Partnerships and Advocacy Officer – Education/TVET (ESTI) Full Time Mid level

AU Values

• Respect for Diversity and Team Work
• Think Africa Above all
• Transparency and Accountability
• Integrity and Impartiality
• Efficiency and Professionalism
• Information and Knowledge Sharing

Organization Information

• Reports to: ESTI Director
• Directorate/Department/Organ: ESTI
• Number of Direct Reports: 0
• Number of Indirect Reports: 0
• Job Grade: P2
• Number of Positions: 1
• Contract Type: ALD
• Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Purpose of Job

To strategically design, coordinate, and implement partnerships, resource mobilization, advocacy, and communication initiatives that strengthen the visibility, financing, and impact of continental and national education and TVET programmes in alignment with African Union priorities. The role supports the operationalization of stakeholder engagement with TVET institutions, educational networks, civil society and youth organizations, and development partners; coordinates events and outreach activities; develops communication and advocacy materials; and advances resource mobilization efforts to enhance programme effectiveness, sustainability, and impact across the continent.

Main Functions

• Support the coordination of strategic partnerships with Member States, development partners, TVET institutions, academic networks, private sector actors, Youth and civil society to advance continental education and skills development initiatives.
• Assist in resource mobilization efforts by conducting stakeholder mapping, drafting partnership profiles, and supporting the preparation of concept notes and funding proposals.
• Support the implementation of advocacy campaigns and the drafting of communication materials that promote continental education and TVET frameworks, flagship programmes, and policy priorities.
• Coordinate visibility and marketing activities, including liaising with TVET Institutions and other learning establishments to gather success stories and drafting engaging content for digital platforms, newsletters, and media.
• Support the development and tracking of partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding (MoUs), and joint workplans aligned with ESTI programme objectives.
• Coordinate logistics and stakeholder outreach for multi-stakeholder engagement platforms, including technical consultations, advocacy events, campaigns, and strategic dialogues involving education and TVET stakeholders.
• Contribute to monitoring, reporting, and knowledge management by maintaining comprehensive partner databases, documenting lessons learned from partnership pilots, and tracking advocacy outcomes.

Specific Responsibilities

A. Advocacy and Communications Support

• Support the development of advocacy messages and communication materials aligned with CESA 2026–2035, CTVET.
• Draft engaging, accessible content for digital platforms, newsletters, and press releases that translate complex ESTI and TVET technical achievements into compelling narratives for the public and donors.
• Liaise directly with TVET institutions and other education establishments to gather success stories, case studies, and best practices to feature in continental visibility campaigns.

B. Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement (TVET & Education Focus)

• Coordinate structured engagement platforms and technical consultations with TVET centers of excellence, polytechnics, teacher unions, academic networks, and youth coalitions.
• Conduct stakeholder mapping to identify potential partners within the TVET sector, private industry, and academic institutions, profiling their alignment with continental skills development priorities.
• Assist in the preparation of funding proposals, concept notes, and partnership profiles that articulate the value proposition of ESTI and TVET initiatives.
• Maintain a comprehensive and dynamic database of education and TVET partners, tracking engagement history, funding commitments, and partnership milestones.

C. Visibility and Media Support

• Liaise with the AUC Directorate of Information and Communication to support media engagements, press releases, and visibility campaigns for education and TVET initiatives.
• Coordinate logistics, stakeholder outreach, and briefing materials for advocacy events, policy dialogues, and multi-stakeholder consultations involving education ministries and TVET regulatory bodies.
• Support the positioning of ESTI initiatives and African TVET/education champions for strategic visibility through targeted media engagement and policy publications.

D. Advocacy Campaigns and Event Coordination

• Assist in the development and rollout of advocacy campaigns for continental observances (e.g., World Skills Day, International Day of Education, Africa Day of Science and Technology), with a specific focus on TVET and skills development priorities.
• Contribute to the drafting of advocacy briefs, key messages, and talking points for leadership engagements with policymakers and partners.
• Support the organization of high-level events, ministerial forums, and side events, ensuring effective outreach to TVET and education stakeholders.

E. Coordination, Reporting, and Knowledge Management

• Coordinate closely with the AU Spokesperson’s Office and Communications Unit to ensure message coherence, donor compliance, and strategic alignment.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned from TVET and education partnership pilots, ensuring that successful models of industry-education collaboration are packaged for broader continental scaling.
• Maintain a dynamic calendar of communications, events, and partnership engagements, updated quarterly and shared with the Education Division.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• A minimum of a master’s degree in international relations, Development Studies, Education, Communications, Public Policy, Economics, or a related field, with 2 years relevant experience.
• Or
• A bachelor’s degree in international relations, Development Studies, Education, Communications, Public Policy, Economics, or a related field with extensive 5 years professional experience relevant Experience.
• A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in partnership development, resource mobilization, advocacy, communications, programme management, or stakeholder engagement is required for candidates holding a Master’s degree, or a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience for candidates holding a bachelor’s degree, preferably within the education, TVET, innovation, or social development sectors.
• Demonstrated experience working with international organizations, governments, development partners, academic institutions, TVET providers, youth networks, and multi-stakeholder platforms, including coordinating partnerships, stakeholder engagements, events, and communication campaigns.
• Proven experience in proposal development, donor engagement, resource mobilization, partnership coordination, and the implementation of advocacy and communication initiatives that support programme visibility and impact.
• Strong understanding of the African education and TVET landscape, including familiarity with continental policy frameworks and strategies such as CESA 26–35 and the Continental TVET Strategy (CTVET).
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex education, TVET, innovation, and policy concepts into compelling, accessible advocacy, communication, and knowledge products tailored to diverse audiences.

Required Skills

• Strong analytical and strategic planning skills.
• Proven ability to develop persuasive advocacy and communication materials.
• Strong coordination, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in standard office and digital communication tools.
• Communication ability both orally and in writing.
• Analytical skills.
• Ability to work across business units / geographies; culturally sensitive environment.
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (French, English, Portuguese, Arabic); fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Insight
• Managing Risk
• Developing Others
• Change Management

Core Competencies

• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Learning Orientation
• Effective Communication
• Accountability awareness and Compliance

Functional Competencies

• Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Job Knowledge and Information Sharing
• Continuous Improvement Focus

TENURE OF APPOINTMENT:

The appointment will be made under an Appointment of Limited Duration contract for a period of eleven months renewable.

GENDER MAINSTREAMING:

The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

LANGUAGES:

Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Spanish) is mandatory and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

REMUNERATION:

The salary attached to the position is an annual lump-sum of 85,212.07 US$ inclusive of all allowances for internationally recruited staff, and 66,751.81 US$ inclusive of all allowances for locally recruited staff of the African Union Commission.

Applications must be submitted no later than September 15, 2026 11h59 p.m. EAT.

• Only candidates who meet all job requirements and are selected for interviews will be contacted.
• Consideration will be given only to those candidates who have submitted a fully completed online application with a curriculum vitae (CV), an African passport, and the required academic qualifications, such as Diplomas (Bac+2), Bachelor’s degrees (Bac+3), Master’s degrees (Bac+5) and any relevant certificate in line with the area of expertise.
• The African Union is an equal opportunity employer, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Candidates from least represented and underrepresented countries within the African Union are strongly encouraged to apply for positions that fit their profiles.

Least represented countries: Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Sahrawi D.R., Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, and Somalia.

Under represented countries: Congo, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan and Tunisia.