Advocacy Advisor

**Context**:
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural disasters. MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.

(Operational) Advocacy refers to the capacity to formulate and implement strategic initiatives, based on reliable data and evidence, in order to address medical and humanitarian issues faced by populations MSF brings medical and humanitarian assistance to. This can be done in various ways, by fostering change in others’ practices and policies, or under certain circumstances, by speaking out about the plight of populations in danger. It complements MSF’s medical interventions as a key component of MSF’s social mission and is fully anchored in operational strategies.

Over the last years, MSF Operations Center in Geneva (OCG) has set an ambition to further invest in advocacy and analytical capacity to reinforce the delivery of its social mission. Following this ambition, an “Advocacy Unit” was set up in the Operations Department, under the lead of one Head of Unit. It is currently composed of 3 advisors, in charge of priority contexts and specific thematic defined within Operations, in coordination with other key stakeholders such as the Medical Department.

**Mission**:
Under the supervision of the Head of Advocacy Unit, and in close coordination with Programs Responsibles (RP), and acting as a sparring partner to them, the Advocacy Advisor is responsible for supporting missions and operational cells in analysis, development, and implementation of advocacy strategies in mission, and in the definition of OCG positioning on key issues.

At cell level, s/he primarily works with the RP, his/her deputy (ARP), the Medical Program Responsible (RMP), the Communication Advisor (CA).

S/he interacts with mission team (especially Field Advocacy staff, Head of Mission, Medical Coordinator, Communication Manager) on issues related to analysis, advocacy and positioning. S/he acts as a technical referent to field advocacy staff. S/he interacts as well with analysis and negotiation advisors.

Under the supervision of the Head of Advocacy Unit s/he is the guardian of the implementation of MSF OCG Advocacy Framework and participates in moving forward the advocacy agenda within the organization.

**Tasks and Responsibilities**

Ensuring MSF OCG operational advocacy framework is respected, and in close collaboration with operational, medical and communication teams, and the advocacy unit, s/he:

- Acts as a sparring partner to RPs/ARPs and the Heads of Mission on analysis, advocacy and positioning issues/efforts:_
- Provides strategic inputs to RPs/ARPs and Heads of Missions (and other cell and mission members, especially medical and communication function) on political context, humanitarian affairs, health concerns, advocacy engagement and positioning issues.
- Leads and supports on the process of information gathering (political and/or context) and documentation to strengthen contextual and humanitarian analysis and advocacy responses.
- Provides field operations with political and contextual analysis shaping the humanitarian and health landscapes and issues MSF wants to leverage or influence, bringing in the regional dynamic when needed.
- Leads and advises the field on the process of gathering, analyzing and synthesis of information/data.
- Promote coherence between advocacy and negotiation efforts.
- Contributes to the development of the mission strategy as a key member of a cell.
- Supports the development and implementation of mission advocacy strategies under her/his portfolio:_
- Leads, with cells and mission teams, the identification of key advocacy issues of concern.
- Leads and supports missions in the development (and implementation) of realist advocacy strategies.
- Acts as a technical referent on advocacy issues for both cells and missions (i.e., data collection and methodology, analysis and advocacy tools, etc.) to strengthen evidence-based advocacy responses.
- Leads and supports the process to conduct research to help address country specific or thematic humanitarian/medical issues and brings inside (or outside) expertise as appropriate.
- Leads and supports the drafting of position papers, briefing documents, and public reports.
- Specifically engages and support field advocacy staff as an advocacy technical referent and provides them with all the necessary technical support needed.
- Undertakes field visits as needed, to support and monitor the development of advocacy strategies.
- Follows advocacy HR planning and resource allocation under her/his portfolio.
- Ensures that all advocacy efforts are done in coordination and collaboration with operational, medical, communication and negotiation teams.
- Promotes and encourages coherent external engagem