Advocacy Specialist
Mercy Corps
Total years of experience :13 years, 7 Months
● Leads the implementation of a series of six-month Advocacy Lab programs for three years.
● Supports connections between communities and civic groups and enables pathways for
citizens to participate and assert a voice in policy dialogue and advocacy with the GOJ.
● Coordinates project advocacy activities with different governmental partners.
● Identifies the thematic needs and advocacy goals in a specific issue area such as climate, water
security, economic development, youth leadership, women’s rights, or refugees/displaced
● Ensures that partners and advocacy topics identified by ongoing contextual analysis.
● Supports civil society partners to explore alternative and sustainable financing models to
strengthen and sustain the civil society ecosystem. Small-scale pilots, such as an expansion of
the GOJ’s Society Support Fund, can build on existing practices to promote local investments
and test what works locally.
● Manages all operations related to the Advocacy component in the “SAWT” project according to the
work plan, budget and implementation strategy.
● Provides financial and narrative reports on a monthly and quarterly basis.
● Participates in developing partnership frameworks, partner agreements/Memorandum of
Understandings, and oversee partner capacity building.
● Supervise, hire and orient new team members.
● Promotes accountability, communicates expectations and provides constructive feedback via regular
performance reviews.
● Ensures appropriate capacity building is available for staff to meet PD expectations and grow in
their work.
● Supports and participate in monitoring and evaluation system design and implementation for all
aspects of the project, including monitoring program progress by developing and applying
monitoring tools to inform reports to donors and key stakeholders.
• Ensures proper implementation of EFI Communications & Visibility strategy as per EU C&V guidelines.
• Implements properly EFI online media strategy for website and social media channels that help the organization achieve visibility and communications objectives and in line with the EFI’s media and communication plan and in line with the project C&V plan.
• In collaboration with program team, translates the framework through proper communication and visibility events, outreach activities, trainings and props (eg. Banners, leaflets, video).
• Works with program team ahead of events and meetings to devise key messages and integrate social media into the activities.
• Draft EFI communications materials as requested by the project and according to EU C&V guidelines.
• Builds relationships with media organizations; drafts press release and other public relations material to communicate EFIs position.
• Writes news briefs and articles, press releases, statements of EFI’s events per information provided, and composes quarterly newsletters related to Syrian partners and project objectives.
• Participates to creation, production, and dissemination of printed publications including brochures and booklets for the organisation’s projects and programs.
• Supports the development and organization of events and meetings aimed at raising EFI’s profile, engaging new audiences in its work and strengthening its support base; ensure there is a coverage of every workshop, advocacy activity, meetings with stakeholders such as community hosts, local authorities and ministries, social workers and consortium members.
• Develops and implements documentation and presentation of EFI’s work in collaboration with graphic designers, photographers, film-makers and media campaigns.
• Developed Scope of Work for Baseline, End-Lines and Mid-Line studies in addition to any other kind of research, community mapping, impact assessments and field studies and manage the winning contractor selected for implementation;
• Acted as the primary point of contact for research stakeholders, planned and conducted reports and findings dissemination;
• Assisted the Head of Programme in defining the objectives, strategies of the new programme extension;
• Established and led the monitoring and evaluation system of the project in close coordination with Mercy Corps M&E focal points;
• Provided day-to-day support and coordination with local partners and service contractors, including administrative, financial and logistical support. Troubleshooted any administrative problems, report s or bottlenecks to Head of Programme;
• Led implementation of research activities in line with the project work plan, organised meetings, community engagement and awareness raising/information dissemination events;
• Drafted contracts, Terms of Reference for all Research and Communications Department staff;
• Assisted the Head of Programme in all operations related to the project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting;
• Participated in developing data collection tools in collaboration with the M&E Coordinator
• Developed tools to measure the impact of the project;
• Headed the planning, organising and set up of the Conflict
Mitigation Forum in Jordan which included more than 500
participants and lasted for full three days.
• Prepared weekly updates and monthly progress reports, including challenges and recommendations;
• Assisted in the creation of standard reporting templates to improve and expand collection of key data points throughout the project.
• Coordinated media and communications requirements from the target communities
• Managed the development of media content and publishing via media outlets (print, electronic, TV, and Radio).
• Managed the program’s social networks mainly Facebook and Twitter in line with the monthly developed editorial calendar.
• Provided technical assistance to the program’s team in implementing community based activities and training programs on conflict management and negotiations
• Coordinated M&E reports on the implementation of communications activities across target communities.
• Worked with partners to help build capacity on reporting and documentation of all aspects of their field activities.
• Secured effective flow of information on the program’s activities and milestones within Mercy Corps and across external networks.
• Developed a database of strategic partners on the national and community levels.
• Developed a contact list of media representatives across targeted communities and organize media briefings and tours as required.
• Coordinated requirements and deliverables of service providers on communications and media productions.
• Assisted senior management researching background and contextual information related to regional program expansion.
• Provides guidance to the organisation in applying for funding.
• Provides support in methods of communication with counterparts, potential partners and the public sector.
• Set up and maintain an effective information management system relevant to the company projects.
• Acted as the focal point for all queries relating to projects’ requirements and deliverables.
• Collected, analysed and disseminated data on the progress of the response on a regular basis.
• Monitored the implementation process and evaluated the feedback generated from the user experience.
• Gathered technical and functional requirements from stakeholders.
• Planned project life-cycle deliverables and resource availability and monitored project progress.
• Conducted design and implementation reviews.
• Examined and resolved issues; responded to team members’ and stakeholders’ concerns.
• Coordinated requirements with interested parties.
• Documented user behaviour.
• Drafted project proposals.
• Produced, analysed, provided commentary and suggested next steps for projects at hand.
• Planned and performed user-usability research and translated the results into design and UX decisions.
• Performed the duties of the interpreter/ co-facilitator for project evaluation.
• Translated documents from Arabic to English and vice versa.
• Provided support to the MENIT Steering Committee.
• Provided guidance to Theme Groups in developing plans to present and disseminate their results.
• Assisted the Theme Groups with their activities set up.
• Monitored Theme Groups’ activities to ensure that they are on track with intended results and milestones.
• Established and developed the network’s website.
• Provided advice and support on fundraising and sustainability efforts.
• Explored in cooperation with the Steering Committee the possibilities of linking out MENIT to another host organisation.
• Allocated budget for MENIT activities.
• Organised regional and local workshops for MENIT members.
• Provided input into workshop agenda, invited speakers and supervised logistic preparations.
• Represented MENIT in meetings and workshops.
• Renewed and kept updated MENIT database, including promotion and encouraged new members to join MENIT.
• Drafted fact-sheets and reports for the ORF - MENA.
• Designed printing materials.
• Performed as the focal-point between the company, its client and an IT firm.
• Drafted the work plan for the data-entry process.
On voluntary basis:
• Organised fund-raising campaigns.
• Planned fund-raising events.
• Co-designed printing materials
• Planned and developed the work flow for a mobile application.
• Assembled a team for project initiation.
• Set up and regulated project budget.
• Monitored and evaluated work process and project implementation.
• Coordinated with branches in other MENA countries.
• Increased the application’s reach in local and regional Arabmarkets.
• Co-designed the magazine and made sure that the magazines guidelines were well maintained.
• Coordinated and managed the contributors’ assignments (organising meetings, follow up on their assigned tasks).
• Monitored the process of the magazine’s design and set guidelines for the designers.
• Planned monthly work schedule and defined milestones for each employee.
• Organised public events to raise funds and to increase readers ratio.
• Contacted potential donors.
• Assisted with the magazine’s advertising campaigns, whether by developing ideas or executing them.
• Wrote articles for the magazine.
• Set up and maintained the magazine’s website.
• Proof-read the magazine.
• Edited articles from the contributors.
• Followed up with clients and assured that their demands were met.
• Contributed to the strategic planning of media campaigns for clients.
• Coordinated projects between the company’s designers and clients.
• Full responsibility of the gallery’s well functioning.
• Personal interaction and follow up on customer’s database.
• Implemented the gallery’s business plan.
• Represented and marketed the products at public events.