Regional Advocacy and Policy Manager

**Contribution Profile**:
Our mission is providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy regardless of the ability to pay.

The Regional Policy and Advocacy Manager under the guidance of the Director Advocacy, Policy and Marketing will contribute to AHF’s mission and vision by supporting countries in the Southern Africa Region to identify, develop, and implement effective and efficient policy and advocacy strategies towards influencing positive change, and in a direction that ensures improved access to HIV prevention, treatment and care. The position holder through their research and networks will keep management appraised about threats, opportunities and possibilities that may arise and are likely to affect the achievement of AHFs goals and mission in the region. To achieve AHF’s mission, the Regional Policy and Advocacy Manager will ensure that planning and implementation of targeted strategies across focus countries that are impactful and appropriate are well coordinated and communicated with country teams, key partners, advocacy networks and key decision makers. He/She will support countries and the bureau to build and strengthen relevant partnerships, CSO networks/Coalitions/alliances at various levels, and participate in key influential forums and committees to advance AHF’s visibility, work and contribution to the HIV/AIDS response.

**Essential Duties & Responsibilities**

This position will work closely with the Country leadership, Bureau team and the Global Policy, Advocacy and Marketing Teams in the areas of policy, advocacy and marketing to enable AHF achieve its mission by:
**Duties & Responsibilities #1 : Country Programs’ Support**
- Providing technical support to country teams to advocate for and influence policy change at community, provincial, national and institutional levels as guided by AHF policies.
- Supporting country programs to identify advocacy, policy, and marketing gaps and opportunities, and to set key priorities to guide response.
- Enhancing the capacity/skill of country staff involved in advocacy (and other staff and management where needed) through training, mentorship and coaching.
- Supporting country teams to generate and utilize evidence from initiatives/programmes to inform evidence-based advocacy strategies and interventions.
- Working with country programs to identify and leverage dynamic partnership and engagement opportunities, including but not limited to the public health sector toward expanding AHF’s support, visibility and influence.
- Supporting country teams to build and strengthen coalitions toward addressing key HIV/AIDS advocacy and policy issues.
- Supporting country programs to enhance media relations, media engagement, and strategic marketing campaigns, and track and document impact working in close collaboration with the Bureau and Global Communications and Advocacy teams.
- Maintaining a thorough grasp of the country programs advocacy and marketing campaigns, successes, new opportunities and emerging issues.
- Contributing to awareness-raising by supporting advocacy events, creativity and innovation of marketing messages across focus countries.
- Working with countries to strengthen engagement, function and skill of mobilisers and grassroots advocates to drive efficiency, impact and representation at all levels on advocacy matters.

**Duties & Responsibilities #**2**: Regional Advocacy **and Policy **Support**
- Advocating and supporting efforts that will influence policy change at regional and international levels as guided by AHF policies.
- Creating a clear strategy for positioning AHF-led policy and advocacy agenda/initiatives that will have a significant impact on change, as well as an implementation plan for its efficient delivery. This also includes other key AHF outcome areas (e.g. YWAG, AYP, GBV, Key populations, SRH), and how to reach key advocacy objectives, audiences, and influence key stakeholder/decision-makers.
- Mapping and engaging strategic partnerships to ensure AHFs views are represented at all levels. This will include partnerships with Research Organizations, Regional bodies/committees, AIDS Council, Civil Society Organizations, Health Advocates groups, grassroots organisations, Media and Social Movements especially those that address similar issues as AHF.
- Promoting AHF’s work at regional and global levels and maintaining a comprehensive communication strategy for all programs/initiatives to maximize support and cooperation with partners.
- Keeping abreast of research, information and policy development and debates relevant to the fight against HIV/AIDS, and informing AHF to meaningfully strategize for policy change or advocacy.
- Supporting the drafting of press briefs, media advisories and ensuring regular engagement of the media to promote a sustained public profile for AHFs work and key advocacy issues. This will also include developing and maintaining good relations with the media.
- Supporting the preparation of