About the role
This is a rare opportunity to lead advocacy on two of the most important fronts in international development. You will co-lead the External Engagement and Influencing workstream of What Works to Prevent Violence – Impact at Scale (What Works II), a FCDO-funded programme working to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls globally. Alongside this, you will drive CARE International UK's own influencing work on gender equality, shaping UK Government policy and building our reputation as a thought leader on gender justice.
You will co-manage a global team of six advocacy and communications professionals for What Works and represent CARE International UK at senior levels across FCDO and UK Parliament, with sector colleagues, global and domestic women’s rights organisations and influential thought leaders. You will oversee the development of high-impact advocacy products, events and influencing strategies for both briefs.
This role sits in the Programme and Policy team and is line-managed by the Head of Advocacy & Influencing.
About you
You are an experienced, politically astute advocate with a strong track record of influencing policy change on gender equality or international development. You thrive in complex, collaborative environments and know how to translate evidence into compelling political asks.
You will bring:
- Significant advocacy or public affairs experience, with a deep understanding of the UK Government, Parliament, and relevant political institutions
- Demonstrable expertise on gender in emergencies, violence against women and girls, or related areas of international development
- Experience developing and delivering successful policy initiatives that have shifted attitudes, behaviour or legislation
- Strong leadership skills, including experience managing teams across time zones and working in co-management or consortium structures
- Excellent communication skills (written and oral) with the ability to distil complexity for senior political audiences and the confidence to speak to media
- A genuine commitment to feminist principles, equity, diversity and inclusion, and to centring the voices of women's rights organisations in advocacy work
- Experience working on violence against women and girls and familiarity with FCDO-funded programmes, are highly desirable.
Why work for CARE International UK?
This is an exciting time to join CARE International UK. We are embarking on a new four-year organisational strategy, and our Advocacy and Influencing Team sits at the heart of it - leading efforts to sure up the UK Government's political commitment to women and girls, move power and resources to women-led organisations, and build networked advocacy for the issues we care most about.
This is also a pivotal moment for the wider sector. In a political environment marked by growing scepticism toward international aid, the mainstreaming of anti-gender narratives, and increasingly polarised public discourse, the case for gender equality has never needed making more urgently or more skilfully. At CARE International UK, you'll be working at the frontline of that challenge, helping to ensure or advocacy on gender equality is not only technically rigorous but politically resonant and accessible to the audiences who are shaping the debate.