Regional Research and Policy Coordinator, Middle East, Eastern Europe and CIS

OXFAM PURPOSE: To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering

TEAM PURPOSE: The regional campaigns and policy team's purpose is to lead and provide support to Oxfam's campaigns and policy work to maximise the impact of its work at local, national, regional and global levels.

JOB PURPOSE: To support Oxfam GB's programmes in the region by delivering high quality policy and research work on key poverty issues, supporting the development of strong research capacity at national level, and engaging with influential regional institutions.

REPORTING LINES:

Post holder reports to: Regional Campaigns & Policy Manager, and matrix management with the Oxford-based Research Methods Adviser.

Staff reporting to this post: Matrix management of Moscow-based Researcher, management of Interns/ Researchers/Consultants as required.

DIRECT BUDGET MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY: Delegated budget to be confirmed.

CONTRACT TYPE: Full-time, Open Ended
HOURS: 36 Hours per week
LEVEL: C1 Global

SALARY: £23,090 - £29,954 net per annum. Oxfam is likely to appoint towards the bottom of the scale

BENEFITS: Accommodation allowance and relocation costs

Closing date for application is 8th April 2011. Interview date will be 15th April 2011.

Dimensions

• Decision-making is both highly strategic and operational, with judgement based on highly complex problem-solving experience and on a range of diverse internal and external factors.
• Problems encountered are liable to be highly diverse and complex, requiring comprehensive analysis and interpretation of information from a wide variety of sources and capacity to communicate to a wide range of audiences.
• Draws from programme and external information sources to provide high quality research and in-depth policy analysis on poverty and inequality in MEEECIS.
• Development of long-term policy advocacy and research strategies to achieve significant impact on Oxfam's programme and policy work.
• Actively works with national programmes and partners to build research capacity across the region and develop effective, evidence-based campaigns.
• Communicates and coordinates widely within Oxfam, across countries and Oxfam International affiliates, and partners and allies (including major alliances).
• Impact and influence is major, lot of influence within Oxfam and in the wider development sector in the region. The post plays a strategic role in shaping strategy and direction of Oxfam's work in MEEECIS.
• Achieves goals by influencing internal/external agenda/policies through using high quality research work, and supporting existing national and regional campaigns.
• Expert knowledge on Policy analysis and research methodology and provides specialist advice and guidance to country and regional teams.
• Representation of Oxfam in meetings with networks, alliances, institutional/government officials on wide range of policy and research issues.
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• Plans and manages resources, consultants and partnerships with key policy and research institutions.
• Actively fundraises to attract restricted funding to support sustainable future research activity.

Key Responsibilities

• To coordinate with country teams on the delivery of agreed annual research priorities and supporting country teams in managing commissioned research as agreed.
• To monitor major external economic, poverty, social development and vulnerability trends in MEEECIS, and provide regular updates and written briefings on relevant issues to programme staff and senior management in order to support programme and policy advocacy work.
• To monitor influential research produced by others (e.g. ADB, World Bank, UN) relevant to Oxfam's interest and provides timely written critiques and responses.
• To use research outputs to help develop policy positions for MEEECIS on key poverty, inequality and vulnerability issues and produce policy briefing papers, policy position statements and public communication materials, including ensuring that MEEECIS contributes strongly to the development of Oxfam's global briefing papers and briefing notes.
• To play the role of Commissioning manager for key policy and research products; To ensure high standards are met in Oxfam public research and policy briefs in West Africa.
• To engage in high level lobbying and represent Oxfam in MEEECIS at critical policy and research forums when appropriate.
• To build capacities of programme and policy teams on research and policy analysis skills and methodologies.
• To establish and maintain relationships with key policy think tanks, academic and research institutions in the region and draw external expertise or develop partnership for Oxfam's policy and research work.
• To serve as the primary focal point for with the Oxford-based Policy and Research team in order to maximise synergies between regional research priorities and global capacity.
• To ensure that key Oxfam priorities, especially issues relating to gender, are supported by rigorous research at all levels.

Skills and Competence

Essential

• A strong thinker on development, humanitarian and poverty issues, with a proven track record of producing high quality research (E).
• Hands-on experience in lobbying and playing key representational roles (E)
• Proven experience in undertaking research for advocacy and/or policy, preferably on issues relating to economic justice, rights in crisis and institutional accountability (E).
• A broad-based understanding of the major economic, social development, humanitarian and poverty issues in MEEECIS region (E).
• Experience in managing other researchers and research projects (including managing commissioned researchers), and ensuring high standards of delivery (E).
• Thorough understanding of research methodologies and skills with an ability to train/coach and transfer skills to others (E).
• Outstanding written and verbal communications skills, with an ability to simplify complex concepts both verbally and orally in order to influence others (E).
• Strong understanding of and proven commitment to gender and diversity issues (E).
• Fluency in written and spoken English(E).
• Strong inter-personal skills (E), ability to work in complex teams/groups.
• Ability to travel (E).

Desirable

• Experience of training and capacity building for research in a Southern context (D).
• A well-developed network of relevant academic and applied research contacts, including in MEEECIS, to draw on (D).
• Experience of fundraising for research (D).
  
  
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