Company Profile

Oxfam is a rights-based global development organization with more than 70 years of experience in more than 90 countries worldwide. Oxfam’s mission is to end the injustice of poverty and inequality through systemic change and the advancement of political, economic and social rights. Oxfam has been working in Ghana since 1986, managing programs related to food security and livelihoods, universal access to education and healthcare and transparency and accountability in extractive industries (mining, oil and gas).

Oxfam’s experience in Ghana and strong partnerships with government institutions, Ghanaian civil society organizations and NGOs supports the delivery of active and innovative programs and advocacy work seeking to improve the livelihoods of Ghanaians and strengthen citizen accountability. Oxfam in Ghana currently works in 11 out of Ghana’s 16 administrative regions.

Job Description

• Internal Job Grade - C1
• Contract type - Open contract (If Fixed Term state contract length)
• Reporting to - Head of Programmes and Campaigns
• Staff reporting to this post - Two (2) – Education Policy Coordinator and Health Policy Coordinator
• Locations - International/West Africa/Ghana
• Annual Budget - To be determined

Oxfam is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

Shaping a stronger Oxfam for people living in poverty.

Team Purpose
The Equality Programme team’s purpose is to maximize Oxfam’s impact on addressing inequalities in Ghana through engaging with governments at local, national, regional and global levels to provide publicly funded universal health care and free quality education for active citizenship.

Job Purpose
To formulate and ensure execution of Oxfam in Ghana’s programmes on the fight against inequality in public services (Education and Health) accordance with the strategic direction formulated by Country Leadership Team, ensuring an integrated campaigning, advocacy, and influencing work that optimally supports the realisation of Oxfam’s overall objectives.

As Equality Programme and Influencing Lead, you will have significant responsibilities working on policies and programmes to reduce extreme poverty, social exclusion and vulnerability related to education and health. You will engage with senior levels in national and local governments, and at levels of influence with partners from civil society and private sector. You will gain exciting opportunities to link to Oxfam’s broader global policy and research work as a member of the Education Community of Practice and Influencing and Even it Up Campaign.

You lead and shapes policy and strategy formulation in relation to free quality public education and health.

Dimensions

• Manage, motivate and inspire programme staff and team members as assigned to maximise full potential
• Development, management and implementation of long-term advocacy, campaign and influencing strategies, delivering on Oxfam’s mission to achieve changes in policy and practice, and contributing to regional and global campaigns.
• Achievement of goals through influencing external and internal policies and agendas, using sound political judgment, sensitivity, and strong influencing and negotiating skills.
• Identifying, building and management of significant external relationships, including with partners, allies, advocacy targets and media contacts, and forging close collaboration with some of these.
• Forward-looking development of work plans and effective management of projects, budgets and partnership agreements.
• Accompaniment and building influencing and advocacy skills of partner organisations and understanding of colleagues.
• Provision of specialist advice and specific skills to mainstream and reinforce influencing work with partners.
• Management of complex internal relationships, including with Oxfam programme staff, regional and global influencing staff, and advocacy colleagues within other Oxfam affiliates and Oxfam International.
• Making strategic and informed decisions, based on technical expertise, consultation with colleagues and allies, political analysis and strong problem-solving skills.
• Analysis, interpretation, production and communication of complex information.
• Significant representation of Oxfam to the media and other external audiences, requiring an understanding of how to manage our reputation.
• Development and support of alliances, networks and coalitions, as appropriate.
• Adaptation to changing context and opportunities.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Direction and Management

• Advise on the formulation and execution of the free quality public education and health programme direction of Oxfam in Ghana, in order to contribute to the realisation of the overall objective of the organisation in an integrative manner
• Provide social, political and poverty analysis and gender and inclusion inputs into strategy, policy and programmes.
• Inform and influence important national and global processes and frameworks, including: overall Oxfam strategy and business development plans; delivering commitments to Oxfam Global Change Goals; key national economic and social strategies, social policy and social protection frameworks and systems; and multi-sector education and health plans
• Build and manage strategic relationship with senior government officials, ministers and external partners
• Generate and apply evidence, bringing skills in rigorous mixed (qualitative and quantitative) research, monitoring and impact assessment, to advance understanding of what works, where and why, and to demonstrate returns on Oxfam’s investment
• Contribute to and influence policy in relation to education and health rights

People Management

• Lead, motivate, and manage the programme team members as assigned to maximise full potential.
• Ensure the effective performance of team through annual performance goals and performance reviews, capacity reviews within the team and develop personal development plans to improve team capacity
• Provide guidance and feedback for staff on project design, implementation and monitoring
• Contribute to the preparation of with staff and monitor performance against key deliverables
• Contribute to mid-year and end of year staff appraisal discussion and ensure support is provided to accompany staff to perform to their full potential

Coordination/Leadership

• Coordinate and participate in relevant country and regional forums to provide technical assistance and share experiences and learning
• Decision-making requires significant levels of judgement based on technical and management experience, generally actively supported within line management or the programme team
• Representation in coordination meetings and some external relationships
• Build linkages between partners and across Oxfam for cross-learning and sharing as well as the wider Oxfam confederation
• Lead in public campaigns and advocacy based on agreed plan of action and objectives
• Participate in and contribute to research, development of approaches and tools to capture innovation, promising practices and conveying learning within the Oxfam confederation
• Promote integration between Oxfam in Ghana’s education and health components and other programmes and advocacy initiatives

Compliance and Governance

• Adhere to all Oxfam programme requirements and standards in relation to approved systems and programme implementation plan, project cycle management, programme quality and programme learning and other requirements.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements and review and work with project teams including partners to ensure compliance
• Enable implementation of Oxfam’s Gender, Diversity and Equal Opportunities policies and ensure gender mainstreaming
• Develop and implement risk management and safeguarding plans within team and with partners
• Enable and approve execution of project plans and budgets in accordance with authorization limits

Budgets and Financial Management

• Ensure allocation of the Programme budget is consistent with agreed Oxfam priorities.
• In cooperation with the Country Leadership Team, ensure effective management of the budget.
• Ensure that the budgets for the issue areas are in line with the Oxfam priorities in these areas
• Ensure the prioritisation, scheduling and allocation of resources for projects and ongoing campaign work, in order to contribute to the realisation of the programme and objectives within given budgets.
• Lead in the preparation and revision of budgets for the thematic programme in consultation with Finance team
• Responsible for ensuring that programme staff and partners follow up on audit issues
• Ensure that there is maximum fulfilment of budgets within approved cost categories

Connecting with others

• Establish close and constructive partnerships, relationships and networks with partners in country and regionally, influencing wider change and impact
• Directly connect staff and partner work with the wider Oxfam confederation.
• Directly connect with fundraisers to raise strategic funds for programme work
• Supporting policy and campaign teams in drawing on the programme evidence to enhance the effectiveness of relevant advocacy and influencing
• Prepare advocacy plans and implement advocacy processes influencing sector policy at local, regional, national and global levels

Support Knowledge Management for Influencing (Thought Leadership)

• Generate and apply evidence, bringing skills in rigorous mixed (qualitative and quantitative) research, monitoring and impact assessment, to advance understanding of what works, where and why, and to demonstrate returns on Oxfam’s investment.
• Ensure lasting change for the poorest and most vulnerable is measured and evaluated, including benefits that are critical but harder to capture.
• Work with the Head of Programmes, and Programme Quality Lead to make effective Ghana’s contribution to global education and health policy, research and lesson sharing.
• Promote policy relevant and evidence-based research and documentation of best practice as a key feature of change
• Contribute to knowledge sharing through presentations, papers, publications etc.
• Optimise knowledge and information sharing on organisation development, pedagogy and learning theories
• Document and publish experiences learnt by the team and partners

Required Skills or Experience

Essential

• Social and political analysis.
• Poverty, gender, vulnerability and inequality analysis and monitoring.
• Processes, programmes and institutions that enable or constrain development
• A minimum of five years’ relevant work experience in coordination and/or international development especially related to issues of Social policy, health or education.
• Masters in relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Substantial experience working in an international agency on social development (education and health)
• Strong knowledge and understanding of gender, power relations, women’s rights, and at least working knowledge of gender and social development issues in Ghana
• Demonstrate understanding of good approach to women’s rights, leadership and political change.
• Ability to synthesise and analyse complex information, draw out learning and communicate it effectively
• Strong networking/relationship-building skills - ability to anticipate, coordinate and facilitate activities with colleagues, ability to understand and synthesize diverging points of view.
• Ability to negotiate and influence to get results without formal line management authority.
• Basic skills in commissioning and managing applied research to inform development practice and/or to influence decision-makers
• A strong commitment to develop, promote and practice Oxfam’s vision, mission, values, and strategy
• Proven experience of programme management, strategic project oversight, and coordination of complex projects and multi-country programmes.
• Understanding of advocacy and lobbying, particularly directed at Governments and institutions, regional and globally, and how they contribute to achieving campaign goals.
• Proven experience on conducting effective advocacy and influencing in health, education or broader social policy issues at different levels
• Proven experience of managing contracts and programme/contract finances.
• Proven ability to analyse and communicate complex information to a wide audience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, reporting, facilitation and representation skills with ability to represent Oxfam at a strategic level and in and high-profile environments.
• Experience in providing advisory support to both senior managers and project staff and well-developed ability to facilitate learning and knowledge management.
• Proven fundraising experiences.
• Experiences in leading and mobilising people.
• Strong public engagement experiences.
• Empowering and developing people.
• Strategic orientation and managing vision.
• Proven leadership skills (Teach, mentor, coach).

Desirable

• Experience in working on Right Based Approach programmes and ability to develop and work within multiple institutional relationships and arrangements.
• Experience and understanding of key policy areas; budget tracking, tax and domestic resources mobilisation, inequality and public services.
• Experience of coaching staff – especially in advocacy, influencing and contract management.

Key Behavioural Competencies