Policy Lead Influencing seeds & agriculture policies (32- 36 hours/week)

Do you want to fight for equality? Tackling inequality at its roots, together with colleagues, our partner organizations and activists in more than 90 countries? To change the systems behind it, once and for all!

Oxfam Novib stands behind the people who stand up for equality. Together, we fight for a world where everyone has equal opportunities, regardless of gender, ethnicity or skin color. A world where everyone feels safe; where income gaps are shrinking instead of growing, where climate change is tackled in a firmer and more honest way. 

Equality is the common thread in our work and projects, both internally and externally. We recognize that our team of colleagues can become even more diverse, and that only with a diverse team can we gain a broad perspective on the world. Therefore, we want to encourage everyone who hesitates to apply, no matter the reason. Our aim is to create an environment where everyone not only feels welcome, but where diversity is embraced and celebrated. Let's strive together to build a team that offers a rich variety of perspectives, enabling us to achieve an inclusive and inspiring work environment.

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Job description

The Policy Lead Influencing seeds & agriculture policies will be part of the GREEN Climate Resilient Communities Unit (CRC). The CRC unit supports the interest of 500 million smallholder farmers and indigenous communities that feed 90 percent of the population in the developing world. When their crops fail, millions go hungry. They are on the frontline of climate change, living in some of the most vulnerable landscapes. Our programs and partners support them to voice their demands, find local solutions, promote agro-ecology, and locally led adaptation, manage natural resources sustainably, protect their land rights and achieve food security.

The CRC’ seeds for resilience program based on the former SD=HS program, supports smallholder farmers – especially women, and youth – to have the capacity to access, develop and use plant genetic resources - in conjunction with agro-ecological practices and land rights - to improve their food and nutrition security. The seeds program fosters women’s leadership, support rural communities and their allies to voice their demands and influence government and private sector decisionmakers. The program is implemented via several grants in countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia and has activities at global level related to influencing, knowledge creating and linking & learning.

The role of the Policy Lead Influencing seeds & agriculture policies is to support Oxfam country office and national partners in designing, implementing and adjusting evidence-based advocacy strategies towards local, regional and global seeds and related agriculture policies for inclusive farmer-managed seed and food systems. Your responsibility will be to strengthen networks and cooperation with national (farmer) organizations, rural communities and their allies; influencing strategy development and support learning to strengthen and amplify the voices of small-scale food producers, particularly women and marginalized groups, in local, national and global decision-making; develop and share materials on influencing strategy development; develop strategies to handover the influencing role to Oxfam country offices and national counterparts.

You will report to unit head of CRC as line manager and to the seeds for resilience program manager on program delivery.

Key responsibilities

• Provide internal and external (thought) leadership on the development and implementation of country-led influencing strategies on local, national, and global level on seeds legislation, private sector regulations/standards and international finance flows for seeds and agricultural inputs.
• Project manage the daily implementation of the seeds & agriculture policy influencing parts of seeds program in close cooperation with country offices and partner organizations. 
• Take responsibility for the assigned budgets related to the policy influencing part of the seeds program, make proposals for the planning of the effective and efficient use of these resources, monitor the expenditures and reports on this to the project lead.
• Advice on and implement influencing strategies & lead capacity strengthening in order to improve seeds & agriculture advocacy of the Oxfam country offices and national partner organizations.
• Lead the exchange, learning, evaluation and innovation of policy influencing, ensure quality of documentation and building of evidence to inform (national) policy debates using rigorous analysis and articulation of changes required; share these with program stakeholders internally and externally;
• Develop new integrated program elements and reach out to donors and partners for joint fundraising related to policy influencing.
• Ensure that the program follows Oxfam Novib’s organizational priorities especially regarding systemic change; gender and youth participation and feminist leadership.

Required skills and experience for the position:

• Master’s degree in climate and agriculture or related field
• Experience and expertise in the field of seed policy and legislation related to agro-ecology, agriculture policies and Farmers’ Rights. In depth understanding of the political economy of agricultural & food systems, government and private sector decision making within the context of the climate and biodiversity crisis in the Global South.
• At least 5 years of experience working with local organizations in evidence-based policy advocacy, strategy development and campaigning to strengthen the voice of local (female) communities and representative civil society.
• Experience in working with and from a gender transformation perspective.
• Strong written and oral communication and advisory skills, including training/facilitation skills, with proven ability to build relationships with a diverse range of local, national, and global stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver results in complex multi-disciplinary structures, prioritize under pressure, meet deadlines, and hold yourself and others to account.
• Fluency in English, both verbal and written; Fluency in French and Spanish would be an asset. 

Working at Oxfam Novib

• All our work is guided by our core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness, Courage, Solidarity and Equality.
• At Oxfam Novib, we work according to the Feminist Principles - Oxfam Policy & Practice.
• Oxfam Novib is committed to offer you a motivating work environment at our offices in The Hague.
• Working from an Oxfam office in the global South can be considered based on candidate’s background and possibility to travel to program countries and the Netherlands.
• Qualified candidates residing in the Netherlands, or other EU/EEA countries and who are willing to relocate to the Netherlands at their own expense and responsibility, are encouraged to apply.
• Oxfam Novib is unable to provide visa sponsorship at this time.
• We offer a one-year contract from start (including a 1-month trial period), with the possibility to extend.
• Oxfam Novib offers an attractive and honest benefits package, including a year-end allowance and yearly pay increase from the Collective Labor Agreement. Moreover, we offer complementary options to choose from. The salary range for this position – when based in the Netherlands - is set in scale 10, grading in the scale depends on experience, based on 36 hours a week. When based in the Global South, the relevant Oxfam country office will provide a hosting agreement & national scales for C-1 position will be applied.
• We are currently working hybrid (50% in the office in The Hague and 50% at home).
• Oxfam Novib is based on the power of difference. That is why we aim to attract a diverse mix of talented people who share our standards, values and principles, and who are committed to prevent and eliminate any type of misconduct.
• We have an active policy against sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, any form of abuse of power or lack of integrity and financial misconduct. This subject will be covered in our application and selection process.

Additional information

• Do you believe that this is the job you are looking for? Then we would love to meet you! Please send your resume and cover letter via our application portal.
• If you have questions regarding the position, please contact the program lead Seeds for Resilience Eco Matser, eco.matser@oxfamnovib.nl; or the manager of the GREEN Climate Resilience Unit: gerard.steehouwer@oxfamnovib.nl
• Only applications received before the closing date of the 30th of November 2024 and submitted via our application portal will be considered.
• This job opening is posted internally and externally, simultaneously. Internal candidates are given preference if they possess sufficient qualifications or these can be obtained in short term. We believe it’s important in our organization that our employees are offered maximum opportunities for growth in new themes and competencies. Priority for internal candidates supports this.
• At the time of a contract offer, it is necessary for Oxfam Novib to request valid references. Our candidates will be subject to appropriate screening checks, including criminal records and terrorism, financial checks or integrity screenings/references.
• Oxfam Novib reserves the right, to its sole discretion, not to make agreements regarding this job opening, make an agreement in a lower level, or make an agreement with an amended job description.