Senior Policy & Advocacy Manager

The Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager will play a leading role in developing and shaping policy positions to enable mobile innovations and services are used for digital humanitarian action, for example in the context of disaster preparedness and response or advancing the digital and financial inclusion of forcibly displaced populations including refugees. This includes engaging stakeholders at the global and local level, including multilateral organisations and national governments. Key aspects of the role: 

• Analysing and advising on policy and regulatory trends to internal and external stakeholders – for example in the areas of technology in humanitarian response, national emergency telecommunications plans, and Know-Your-Customer (KYC) in the context of accessing mobile services 

• Leading on policy engagement with M4H priority countries (mainly in Africa and Asia), including travel to these regions. Support M4H partners and lead policy discussions such as roundtables and workshops involving policymakers, humanitarian agencies and mobile operators 

• Developing policy positions on priority topics of the M4H programme, and associated advocacy strategies 

• Liaising with other GSMA teams to ensure alignment of messages as well as with external stakeholders including policymakers, mobile network operators, regulatory specialists, humanitarian stakeholders, regional experts and consultants  

• Leading on the development of, and delivering capacity building courses aimed at policymakers on issues relating to the role of mobile in humanitarian contexts 

• Contributing to, peer-reviewing and editing publications on a wide variety of relevant subjects ensuring GSMA messages and positions are reflected and promoted consistently 

• Researching and writing briefing papers, speaking points, and blogs 

About You 

We welcome applications from professionals with the following demonstrated qualifications: 

• Substantial experience in policy & regulatory affairs with good understanding of the telecom and humanitarian sectors 

• Excellent communications skills and ability to develop advocacy messages and strategies to influence a range of stakeholders 

• Passionate about the potential applications of technology (incl. mobile technology) in humanitarian contexts to achieve both social and commercial impact, with understanding of how enabling policy environments can support humanitarian outcomes 

• Demonstrable experience of influencing government policy and/or regulation. Appreciation of how this can impact private sector investment and the commercial dynamics within the mobile industry 

• Direct experience in working with multiple external stakeholders, including governmental and inter-governmental authorities 

• Willingness to work in results-oriented team environment and ability to adapt to shifting priorities 

• An enthusiastic team player with an ability to work in a matrixed structure, to support cross functional collaboration across the GSMA 

• Excellent grasp of the English language, with compelling written and oral communications skills, including the ability to summarise, structure and tailor complex content into clear messaging for different internal and external stakeholder audiences 

• Strong project management skills, ability to work independently, self-motivated, entrepreneurial and organised to deliver high impact outputs.  Conscientious and creative with a can-do attitude. 

• Able to quickly grasp new concepts and ideas 

• Ability to travel internationally