Advocacy Manager

ABOUT BOND AND THE ROLE

Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. We unite and support a diverse network of over 400 civil society organisations to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice. We strengthen and champion the sector to make international development more efficient and effective. We work to influence governments and policy-makers, develop the skills of people in the sector, share expertise, and build organisational capacity and partnerships. 

This role leads Bond’s policy and advocacy work of Bond on development finance, including undertaking relevant analysis, developing policy positions, influencing UK government and other stakeholders and managing the work of policy and advocacy advisor.

The ideal person will have strong knowledge and policy expertise in international development, experience of advocacy and creating impact, leadership and management skills, relationships and communication skills and personal attributes. 

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

To lead Bond’s policy and advocacy work of Bond on development finance, working with the Policy, Advocacy and Research (PAR) team and Bond members, to influence the UK government and other stakeholders on effective aid and development finance that will reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Lead Bond’s policy work on UK aid and development finance. This includes but is not limited to work to:

• Define priority issues, and develop Bond’s policy positions on key aspects of the quality of UK aid quality and its links to other forms of development finance, in collaboration with colleagues and Bond members
• Conduct high-quality analysis to develop narrative and policy recommendations on the quality of UK and its links to other forms of development finance
• Generate new and influential evidence-driven policy and insight by carrying out or commissioning
• relevant analysis and research, working with Bond’s working groups, think-tanks, and academia.
• Critically assess and provide analysis of UK aid and development finance strategies and policies, and their compliance with ODA rules and Government commitments 
• Lead sector submissions to IDC inquiries, Independent Reviews, the Comprehensive Spending Review, Strategies, etc, in cooperation with Bond colleagues and the Aid Effectiveness Group;
• Proactively share information and analysis about relevant policy developments to support the sector’s awareness, knowledge and understanding of aid effectiveness and development finance issues and opportunities for the sector to address them.
• Monitor, analyse and provide written critique of UK Government aid spending against commitments,
• ODA rules and a pro-poor agenda; mobilise the sector to respond to specific challenges when required
• Provide evidence and input into, support and monitor the conclusions of the key aid accountability mechanisms such as the IDC, ICAI.

2. Lead Bond’s advocacy work on UK aid strategy, policies and programmes. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Develop and implement, with colleagues, Bond’s advocacy strategy on promoting an effective pro-poor aid and development finance agenda;
• Convene Bond members to develop and provide an evidence-based sector viewpoint on key issues or processes around national or international aid and development finance
• Lead convening of Bond’s Aid Effectiveness Group as an inclusive space for regular dialogue and collective action on aid quality and effectiveness
• Represent Bond and the sector and through regular meetings and engagement with UK Government and other key stakeholders, officials in FCDO Treasury, and key aid-related bodies such as ICAI;
• Carry out joint advocacy activities influencing various ODA-spending government departments (FCDO, BEIS, DIT) as well as Treasury and ICAI. 
• Work closely with the Bond Head of Media and Communications on developing and presenting evidence-based media responses on aid quality and development finance issues using agreed positions;
• Produce regular briefings, reports, blogs and articles to influence the wider sector and policy makers;
• Develop relationships with key stakeholders in development agencies and institutions, think-tanks, and academia.
• Proactively engage and build impactful relationships and dialogue with OECD DAC CSO Reference group and other relevant European/global institutions, think tanks, academia, national platforms and undertake relevant international advocacy activities when opportunities arise.

3. People Management 

• Nurture and support the aid and development finance policy advisor to develop the necessary skills and deliver their objectives
• Meet and live Bond’s principles and expectations for managers including demonstrating leadership within Bond
• Nurture and support staff in more junior positions to deliver objectives relevant to areas of work under my oversight 
• Deliver performance management requirements including regular 1:1s with line reports, mid-term and annual performance reviews and clear objective setting 

4. Contribute to the financial well-being of Bond through effective budget management and any other relevant activities, for example income generation.

• Oversee delivery of the Gates grants in line with grant objectives, working with Finance and other project managers to ensure grant delivery, spending and reporting requirements are met. 
• Support the team’s fundraising efforts through proposal writing and relationship building;
• Scoping future funding opportunities for Future Dialogues work 

5. Develop effective ways of working to deliver high-quality advocacy work:

• Align policy and advocacy work with wider Bond’s strategic objectives and vision;
• Project manage policy and advocacy activities, including development of a strategy, objectives, plan, budget, timelines
• Track, monitor and assess impact of policy and advocacy activities
• Oversee reporting internally and for external donors on funded projects, providing reporting in timely and accurate manner;
• Play a key role in driving and shaping the work of the Policy, Advocacy and Research team, and build effective working relationships with Bond colleagues in the Leadership Team and Communications department in particular.

6. Lead Bond’s policy and advocacy work on humanitarian crises and response

• Provide scrutiny of UK aid use in humanitarian responses and its compliance with DAC rules and aid effectiveness principles,
• Convene sector to engage with FCDO crises response teams and others on major humanitarian emergencies, as needed 
• Work with Bond members and key networks to develop policy asks and recommendations on principled humanitarian action as part of wider policy work and in response to crises.
• Coordination and alignment of policy recommendations with other workstreams focusing on operational and wider social and economic issues.

7. Bond values diversity and works to advance equity and inclusion. All staff have a responsibility to ensure that they are being open, accepting and respectful to all that they come into contact with within their work at Bond, regardless their protected characteristics and race. Acting in accordance with the anti-racism and EDI policy, Bond staff must contribute to our inclusive organisational culture ensuring that they are aware and respond to micro-aggressions, everyday racism, sexism, LQBTQ+ misconduct and disability equity. Bond Staff must not be a bystander, reporting when they witness any behaviour that is not deemed acceptable.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Knowledge and policy expertise in international development

• Strong understanding of international development policy, aid quality and development finance issues.

• Experience in producing analysis and research involving a combination of quantitative and qualitative analytical skills.

Experience of advocacy and creating impact

• Experience in developing impactful evidence-based policy positions and of direct engagement with government departments and officials.

• Capacity to thrive in a fast-paced external policy and political environment, ability to spot and take opportunities, act on initiative and undertake quick policy work.

Leadership and management

• Strong project management skills and proven ability to plan and manage a complex programme of work

• Experience of managing staff and consultants

Relationships and communications

• Excellent oral and written communication skills (in English) including writing, editing and presentation skills, and the ability to communicate complex policy propositions to a range of audiences (external and internal).

• A collaborative team player with excellent interpersonal skills

Other personal attributes

• Commitment to the values and objectives of Bond and its members

• Must have the right to live and work in the UK

Desirable

• Understanding of gender and women’s rights and impact on policy analysis.

• Experience of working in the Global South, and/or engagement on development policy at European and/or international level.

• Experience of working with the media

• Experience of membership-based organisations such as networks and coalitions 

• Understanding of global financial issues and institutions

BENEFITS

Bond offers a competitive salary and benefits package including:

• 27 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays, with additional staff privilege days, normally between Christmas and New Year
• 7% pension contributions (staff pay 3.5%) ​
• Flexible working hours (Hybrid working – 1 day, minimum in the office per month)
• Staff Development days
• Perk Box access
• Employee Assistance Programme
• WeCare (Health and wellbeing services, including access to 24/7 online GP services, second medical opinion, mental health support such as counselling, guidance from health professionals, burnout prevention, life event counselling, get fit programmes, nutritionist advice, etc. – for staff and immediate family)
• Interest-free season ticket loan

HOW TO APPLY

To apply submit your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for this role by midnight on Monday 12th February 2024.

BOND AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Bond values diversity and works to advance equity and inclusion. All staff have a responsibility to ensure that they are being open, accepting and respectful to all that they come into contact with within their work at Bond, regardless their protected characteristics. Acting in accordance with the EDI policy, Bond staff must contribute to our inclusive organisational culture ensuring that they are aware of and respond appropriately to micro-aggressions, racism, sexism, LQBTQ+ misconduct and disability equity. Bond Staff must not be bystanders, and must report when they witness any unacceptable behaviour.

In order to assess and ensure the continued effectiveness of Bond’s Equal Opportunities Policy, all applicants are asked to complete a short questionnaire when applying. You are not obliged to answer the questions but the more information you supply the more effectively we can monitor our equal opportunity practices. Completion of all questions is voluntary and failure to answer any question(s) will not affect your application in any way. 

The information you supply will be treated in confidence and will not be seen by any member of the selection panel responsible for the appointment. The questionnaire will be detached from your CV and cover letter, stored anonymously and used purely to provide statistics for monitoring purposes.

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