Advocacy Coordinator – Full-time

• Position type: Full-time (employment or service contract, depending on location)
• Location: flexible.
• Start date: TBD (as soon as possible)
• Reports to: Director of Programs & Advocacy (line manager)
• Remuneration: dependent on experience.
• Manages: Advocacy Assistant(s)/interns/consultants as relevant (scope varies by year/projects)
• Key internal coordination with: Program/Project Leads (EU SEE, FiCS, CADE, etc.), Membership Management, Capacity Strengthening, Communications/Campaigns, MEAL/Org Effectiveness, Event Support, Fundraising, Finance/Admin.

Background

Forus is a global network bringing together 76 National NGO Platforms and 8 Regional Coalitions across the world, collectively representing more than 24,000 civil society organisations. Rooted in national and regional realities and connected across borders, our network works to strengthen civil society's collective voice, resilience and influence in building more inclusive, just and sustainable societies.

Guided by our three strategic pillars - Connect, Support and Influence - and underpinned by a commitment to network health, Forus brings members together to share knowledge, strengthen capacities, build solidarity and drive collective action. As a member-led network, our role is not to speak for our members, but to support their leadership, amplify their voices and create opportunities for them to shape the decisions that affect their communities and societies.

Our 2026-2030 Strategy, Civil Society Resilience, Solidarity, and Power, sets out an ambitious agenda for the years ahead. At a time of shrinking civic space, growing inequalities, declining development financing and increasing pressure on multilateral cooperation, we are committed to defending civil society's role while helping reimagine more just, inclusive and accountable systems. Our advocacy priorities include protecting and expanding the enabling environment for civil society; advancing sustainable development and shaping the post-2030 agenda; strengthening civil society participation in global governance; promoting just and accountable development financing; and advancing inclusive, rights-based digital transformation.

At the heart of this ambition is a commitment to more strategic, innovative and member-led advocacy - connecting national and regional realities with global opportunities, building alliances for collective influence, and continuously questioning and adapting our approaches to achieve meaningful change.

We invite candidates to explore our Forus Strategy 2026-2030 to learn more about our vision, priorities and the collective ambition guiding our work.

To help bring this ambition to life, Forus is seeking an Advocacy Coordinator to lead the planning, coordination and implementation of our advocacy strategy, under the supervision of the Director of Programs and in close collaboration with members, Secretariat teams and partners.

Purpose of the role

The Advocacy Coordinator leads the planning, coordination and implementation of Forus' advocacy strategy under the Influence pillar. Working closely with members, Secretariat teams and partners, the Coordinator helps translate national and regional priorities into collective influencing strategies, connects members with opportunities to shape global policy processes, and supports member-led advocacy across the network. The role combines strategic political analysis, coalition-building, facilitation and effective delivery, while encouraging critical reflection, learning and adaptation to maximise Forus' collective influence.

The role strengthens Forus' capacity to:

• Convene member-led advocacy spaces and facilitate joint analysis, positioning and coordinated action;
• Build strategic partnerships and coalitions for influence;
• Deliver high-quality advocacy outputs and support member engagement in key policy spaces;
• Connect evidence (research/MEAL/alerts) to messaging, advocacy moments, and outcomes.

Key responsibilities

A) Advocacy strategy, policy positions, and influencing

• Lead the operationalisation and periodic refinement of Forus' advocacy strategy and annual advocacy workplan, in coordination with members, governance and Secretariat team.
• Design and implement targeted advocacy campaigns and influencing strategies, using political and power mapping, stakeholder analysis, clear policy objectives and strategic opportunities to identify pathways to change.
• Produce or coordinate the production of policy insights, recommendations, submissions, statements, briefs, and position papers—ensuring strong quality, clarity, and alignment with agreed priorities.
• Coordinate strategic engagement in priority policy processes, including SDG implementation and