Open Society Foundations Hiring: Advocacy Advisor | London-Based | Competitive Pay | Apply by 29 August 2025
Open Society Foundations Hiring: Advocacy Advisor | London-Based | Competitive Pay | Apply by 29 August 2025
Open Society Foundations Hiring: Advocacy Advisor | London-Based | Competitive Pay | Apply by 29 August 2025. The Advocacy Advisor position at Open Society Foundations (OSF) is a senior, full-time role based in London. This is a critical opportunity for a seasoned professional to lead advocacy efforts in the Asia Pacific region. The role offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support a healthy work-life balance. The deadline for applications is strictly set for 29 August 2025.
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Background & Job Description
The Open Society Foundations (OSF) is a global network dedicated to building vibrant and inclusive democracies where governments are accountable to their citizens. Guided by the values of its founder, OSF is committed to advancing human dignity, equality, and rights. The organization operates a unique model of grantmaking that is centered on specific, time-limited projects, which allows it to respond swiftly to emerging needs and drive positive change through grants, advocacy, impact investing, and strategic human rights litigation. At its core, OSF’s mission is to work with global entities, individuals, and policymakers to advance rights, equity, and justice.
This specific position is situated within the Programs department, with a strategic focus on the Asia Pacific region. The Advocacy Advisor is a pivotal role, tasked with designing, advising, and leading the advocacy support for OSF’s core priorities in this vast and diverse geographic area. Reporting directly to the Asia Geographic Lead, the successful candidate will work in close collaboration with colleagues in Programs and Communications to ensure that all advocacy initiatives are coherent, rigorous, and innovative. This is not a passive role; it is for a leader who can actively drive, catalyze, and embed advocacy efforts across various programmatic initiatives.
A key part of the role is to ensure a strong and consistent public narrative for the organization. The Advocacy Advisor will lead collaborative work to develop organizational messaging, narratives, and positionality on issues of pertinence to OSF’s mission. This requires a deep understanding of the political and social landscapes of the Asia Pacific region and a nuanced approach to communication. The advisor will serve as a key representative and spokesperson for Open Society, building and managing critical relationships with governments, policymakers, intergovernmental institutions, and leaders across various sectors. The role is a direct line to the heart of OSF’s mission, providing a unique opportunity to shape public policy and influence decision-makers to create a more open society.
Key Responsibilities
The Advocacy Advisor will be responsible for a wide range of strategic and operational tasks, all centered on advancing OSF’s advocacy agenda in the Asia Pacific region. The responsibilities are multifaceted and require a blend of leadership, technical expertise, and relationship management skills.
- 1. Strategic Advocacy and Policy Leadership: The advisor will collaborate closely with the Asia Geographic Lead and various program teams to design and drive OSF’s advocacy and policy priorities. This includes creating and leading advocacy campaigns that are grounded in collaboration and shared learning. The advisor will be a key representative of OSF’s leadership, engaging in high-level policy events and processes to promote the organization’s mission. The role also requires the ability to respond swiftly to crisis situations and integrate these efforts into campaigns and country/regional strategies as needed, ensuring a rapid and effective response.
- 2. Partnership and Relationship Management: A core function of the role is to develop and manage key strategic relationships. This includes building strong networks with intergovernmental institutions, governments, senior policymakers, and economic, political, social, and cultural leaders in the Asia Pacific region. The advisor will be responsible for serving as OSF’s spokesperson on specific issues when designated by senior leadership, requiring a high degree of discretion and diplomatic skill. The role involves managing the coordination of advocacy strategies across all opportunities and aligning with, or leading, global advocacy initiatives where appropriate.
- 3. Tools, Tactics, and Messaging: The advisor is responsible for the technical side of advocacy. This includes developing and managing the tools, tactics, and partnerships necessary to advance the organization’s goals and providing strategic advice to leadership. The role requires the ability to create powerful messaging and build narrative tools and approaches that resonate with diverse audiences. Furthermore, the advisor will design and implement appropriate Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) tools to accurately measure the impact of advocacy interventions, ensuring a data-driven and results-oriented approach.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate for the Advocacy Advisor role is a highly experienced professional with a proven track record of success in international advocacy, particularly within the Asia Pacific region. The selection criteria are specific and are designed to identify an individual who can immediately contribute to the organization’s mission.
Education & Certifications
- Not Explicitly Stated, But Expected: While the job description does not list a specific educational requirement, this is a senior-level position. It is highly likely that candidates will possess a university degree in a relevant field such as Law, International Relations, Public Policy, Political Science, or another related discipline. An advanced degree (e.g., Master’s or PhD) would be considered a significant advantage.
- Professional Certifications: Any professional certifications or continued education in advocacy, campaign management, or monitoring and evaluation would be valuable in demonstrating a candidate’s expertise and commitment to the field.
Experience
- Proven Prior Advocacy Experience: The candidate must have extensive prior external advocacy experience in an international organization, public or private, with a specific focus on the Asia Pacific region. The ability to demonstrate a clear track record of creating and measuring impact from advocacy strategies is a key requirement.
- Regional Knowledge and Networks: The ideal candidate will possess excellent knowledge of the politics and geopolitics of the Asia Pacific region. This includes having strong networks in policy circles across multiple geographies within the region, as well as in other places of strategic importance for Asia Pacific advocacy (e.g., in Washington, D.C., or at key global institutions).
- Subject Matter Expertise: Candidates must have knowledge and experience working on issues related to the Open Society’s mission, including human rights, civil society empowerment, democratic practice, justice, and equity. The role requires an understanding of how to implement varied advocacy tactics to achieve public policy progress in these areas.
- Institutional Familiarity: Strong familiarity with the workings of key intergovernmental and multilateral institutions, including relevant regional bodies, UN bodies, and International Financial Institutions, is a critical requirement. The candidate must also understand the regional and global diplomatic calendar (e.g., UNGA, COP) and be able to leverage key events to advance the advocacy agenda.
- Tactical and Analytical Skills: The role demands an understanding of various tools, methods, and approaches for advocacy in challenging contexts, both in the global North and South. The candidate must be skilled in campaign research, design, and implementation and must be able to assimilate and analyze information from diverse sources to make relevant recommendations and shape policy action.
Additional Information
To provide a complete overview of this exceptional opportunity, here are the key administrative details regarding the role’s compensation, location, and the application process.
Salary, Contract, and Location
- Salary: The job description states that “competitive rates of pay apply.” While a specific salary figure is not listed, a senior role of this nature in London, particularly for an organization with the stature of OSF, can be expected to offer a salary in the range of £60,000 to £85,000 per year or higher, depending on the candidate’s experience and the organization’s internal pay scale. The organization’s commitment to competitive compensation and a generous benefits package is a clear indicator of the value placed on this position.
- Contract: This is a Regular contract, which signifies a full-time, permanent position, offering long-term career stability and a chance to make a lasting impact.
- Location: The role is a full-time position based in London. This requires the successful candidate to live and work in the London area.
Application Process
- The application process is managed online through the Open Society Foundations’ official career portal.
- The deadline to apply is 29 August 2025. It is crucial for interested candidates to submit their applications by this date. The job requisition ID is JR-0003733.
- A complete application will likely include a CV and a cover letter that clearly outlines why the candidate is a strong fit for this specific role, highlighting their experience in the Asia Pacific region and their expertise in advocacy.
How to Stand Out When Applying
The Advocacy Advisor role at Open Society Foundations is a high-profile position with a global reach. To make your application stand out from a competitive pool, you must demonstrate not only that you meet the qualifications but that you are an ideal fit for the organization’s mission and culture.
- Quantify Your Impact: Do not simply list your responsibilities. Instead, quantify your achievements. For example, instead of saying you “led an advocacy campaign,” state that you “led a campaign that resulted in the passage of a key human rights law, influencing policy decisions by x number of policymakers.”
- Highlight Asia Pacific Experience: The job description has a strong focus on the Asia Pacific region. Your application, from your CV to your cover letter, must clearly demonstrate your deep and specific experience in this region. Mention the countries you have worked in, the issues you addressed, and the networks you have built.
- Align with OSF’s Values: The job description repeatedly emphasizes OSF’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In your application, provide concrete examples of how you have worked to advance these values in your own work and team.
- Showcase Strategic Thinking: The role requires strategic thinking and the ability to design and implement complex campaigns. In your cover letter, describe a time when you used a variety of tactics (e.g., coalition-building, narrative change, public communications) to achieve a defined outcome. This demonstrates your ability to think and act strategically.
Apply Now
This is an exceptional opportunity for a skilled and dedicated advocacy professional to join a world-renowned organization and contribute to a mission of global significance. If you have the required experience and a passion for advancing human rights, justice, and democracy in the Asia Pacific region, this is the role for you.
To apply for this position, please visit the official Open Society Foundations careers website and submit your application before the deadline of 29 August 2025.
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