Director, Global Policy & Advocacy – Education Financing

Malala Fund

Director leading Malala Fund’s Debt Justice Initiative and global advocacy for sustainable girls’ education financing. Building government and financial-institution partnerships to advance education policy reform.

Posted 8/5/2026full-timeWashington, D.C., Washington, District of Columbia • District of Columbia, New York, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $138,500 - $156,800 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in advocacy and policy analysis for global education financing, with a strong focus on building partnerships and engaging with senior-level stakeholders. Proven ability to lead teams, manage complex initiatives, and communicate effectively across diverse audiences.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Postgraduate Degree In Social ScienceAdvocacy Initiative LeadershipDevelopment Financing ExpertiseInternational Financial Institutions KnowledgeTeam Management And Mentoring

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Policy AnalysisStrategic CommunicationsBudgeting And ReportingEngagement Strategy DevelopmentPerformance Management

Soft Skills

Exceptional Communication SkillsProblem-Solving SkillsAttention To DetailTeam MotivationCultural Competence

Industry Keywords

Global Education FinancingCollective AdvocacyNormative And Legal FrameworksGirls' RightsInternational Financial Architecture

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead Malala Fund’s global advocacy to increase sustainable funding for girls’ secondary education in low- and lower-middle income countries
Develop and leverage high-impact, evidence-based policy analysis and messaging
Ensure advocacy is strategic, agile, effective, and aligned with Malala Fund’s longer-term goals
Collaborate with senior leaders and staff across Malala Fund, including Nigeria and Pakistan country teams and development and communications teams
Brief staff, co-founders, board members, and donors on developments, opportunities, and engagements
Develop and deliver engagement strategies for governments, international financial institutions, and global stakeholders
Build and steward senior-level relationships with governments, international financial institutions, and sector partners
Position Malala Fund as a leading voice on global education financing through media engagement and strategic partnerships
Design and deliver strategic communications plans for the Debt Justice Initiative with the Senior Director of Strategic Communications
Represent Malala Fund at high-level forums, media engagements, and coalition spaces
Manage and mentor a team of two policy and advocacy professionals
Oversee internal planning, budgeting, and reporting for the initiative
Contribute to cross-team collaboration, leadership meetings, and shared initiatives
Recruit, interview, and train new staff as needed
Support staff development through mentoring, coaching, feedback, and performance evaluations
Handle employee relations, performance management, and disciplinary processes in accordance with organizational policy
Uphold organizational values, safeguarding standards, and an inclusive learning-organisation culture

Requirements

What you’ll need

A postgraduate degree or equivalent in social science, economics, or a related field
Demonstrated success leading multidimensional advocacy initiatives influencing global policy frameworks and institutions
Experience leveraging diverse partnerships for collective advocacy
Substantive policy expertise in development financing and the international financial architecture
Strong working knowledge of international financial institutions and financing instruments and processes affecting low- and lower-middle income countries, including regional financial institutions
Ability to translate technical complexity into strategic positioning
Fluency in development financing language
Experience engaging and communicating with senior-level policymakers, media, and international and national civil society partners
Keen understanding of normative and legal frameworks applying to international financial architecture 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
Ability to motivate teams, build partnerships, and connect with people from varied cultural backgrounds
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
Ability to distill complex ideas and data into clear, concise messaging tailored to particular audiences
Ability to foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture
Ability to handle employee relations, performance management, and disciplinary processes in accordance with organizational policy

Benefits

Comp & perks

Up to 15% travel may be required depending on base location
Equal opportunity employer and inclusive organization
Commitment to a safe, respectful, and free-from-harm work environment
Background checks may be conducted on prospective and current employees