MENA Regional Coordinator

About us:

One Family Foundation is a small, family foundation based in the Netherlands that has made its mark across the globe as an incubator of social innovation projects and startups. We believe, to achieve lasting change we must fundamentally transform the way we think and act to create collaboration across communities, social innovators and governments, systematically creating solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. Only through this collective, inclusive approach can we hope to address poverty, restore our planet, and ensure true inclusion.

From 2020 – 2025, One Family Foundation incubated a growing network of social entrepreneurs and innovators, Catalyst Now, which has evolved into its own independent organisation. Moving into this new phase, we wish to grow support for social innovation through engaging with communities and governments.

The Government Council for Social Innovation (GCSI) is a coalition of governments worldwide that has united with the primary goal of advancing social innovation on a global scale. One Family Foundation is convening GCSI and supporting the initiative through our secretariat. We are thus looking to strengthen our small, dedicated team with the addition of a MENA Region Coordinator.

Role Overview:

This role is offered on a freelance contractual basis and is part-time.

The candidate must be based in MENA and speak fluent Arabic.

The MENA region Coordinator will lead strategic engagement across MENA countries, working closely with governments, regional bodies, and ecosystem partners to co-create policy environments conducive to innovation and social entrepreneurship. This senior role will help bridge public-private efforts, influence policy agendas, and ensure our efforts reflect the unique regional needs and opportunities within MENA.

Key Responsibilities:

Government & Policy Engagement

• Cultivate and maintain high-level relationships with government stakeholders, policy makers, and regulatory bodies across the MENA region.
• Lead the development of policy recommendations and advocacy strategies aligned with our mission.
• Represent the organization in key policy and multilateral forums, coalitions, and government consultations.

Regional Strategy & Coordination

• Develop and implement a regional strategy for engagement, including identifying priority countries and policy themes.
• Monitor regional policy trends affecting social entrepreneurship and social innovation.
• Facilitate cross-country learning and alignment among national governments, regional institutions and ecosystem partners.

Programme Design & Support

• Advise colleagues on policy-related components of our initiatives in the region.
• Coordinate with global teams to ensure MENAfocused insights inform broader strategy.

Partnership & Ecosystem Building

• Build partnerships with think tanks, NGOs, donors, and social innovators to expand impact and scale.
• Identify funding and collaboration opportunities to support public-private innovation efforts.

Qualifications:

• 7–10 years of progressively senior experience in public policy, government affairs, or international development.
• Deep familiarity with the region’s public sector landscapes, particularly in economic development, innovation, or entrepreneurship policy.
• Strong track record of engaging with governments, multilateral institutions, and cross-sectoral partners.
• Excellent strategic thinking, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Master's degree in public policy, international relations, development studies, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Fluent spoken and written Arabic and English