Background:
CRS’ work in Latin America and the Caribbean has reached a watershed moment. Senior staff throughout the region are exploring new models and approaches that will revitalize CRS’ work in this part of the world. At the same time, the context in which we operate as an international development agency is evolving at a faster pace than ever before. Decades-old assumptions regarding donor trends and priorities and partner relationships are no longer sound.
Donors are shifting their focus beyond working with local NGOs to provide services to the poor, toward strategies and initiatives that demonstrate a capacity to influence government policy and programs, private sector investment decisions, and corporate behavior. The private sector is increasingly called upon to create business solutions for development problems. The fact that governments are working with the private sector to solve these problems represents a dramatic shift in the field of international development.
CRS LACRO is seeking to create new models and approaches that lead to greater impact on reducing poverty and assisting the marginalized throughout the region. Over the next decade CRS LACRO will actively promote broad based social change initiatives in the Latin American and Caribbean region. The LACRO Region will do this by focusing on four signature areas: agro-enterprise, water resource management, urban youth-at-risk, and disaster mitigation and response and achieve greater impact by convening partners and allies to influence change in systems, structures and relationships in a way that empowers the poor. CRS supports partners overseas to engage directly in policy initiatives and conducts direct campaigns with partners in the United States.
Primary Functions:
The primary role of the RTA for Advocacy is to support the CRS LACRO region and country programs in the development of guidelines, strategies and staff and partner capacities necessary to foster short, medium and long term social change initiatives and develop CRS LACRO’s influence agenda. The position will work closely with the CRS LACRO Influence Research Group to develop policy positions, and influence strategies around the sectors of agrienterprise and water and with CRS country programs and partners to support staff capacity building and the development of influence strategies for their programs. The RTA for Advocacy will also coordinate with CRS headquarters staff on the components of the LACRO strategy that are relevant to the United States and Agency advocacy priorities and ensure development of policy/advocacy initiatives and positions within the framework of CRS partnership principles and relationship with local Church partners according to CRS´ guidance. In the context of the LACRO strategy, to have greater “Influence” signifies an expanded and intentional impact on public policies and practices, public debate, fostering cross sector engagement, developing industry standards, applied research, mobilizing the poor and designing mechanisms and models for implementing solutions.
Specific Responsibilities:
- Support the CRS/LACRO Regional Influence Strategy process and development of Policy Questions/Issues
a. Support the LACRO DRD for Justice Global Solidarity and Growth in a systematic process for field consultation and shaping the overall CRS influence agenda in Latin America, including identifying and articulating priorities and building staff and partner capacities.
b. Support the DRD in the development of the regional influence strategy including the definition of priority issues, identification of target institutions/decision makers articulation of key messages and strategy; working in close collaboration with LACRO IRG and Country Programs..
c. Capture innovations, learning and define key policy and advocacy recommendations for internal policy documents case studies, white papers, etc. ; focusing on the key influence/advocacy issues for LACRO singarture programming areas and using technical inputs form IRG and RTAS and other sources.
d. Structure consultation, review, and ensure application of approval processes on key advocacy initiatives with stakeholders in CRS.(i.e. relevant DRD’s, IRG, LACRO Country Programs, PQSD, Advocacy Department, etc.)
e. Coordinate with Country Program staff and provide orientation to CRS’ participation in key initiatives relevant to the Strategic Issues (Global Water Initiative, Extractives, slave labor, youth etc.) Includes providing advice on CRS positions, entry points, and content/recommendations on strategies
f. Ensure Country programs understand the CRS advocacy relationship with Church actors and adhere to CRS policy.
- Provide support for and/or Manage the development of Research, Briefing and Policy Papers, Testimony and Publications on the Strategic Issues.
a. The RTA will support research, policy/issues identification & analysis in conjunction with the IRG
b. Develop reports, educational materials and briefing papers to advance innovative practices, promote learning and inform policy makers- in coordination with CRS Country Programs and partners and with Issue Advisors based in the US as appropriate
c. Write or manage the writing of internal and external briefing and policy papers, publications, research studies with members of the Influence Research Group
- Support Regional efforts to develop strategy and guidelines for cross sector engagement (CSE) especially with the private sector and advise on corporate responsibility trends, actors and advocacy.
a. Support roll out of cross sector engagement strategy, training and case studies on CSE from an influence perspective
b. Support updating of tools to assist country programs in building capacity for CSE from an influence perspective.
- Capacity Building for CRS LACRO
a. Provide technical support and guidance to field programs and partners in their policy/advocacy /influence agenda development.
b. The RTA will help the DRDs develop the influence indicators, tools and methodologies for use in the region and the Country Programs.
c. The RTA will be responsible for helping the region and CPs articulate theories of change and intended influence impacts.
d. The RTA will be responsible for fostering training of staff and partners in the advocacy agenda.
- Learning and Monitoring.
a. Help develop a monitoring system and evaluation program for advocacy work
b. Identify and share CRS lessons learned and promising practices of other agencies on policy/advocacy
c. Lead and inform Issue-specific Community of Practices or Working Groups
d. Support the work of other regional technical advisors in programming in signature and emerging programming areas and build technical capacity through trainings and design of training materials.
e. Coordinate learning agenda and support RTA for Knowledge, Management and Learning.
- Proposal Support/Resource Management
a. Provide technical assistance to CPs, the Church and other partners on policy positions, and on Strategic Program Plans and proposal development related to signature and emerging program areas
b. Foundations/Corporations and Major Gift Officers, field programs, and PQ
c. Represent CRS with potential donors on Strategic Issue as requested and appropriate
d. Manage relevant budget allocation, consultancies, workshops, research on public policy/ advocacy on Strategic Issues defined by the signature and emerging program areas.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff) These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.
• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning
Key Working Relationships:
INTERNAL: DRDs, IRG, CRs, RTAs, U.S. based Policy Advisors, Advocacy Department, Foundations and Corporate Engagement Unit, PQSD and Communications staff
EXTERNAL: Catholic Church and NGO Partners, Sectoral Coalitions
Personal Skills:
- Proven expertise in advocacy/influence and peacebuilding and working with local and national governments, preferably in Latin America.
- Exceptional communication skills and proven ability to work well within a dynamic and complex group of people.
- Strong representational skills in networking, and building strategic relations with government ministries, donors, and other key actors for advocacy and leveraging resources.
- Strong teamwork, coordination and strategic planning skills.
- Willingness to travel frequently throughout Latin America and occasionally to events outside the region.
- Excellent writing skills in English and Spanish. Proven abilities in report writing, and formal document writing including policy briefs, advocacy testimonies, etc. Willingness to work with project technical staff and managers to build skills in documenting experiences and lessons learned.
- Good facilitation skills for meetings and workshops
- A passion for learning and strategic thinking
Qualifications:
- Masters degree or equivalent experience in advocacy /social change relevant to a senior advocacy position in an international NGO.
- Minimum 10 years experience in advocacy work, and engaging multiple stakeholders to leverage influence preferably on issues related to or in Latin America
- Excellent communication skills, particularly in leading meetings, facilitating events, etc.
- Experience as a project manager: supervision, budget management, program planning, monitoring and evaluation
- Understanding and experience in developing coalitions, networking and partner capacity building
- Excellent referrals from a wide range of respondents that may include NGOs, donors, government representatives, etc.
- Experience working with the Catholic Church in Latin America regarding public policy and social change processes
Foreign Language Required:
• Bilingual: Spanish required. High proficiency for oral and written English and Spanish.
How to apply:
To apply, please visit http://crs.org/about/careers/ Search for requisition I1100
This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, efforts, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
EOE/M/F/D/V
