External Relations Director

ABOUT THE COMPANY

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global service provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. For more than 60 years IPPF has been at the forefront of the battle to ensure women have the right to decide about their future – issues such as who they live with, what happens to their bodies, how many children they have.

JOB SUMMARY

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global service provider and one of the leading advocates of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. IPPF is a worldwide movement of national organizations, referred to as Member Associations, working with and for communities and individuals. The IPPF Secretariat comprises of a London Office and six Regional Offices.The IPPF Africa Region (IPPFAR) is one of the leading providers of quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in Sub- Saharan Africa and a leading SRHR advocacy voice in the region.Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPFAR is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men and women in sub-Saharan Africa. To reach this goal, IPPFAR works with governments, the African Union (AU), regional economic commissions (RECs), the Pan-African Parliament, the United Nations, among others, to expand political and financial commitments to SRHR in Africa. IPPF ARO tackles the continent's growing SRH challenges through a network of Member Associations (MAs), strategic partners and volunteers in 39 countries.IPPF ARO is looking for a well-grounded leader for the position of External Relations Director to lead the positioning of IPPF in the region. To move the Sexuality Agenda and build Solidarity for Change by shifting norms, building strategic partnerships and supporting social movements, amplifying the work of IPPF.Lead on IPPFs commitment to stand up and speak out as defined in Strategy2028.KEY SKILLS/EXPERTISE:Track record in political influencing, inter-governmental negotiations, and measurable change in SRHR related work internationally, with an emphasis on regional engagement.Track record of speaking out on sensitive issues, ensuring voice and agency. Evidence of inspiring and delivering cultural change; setting the tone of voice, ensuing values and integrity on SRHR inform decision making and setting the pace for a high performing team that can meaningfully connect with national and global partners.Demonstrable record in resource mobilization and maintaining donor relations in the Africa region.Has led policy/legislative change, campaigns, and communication strategies at a regional level across multiple stakeholders and coalitions, including marginalised groups.Support and enable a safe environment, adhering to the safeguarding reporting and monitoring requirements of this role.Strong understanding of and experience in gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice.Evidence of the ability to flex style in a diverse and multi-cultural environment to build positive relationships, combining drive with diplomacy.Exceptional communication and presentation skillsFluency in French and English is essential, good command of Portuguese is an asset.Evidence of being open to and enabling new and leading-edge ideas to build engagement and impact.Excellent team manager, leader and developer with strong planning, organizing and knowledge sharing skills.Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in a local and international context.Demonstrates ability and willingness to work in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual, and intergenerational environment that is anti-racist and respectful of others.An intersectional (pro) feminist passionate about sexual reproductive health care rights + justice.Supportive of people's rights regardless of sexuality or gender identity/expression and supportive of worker's rights and access to health care in sex work.Discretion and trustworthiness: you will often be part of confidential discussions and receive strictly confidential information.Shows awareness of and demonstrates sensitivity to the multi-cultural environment in which IPPF operates.Supportive of a woman's rights to choose and to have access to safe abortion services.Willingness and availability to travel regularly in the region (no more than 30 percent of work time)Interested individuals should submit an application form in the IPPFARO CV form and a 1-page cover letter to: with the job position you are applying for as the subject of the email by 10 June 2024.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Works as part of the Regional Senior Managment Team to promote, position, develop and grow the work of the Federation.Leads on nurturing and maintaining strategic partnerships in the region that will ensure IPPF is well connected and resonant.Ensures adequate resourcing. Leads on the relationship with regional donors, overseeing proposal development and resource mobilization at regional and supports the same at MA levels.Works as part of the Global Secretariat External Relations team to position IPPF as a proactive sector leader and to deliver IPPF Strategy2028. Ensures IPPF is responsive to the most critical and urgent SRHRJ issues impacting the most marginalized and vulnerable.Is an active part of the change that IPPF is shepherding through, actively challenging IPPF to be more courageous and relevant. Ensures IPPF works to an intersectional and feminist agenda; with youth voices better represented in its external positioning.Connects all the External facing work within a Region and builds optimal engagement of IPPF Member Associations/Partners.With the Regional Director, represents IPPF on political advocacy and external forums.Adhere to the safeguarding reporting and monitoring requirements of this role.MANAGEMENT REPORTING:Communications, Voice & Media.Advocacy.Community engagement and partnerships.Role Deliverables:Develop and implement a progressive regional plan to deliver on IPPF Strategy2028, ensuring it complements global and regional plans.Ensure a strategic eye across business development and strategic engagements along with regional colleagues to support regional and country level fundraising. Responsible for ensuring the team is able and willing to prioritize business development. Ensures two ways sharing of information cross the regional office, and with the global and national teams.Build an evolving network of stakeholders, influencers, and partners, as well as knowledge managements on trends and opposition monitoring to inform/strengthen/prioritize action.Measure and track key result areas, impacts, and change to adapt/respond with agility.Distil IPPF's identity and voice to speak to key stakeholders; develops a position/key message on strategic/emerging themes.Gather intelligence and commissions research, leveraged through the global External Relations team, to deepen understanding and strengthen positioning/influencing/delivery.Prioritize and focus on engagement with key strategic bodies to maintain presence and influence that will deliver tangible benefits.Create an environment that nurtures and leverages disruptive partnerships and strategic community networks.Prioritize, connect, and amplify campaigns, placing MA and local voices at the forefront to advocate for the Federation.Oversee the framing, activation and 2obilization of high impact media and social media activity that builds on the work of Mas and acts with youth. Ensuring stories/impacts are captured and narrated in engaging and impactful ways.Lead on crisis management for the Region, connecting and escalating with Global Comms, Voice and Media as required.Create an environment where people perform at their best, leading and developing a team with the skills, drive, diversity and expertise to deliver. Acting as a role model for safeguarding, antiracism and IPPF's Code of Conduct.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Stakeholder communication, Business strategy, Negotiation, Bidding and proposal generation, Communication

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree