Job: Policy and Advocacy Officer

Location: London 
Description

Salary: £32,633 plus contributory pension

Must have right to work in the UK

BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world's leading humanitarian relief organisations. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people survive, recover and rebuild their lives. The IRC delivers emergency aid, protects children, provides health care, prevents and responds to violence against women and girls, safeguards human rights and helps to kick-start economic recovery. Working in more than 40 countries, the IRC has restored hope and opportunity to many millions of people.

The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

The IRC's global headquarters are in New York. Our European headquarters – IRC-UK - were established in London in 1997 to support the organisation's global activities and particularly to diversify its donor base and be able to better advocate with European policy-makers on behalf of the people we serve. IRC-UK comprises approximately 40 staff across five departments.

ADVOCACY

IRC-UK, an independent British charity established in 1997, conducts advocacy on issues and countries of concern to IRC to UK and European targets, and provides a European perspective on humanitarian concepts, policy and programme practice to the IRC global network.

The UK advocacy team works closely with the IRC's global team of advocates in Washington, New York, Brussels and Geneva, as well as with teams in priority countries and regions. In particular, we work closely with the Brussels office to establish and implement European-wide advocacy and policy. The UK Advocacy team also works with the IRC's programme staff around the world and is able to access real time information from the field programmes, allowing IRC-UK to speak to the most salient issues facing refugees and displaced people.

Our current advocacy priorities include:

- Violence against women and girls

- Urban Refugees

- Syria

- Afghanistan

- Democratic Republic of Congo

- South Sudan

- Somalia

- Mali

- Other emergencies as they arise

SCOPE OF WORK

As part of a small, dynamic policy and advocacy team based in London, the IRC-UK Policy & Advocacy Officer will work closely with IRC staff throughout the organisation to help improve outcomes for those affected by conflict and natural disaster around the world. Specifically, this position will:

• F eed into and help implement IRC-UK's UK/European Advocacy Strategy, ensuring that it is firmly grounded in evidence from our programmes and a good analysis of our advocacy targets in the UK and Europe.
• Provide research and analysis on key humanitarian and related debates, and produce reports, briefing notes and other materials on key focus countries where IRC operates, and on the policy environment in the UK and Europe.
• Lead advocacy efforts on specific advocacy priorities, representing IRC to high profile policy-makers, practitioners, think-tanks, academic partners, the media and the public. Work closely with global IRC advocates to support the development of IRC Inc advocacy strategies and activities on those priority issues.
• Work closely with IRC UK External Relations team to develop coordinated advocacy and public campaigns on IRC priority themes and countries.
• Manage Policy and Advocacy temporary staff and Interns.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Advocacy

• Develop/update UK specific messages and identify advocacy targets on key IRC-UK priority countries/issues, with the support of Director of Policy and Advocacy.
• Lead IRC UK engagement with the UK parliament.
• Conduct advocacy with high-level UK/European advocacy targets including senior DFID and FCO staff and Members of Parliament on these key priorities, and where necessary provide support to other staff conducting advocacy on these issues.
• Produce materials for advocacy, communications and media purposes on IRC priorities through country visits and desk based research, including drafting or inputting into reports, briefing papers, submissions to government consultations and web content.
• In conjunction with Director of Policy and Advocacy, represent IRC at UK/European networks, fora, conferences and events.
• Draft updates and analysis of UK policy developments for UK and international staff.
• Draft and update IRC public-facing materials for advocacy and general communications/fundraising.
• Support efforts to build IRC presence and profile in the UK and EU parliaments including establishing relationships with key parliamentarians.
• Produce regular updates on the work of the UK policy and advocacy team for IRC Inc.

IRC UK strategic planning and reporting to Board

• Participate in at least two cross-departmental donor focal groups to shape IRC UK engagement with key institutional donors.
• Support Director of Policy and Advocacy in providing updates and information on IRC UK's advocacy work to board members and potential donors, presenting updates in person when required.

Events, External Communications and fundraising

• Work with the Policy and Advocacy team to organise annual policy forum at Ditchley Park, and other policy events on IRC issues including acting as an IRC speaker when required.
• Provide content for key communications material including website, 2-pagers, and annual report.

Administration

• Create and maintain internal systems, including contact lists, diaries of upcoming events and opportunities and other databases.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

Qualifications/Education/Knowledge:

• Masters degree, in a subject related to IRC's work (e.g. Development Studies, International Relations, Law, Refugee or Migration Studies, Conflict Studies)
• Good understanding of the discourse on conflict, fragile states, humanitarian response, post-conflict issues, and development effectiveness, as well as the international policy environment in which these issues are addressed
• Knowledge and understanding of the UK policy landscape and key advocacy targets, and processes governing humanitarian aid and development policy

Experience Required:

• Substantial experience working in a relevant policy role
• First-hand experience or knowledge of humanitarian aid and development policy and research and documentation of humanitarian issues
• Proven analytical skills and experience of producing detailed briefings on a variety complex policy issues
• Experience of public speaking

Skills/Abilities:

Excellent ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing

Ability to work independently and to deadlines

Ability to work in close collaboration with team members and remote field offices

Good analytical skills, and attention to detail

Good organisational and administrative skills

Personal Qualities:

• Commitment to team work
• Highly motivated self-starter
• Flexibility

Other:

• Ability to travel overseas sometimes at short notice to situations of conflict.

DESIRABLE

Qualifications/Education/Knowledge:

• Experience working with the EU and European Parliament.

Experience Required:

• Experience of working in a humanitarian setting
• Experience of managing members of staff
• Experience organising public events and conferences
• Experience of working with the media (including writing and broadcast interviews)

Skills/Abilities:

• Strong networking skills

TO APPLY

To apply, please send a CV (2 pages max.) and cover letter to Director of Policy and Advocacy, Selena Victor at applications@rescue-uk.org .

Please state clearly in the cover letter:

• Your reasons for applying
• Your relevant skills and experience (please refer to the person specification)
• Where you saw the job advertised

The closing date is: 10 am Monday 16 th September 2013

Please note that applications without a cover letter will be rejected automatically.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

In order to minimise administrative costs, IRC-UK will only contact short-listed candidates.

IRC-UK strives to be an equal opportunities employer. IRC-UK is committed to equality of opportunity and to non-discrimination for all job applicants and employees, and we seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

More Info and Application