The Oxfam International and Ucodep Campaign Office in Italy is seeking an experienced, enthusiastic Italian-speaking Policy Advisor who is passionate about issues of social justice,for a 6-month renewable contract with their small professional campaigns team. You will be ready to hit the ground running and drive work forward quickly and effectively during thiscontract to support and develop policy work around the 2009 G8 summit in Italy.The role will be instrumental in providing strategic research and policy support to the Italian office, as well as strengthening its G8-related advocacy work. Italy is becoming an importantcountry politically in key areas of Oxfam’s policy and advocacy work, and this is an exciting opportunity for an experienced policymaker to make a huge difference in a short time.
Job Title: Policy Advisor on climate change and food
Duration: 6-month contract (renewable)
Compensation: up to € 26,000 gross annually, depending on experience and qualifications.
Job Purpose: To support the Campaign Office to research and develop campaign policies on food and climate change. To support advocacy efforts at national government level; tocontribute to lobbying policy makers in multilateral institutions and government ministries.
Reporting Lines: The Post holder reports to the Head of the Campaign Office.
Team: Oxfam International & Ucodep Campaign Office based in Rome, Italy, with weekly coordination meetings at Ucodep HQ in Arezzo, Tuscany.
Key responsibilities:
- Produce, assimilate, analyse and use international relevant research from varied and diverse sources to provide in-depth analysis on food and climate change policies.
- Support the formulation, organisation and delivery of strategic advocacy and participate in lobbying and advocacy on food and climate change.
- Contribute to intelligence gathering and policy analysis on other focus policy areas (health, education, water, and financing for development) with a view to ensuringcomplementarity of approaches
Specifically, the Policy Advisor will:
- Work closely with research, policy, campaigns and media staff working on Essential Services in developing complementary policy and advocacy strategies on Economic Justice.
- Undertake research and analysis on the global food crisis, its relation to trade and agriculture and the impact of climate change. As a second priority, develop supplementary analysis on other key policy debates, institutions and decision makers.
- Research and develop strategic policy on food and climate change around the 2009 G8 agenda.
- Support the Italian team for the delivery of G8-related policy and advocacy work.
- Ensure consistency between OI and Ucodep’s policies and lessons learned in the field
- Help lobby policy and decision makers in key institutions globally, and particularly the Italian government.
- Ensure gender, diversity and HIV/AIDS are effectively taken on board in policy strategy and direction, and in own ways of working.
Skills and experience
Essential
- A degree in Political Science or related discipline.
- 5 years’ experience of policy work, particularly on issues like food and agriculture and the impact of climate change on poverty.
- Fluency in written and spoken Italian
- Strong written and spoken English
- Strategic analysis and direction to provide high quality analysis of external trends, and synthesis of learning to help the organisation make strategic policy and campaignchoices.
- Ability to analyse and communicate complex information to a wide audience.
- Ability to influence policies and practices.
- Excellent judgement and ability to work sensitively with others and to build good working relationships.
- Drive and tenacity to achieve results.
- Must be willing to work under pressure and at unsocial hours on occasion.
Desirable
- Experience of policy work on health, education, water and financing for development.
- Experience working in a fast-moving environment, managing concurring priorities and tight deadlines.
- Experience of other short-term roles / projects and hitting the ground running.
- Understanding of Oxfam International and diplomacy working with Italian NGOs.
- Experience of managing relationships with external agencies and NGO networks.
- Experience of working in Italy and abroad.
Applicants must have the right to reside and work in Italy.To apply please send your CV/resume (MS Word format) and covering letter by email to: ucodep-oi@oxfaminternational.org by 21 January 2009. Interviews will be organised during the week of 26.01.2009. Only qualified candidates will be contacted. Start date: early March 2009.
Closing Date:
21 January 2009, 17:00
