Agriculture Advocacy Officer
Location: Shinyanga, Tanzania
Level: National D1
Gross salary: 1,636,061
Contract Type: 2 year Fixed term Contract
About Oxfam
Oxfam is an International NGO working with others to find lasting solutions to overcome poverty and suffering in Tanzania and more than 80 other countries worldwide. In Tanzania, Oxfam GB is currently working in Ngorongoro district and Shinyanga region, focusing on Economic and Social justices including livelihoods diversification, basic education for children, humanitarian intervention on drought mitigation and governance. We have an on going agriculture scale-up initiatives geared at improving livelihoods of Smallholder farmers and producers in Shinyanga region. We work with national partners to mobilise citizen action in demanding accountability by the state, ultimately resulting in better use of public resources and delivery of quality public services especially in the areas of education, governance, pastoral and agriculture.
The role
We are currently looking for a dynamic and knowledgeable Agriculture Advocacy Officer to enhance the impact of our work in Tanzania.
Reporting to Economic Justices Programme Coordinator, you will be responsible for development, management and implementation of advocacy and campaign strategies in the Economic Justice Programme (EJ) in Shinyanga. You will support the existing structures of smallholder farmer organisations and building their capacity to function as communication and advocacy channels, building skills of farmer organisations as well as build the skills of value chain actors and partner organisations. You will work with partners in planning, delivering, monitoring and evaluating advocacy strategies aimed at improving delivery of agriculture policy, maintain the ongoing knowledge, understanding and analysis of relevant government and donor policy, practice and civil society campaign initiatives. Develop the relationships with lobby targets, including DCs, DEDs, DALDOs and other District Officers, donors, and international institutions.
To achieve this role, you will be required to liaise with Sub-sector Value Chain Advisors, you will facilitate Value Chain Actors Forums and steam-line discussions in identification of policies and practices that positively or negatively affect the efficiency of value chains and affect benefits for smallholder producers, liaise with Women Economic Leadership (WEL) Advisor and build social research findings, identify obstacles for WEL and build and support community lead campaigns, liaise with Governance team on building capacity of farmer animators, monitor their activities, and compile lessons from the field for sharing with farmers and partners. You will also work with partners, and allies to develop well-focused advocacy strategies, maintain long-term partnerships with Tanzanian civil society organisations, ensuring a strong link between grassroots and national-level work.
The person
The candidate suitable for this role will have significant experience of working in partnership with grassroots civil society organisations, national NGOs network and development agencies, you must have experience with participatory approaches in rural development, You need to have excellent conceptual knowledge and experience in monitoring and evaluation for enhancing learning and improvement of project implementation strategies, a proven experience of engaging with and influencing decision-makers, and a sound political judgment and sensitivity. Good knowledge and experience of working with Tanzanian and International or East-African national or regional campaign networks working on agriculture or trade policy and technical knowledge of development policy in Tanzania are key to the role.
To be successful in this role you need to have a demonstrable understanding and commitment on promoting gender equity and putting the interests of marginalised people in all advocacy work, an understanding of Tanzanian campaigns, movements and civil society organisations, and of the functioning of key players in development sector, ability to use policy analysis, research, lobbying, public campaigning, media, communications and alliance-building to influence a political agenda.Strong communications skills and campaigning experience demonstrated by impact on significant policy change.
To apply
If you believe you are the candidate we are looking for, please submit your application and CV, detailing your experience for the post by apply online at www.oxfam.org.uk/jobs you are advised to use advert REF INT and job title
The closing date for all these applications is Friday 24th June 2011
