Advocacy Manager (Asia-Pacific region)

Advocacy Manager (Asia-Pacific region)

Habitat for Humanity International - Manila, Philippines (Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea)

Job Description

Habitat’s projects, like our partner families and communities, span the globe and bring much needed support and relief to many individuals that live in poor housing. We are looking for an Advocacy Manager who is inspired and passionate about our vision of “a world where everyone has a decent place to live” and is able to deliver key messages to appropriate government departments, community group leaders, international organizations and to National Board/Governing Body members throughout our Asia/Pacific region.


This position is based at our area office, located in Manila, Philippines.


As the Advocacy Manager, you serve as Habitat’s leader for advocacy strategic leadership and active involvement with National Organizations (NOs). You will coordinate and strategize with Habitat for Humanity International’s Government Relations & Advocacy Office in Washington DC to achieve full policy alignment across the HFHI organization. In addition, you will provide knowledge, expertise and advocacy related to various aspects of shelter/housing programs conducted by Habitat for Humanity and its implementing partners.


To be successful in this vital role, you should be skilled in the art of communication and understand how to ‘tell the story’ of why support is crucial for those living in inadequate housing and increasing awareness of how housing is a critical foundation in breaking the poverty cycle. You will interact heavily with our National Organization’s leadership and act as the liaison with key regional advocacy organizations to ensure HFHI is well positioned as a credible and influential player in the region.

Desired Skills & Experience

The incumbents’ duties include:

1. Advise and support the Area and National Offices on advocacy and policy integration. Design and oversee the development and implementation of advocacy strategies which contribute to changes in unjust policies and practices.
2. Lead review processes and help strengthen the application of advocacy models in disaster response.
3. Participate and contribute to development of regional strategy and global advocacy strategies, priorities and plans ensuring that the advocacy and policy priorities of Asia Pacific are integrated and prioritized
4. Support the NOs in developing effective advocacy strategies and plans appropriate to their context in alignment with the regional and global strategies and priorities
5. Work closely with NOs providing technical leadership support and critical guidance and input in the area of advocacy integration and campaigning
6. Facilitate formation and coordination of regional advocacy forum/network that promotes learning
7. Develop and maintain good external relations with key regional advocacy organizations and networks so as to ensure that HFHI is well positioned as a credible and influential player in the region.

Minimum qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree (preferably in Political Science, Public Policy or International Affairs)
2. Formal instruction in training methodologies and/or certification in adult education
3. 5+ years’ experience in public advocacy at management level
4. Fluency in written and spoken English
5. Superior communication skills with strong diplomatic and conflict negotiation capability

Preferred qualifications

1. An understanding of shelter/housing policy in the broader relief and development policy environment in the field and at the policy developing/decision-making level
2. An understanding of government policy and systems frameworks in the Asia-Pacific environment and countries
3. Work experience in Asia Pacific countries highly preferred
4. Knowledge of other relief policy actors such as UN, World Bank, National Governments, the US Government, the EU, INGOs, and INGO coordinating bodies, etc.

Company Description

At Habitat, our vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. This simple, basic concept resonates throughout every program, country, and family touched by Habitat’s efforts. We are known as an international non-profit leader in providing housing solutions, whether it be building homes in areas affected by disasters in Thailand, working with local communities to develop micro savings programs for home improvement in the Philippines, or piloting solar cookers in Central America. To date, Habitat has helped to build or repair over 600,000 decent, affordable houses, serving more than 3 million people worldwide. This amazing work could not be accomplished without an excited, dedicated, and driven base of employees, volunteers, and partner families that make up our global “Habitat family.”

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