Background
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people affected by humanitarian crises to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. We deliver lasting impact by providing health care, helping children learn, and empowering individuals and communities to become self-reliant, always with a focus on the unique needs of women and girls. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, we now work in over 40 crisis-affected countries as well as communities throughout the U.S., Europe and Latin America.
The Global Advocacy & Influence Department is a dynamic team that uses the power of IRC’s ideas to solve the biggest challenges facing IRC’s clients. From the drivers of conflict to the needs of displaced people, the team partners with politicians, policy makers and civil society to bring these solutions to life. We take pride in being creative and focused on solutions. We are precise in our tactics, and messages. We lead change year over year, knowing that system change takes dedicated focus while maintaining the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Finally, we are collaborative, working not only with programs, strategy, research and innovation, and communications teams across the IRC, but also externally, constantly seeking new insights and perspectives from others in the humanitarian sector and beyond.
IRC UK
IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. We raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in England, a programme that is rapidly growing. In Europe, the IRC also has offices in Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm.
Job Overview
As the Senior Advocacy Officer, you will be responsible for supporting the IRC to build the profile, influence and credibility of our work with UK politicians, political parties and opinion formers on international and domestic issues, in order to bring about policies and practices that deliver immediate and lasting change to IRC’s clients’ lives. You will be identifying strategic lobbying opportunities and enabling colleagues to exploit them fully through the use of innovative and creative tactics that help IRC stand out in a crowded arena. The role will play a crucial role in delivering IRC’s UK advocacy strategy.
Major Responsibilities:
Advocacy Strategy: Implement advocacy strategies for specific policy goals, collaborating with policy leads, public advocacy and communications colleagues, to advance IRC’s key advocacy objectives.
Influence Analysis: Develop power maps to identify influence priorities and targets. Work with team to support development and execution of creative UK influence strategies, including with nontraditional partners encouraging IRC to develop innovative approaches to advocacy as usual.
Stakeholder management: Support efforts to build IRC’s credibility, profile and relationships by engaging with political stakeholders and supporting opportunities to raise IRC’s profile at key meetings and events.
Political and Policy Tracking. Expand IRC’s political reach by tracking and analysing shifting government positions, individuals engaging on IRC issues. Translate policy asks into political asks. Track political processes and profile opportunities / events; including bills, select committee inquiries, and other parliamentary and political developments. Analyse and report on relevant political and policy trends and regularly communicate across external relations teams.
Policy Engagement: Contribute to policy generation by providing UK specific analysis that increases the credibility and efficacy of our solutions through constant collaboration and in focused policy roundtables. Support IRC’s policy team in identifying and developing policy priorities that are impactful and achievable for the UK.
Communications: Provide market and audience expertise to communications team to craft public advocacy in the UK.Support team in developing communications strategy and develop materials for advocacy targets, including digital/social content and take actions. Support planning and implementation of strategic activities including events.
Teamwork: Support a positive team culture by acting openly and collaboratively, supporting colleagues in their work and sharing credit with others where appropriate.
Steward Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: both in the culture of IRC, as well as in the policy solutions we develop and the ways we wield influence.
Key Working Relationships:
Position reports to: UK Advocacy Director
Internal contacts: Policy and Advocacy colleagues across the globe; Communications; Awards Management; Technical Excellence leads; International Programs leads; and External Relations Department
External contacts: Parliamentarians, FCDO and Home Office stakeholders, key opinion formers, and sector colleagues in the UK.
Job Requirements:
Work experience:
Demonstrated experience in advocacy strategy development with a focus on creativity, strategy and critical thinking. Experience working on complex humanitarian, and/or development issues.
Demonstrated skills and competencies:
- Demonstrated success in creating and implementing strategies that influence/impact on legislative and executive policy.
- Strong understanding of relevant the UK’s political structures and processes, and familiar with leverage points within these institutions that can be targeted to achieve policy change objectives.
- Knowledge of development and humanitarian issues.
- Successful implementation of integrated influencing strategies that work alongside comms to achieve advocacy objectives.
- Ability to think strategically and creatively, being oriented around solutions when traditional advocacy means do not suffice
- Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate successfully with experts, decision-makers, and colleagues in the humanitarian and development fields.
- Excellent writing skills and the ability to translate complex material and data into coherent narratives that resonate with policymakers.
- Ability to work within demanding timelines. Initiative and capability to work independently on fast-paced issues while balancing demands.
How to apply
Please apply through our website