Advocacy Specialist

Job Title: Advocacy Specialist

Reports To: Country Director

Department/Group: Influencing & communications

Duty Station: Ha Noi with occasional travel

Background: The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization that saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS has been working to conserve wildlife in Viet Nam since 2006, and is established as a well-respected organization in the country, providing support to a range of government agencies. WCS works in Viet Nam is focused on building national capacity and commitment towards effective wildlife law enforcement and combatting wildlife trafficking. Our Influencing & Communications team develops influencing strategies to transform political will into political action utilizing related issues such as national security, rule of law, livelihood instability, and public health as “levers” for change in policies and practices associated with poaching, trafficking and consumption of protected wildlife.

Scope of work:

  • The Advocacy Specialist will lead the Influencing & Communications (I&C) team in WCS, and provide technical inputs to the planning, design, implementation and monitoring of all WCS activities related to influencing and communications.
  • This position will build networks and maintain strong relationships with governmental and nongovernmental partners in order to build the required political commitment for effective control of wildlife trafficking in Viet Nam.

Main responsibilities: The Advocacy Specialist will carry out the following:

  • Influencing strategy
    • Design and implement strategies on how to influence key governmental and nongovernmental partners at provincial and national levels in becoming more engaged in ending trafficking and consumption of wildlife.
    • Conduct advocacy power analyses to identify influence pathways to achieve our goals
    • Coordinate the compilation of evidence to support the implementation of WCS Viet Nam Program’s influencing strategy. This will involve overseeing the development of analyses of the cross-sectoral economic, social and institutional impacts of the wildlife trade in Viet Nam, and crafting persuasive arguments.
    • Pilot gap analyses, cost-benefit analyses, and scenario testing to gather data on barriers to the implementation of identified intervention strategies.
  • Communications & ProductionsDesign and revise WCS Viet Nam Program’s communication strategy, e.g. on branding and marking, and develop targeted communications strategies for project deliverables when appropriate.
    • Lead and coordinate the production of project deliverables related to policy and communications. For example, WCS is leading the implementation of the PREDICT project, a component of United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Emerging Pandemic Threat Program (EPT), which is focused on understanding and addressing drivers of infectious disease emergence. The position will support the translation of data generated on disease risk into policy and actions needed to reduce wildlife trafficking and other drivers of disease emergence in the region and prevent the devastating and destabilizing effects of a disease pandemic.
    • Oversee the development of communications materials such as news releases, op-eds, infographics, policy briefs and other products, and ensure that they are in line with WCS’s positions on counter wildlife trafficking CWT and contribute to WCS’s influencing strategy.
    • Provide technical review of grant reports to ensure consistent messaging across all reporting done by WCS Viet Nam Program.
  • Networking & Partnership
    • Build strong networks and maintain relationships with relevant government agencies, private sector companies, research institutions and influential individuals.
    • Identify and engage local, national and international media and maintain relationships with reporters, bloggers, editors and other media professionals to publicize and communicate issues relating to CWT.
    • Collaborate with other environment groups in joint efforts, including acting as WCS’s focal point for the Viet Nam Wildlife Support Network, and others as relevant Management
    • Oversee all work planning, budgeting, implementation, and performance reporting for the influencing & communications team

Knowledge, skills, abilities:

This position is for a Vietnamese national with at least 3 years of advocacy or campaigning experience and an advanced university degree in a relevant subject. Excellent English and Vietnamese language skills are required.

Following competencies are preferred:

  • Verified track record working with government, donors, and other partners on advocacy and influencing campaigns;
  • Experience related to biodiversity conservation;
  • Demonstrated awareness of Vietnamese governmental and civil society institutional priorities and capacities;
  • Extensive knowledge of government workings;
  • An understanding of multilateral institutions including WHO, FAO, OIE, WTO, ASEAN and the World Bank;
  • Significant convening and public speaking experience;
  • Significant experience communicating messages to a broad range of stakeholders.

Schedule and Compensation

Salary grades are commensurate with experience and education. Benefits include private health insurance for staff and dependant(s), a 13th month salary and 20 annual-leave days.

How to apply

Interested applicants should send a cover letter, CV with photo, contact details for references to:

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu My – Human Resource Officer
Wildlife Conservation Society
106 buidling D, No. 3 Thanh Cong street, Ba Dinh district, Ha Noi.
Email: [email protected]

Deadline for applications: 30th June 2017

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Job Details
Organisation Name: 
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
Location: 
Hanoi
Application Deadline: 
Fri, 2017-06-30