Director, Global Policy & Advocacy – Education Financing

Jobtailor; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Malala Fund in Washington, DC seeks a senior leader to drive global advocacy for sustainable funding of girls’ secondary education. You will shape policy, messaging, and partnerships with governments, international financial institutions, and donors to advance the Fund’s education financing agenda.

You will lead a small policy team, translate complex ideas into clear communications, and align activities with the Fund’s long-term goals across country and stakeholder networks.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate degree in social science, economics, or related field.
• Proven success leading multidimensional advocacy initiatives influencing global policy frameworks and institutions.
• Experience leveraging diverse partnerships for collective advocacy.
• Substantive policy expertise in development financing and the international financial architecture.

Responsibilities

• Lead Malala Fund’s global advocacy to increase sustainable funding for girls’ secondary education in low- and lower-middle income countries.
• Develop and leverage high-impact, evidence-based policy analysis and messaging.
• Ensure advocacy is strategic, agile, effective, and aligned with Malala Fund’s longer-term goals.
• Collaborate with senior leaders and staff across Malala Fund, including country teams and development and communications teams.
• Brief staff, co-founders, board members, and donors on developments, opportunities, and engagements.
• Develop and deliver engagement strategies for governments, international financial institutions, and global stakeholders.

Skills

Advocacy leadership

Development financing

IFIs knowledge

Team management

Policy analysis

Strategic communications

Engagement strategy

Budgeting & reporting

Performance management

Communication skills

Education

Postgraduate degree or equivalent

Job description

• Lead Malala Fund’s global advocacy to increase sustainable funding for girls’ secondary education in low- and lower-middle income countries
• Develop and leverage high-impact, evidence-based policy analysis and messaging
• Ensure advocacy is strategic, agile, effective, and aligned with Malala Fund’s longer-term goals
• Collaborate with senior leaders and staff across Malala Fund, including Nigeria and Pakistan country teams and development and communications teams
• Brief staff, co-founders, board members, and donors on developments, opportunities, and engagements
• Develop and deliver engagement strategies for governments, international financial institutions, and global stakeholders
• Build and steward senior-level relationships with governments, international financial institutions, and sector partners
• Position Malala Fund as a leading voice on global education financing through media engagement and strategic partnerships
• Design and deliver strategic communications plans for the Debt Justice Initiative with the Senior Director of Strategic Communications
• Represent Malala Fund at high-level forums, media engagements, and coalition spaces
• Manage and mentor a team of two policy and advocacy professionals
• Oversee internal planning, budgeting, and reporting for the initiative
• Contribute to cross-team collaboration, leadership meetings, and shared initiatives
• Recruit, interview, and train new staff as needed
• Support staff development through mentoring, coaching, feedback, and performance evaluations
• Handle employee relations, performance management, and disciplinary processes in accordance with organizational policy
• Uphold organizational values, safeguarding standards, and an inclusive learning-organisation culture

Requirements

• A postgraduate degree or equivalent in social science, economics, or a related field
• Demonstrated success leading multidimensional advocacy initiatives influencing global policy frameworks and institutions
• Experience leveraging diverse partnerships for collective advocacy
• Substantive policy expertise in development financing and the international financial architecture
• Strong working knowledge of international financial institutions and financing instruments and processes affecting low- and lower-middle income countries, including regional financial institutions
• Ability to translate technical complexity into strategic positioning
• Fluency in development financing language
• Experience engaging and communicating with senior‑level policymakers, media, and international and national civil society partners
• Keen understanding of normative and legal frameworks applying to international financial architecture relating to girls’ rights, especially education
• Solid judgment and problem‑solving skills
• Proven attention to detail, accuracy, and quality
• Excellent team and personnel management abilities
• Ability to motivate teams, build partnerships, and connect with people from varied cultural backgrounds
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to distill complex ideas and data into clear, concise messaging tailored to particular audiences
• Ability to foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture
• Ability to handle employee relations, performance management, and disciplinary processes in accordance with organizational policy

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in advocacy and policy analysis for global education financing, with a strong focus on building partnerships and engaging with senior‑level stakeholders. Proven ability to lead teams, manage complex initiatives, and communicate effectively across diverse audiences.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Postgraduate Degree In Social Science
• Advocacy Initiative Leadership
• Development Financing Expertise
• International Financial Institutions Knowledge
• Team Management And Mentoring

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Policy Analysis
• Strategic Communications
• Budgeting And Reporting
• Engagement Strategy Development
• Performance Management

Soft Skills

• Exceptional Communication Skills
• Problem‑Solving Skills
• Attention To Detail
• Team Motivation
• Cultural Competence

Industry Keywords

• Global Education Financing
• Collective Advocacy
• Normative And Legal Frameworks
• Girls'Rights
• International Financial Architecture