Individual Consultant – Government Relations and Advocacy

Teaching at the Right Level Africa

. Build and maintain high-level relationships with the Minister's office, Permanent Secretaries, Ministry of Education Directors, teacher unions, the Teaching Service Commission, Teaching Council of Zambia, donors, and other key stakeholders .

Posted 9/23/2026part-timeLusaka • ZambiaSeniorLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in government relations and public policy advocacy, with a strong focus on education and foundational learning in Zambia. Proven ability to build high-level relationships, influence policy decisions, and develop strategic engagement plans.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Government RelationsPublic Policy AdvocacyStakeholder EngagementBudget AdvocacyEducation Sector Knowledge

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Public PolicyBudget Submission DevelopmentPolicy Brief DevelopmentAdvocacy Material CreationFoundational Learning Processes

Soft Skills

Negotiation SkillsDiplomacyRelationship-BuildingConsensus-BuildingExcellent Communication

Tools & Technologies

Stakeholder Engagement PlansEngagement TrackerBudget Advocacy Plans

Certifications & Qualifications

Master's Degree in Public PolicyMaster's Degree in EducationMaster's Degree in International RelationsMaster's Degree in Social Sciences

Industry Keywords

Zambian Government Budget CycleParliamentary ProcessesFoundational LearningTeaching Service CommissionTeaching Council of Zambia

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build and maintain high-level relationships with the Minister's office, Permanent Secretaries, Ministry of Education Directors, teacher unions, the Teaching Service Commission, Teaching Council of Zambia, donors, and other key stakeholders
Provide technical support to TaRL Africa's participation in national foundational learning processes, including the Foundational Learning Technical Committee and Foundation Learning Investment Plan
Support Ministry directorates to develop business cases for increased Foundational Learning and Numeracy funding and strengthen budget submissions through civil society and coordination platforms
Contribute to TaRL Africa Zambia's strategy, aligning it with government FLN priorities, opportunities for institutionalising Catch Up, and long-term sustainability
Develop and maintain policy briefs, advocacy materials, stakeholder engagement plans, and briefing notes for senior-level engagements
Maintain an up-to-date stakeholder map and engagement tracker and provide regular updates on policy, budgetary and institutional developments affecting FLN
Strengthen coalitions and identify and engage Catch Up champions, including relevant policymakers and Members of Parliament
Provide monthly briefings to the Country Manager, contribute to funder reporting, and provide strategic advice on government relations, advocacy opportunities and risks
Support development and implementation of the TaRL Africa Zambia Strategy 2026–2030/31
Deliver a government relations and advocacy strategy, stakeholder and relationship mapping, a multi-year engagement plan, policy briefs, advocacy materials, a budget advocacy plan, intelligence updates, champion engagement, donor proposal and progress report contributions, and an end-of-cycle assessment

Requirements

What you’ll need

Master's degree in Public Policy, Education, International Relations, Social Sciences or a related field
Typically 15+ years of senior-level experience in government relations, public policy or advocacy in Zambia
Demonstrated experience engaging senior government officials, ideally Permanent Secretaries, Directors or equivalent
Proven track record of influencing national policy or budget decisions, preferably in education
Strong understanding of the Zambian government budget cycle and parliamentary processes
Excellent negotiation, diplomacy, relationship-building and consensus-building skills
Excellent written and verbal English communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues clearly and persuasively
Established relationships within Zambia's education sector and/or public administration
Self-driven and able to work independently with significant autonomy in a part-time consultancy arrangement
High integrity, discretion and sound judgement
Genuine interest in children's learning and education
Submit a brief Expression of Interest outlining relevant experience and suitability
Submit a current CV highlighting relevant qualifications and consultancy experience
Submit a brief technical approach/methodology, where applicable

Benefits

Comp & perks

Part-time consultancy, 2 days per week for 12 months, with a six-month review
Periodic attendance at the TaRL Africa Zambia office