Policy & Advocacy Lead (Urban Resilience) Full Time NEW

Salary: Up to $ 59,118 (per annum)

Contract Type: Dependent upon funding

*This position is contingent upon receipt of funding and requires donor approval. Candidates must have the existing right to work in Zimbabwe*

About CAFOD: CAFOD is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and part of the Caritas International Confederation. We work with communities across the world, standing side by side with them to end poverty and injustice, and to live in dignity and peace. Our work focuses on humanitarian response, long-term development, and advocating for global justice.

Job Purpose

CAFOD is seeking for a highly qualified and experienced Policy and Advocacy Lead for an anticipated SDC – funded Urban Resilience, Inclusion and Socio- Economic Empowerment (U-RISE) project in Zimbabwe. The project (4.5 – 12 years), aims to enhance the economic resilience and well-being of vulnerable urban communities in Zimbabwe’s secondary cities. This will be achieved through economic empowerment activities including developing technical and business skills, improving financial inclusion and promoting inclusive market participation of targeted project communities with focus in food systems and green value chains. In addition, the project aims to foster an enabling policy environment by addressing barriers to agriculture production, entrepreneurship, informal business operations and other economic opportunities in urban areas. The project also aims to support enhanced learning, knowledge sharing and coordination on urban resilience building in Zimbabwe.

The Policy and Advocacy Lead is a member of the Programme Management Unit, reporting to the U-RISE Team leader. The Policy and Advocacy Lead will lead the development and implementation of the urban resilience programme’s policy and advocacy strategy focused on improving the policy and regulatory environment for formal and informal urban economic activities, ensuring alignment with Government of Zimbabwe National Development Strategy (NDS). As an experienced Policy and Advocacy practitioner, the post holder will mentor and support team members to identify urban related policy advocacy opportunities, develop appropriate partnerships, manage adaptively, and contribute to the evidence and learning across U-RISE and other urban socio-economic projects.

The Policy & Advocacy Lead for the SDC-funded U-RISE Urban Resilience programme will be a strategic leader within the programme’s and CAFOD’s Senior Management Team, responsible for driving CAFOD’s inclusive policy and advocacy efforts within the context of urban resilience. This role will ensure that our programmes are informed by robust analysis, contribute to systemic change, and prioritize the active participation and empowerment of marginalized groups, particularly women and girls, in urban settings. The post-holder will play a critical role in shaping CAFOD’s and partners’ voice and influence on urban resilience policy, both nationally and internationally, leveraging our Catholic identity and network as well as our commitment around gender justice.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy Development & Leadership:

• Lead the development and implementation of the urban resilience program’s policy and advocacy strategy focused on improving the policy and regulatory environment for formal and informal urban economic activities, ensuring alignment with CAFOD’s national strategy and global objectives.
• Contribute as a key member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) to the overall strategic direction, programme quality, and impact of CAFOD’s work in Zimbabwe.
• Provide expert advice and thought leadership on urban resilience and governance, informal economies, gender, and social inclusion issues to the country team, partners, and external stakeholders.

1. Policy & Advocacy:

• Conduct robust power and political economy analysis to identify key policy windows and advocacy opportunities related to urban resilience and governance, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and equitable urban development.
• Develop and implement targeted advocacy strategies, campaigns, and initiatives that influence relevant national, sub-national, and potentially regional policy and practice.
• Produce high-quality policy briefs, position papers, advocacy messages, and other communication materials based on program learning, research, and partner insights.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers, government ministries, parliamentarians, civil society networks, faith-based organizations, donors, and other relevant stakeholders to advance CAFOD’s urban resilience advocacy agenda.
• Represent CAFOD in relevant national and international forums, working groups, and coalitions focused on urban resilience, climate action, and sustainable development.

1. Gender Integration & Social Inclusion:

• Ensure gender equality, inclusion, and safeguarding principles are deeply embedded across all aspects of the urban resilience program, from design and implementation to monitoring and evaluation.
• Develop and deliver capacity strengthening initiatives for CAFOD staff and local partners on urban governance, the informal economy as well as gender analysis, gender-responsive programming, and inclusive approaches in urban contexts.
• Promote the meaningful participation and leadership of women, youth, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups in urban resilience initiatives.

1. Programme Quality & Learning:

• Work closely with program teams and partners to ensure that policy, advocacy, and gender components are effectively integrated into program design, implementation, and reporting.
• Facilitate systematic learning, documentation of best practices, and evidence generation related to urban resilience, gender, and advocacy for internal and external dissemination.
• Contribute to CAFOD’s global learning on urban resilience and participate in relevant internal working groups and communities of practice.

1. Partnership & External Representation:

• Strengthen and nurture strategic partnerships with local civil society organizations, faith-based networks, research institutions, and community groups active in urban resilience and gender justice.
• Identify opportunities for collaborative advocacy and joint initiatives with partners to amplify impact and promote locally-led solutions.
• Act as a key spokesperson for CAFOD on urban resilience and gender issues, working closely with the communications team to amplify messages.

Safeguarding Statement:

CAFOD is committed to safeguarding vulnerable people and children and promoting a culture of dignity and respect in all aspects of our work. The post-holder will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s safeguarding policies and procedures.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

1. Experience:
   • Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive experience in policy, advocacy, and gender mainstreaming, preferably within the humanitarian, development, or peacebuilding sectors, with a strong focus on urban contexts.
   • Demonstrated experience in designing and leading successful advocacy campaigns and influencing policy change at national or sub-national levels.
   • Proven experience in integrating gender analysis and promoting gender equality and social inclusion in complex programmes.
   • Experience working with diverse stakeholders, including government, civil society, faith-based actors, and communities.
   • Experience working at a senior management level, contributing to strategic direction and organizational leadership.
2. Knowledge & Skills:
   • Deep understanding of urban resilience concepts, the informal economy, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable urban development challenges in Zimbabwe or similar contexts.
   • Strong knowledge of gender equality principles, feminist approaches to development, and social inclusion frameworks.
   • Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to conduct robust policy analysis, research, and translate complex information into clear, compelling advocacy messages.
   • Exceptional communication, negotiation, and influencing skills, both written and verbal, for diverse audiences.
   • Ability to represent an organization at high-level forums and effectively engage with decision-makers.
   • Strong project management skills, including planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
   • Ability to facilitate capacity building and provide technical support to staff and partners.
   • Fluency in written and spoken English. Additional local language will be considered an advantage.
   • Commitment to CAFOD’s mission, values, and Catholic Social Teaching principles.
   • Understanding of the role of the Catholic Church and faith-based actors in development and advocacy.

Desirable Criteria:

• Post-graduate degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Gender Studies, Urban Planning, International Relations, Law, or a related field.
• Knowledge of specific regional contexts and policy landscapes relevant to urban resilience.

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.

This serves as a guide for the position available. CAFOD reserves the right to change this document. Any published closing dates are estimated. Due to the nature of CAFOD’s work we aim to fill vacancies as quickly as possible. This means that CAFOD will close adverts as soon as we have found the right candidate, and this may be before the published closing date. We therefore advise interested applicants to submit their applications as early as possible.

Women are strongly encouraged to apply for this position