JOB PROFILE
Job Title: Head of Education Advocacy Place of Work: Farringdon Grade: 1 Reports to: Director of Advocacy Line Management One- adviser level post Responsibility: Budget Responsibility: None Child Protection Level: 1
Job purpose: To lead Save the Children’s policy and advocacy on education; in a way that t builds our influence, credibility and profile, and links to our programme knowledge and experience
Key accountabilities To lead Save the Children’s Education policy and advocacy in the UK and globally, providing clear strategic direction and delivering on ambitious objectives
To lead and manage a high performing team, providing direction, support, space, motivation and opportunities for staff development
To play a leading role in the organisation’s policy and advocacy work on education across Save the Children internationally, including our work on education in emergencies
To represent Save the Children externally, at a senior level, actively networking and building relationships, with a particular emphasis on the UK government and parliament the EU, UNESCO, the World Bank and other relevant actors.
To build effective advocacy relationships with other civil society organisations, including through formal networks and coalitions, and to forge new and innovative partnerships for influence
To develop new, influential policy research, analysis, reports and briefings on education, in areas such as gender and education financing
To ensure alignment between education plans in the Policy and Advocacy Division and the Education Programme Policy and Quality team.
Comply with the requirements of SC UK’s child protection policies and other staff policies.
1 To play a key role as part of the corporate Senior Leadership Team To perform such other responsibilities as may be required from time to time in order to ensure the smooth running of the team, the Advocacy Department and the Policy and Advocacy Division. .
Person specification Significant policy and/or advocacy experience in education, demonstrating strategic thinking and planning skills Drive to achieve results and ability to spot and utilise opportunities to achieve change Proven ability to think and plan strategically Proven ability to lead a high performing team A track record of advocacy success and a knowledge and understanding of key policy debates, institutional actors and strategic opportunities Strong analytical and policy skills, and the ability to develop and manage research and policy projects Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and an ability to tailor communication to a wide variety of external audiences Proven line and project management experience (including experience of setting common objectives, quality control, evaluation, motivation, performance management, development and training) and strong team- building skills. Proven ability to work in a complex organisation, across thematic, functional and national boundaries and to build effective working relationships A willingness to travel, often at short notice, and occasionally to remote and insecure locations A proven ability to take initiative and manage a complex workload, working at times to short deadlines; Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children. In particular, a good understanding of the Save the Children mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin all aspects of work.
Working contacts
Internal: regular contact with the Policy and Advocacy Division Senior Leadership Team, , some Director and Board level contact, Education Programme Policy and Quality team, media, communications, and the director of the Save the Children International education global initiative, senior country staff. Extensive contacts with other Save the Children members
External: Senior external contacts for purposes of influencing, and building effective networks: UN agencies (particularly UNICEF, UNESCO), donors (particularly UK and European), the World Bank, parliamentarians, other NGOs, academics, professional associations, media, and the private sector.
2