Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

At AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), you will be part of a global movement dedicated to saving lives, strengthening communities, and advancing health equity. You will work alongside passionate professionals committed to creating meaningful impact across Africa and beyond.

AHF is the world's largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, providing cutting-edge medicine, prevention, testing, treatment, advocacy, and care services to more than 3.1 million people in 50 countries worldwide, regardless of ability to pay. Founded in 1987, AHF employs more than 10,000 staff globally and continues to lead innovative public health interventions that improve lives and strengthen health systems.

This role offers an exciting opportunity for a strategic, experienced, and results-driven Advocacy & Policy Manager to lead AIDS Healthcare Foundation Zambia's advocacy, policy, communications, marketing, and public engagement agenda. The successful candidate will drive impactful policy and advocacy outcomes that advance equitable access to healthcare, shape and strengthen AHF's brand strategy, increase public awareness, foster meaningful stakeholder engagement, and elevate the organization's visibility and influence across diverse markets. Working closely with government, civil society, media, communities, and development partners, the Advocacy & Policy Manager will position AHF as a leading voice in health policy, public health advocacy, and social change in Zambia and the broader region.

AHF launched its international operations in Africa in 2002. Today, the Africa Bureau supports high-impact HIV/AIDS programs in 15 countries namely Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Position Summary

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Zambia is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and results-oriented Advocacy & Policy Manager to lead and advance the organization's policy, advocacy, communications, marketing, and public engagement agenda. We are looking for an experienced leader with a strong track record of influencing policy, driving advocacy outcomes, and building strategic partnerships that advance equitable access to healthcare. The successful candidate will be responsible for shaping AHF's brand strategy, increasing public awareness, strengthening engagement with government, civil society, media, and community stakeholders, and elevating AHF's visibility and influence across Zambia and the broader Southern African region. This role requires a proactive professional who can translate advocacy priorities into measurable policy impact while positioning AHF as a trusted and influential voice in public health and social change.

Responsibilities or duties

• Develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate strategic advocacy initiatives at national, provincial, and district levels.
• Lead advocacy efforts aimed at influencing policy development, change, and implementation.
• Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with government agencies, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, networks of people living with HIV, media institutions, academic institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Strengthen parliamentary engagement, high-level stakeholder engagement, and AHF Zambia’s participation in technical working groups and national forums.
• Monitor research, policy developments, and public health debates relating to HIV prevention and treatment, health financing, human rights, and other public health priorities.
• Develop policy briefs, position papers, talking points, messaging documents, press statements, speeches, media briefs, opinion pieces, and campaign materials.
• Support youth-centred advocacy initiatives and strengthen community engagement platforms.
• Coordinate the preparation and timely submission of advocacy and policy work plans, budgets, reports, and performance updates.
• Represent and participate in relevant country, Africa Bureau, and global advocacy and policy meetings, training sessions, and calls.
• Developing, implementing, and monitoring AHF Zambia’s communications and public engagement strategy.
• Leading innovative communications, media engagement, awareness, and public engagement initiatives.
• Overseeing advocacy, communications, and marketing budget utilisation.
• Coordinating branding and design requests with Africa Bureau and global teams.
• Strengthening relationships with print, electronic, and digital media.
• Coordinating media events, including press conferences, media visits, media breakfasts, radio and television appearances, and digital campaigns.
• Leading AHF Zambia’s social media and digital engagement initiatives.
• Developing communications KPIs, monitoring tools, and approaches for evaluating impact.
• Supporting emergency and crisis communication, as well as reputational risk-management activities.
• Publicising organizational events, campaigns, publications, achievements, best practices, and success stories.
• Ensuring that all communications are inclusive, community-focused, participatory, and aligned with AHF branding guidelines.
• Maintaining accurate records and databases for advocacy activities, media engagements, communications products, strategic partners, and organizational events.
• Provide strategic leadership and direction for advocacy, communications, and community engagement initiatives.
• Participate in annual budget planning, monitoring, and variance reviews.
• Support interviewing, orientation, training, and onboarding activities where required.
• Participate in relevant AHF Zambia programmatic and operational meetings.
• Provide functional and technical oversight to assigned advocacy, marketing, communications, and digital support staff.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Experience needed

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

• Develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate strategic advocacy initiatives at national, provincial, and district levels.
• Lead advocacy efforts aimed at influencing policy development, change, and implementation.
• Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with government agencies, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, networks of people living with HIV, media institutions, academic institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Strengthen parliamentary engagement, high-level stakeholder engagement, and AHF Zambia’s participation in technical working groups and national forums.
• Monitor research, policy developments, and public health debates relating to HIV prevention and treatment, health financing, human rights, and other public health priorities.
• Develop policy briefs, position papers, talking points, messaging documents, press statements, speeches, media briefs, opinion pieces, and campaign materials.
• Support youth-centred advocacy initiatives and strengthen community engagement platforms.
• Coordinate the preparation and timely submission of advocacy and policy work plans, budgets, reports, and performance updates.
• Represent and participate in relevant country, Africa Bureau, and global advocacy and policy meetings, training sessions, and calls.
• Developing, implementing, and monitoring AHF Zambia’s communications and public engagement strategy.
• Leading innovative communications, media engagement, awareness, and public engagement initiatives.
• Overseeing advocacy, communications, and marketing budget utilisation.
• Coordinating branding and design requests with Africa Bureau and global teams.
• Strengthening relationships with print, electronic, and digital media.
• Coordinating media events, including press conferences, media visits, media breakfasts, radio and television appearances, and digital campaigns.
• Leading AHF Zambia’s social media and digital engagement initiatives.
• Developing communications KPIs, monitoring tools, and approaches for evaluating impact.
• Supporting emergency and crisis communication, as well as reputational risk-management activities.
• Publicising organizational events, campaigns, publications, achievements, best practices, and success stories.
• Ensuring that all communications are inclusive, community-focused, participatory, and aligned with AHF branding guidelines.
• Maintaining accurate records and databases for advocacy activities, media engagements, communications products, strategic partners, and organizational events.
• Provide strategic leadership and direction for advocacy, communications, and community engagement initiatives.
• Participate in annual budget planning, monitoring, and variance reviews.
• Support interviewing, orientation, training, and onboarding activities where required.
• Participate in relevant AHF Zambia programmatic and operational meetings.
• Provide functional and technical oversight to assigned advocacy, marketing, communications, and digital support staff.