Policy and Advocacy Officer – Together for Girls

Together for Girls seeks a dynamic, mission-driven Washington, DC-based Policy & Advocacy Officer to support the organization’s U.S. and globally-focused policy advocacy work to end violence against children and adolescents.

TfG is a global partnership working to end violence against children and adolescents, with special attention to sexual violence. Through data and advocacy, our global partnership drives action to break cycles of violence and ensure prevention, healing and justice.

In 2022, TfG launched the Brave Movement, a survivor-led global movement to end childhood sexual violence.

Position overview

The Policy & Advocacy Officer will play a central role in implementing TfG’s policy advocacy strategy and work plan focused on efforts to improve national policies to prevent and end violence against children (VAC) in the United States and globally. The primary focus of this role will be to strengthen TfG’s presence on Capitol Hill and with U.S. federal agencies to advocate for robust budget & appropriations, legislation, and effective implementation of existing domestic and foreign assistance policies to prevent and end VAC. The Policy & Advocacy Officer will also support TfG’s advocacy work globally and in support of partners in focus countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean. An additional focus of the role will be to bolster TfG’s role in working collaboratively across gender equality, women’s movement, adolescent girls’/young women, child protection, and ending violence against children communities and spaces.

This position reports to the Director of Policy & Advocacy and will collaborate significantly with the Data & Evidence team, Africa Regional Advisor for Policy & Research, and Communications team.

Responsibilities and duties

● Contribute to TfG’s U.S. and global policy advocacy strategies and work plan development

● Build and steward relationships with advocacy partners, coalitions, and decision-makers

● Develop and support monitoring and evaluation and knowledge management tools for TfG’s policy advocacy work

● Draft background and policy briefs, talking points, and other advocacy material

● Collaborate with TfG’s communications team to provide inputs for comms product development and digital and social media engagement including authoring blogs; providing background information for communications materials including press releases, social media content; flagging news items, events, resources, etc.

U.S. Policy Advocacy

● Conduct landscape analyses of key Congressional, federal government, and other stakeholders

● Identify opportunities for advocacy engagement with Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies

● Track U.S. domestic and foreign assistance-focused legislation, budget & appropriations, other Congressional and federal agency developments

● Represent TfG at coalition meetings and events, including on Capitol Hill (e.g., lobby days, Congressional briefings, federal agency events, etc.)

● Review sign-on letters and other advocacy opportunities and make recommendations for TfG’s engagement

Global Policy Advocacy

● Track activity related to key global forums, platforms, and instruments (e.g. activity at the United Nations included: Generation Equality, Transforming Education, Commission on the Status of Women, treaty bodies, etc.)

● Help identify key moments and opportunities for strategic advocacy and engagement in global forums and processes

● Prepare background briefs and talking points for TfG’s engagement in global advocacy spaces, events, conferences, etc.

● Support TfG’s country-level work with government, multilateral, and civil society partners

Knowledge, skills and experience:

Required

● A minimum of 2-3 years experience working on U.S. domestic and/or foreign assistance policy advocacy related to child welfare, violence against children, gender equality, gender-based violence on Capitol Hill or with a non-profit advocacy organization

● Demonstrated commitment to the Together for Girls’ mission and values

● Strong familiarity with the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and the legislative and budget and appropriations processes

● Ability to thrive in a dynamic, responsive, flexible work environment at a growing organization

● Ability to work both independently with strong time and workflow management, as well as collaborative across teams

● Strong cross-cultural communication skills and the ability to work with a diverse array of partners and stakeholders, including survivors

● Proven ability to work effectively in complex environments

● Excellent communication and written skills

● Demonstrated ability up translate complex, technical material and ideas to a lay audience

● Fluency in English

● Ability to travel internationally

Desired

● A graduate degree in a field related to the work of TfG and function of this role, including public policy public administration, public health, international relations, human rights, and social work

● Educational/professional experience working on gender-based violence, child protection and child welfare, and/or gender equality

● Familiarity with the international system (United Nations and regional multilateral bodies)

● Experience working in cross-cultural teams or organizations

● Fluency/proficiency in French or Spanish

Background

Violence against children and adolescents is a prevalent and devastating global crisis. Sexual violence is a notably taboo, and often hidden, form of violence. Across the globe, between 4-35% of girls and 1-21% of boys experience sexual violence before their 18th birthday. Childhood sexual violence takes on many forms and it can happen to anyone.

We envision a world where every child and adolescent is safe, protected, and thriving. Decades of research show how effective solutions can prevent sexual violence, with policies and programs to ensure survivors access healing and justice.

Together for Girls was created to work across sectors with a comprehensive and holistic approach to preventing and responding to violence. We understand that a multi-faceted problem like violence requires a multi-sectoral, radically collaborative solution. Our partners include survivor activists, civil society, national governments, United Nations entities, and the world’s foremost leaders in global health, gender equity, development, and violence prevention and response.

Location & ways of working

This position is a full time position based in Washington, DC. Applicants should have U.S. work authorization.

This is currently a fully remote position with the expectation to be available to attend in-person meetings periodically. This position will also require travel up to 5% for all staff retreats and conferences and other events.

Compensation

This role offers a competitive salary adjusted to the cost of labor in the city where the candidate resides, for example, the annual salary for the position for a candidate based in Washington, DC will be between $60,000-$70,000. Final salary within this location adjusted range will also be determined by the candidate’s qualifications and years and type of experience.

Culture and values

Together for Girls seeks to create a courageous, inclusive, and flexible culture that empowers our staff to have the capacity and ability to deliver change. We strive to build and maintain psychological safety, trust, and accountability among team members in order to foster honesty and openness about our needs and challenges while also prioritizing self-care.

Application information

Together for Girls, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and committed to maintaining an inclusive and diverse working environment free from discrimination and harassment. Qualified applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Together for Girls, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the U.S.

To apply, please submit a CV, brief cover letter, and a short writing sample to careers@togetherforgirls.org by March 15, 2023 with the subject line Policy & Advocacy Officer Application_LAST NAME. Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis.