Advocacy & Influencing Manager

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

About Plan International Lebanon

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood, and enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We place a specific focus on girls and young women, who are most often left behind. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries. Plan International Lebanon has a range of programmes throughout the country, focusing on adolescent girls and boys and young people. All programmes are implemented in partnership with national and local partners.

Role Purpose

Ensure the design and implementation of Plan International Lebanon influencing, advocacy and communications strategy. He/she will provide strategic direction to ensure cohesive and impactful advocacy and communication efforts that align with Plan International’s global priorities and national programmatic goals. This includes engaging key audiences—communities, staff, partners, government stakeholders, donors, and the public—through timely, relevant, and rights-based messaging to promote the realization of children’s rights and gender equality, with a particular focus on girls. The role will ensure that advocacy objectives are amplified through effective communications, media engagement, digital outreach, and stakeholder mobilization, strengthening Plan International’s voice, visibility, and impact in Lebanon.

Dimensions of the Role

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the director of Programmes, the Communications, Advocacy and Influencing Manager will be in charge of designing, managing and implementing influencing activities, including communications, policy, public mobilisation and advocacy initiatives within Plan International Lebanon, working closely with the Programs team. This position will help to drive change at the local, regional and national level by identifying, collaborating with and supporting an engaged set of key stakeholders who will promote the improvement in policy and practices aiming at supporting the achievements of girls and women’s basic rights.

The Communications, Advocacy & Influencing Manager will coordinate the Communication and Advocacy processes in line with the Country Strategy to ensure Plan International Lebanon is represented effectively. 

At Plan, ‘influencing’ is an umbrella term used to describe the systematically planned, coordinated, and integrated range of activities - including research, policy, advocacy, public mobilisation, strategic communications and partnerships - that seek to change policy or practices on a national or local level to achieve positive development outcomes for children, especially girls.

Accountabilities

Strategic Communications

• Ensure effective communication in order to maintain a good image for the organization and build the organization influence, in line with Plan International’s Global Strategy and Plan International Lebanon’s Country Strategy.
• Maintain a strong brand for Plan International Lebanon, including impactful and fit-for-purpose publications that aim at raising the potential of the organization rants portfolio.
• Ensure that communication outputs are of the highest standard and respond to the needs of the target audiences in order to influence change at policy level and raise Plan International Lebanon’s profile as a key player/expert in the areas identified on the Country Strategy.
• Engage communities in message development and setup mechanisms where children, government departments, Local Non-Governmental Organizations and Community Based Organizations, staff, partners and media are encouraged to provide feedback on programs and projects and this feedback is documented while closely working with Programs team.
• Support Project Managers and communication team in developing and implementing project-specific Communications Strategies, in line with donors’ guidelines and requirements.
• Lead the Facilitation of the relevant visits of international journalists, National Office Media & Comms and other interested parties and co-ordinate their activities with the Programme Director.

Internal Communications (‘internal’ refers to audiences within Plan as a global organization, including within Plan International Lebanon)

• Advise management on various, creative, diversified and effective channels to communicate to external audiences.
• Lead the delivery of key messages, including through the production and dissemination of reports, the organization of events and conferences, the establishment and maintenance of social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube as well as external and internal website etc.), and the use of other media channels including television and radio in liaison with Programme Director
• Lead and manage the formulation and implementation of Country Communications Strategy.
• Lead and manage the formulation and implementation of Country Influencing Strategy and plan.
• Ensure staff are aware of adjusted organizational strategies, priorities and goals at Global, Regional and Country level.
• Prepare press releases, press advisory messages and press packets for journalists as authorized by the Country Director.
• Handle the internal communication response to crisis situations in accordance with country and global guidelines.

Campaigns, Advocacy and Influence

• Establish, strengthen and maintain strategic partnership and alliances with campaigns and advocacy partners.
• Lead in the dissemination of relevant research that support policy engagement.
• Map existing networks and complementary or cross-sectoral initiatives to help build a regional network of partners and other girls and women’s rights organizations, experts and practitioners focused on common goals.
• Plan, design and implement strategies for influencing and outreach for public awareness concerning girls and women’s rights through (Girls Get Equal) Movement, government commitments under the SDGs and the progress made over time towards such commitments.
• Lead on Plan’s campaign, advocacy and influence initiatives such as the Girls Get Equal Campaign, the International Day of the Girl events, the International Women’s Day events, amongst others, in close coordination with the Programs team.
• Advise on and manage risks related to Plan’s campaigns and advocacy work.
• Conduct targeted trainings and induction sessions for Plan staff and partner organizations on campaigns, advocacy and influencing, in line with Plan’s Global Programs and Influencing approach.

Visibility and branding

• Ensure the correct use of all the branding elements in all the external communications materials and public events, including logos and layouts.
• Produce targeted and quality communications and visibility materials such as best practices, success stories, case studies, brochures, posters, videos, photos, etc.
• Ensures that Plan International Lebanon’s partner organizations, consultants and staff are trained and comply with Plan’s Global Identity and Branding Guidelines.
• Establish, strengthen and maintain strategic partnership with media and public relations partners in order to boost Plan’s image, profile and visibility in the Country.

Human Resources

• Build the capacity of relevant team members, colleagues and partner staff on Influencing & Advocacy

knowledge, skills, and behaviours

Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of:

• The context in Lebanon, particularly on issues affecting the rights and well-being of children and young people, especially girls and the most vulnerable;
• International conventions on child rights as well as the Sustainable Development Goals;
• Local laws in Lebanon
• Documented experience in advocacy, lobby, communications and campaigns work with international actors
• Understanding of, or experience in, implementing and monitoring child rights in a national /international context, including excellent knowledge and experience of work related to the other human rights treaties.
• Relationship management experience

Qualifications and Experience

• A Master’s Degree in Communication, Mass Media, Journalism, Political Science, International Development or similar is preferable
• At least five years of demonstrated experience working as a professional communicator; experience of development and humanitarian issues affecting children and families preferred.
• Strong programmatic background with proven experience in understanding and management of areas such as; Child Protection; Education; etc.
• Leadership and management experience on influencing and policy, preferably in an INGO Environment. 
• Experience of working with a wide range of donors, networks, government authorities, regional bodies and other stakeholders.

Skills

• Excellent understanding of child rights, and development issues.
• Strong organizational abilities; able to prioritise and manage short-term and continuing projects across diverse themes despite competing deadlines.
• Strong commitment to child safeguarding policies both inside and outside the workplace, and experience working with children in a development environment.
• Practical and field experience in communications in development and/or humanitarian settings.
• Knowledge in digital communication and social media.
• Ability to produce quality photos and videos with limited resources.
• Excellent networking, advocacy and campaigns leadership skills.
• Strong character traits, including team work, striving for high performance, emotional stability, resilience, adaptability, and ability to handle stress, strong initiative and self-motivation, cultural sensitive, honest
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with excellent command of spoken and written English and Arabic.

Location: Beirut 

Type of Role: Fixed-term | Full-time | Open for Nationals Only 

Reports to:  Director of Programmes 

Grade: D2 

Closing Date:  Open on rolling basis 

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.