The Role

Oxfam International’s Africa Platform is looking for the Head of AU Advocacy & Liaison Office to lead Oxfam confederation’s engagement with the AU and its organs. The role is Oxfam’s representative to the African Union and builds relations with the AU, AU Commission, organs, agencies and specialist technical committees, and ambassadors to the AU. Working collaboratively, with the Programmes and Influencing team, the role will undertake influencing directly and manage the engagement of country and thematic teams across the whole continent with the AU.  

Who we’re looking for;a person with:

• A track record of delivering ambitious influencing strategies with a thorough understanding of the multiple tactics necessary to achieve impact.
• Exceptional influencing skills –ability to negotiate effectively and excel in formal and informal leadership in a multi-stakeholder, networked environment, and in alliances.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to liaise with a wide range of people, both internally and externally, and at many levels, with credibility, tact, and diplomacy.
• Experience in managing and developing others, including through direct and matrix management, and ability to motivate and empower staff to deliver through the creation of an enabling context for success.
• Experience of budget, HR and performance management.
• High level of verbal and written English communication skills. Ability to work in French is highly desirable.
• A minimum of ten-years of professional experience, with substantive experience in or influencing the AU, including at senior leadership and/or managerial positions.
• Experience in working with multi-cultural senior staff and teams across borders.
• Excellent understanding of commitment to and experience of embedding and continuously learning to embed a decolonial,
• Deep understanding of Africa’s current development discourses and proven experience working on the African Continent, and sound understanding of the working of the African Union system and the African socio-economic and political context, including the drivers of inequality and poverty.

What we offer

At Oxfam, we believe that every aspect of our work can lead to a positive outcome. If you have the same opinion, together with the ability to meet the challenges involved, this role offers scope for immense personal fulfilment – as well as outstanding opportunities to develop your career.

Oxfam is committed to providing a fair compensation package and to providing a flexible, supportive, working environment.

How to apply

Please upload an up to date CV and a covering letter, clearly explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile

Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted- usually within 2 weeks of the closing date.

About us

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.

That means we tackle the inequality that keeps people poor. Together we save, protect and rebuild lives. When disaster strikes, we help people build better lives for themselves, and for others. We take on issues like land rights, climate change and discrimination against women. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can enjoy life free from poverty.

We are an international confederation of 21 organizations (affiliates) plus the Oxfam International Secretariat, working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in around 90 countries.

The Oxfam International Secretariat is currently headquartered in Nairobi, with offices in Oxford, Washington DC, New York, Brussels, Geneva, and a liaison office with the Africa Union in Addis Ababa.

All our work is led by our core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness, Courage, Solidarity and Equality. 

Our commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

Note: All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and may be subject to appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Please note that Oxfam International participates in the Inter-Agency Scheme for the Disclosure of Safeguarding-related Misconduct in Recruitment Processes within the Humanitarian and Development Sector. Under this scheme, if you have been employed by another member of the scheme, we will request information from that organization on any misconduct history in accordance with the terms of the scheme. For scheme details please click here

Oxfam International is an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity and inclusion within the workplace.