National Advocacy Officer
Position Circumstances
- Career Category: Advocacy, Communications, Business Administration
- Schedule:Full-time
- Salary: Based on Experience
Reports to: Executive Director or designated senior management
Duty Station: Cambodia Women Entrepreneurs Association (CWEA), Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with travel to provinces as required
Contract: Full-time position is up to 31 March 2027 (possible for extension upon available budget)
Purpose of the Position
To support CWEA in implementing its Advocacy Strategy and Action Plan by coordinating evidence- based advocacy, maintaining effective relationships with government and strategic stakeholders, strengthening member engagement and feedback mechanisms, and ensuring that CWEA’s advocacy messages, positions and achievements are communicated consistently and strategically.
Professional Standards
The National Advocacy Officer shall maintain professionalism, neutrality in stakeholder engagement, confidentiality of member information, accuracy of policy communication, and respect for CWEA’s governance and approval procedures. Public statements and policy positions should be made only within the authority delegated by CWEA.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Key Responsibilities
- Implement CWEA’s advocacy priorities: Coordinate the day-to-day implementation of CWEA’s Advocacy Strategy and Action Plan, including identifying opportunities to raise priority issues and following up on agreed advocacy actions.
- Consult members and identify priority policy issues: Engage regularly with CWEA members, provincial chapters and relevant committees to understand business challenges and identify issues that require advocacy or policy engagement.
- Support CWEA’s engagement with government: Identify relevant opportunities for CWEA to engage with government and support CWEA leadership to prepare for meetings, consultations and other policy discussions. Follow up on issues and commitments after this engagement.
- Support CWEA’s participation in the Government-Private Sector Forum (G-PSF):
- Coordinate CWEA’s participation in relevant G-PSF working groups and other government- private sector dialogue mechanisms, including preparing issues for discussion and following up on outcomes.
- Prepare advocacy positions and materials: Gather and analyze relevant information, including member feedback, surveys, research and CWEA’s White Paper, and use this information to prepare practical talking points, briefing notes, policy recommendations and other materials needed for advocacy.
- Coordinate advocacy across CWEA: Work closely with CWEA’s Board, Secretariate and relevant committees to ensure that advocacy priorities reflect issues emerging from CWEA’s different areas of work and that there is a coordinated approach to advocacy.
- Build and maintain stakeholder relationship: Maintain regular engagement with relevant ministries, government agencies, private sector organizations, development partners and other stakeholders that can support CWEA’s advocacy priorities.
- Support CWEA representative: Help Board and committee members prepare for policy dialogues, meetings and public engagements so they can clearly communicate CWEA’s positions and the concerns of its members.
- Communicate advocacy work to members: Keep members informed about the issues CWEA is advocating for, progress made, government responses and relevant policy developments, working with CWEA’s communication committee where appropriate.
- Track advocacy progress and follow-up: Maintain a practical record of priority issues, engagements, government responses, commitments and follow-up actions so that CWEA can track progress and continue its advocacy over time.
- Expected Outputs
- Maintain an advocacy action plan: develop and maintain a rolling advocacy action plan covering priority issues, target decision-markers, engagement opportunities, responsibilities and timelines. The initial plan should cover the period through March 2027 and identify possible priorities for the subsequent period.
- Identify priority advocacy issues: Work with CWEA members, chapters, committees, Board and Secretariat to identify and prioritize key issues for CWEA’s advocacy efforts.
- Support Policy Engagement: Support CWEA’s participation in relevant government consultations, G- PSF working groups and other policy dialogues, including preparation and follow-up.
- Prepare advocacy materials: Produce talking points, briefing notes, policy recommendations and other materials as needed to support priority advocacy engagements.
- Track advocacy progress: Maintain a practical record of issues raised, government responses, commitments and follow-up actions, and provide regular updates to CWEA leadership.
- Strengthen CWEA’s advocacy capacity: Provide practical support and coaching to Board members, committees and other CWEA representatives to strengthen their participation in policy discussions and engagement with government.
Benefits:
- Salary and Benefits: A competitive salary and benefits package will be offered based on qualifications and relevant experience
Expected Profile of Candidates
Languages:
- English - Good
- Khmer - Fluent
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in communications and advocacy, public policy, business administration or a related field
Work History:
- Advocacy, policy engagement, private-sector dialogue, campaigns or strategic communications for 3 years
Skills & Knowledge:
General & Technical Skills
- Demonstrated experience engaging government institutions and coordinating with senior stakeholders.
- Experience working with business associations, women's economic empowerment, MSME development, private-sector development or policy reform is an advantage.
- Strong understanding of Cambodia's business environment and policy landscape affecting MSMEs and women entrepreneurs.
- Fluency in Khmer (Spoken and Written)
- English (Spoken and Written)
Soft Skills
- Strong interpersonal, facilitation, coordination, negotiation and relationship-management skills.
- Ability to organize multiple priorities, meet deadlines and work independently while coordinating effectively across teams.
- Strong analytical skills and ability to turn qualitative and quantitative evidence into practical advocacy messages.
