The core purpose of the Policy and Advocacy Department is to increase the IRC’s influence and profile, developing the IRC as a thought leader in Europe that can drive transformational change in the humanitarian sector. We aim to drive policy change to improve outcomes for people living in, and displaced by, conflict and crisis.

 The Purpose of the Role

The Advocacy Officer will be responsible for building IRC’s profile and influence with the UK Government advisers, Parliament and other relevant influencers to help improve outcomes for those affected by conflict and crisis. Working closely with relevant IRC staff in Europe and elsewhere, this post will help to develop and implement advocacy strategies that bring about real change.

Scope and Authority

Authority:

•  Represent the IRC at external advocacy meetings, events, forums and in coalitions.
•  Manage Advocacy interns as appropriate.

Key Working Relationships

•  Report to the Head of Advocacy - Europe.
• Work together with Policy, Advocacy and Technical Unit colleagues in Europe and elsewhere to help develop advocacy strategies, with clear and succinct advocacy messages and products, from more complex policy and technical documents.
• Close coordination with the IRC Europe Communications team on the development of suitable communications products to deliver on advocacy objectives.
• Work with the European Strategic Partnerships Team on engagement with key stakeholders.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Building IRC’s profile and influence; effective advocacy for change (70%)

• Support the development of advocacy strategies and their implementation, coordination, information sharing and product development.
•  Build IRC’s credibility, influence and relationships with the UK Government advisers, Parliamentarians and other key targets in support of advocacy strategies on IRC’s priority issues.
•  Ensure that IRC and our priority issues have a strong profile in the UK Parliament and with other relevant influencers.
• Support our wider influencing work in partnership with IRC colleagues in Europe and elsewhere.
• Spot and deliver on external opportunities to advance IRC’s policy and advocacy objectives.
• Provide input into policy analysis and development on a range of agreed issues, and work with Policy and Technical Unit colleagues to produce advocacy briefings, reports and other materials.
•  Draft briefing papers, submissions to government consultations, and other materials for advocacy.
• Represent IRC externally and work alongside colleagues in other NGOs in both formal and informal coalitions to advance joint advocacy objectives.
• Contribute to the operations of the Policy and Advocacy Department, including the delivery of ad hoc project work.

Support for strategic planning and reporting to Board (15%)

• Create and maintain internal systems, including contact database, diaries of upcoming events and opportunities.
• Monitor and record IRC UK’s impact with the UK Government and Parliament, and potentially with others in Europe.
• Provide updates and information on policy and advocacy work to assist with reporting to board members and potential donors.

Events, communications and fundraising (15%)

•  Work with the Communications and Fundraising teams to help pursue opportunities for funding for IRC programmes and for advocacy.
• Organise events on key IRC issues.

• Work closely with the IRC Europe Communications team to help develop and coordinate policy and advocacy products, and public campaigns on IRC priority themes and countries.
• Identify and attend priority contact groups and forums in the UK and Europe to deliver policy change related to priority countries and crises.
• Any other tasks appropriate to the role.

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

•  Degree, ideally, in a subject related to IRC’s work (e.g. Development Studies, International Relations, Law, Refugee or Migration Studies, Conflict Studies) or equivalent experience.
• Good knowledge of Parliament and Whitehall, the UK policy landscape and key advocacy targets, and Excellent writing and communication skills in English, and the ability to translate complex material and data into coherent narratives
• Strong networking and presentation skills
• Excellent analytical skills, and attention to detail
• Strong organisational and administrative skills
• Commitment to team work
• The ability to travel, to work to tight deadlines, and on own initiative
• Commitment to women’s rights and to the IRC’s vision, missions and values

 Experience:

•  Experience of working either in parliament, in Whitehall, or in a relevant public affairs role
• Proven experience of developing and implementing successful political influencing strategies to achieve results – including in working closely with communications colleagues to shape opinion
• Understanding of the UK NGO sector, experience of working in national or international coalitions
• Experience of working on complex policy issues, ideally on migration, home affairs, humanitarian issues and/ or foreign affairs
• Experience of working as part of an cross-organisational team to deliver on projects/ strategies, and of quickly forming effective working relationships to deliver results
• Highly motivated self-starter

Desirable

•  Useful political and institutional contacts
•  Fluency in a European language other than English

You must have the right to work in the UK.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on 20^th December 2019. Interviews will take place week commencing 9^th January 2020.

IRC strives to be an equal opportunities employer. IRC is committed to equality of opportunity and to non-discrimination foralljobapplicantsandemployees,andweseekto ensureweachieve diversityinourworkforceregardlessofgender,race,religiousbeliefs, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.