Director, Global Policy and Advocacy

Malala Fund is working for 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, invests in local education leaders and amplifies the voices of girls fighting for change.

Malala Fund’s Education Financing workstream works to increase sustainable public funding for girls’ education by advancing global policy and advocacy efforts to increase sustainable public funding for girls’ education. Its current focus is the Debt Justice Initiative, a key part of our 2025–2030 strategic plan, Unlocking Potential, which addresses how the global debt crisis limits governments’ ability to invest in girls’ education.

We work at the intersection of sovereign debt, education financing and girls’ rights to help unlock resources for 12 years of free, safe, quality education for every girl. Through evidence-based policy, strategic partnerships and advocacy with governments and international financial institutions, we push for reforms that protect education budgets today while building a fairer international financial system for the future. Our work is grounded in the perspectives of girls and the priorities of our national civil society partners, particularly in Nigeria and Pakistan.

What does this position do?

Reporting to the Chief of External Affairs, the Director, Global Policy and Advocacy (Education Financing) leads Malala Fund’s Debt Justice Initiative and provides the strategic leadership for this work. As Malala Fund’s senior technical lead on global education financing and international financial architecture, the Director: shapes advocacy strategy; builds relationships with senior decision-makers in governments and international financial institutions; and positions the organisation as a leading voice in development finance debates. The Director also leads a team of policy and advocacy professionals, works closely with country teams and other departments across the organisation, and translates complex financial and policy issues into compelling advocacy strategies that advance girls’ right to secondary education.

What you need to apply:

• A postgraduate degree or equivalent in social science, economics or a related field
• Demonstrated success in leading multidimensional advocacy initiatives to influence global policy frameworks and institutions, including leveraging diverse partnerships for collective advocacy
• Substantive policy expertise in development financing and the international financial architecture, with strong working knowledge of the IFIs and the instruments and processes that shape financing for low- and lower-middle income countries (including regional financial institutions). The successful candidate will translate technical complexity into strategic positioning and be well regarded by peers working in this space
• Fluency in development financing language and experience and ease in engaging/communicating with a wide range of audiences, including senior-level policymakers, media, and international and national civil society partners
• Keen understanding of normative and legal frameworks that apply to IFA relating to girls rights, especially education
• Solid judgment and problem-solving skills; proven attention to detail, accuracy, and quality
• Excellent team and personnel management abilities with the ability to motivate teams, build partnerships and connect with individuals from a variety of cultural backgrounds
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the keen ability to distill complex ideas and data into clear and concise messaging and tailor communications to particular audiences (external and internal)

Starting Salary Range: $138,500 to $156,800

Tagged as: Communications/Social Media/ Development, Government Affairs/Legislative/Policy