Strategic Advocacy Advisor

The Position:

The Strategic Advocacy Advisor will lead the repositioning of the regional communications and advocacy function into a strategic, outward-facing, and impact-driven platform. S/he reports directly to the Regional Director and acts as a central figure in advancing UNFPA’s mandate at both the regional and country levels. This role operates in close collaboration with Headquarters divisions and the newly established Strategic Partnerships and Innovative Financing Advisor to ensure that advocacy, financing, and external engagement are fully aligned to maximize influence and mobilize diverse resources. 

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

 

Job Purpose:

Given the 2026–2029 UNFPA Strategic Plan's strong emphasis on strategic partnerships, donor diversification, innovative financing, and the need for more impactful advocacy to shift social norms, the primary purpose of the Strategic Advocacy Advisor is to lead the transformation of the Regional Office's communications and advocacy function. 

The advisor will reposition this function into a more strategic, outward-facing, and impact-driven platform. The purpose of this role is to provide strategic communication advisory to ensure that overall messaging is aligned with the organization's mission, priorities, and branding, ultimately making UNFPA ‘bold, vocal, and visible’ across the Arab States region. 

The Advisor will act as a central champion for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Agenda, utilizing evidence-based campaigning to drive progress toward UNFPA's "Three Transformative Results": zero unmet need for family planning, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices. The Advisor will ensure that all external messaging is directly embedded in the design of donor engagement strategies to ultimately ensure that communications act as a proactive enabler of financing and partnership outcomes rather than functioning as a parallel service.  Ultimately, the job purpose is to ensure that UNFPA’s narrative is compelling, consistent, and evidence-driven, allowing the organization to speak with one unified voice regionally. The Advisor will maximize UNFPA's political influence, navigate complex socio-cultural sensitivities, bridge the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, and successfully mobilize diverse resources to support sustainable progress. 

You would be responsible for:

High-Level Regional Policy & Intergovernmental Advocacy 

• Lead high-level policy dialogue with regional intergovernmental bodies, such as the League of Arab States (LAS) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union
• Integrate population dynamics, youth empowerment, and SRHR priorities into regional development agendas.
• Provide timely risk assessments and strategic advice to the Regional Director regarding political sensitivities surrounding gender, bodily autonomy, and human rights.
• Provide technical and advocacy support to UNFPA Country Offices (COs) to influence domestic legislation, national budgets, and health strategies

Strategic Communications and Narrative Development 

• Develop compelling narratives and flagship advocacy messages to advance UNFPA’s mandate and ICPD agenda in the region. 
• Coordinate multiple strategies to enhance UNFPA digital presence and ensure innovative engagement of social media for both internal and external communication. 
• Ensure that communications are fully embedded in the design of advocacy engagement strategies and partnership building. 
• Outsource routine translation and proofreading tasks through retainer arrangements with specialized consultants to allow staff to focus on strategic, higher-value functions.

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus Integration 

• Tailor advocacy strategies to protect women and girls in active conflict zones and protracted displacement settings (e.g., Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and Palestine).
• Ensure advocacy and communications are inclusive of humanitarian contexts. 
• Bridge the gap between immediate humanitarian response (such as GBV clinical management in camps) and long-term legal and institutional protections.

Strategic Alliances & Sustainable Financing 

• Integrate communications and advocacy strategies with resource mobilization and partnership-building, ensuring maximum influence and visibility for financing objectives. 
• Provide a revised platform for engagement with governments, parliamentarians, international financial institutions, private sector actors, and civil society. 
• Strengthen ASRO's strategic focus on funding diversification, with streamlined and strengthened advocacy and donor-facing communications. 
• Cultivate strategic networks with civil society organizations, academic institutions, youth-led groups, and religious or cultural leaders to champion family planning and gender equality through culturally grounded frameworks.

Evidence-Based Campaigning & Demographic Intelligence     

• Partner with regional demographic and data units to translate census results and socio-economic data into compelling policy briefs, white papers, and advocacy strategies tailored for government ministries.
• Advocate for public investments in the region’s massive youth population, focusing on primary healthcare integration, adolescent girls' rights, and youth inclusion.
• Harness digital media, analytics, and innovative platforms to extend reach and impact

Qualifications and Experience: 

 Education: 

Advanced university degree in communications, journalism, media studies, international relations, or other relevant fields.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in communications, advocacy, or public affairs in international development.
• Demonstrated expertise in advocacy campaigns, social norm change, and political communications.
• Experience integrating communications with resource mobilization is desirable.
• Proven experience in digital advocacy and innovative communications tools.
• Demonstrated expertise in advocacy campaigns, social norm change, and political communications.  Proven ability to navigate complex political environments, build consensus on sensitive gender/SRHR topics, and build trust with conservative stakeholders.
• UN system or multilateral experience an asset

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Arabic strongly preferred

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/advancing a policy-oriented agenda   
• Delivering results-based advocacy and communications strategies   
• Creating visibility for the organization   
•  Innovation and digital communications 

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• Providing strategic focus   
• Engaging internal/external partners and stakeholders   
• Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
• Making decisions and exercising judgments   

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.