused on three Country Programme Areas: 1) Gender and women’s empowerment and justice, 2) Children on the move, and 3) Legal status and citizenship. 

Plan International Thailand’s country strategy (2022-27) will deepen the organization’s focus on advancing children’s rights and striving for equality of girls and youth in all of their diversity in Thailand.  Particular focus will be on gender transformative approaches with Plan International’s Areas of Global Distinctiveness (AOGD) programme areas on youth employment and empowerment, sexual reproductive health and rights, protection, and empowering children and youth to advance their rights and decide on their own life course. 

Dimensions of the role:

The Advocacy and Influencing Lead serves as the overall Advocacy and Influencing focal point for Plan International Thailand and works across all country strategy AOGD programmes with specific focus on supporting the AOGD LEAD programme team and partners. 

Accountabilities:

Overall:

The Advocacy and Influencing Lead ensures that Plan International Thailand and implementing partner staff are well versed on relevant advocacy and influencing channels and plans and that projects implemented by Plan International Thailand have planned specific goals and objectives towards achieving policy change for their specific programme and rights focus. S/he will provide specific advice and technical inputs in the AOGD LEAD programme team to ensure the achievement of its targets and outcomes as planned in the CS 2022-27 of PlT.

Advocacy and Influencing programming across organization and with local partners

• Contribute thought-leadership for the implementation of country strategy objectives contextualized with Plan International’s 2022-27 Global Strategy and Advocacy and Influencing channels and recommendations;
• Provide regular technical support to Country Office to ensure advocacy and influencing objectives in 2022-27 country strategy are achieved;
• Work closely with Plan programme, Youth Advisory Committee, and local partner teams to develop and implement their project advocacy and influencing strategies / plans, including driving policy and practice changes at local to national levels; 
• Build on Plan International Thailand’s commitment to gender equality, rights and inclusion for girls’ and youth in all of their diversity rights;
• Promote the consistent use gender inclusiveness as embedded in Plan’s Global Strategy and policies on Advocacy and influencing, which enables Plan’s analysis, policies and programmed to become a centre of excellence on gender equality in Thailand;
• Lead a strategic process of self-reflection and bench-marking on Advocacy and Influencing components of respective projects / programmes across organization and partner organizations;
• Lead the process of monitoring Plan International’s capacity and future needs on advocacy and influencing initiatives among country team and partners;
• Provide practical oversight for planning and using national events and campaigns and International Days as opportunities to broaden awareness of policy and social issues around country strategy AOGD programmes.
• Work closely with Communications and PR Officer and other Technical Leads for leading campaigns and awareness raising activities and events;
• Actively engage in and contribute to local civil society networks in Thailand as well as regional and global Advocacy networks;
• Lead coordination and collaboration with the various governmental ministries at national level while supporting similar advocacy initiatives at local levels;
• Build and nurture coalitions, partnerships and networks in Thailand to drive policy and practise changes for advancing rights of children, girls and youth in all of their diversity;
• Serve as Plan International Thailand’s primary advocacy and influencing focal point.

LEAD AOGD programme focus area

• Support all AOGD programme teams with advocacy and influencing trainings / workshops as needed;  
• As technical lead for AOGD LEAD programme, and in close collaboration with Resource Mobilization and Learning & Evidence base teams, provide core inputs for development of innovative concept notes, proposals for range of donors;
• Ensure compliance and visibility for AOGD Lead programmes with support from Communications and PR Officer;
• M&E reporting to build evidence base and monitor impact in Plan Thailand’s AOGD programme areas on  LEAD;  
• Support LEAD AOGD programme team with HR planning, procurement / supply chain planning, mapping future funding needs with Resource Mobilization and Learning & Evidence base teams.

Youth Advisory Committee

• Oversees establishment and terms of reference of Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) in consultation with Programme teams and CMT;
• With programme teams, identifies youth representative membership to YAC;
• Facilitates YAC involvement in preparation of concept notes and project ideas based on their needs and advocacy plans;
• Together with project teams and within scope of project interventions, identifies and mentors girls and youth in all of their diversity as champions for change to participate in national, regional, and global forums and to address related challenges and solutions to duty bearers and decision makers from local to national level.

Internal coordination and teamwork

• Develop with Programme team, other Technical Leads, Resource Mobilization and Learning & Evidence base teams, ensures advocacy and influencing strategies and activities are embedded in concept notes, project designs, and proposals and in close consultation with Youth Advisory Committee; 
• Liaises with Resource Mobilization and Learning & Evidence base teams to apply strong evidence base on policies and practices in Thailand during project design process and to analyse impacts on advocacy campaigns in ongoing projects / programmes;
• Develop and drive key advocacy and influencing messaging across Plan International internal and external communications with Communications & PR Officer;
• Updates internal Plan International global reports on country-led policy advocacy and influencing programming;
• Builds staff and partner capability in advocacy and influencing approaches and channels issues;

ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

• University or advanced degrees in social sciences or related field; 
• Demonstrated 3 years or more of relevant professional experience;  
• Proven track record of INGO/NGO project management in complex humanitarian settings and environment;
• Solid understanding of topical issues and rights impacting children, especially girls, and youth in all of their diversity in Thailand;
• Strong understanding of development and civil society sectors in the Asia Pacific region;
• Experience of working with international coalitions and civil society networks; 
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills in conducting capacity building initiatives for local partners in strategic, influencing and advocacy programming;
• Strong conceptual, analytical, negotiation, teamworking and networking skills;
• Demonstrated youth and youth group engagement skills;
• Strong support and commitment to children’s rights, gender equality, and social inclusion
• Practical working knowledge and use relevant software (MS Office) and other platforms for effective communication / media channels;
• Excellent interpersonal and team communication skills through variety of approaches;
• Excellent knowledge of spoken and written English;
• Thai nationality.

How to apply:

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are required to submit a motivational letter, a comprehensive CV and details of at least 3 referees via E-mail only to: preedee.ittipong@plan-international.org

Closing date for applications:   15 July 2022

Reference & background checks will be performed for successful candidates including clearances on child related offences in conformity with Plan’s Child Protection Policy. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.