Amref Health Africa in Kenya is seeking a strategic thinker with deep political acumen and cross-border experience to join our team as a Regional Policy Officer. This role involves intellectual rigour and practical skills in government engagement, requiring the ability to translate community evidence into powerful policy narratives. The successful candidate will ensure that the voices of girls and survivors inform policy change at all levels, building bridges between diverse actors including government officials, traditional leaders, youth advocates, CSOs, and survivors.
Principal Responsibilities
Cross-border Policy Harmonization & Coordination (40%)
- Develop and support the implementation of cross-border policy advocacy initiatives connecting Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia on the elimination of harmful practices.
- Develop harmonized legal and policy frameworks that address borderland dynamics and enable consistent girl protection across borders.
- Support government engagement across three countries to build aligned policies on FGM/C and CEFMU elimination.
- Facilitate cross-border policy dialogues bringing together government officials, regional bodies, CSOs, and communities from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
- Map cross-border risks and protection gaps and develop policy recommendations to address them.
- Build relationships with border county/regional administrators and government officials to support coordinated protection approaches.
- Support harmonization of legal frameworks with regional bodies (EAC, IGAD) on FGM/C Bill and cross-border protection mechanisms.
- Monitor cross-border harmful practices patterns and inform policy response.
National Policy Advocacy & Reform (25%)
- Develop and support the implementation of evidence-based policy advocacy strategies for each country (Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia).
- Support engagement with national governments (ministries, parliamentarians, legislative bodies) on FGM/C and CEFMU elimination policies.
- Support policy reform processes, including guideline updates, law enforcement, and implementation of existing bans.
- Create evidence-based policy briefs tailored to each country context, drawing on programme data and survivor voices.
- Develop policy position papers addressing key barriers to the elimination of harmful practices.
- Support parliamentary advocacy and engagement with legislators on protective legislation.
- Track and document policy changes and government commitments to elimination efforts.
- Work with country teams to maintain a database of key policy contacts and decision-makers across three countries.
Regional & International Policy Advocacy (20%)
- Support engagement with regional bodies (African Union, IGAD, EAC) on harmonized approaches to the elimination of harmful practices.
- Coordinate advocacy on EAC FGM Bill and support regional legal harmonization.
- Support participation in international forums (CEDAW, UN Human Rights Council, UNGA) to amplify evidence from border communities.
- Leverage international observance days (Zero Tolerance for FGM/C, International Day of the Girl Child) for cross-border advocacy campaigns.
- Build relationships with regional and international advocacy networks working on girls' rights and harmful practices.
- Represent the programme at key regional policy meetings and conferences.
- Document and share cross-border policy learnings with regional partners and international platforms.
Youth & CSO Policy Advocacy Support (10%)
- Build the capacity of border-based CSOs in cross-border policy advocacy.
- Work closely with Country Teams to support the training of youth advocates and CSO staff on evidence-based policy engagement across borders.
- Support cross-border youth networks in joint policy advocacy campaigns.
- Work with country teams to coach survivors and affected girls in sharing their voices in policy spaces.
- Organise joint CSO-youth advocacy activities that connect grassroots voices with policymakers.
- Document and amplify policy wins from community-led advocacy efforts.
- Ensure that safe spaces are created for survivors to participate in policy dialogue.
Policy Evidence & Documentation (5%)
- Package programme evidence into policy-relevant materials for government and regional bodies.
- Work with country teams to monitor policy developments across three countries and report on implications for girls' protection.
- Document policy wins, barriers, and learnings from cross-border advocacy work.
- Maintain records of government commitments and track follow-up and implementation.
Working Environment and Travel
- This role requires significant travel (estimated 40-50% of time) across the program regions as needed.
- Work across three countries with different governance systems, political contexts, and cultural norms.
- Travel to border regions and borderland communities where much of the harmful practices work takes place.
- Navigate complex political environments and work diplomatically with government at all levels.
- Operate in contexts where security is variable, requiring flexibility and pragmatism.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online via the Amref Kenya recruitment portal. Please visit the SmartRecruiters link provided below to submit your application.
