Leila Akahloun

The Graça Machel Trust is a Pan-African advocacy organization focused on women’s economic empowerment. * Serve as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to human rights activist Graça Machel, Founder of GMT * Provide strategic thought leadership to advance international advocacy efforts in gender equality, education, health, conflict resolution, governance, and COVID-19 recovery & vaccine equity * Lead strategic communications, media engagement and stakeholder relations to advance organizational strategy and position the Founder and GMT as thought leaders in the international development sector *Provide strategic counsel, subject matter expertise, and tactical and technical guidance to inform regional and global high-impact meetings and engagements for the Founder * Design traditional and social media communications collateral, press releases, speeches, talking points and internationally placed OpEds to advance strategic influence on social justice issues * Develop and nurture a productive network of relationships with leadership of key governments, multilaterals, nonprofits, private sector, high-net-worth-individuals, philanthropists and key influencers to increase the impact, growth and sustainability of the Office of the Founder and GMT * Lead strategic planning, operations, fundraising, external relations and crisis management for the Office of the Founder to ensure a well-functioning and appropriately resourced department * Transform Founder’s visionary ideas into action and successfully project manage initiatives across Pan African multidisciplinary teams in a deadline-driven environment to achieve institutional strategic goals *Support the development of GMT’s Pan African gender lens impact investment fund, Afrishela