Director of Advocacy

Job Description

The Opportunity

Living Goods is pursuing ambitious impact goals and scaling rapidly. We’re seeking an innovative, results-driven, and passionate individual, with a track record of thought leadership in international health and development, to join our organization as the Director of Advocacy. The successful candidate will navigate fluidly the cultures of both the private, entrepreneurial sector and the public health community.

The Director of Advocacy will be a global influencer and thought leader, championing and shaping agendas surrounding community health to bring high-quality, affordable health care to families who need it most. The Director of Advocacy will lead the organization’s influencing/advocacy strategy to increase the prioritization and financing of community health on a global scale, helping Living Goods grow in new and existing areas, deepen the impact of the services we deliver, and partner with governments and other implementers.

You will serve as an international ambassador—for both the organization, as well as the community health sector more broadly. There will also be an opportunity to collaborate with our Uganda- and Kenya-based advocacy teams to support regional advocacy initiatives, depending on experience. You will be expected to speak and or publish widely, champion and share best practices, and pursue innovative opportunities and connections for the President, Board Chair, and other key spokespeople.

The Director of Advocacy will help to build global awareness, momentum, and support for one of the most innovative, entrepreneurial, and effective community health initiatives in the developing world today. Working in close collaboration with our business development, communications, partnerships, and country teams, you will help dramatically improve the health and livelihoods of millions of low-income households.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of Living Goods’ influence strategy, in partnership with the country offices and the Development and Communications team, with a focus on key government leaders, NGOs, and funders. The Director of Advocacy will coordinate internally between teams to ensure accountability, strategic alignment, and results.
• As a primary external ambassador of the organization, represent Living Goods to key external constituencies. This includes both formal and informal presentations such as making speeches, and attending conferences and other meetings as necessary.
• Share and leverage evidence, engage directly with key stakeholders, cultivate and leverage champions, deploy strategic communications, speak and publish across influential platforms.
• Manage high-profile engagements on community health policy at the global level, including influencing agendas to raise awareness about the importance of effective community health programs.
• Track and analyze key global policy developments and trends relevant to community health.
• Build and manage partnerships and alliances to advance and refine the influence strategy.
• Collaborate with the Communications Director to ensure strategic alignment and identify cross-cutting initiatives and opportunities. Lead and manage all aspects of a range of activities related to Living Goods board members and executives’ policy engagements and events.

Essential Qualifications, Experience & Attributes

• At least 10 years of experience working in government, advocacy and/or public affairs aimed at influencing policy change.
• Knowledge of international health and development issues at the global level.
• Ability to work autonomously combined with experience working remotely and in support of programs abroad.
• Experience developing and managing efforts to influence policymakers, NGOs, and other external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, writing, editing and verbal skills for communicating with broad and diverse stakeholders.
• Creative, energetic and innovative approach to identifying solutions.
• Effective as a collaborator in complex internal and external organizations.
• Ability to work with efficiency and diplomacy.
• Proven ability to build and cultivate strong relationships.
• Balance competing priorities and identify when to escalate an issue or call out a risk.

Compensation

A competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with experience including health insurance and bonus opportunity. The opportunity to be your best while making lives better for those in need.

Location and Travel

To most effectively scale Living Goods’ influence work, this position will be based in either Washington D.C. or New York, NY. However, the company headquarters is located in San Francisco, CA, with field operations conducted in East Africa. Living Goods takes a very conscious approach to working remotely and ensures full team integration via technology and travel. Accordingly, the new Director of Advocacy can expect to:

• Spend significant time in the first couple months in San Francisco. This will enable him/her to understand the culture, build relationships, and begin to refine the influence strategy.
• Subsequently, spend 1-2 weeks in the Kenya and Uganda offices. This will ensure s/he understands what conditions are like on the ground, builds relationships with Country Directors and other key staff in-country, and reviews/refines the influence workplan with the teams.
• Have the opportunity to travel several times per year to Kenya/Uganda offices, as well as to San Francisco headquarters.
• Anticipate approximately a 35% travel commitment.

What is Living Goods?

Living Goods aims to revolutionize community health care across the developing world. Working in collaboration with national and local governments, Living Goods trains, equips, and manages Community Health Promoters (CHPs) who go door-to-door educating families on key health behaviors while distributing affordable, life-changing products and services including diagnosis and treatment of malaria, diarrhea, safe delivery kits, fortified foods, clean cookstoves, and solar lights. CHPs make a profit on their sales while improving the lives of their communities. A randomized study shows the model reduces under five child mortality by 27 percent at a cost of less than $2 per person reached. Living Goods has been featured in The New York Times, Financial Times, The Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. Check out these articles and more on our press page.

Life at Living Goods

Living Goods is aiming to make disruptive changes, dramatically improving the lives of underserved communities. We think big, but we operate small and nimble. At Living Goods, you will have the chance to use your creativity and work with your teammates to conceive and test new ideas every day. If you work well in a dynamic, highly collaborative culture, if you set high standards for yourself and your colleagues, if you know how to fail fast and learn fast, if you meet challenges with calm determination and a sense of humor, you will thrive at Living Goods. See www.livinggoods.org/principles.

To Apply

We have retained Schaffer&Combs, a certified B Corporation, to support this high priority search. In order to apply, please email livinggoods@schaffercombs.com with:

• Resume
• Thoughtful cover letter, indicating why you are the right fit for Living Goods and this Director of Advocacy position

Please include your name, the title for this position, and the company name (“Your name – Director of Advocacy – Living Goods”) in the subject line of your email. Please refrain from contacting Living Goods directly; all inquiries should be directed to Schaffer&Combs. We will be accepting applications on a rolling basis.

About the Organization

About Living Goods

We believe that families should have access to basic healthcare and no child should suffer from easily preventable and treatable diseases. Living Goods seeks to improve the lives of tens of millions of people across the developing world by revolutionizing the way community health is delivered.

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