Advocacy & Policy Manager, Afghanistan Initiative

About Malala Fund

Registered in the U.K., U.S. Nigeria, and Pakistan, Malala Fund is working toward a world where all girls can learn and lead. Malala Fund advocates for resources and policy changes needed to give all girls a secondary education. The girls we serve have high goals for themselves and we have high expectations for leaders who can help them. We invest in local education leaders and front-line organizations, the people who best understand girls in their communities in regions where most girls are missing out on secondary school. We give girls the tools they need to advocate for education and equality in their communities and a platform for the world to hear their voices. We believe girls should speak for themselves and tell leaders what they need to learn and achieve their potential.

About the position

The Advocacy & Policy Manager, Afghanistan Initiative (Right to Education) will support Malala Fund’s advocacy, policy engagement, and coalition-building efforts within the UN, multilateral institutions, and regional diplomatic networks to advance Afghan girls’ right to education. The role will focus on tracking global policies, strengthening accountability mechanisms, and driving international legal and diplomatic pressure to challenge the Taliban’s systemic violations of women’s and girls’ rights.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Policy & Advocacy (Afghanistan Initiative), the Advocacy & Policy Manager will engage with UN agencies, multilateral organisations, regional actors, and civil society coalitions, ensuring that Afghan girls' education and gender apartheid recognition remain central to global policy discussions. The role will also involve direct advocacy, legal accountability work, coalition-building, risk analysis, and media engagement to advance strategic efforts on gender apartheid.

The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in UN systems, international legal frameworks, and multilateral diplomacy, along with experience in policy advocacy, coalition-building, and government engagement.

Location: Washington, DC/Hyrbid and open to New York/Remote

Responsibilities:

Tracking & Mapping the Policy & Accountability Landscape

• Monitor and analyse US, UN, and multilateral policies affecting Afghanistan, particularly in sanctions, international justice frameworks, and accountability for Taliban crimes.
• Track global accountability mechanisms, including UN processes, international legal efforts, and regional coalitions addressing gender apartheid in Afghanistan.
• Identify and engage key actors within UN agencies, international legal bodies, diplomatic corps, and advocacy coalitions shaping accountability discussions.

Government Relations & Advocacy (working closely with the Senior Director)

• Engage with UN agencies, multilateral organizations, and regional policymakers involved in Afghanistan-related negotiations, including crimes against humanity treaty discussions.
• Support engagement with Canada, Mexico, and other regional actors, focusing on international justice and accountability mechanisms.
• Represent Malala Fund in advocacy coalitions, high-level policy discussions, and strategic policy forums.
• Develop and implement advocacy strategies to push for stronger global action on Afghan women’s rights and legal accountability.

Stakeholder Engagement, Coalition-Building & Movement Support (working closely with the Senior Director)

• Strengthen relationships with civil society organisations, legal experts, and diplomatic actors working on Afghan girls’, women’s rights and accountability efforts.
• Strengthen partnerships with multilateral organisations, legal networks, and advocacy groups to reinforce international accountability mechanisms.
• Support and facilitate high-level discussions, policy briefings, and advocacy coordination efforts with key stakeholders, legal experts, and UN representatives.

Strategic Support for Accountability Efforts & Campaigning (working closely with the Senior Director)

• Support legal experts and advocacy coalitions to track efforts toward a crimes against humanity treaty and other legal frameworks holding the Taliban accountable.
• Provide research and strategic recommendations on how multilateral institutions and regional actors can strengthen legal and political pressure on the Taliban.
• Support the design and execution of advocacy campaigns, movement-building efforts, and diplomatic strategies to ensure long-term accountability for Taliban crimes.

Public & Policy Communications (working closely with the Senior Director)

• Develop and refine policy messaging to ensure that advocacy materials for UN, multilateral bodies, and policymakers are clear, persuasive, and impactful.
• Monitor international media narratives on Afghanistan and gender apartheid, ensuring that Malala Fund’s advocacy takes into account key global discussions.
• Support communications and advocacy teams by providing policy briefings, talking points, and strategic messaging for media engagement and public advocacy.
• Work with the communications team to align policy advocacy efforts with broader public awareness and media engagement strategies.
• Engage with journalists, analysts, and policymakers to shape strategic policy narratives on gender apartheid and education access.
• Conduct ongoing risk assessments of Afghanistan’s political, security, and diplomatic landscape, tracking regional and global shifts that could impact advocacy campaigns, diplomatic efforts, or legal strategies to ensure Malala Fund’s advocacy remains adaptive and responsive.

Project Management & Coordination

• Support advocacy and legal accountability initiatives, ensuring effective coordination with policy, legal, and advocacy teams.
• Facilitate internal coordination efforts, including convening and managing the Afghanistan Initiative Working Group to align strategy, priorities, and actions across teams.
• Provide logistical and administrative support for high-level convenings, legal roundtables, and coalition-building efforts and other support as needed to the Senior Director.
• Maintain project timelines, deliverables, and reporting structures to track progress and impact.
• Support the Senior Director as needed, including coordinating internal processes, tracking key initiatives, and ensuring smooth cross-team collaboration.

Qualifications

Essential

• 8+ years of experience in advocacy, government relations, international policy, human rights, or diplomacy.
• Strong understanding of and experience advocating within UN systems, international legal mechanisms, and multilateral diplomatic engagement related to Afghanistan.
• Experience in legal accountability efforts, policy advocacy, and coalition-building.
• Experience in policy communications, messaging, and advocacy writing for both technical and public audiences.
• Strong understanding of international legal accountability efforts, gender apartheid advocacy, and crimes against humanity frameworks.
• Ability to develop advocacy campaigns, influence policy debates, and coordinate multi-stakeholder engagement.
• Ability to translate complex policy and legal concepts into clear, persuasive messaging for policymakers and external audiences.
• Excellent project management, writing, and communications skills.

Desirable

• Experience working with grassroots organisations and civil society networks engaged in Afghan women's rights advocacy.
• Experience in public advocacy campaigns, including digital mobilisation, media engagement, and grassroots advocacy strategies.

Why work at Malala Fund?

• Make an impact: Malala Fund works for a world where all girls can learn and lead.
• Great company culture: We are a collaborative, global team with offices in Washington, D.C., New York, London, Islamabad and Abuja. Our values inform our fun, welcoming work culture and the work we do for girls:
  • We set ambitious goals
  • We dare to be brave
  • We seek and amplify diverse perspectives
  • We think creatively
  • We act with integrity
• Flexible hybrid work models: Hybrid work options with one or two days in the office and a monthly stipend by country to support work from home expenses.
• Fully paid health, income protection and life benefits: Based on country and legal requirements.
  
• Retirement plan options: Based on country and legal requirements.
  
• Rest and relaxation: Generous paid time off and country-specific paid public holidays including sick leave and birthday leave.
  
• Paid parental leave: Generous paid parental leave.
• Employee assistance and mental health benefits
• Give back: Get paid to volunteer in your community.
  
• Professional development and educational benefits: Annual company contribution towards professional development or higher education and free LinkedIn Learning access to 20,000+ online courses.

If fighting for girls’ education excites and inspires you, we might be the perfect fit!

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Malala Fund is an equal opportunity employer and inclusive organisation that welcomes applications from under-represented and intersectional groups including BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities. We are seeking people with different backgrounds, cultures, ages, experiences and identities to provide a wide range of experience, ideas, views and insights into the strategy, policies, culture and ambitions of Malala Fund.

Malala Fund is also committed to ensuring the safety of those involved in our work. Our first priority is protecting everyone who comes in direct or indirect contact with our organisation.

Malala Fund has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and exploitation by any of our staff, representatives or partners. We commit to ensuring that those who work with Malala Fund or on our behalf are able to work in an environment that is free from harm. To this end, Malala Fund reserves the right to conduct background checks on prospective and current employees.