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 displaced people, the team partners with politicians, policy makers and civil society to bring these solutions to life. We take pride in being solutions-oriented and creative. 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, funding and communications teams across the IRC, but also externally, constantly seeking to new ideas and perspectives from others in the humanitarian sector and beyond.

Job Overview: As the France Advocacy Lead, you are the IRC’s leading external specialist on our global influence priorities for the country. You are responsible for crafting our influence strategies using IRC’s programmatic and research evidence, surgical policy and practice solutions, and trusted brand to inspire collective action. You are the go-to expert for understanding current legislative and policy trends in France and how our policies support tor clash with political agendas. You contribute your fresh and creative analysis to inform IRC’s policy objectives and co-create solutions.

Major Responsibilities:

• Advocacy Strategy: Lead advocacy strategies for specific policy goals, collaborating with policy leads, policy communications and digital communications, to advance IRCs key influence priorities and maximize the opportunity for IRC to advance our influence objectives. This work will also contribute to raising IRC’s profile and visibility with French government agencies, such as AFD and CDCS which are valuable program partners to IRC.
• Influence Analysis: Develop power maps for key policy issues to identify influence priorities and targets. Work with team to support development and execution of creative influence strategies, including with nontraditional partners encouraging IRC to develop new approaches to advocacy as usual.
• Advocacy: Support efforts to build IRC’s credibility, profile and relationships by engaging  with  policy  stakeholders and supporting opportunities to raise IRC’s profile at key meetings and fora. Engage with NGOs and networks such as Coordination Sud.
• Legislative and Policy Tracking. Expand IRC’s legislative reach by tracking and analyzing shifting government positions, individuals engaging on our issues, and the politics around our issues. Translate policy asks into legislative / parliamentary asks. Track UK legislative processes & profile opportunities / events; this includes hearings, deadlines and processes for engaging in annual bills (appropriations, defense budget), and major ad hoc bills moving in our space. Analyze and report on relevant policy trends and regularly communicate trends to IRC’s Solutions Network to power global priorities and strategy.
• Policy Engagement: Contribute to policy generation by providing France-specific analysis that increase the credibility and efficacy of our solutions through constant collaboration and in focused policy roundtable.  Support IRC’s policy team in identifying and developing policy priorities that are impactful and achievable.
• Communications: Provide market and audience expertise to communications team to shape policy communications specific to 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.
• 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.
• Spokesperson: Act as an IRC influence spokesperson on focused advocacy areas. Act as key interlocutor with French Members of Parliament and parliamentary/governmental staffers.
• Board and Advisors: Support relationships with IRC's Board and Advisors by identifying points of mutual interest and opportunity around our priority issues.
• Teamwork: Support a positive team culture by acting openly and collaboratively, supporting colleagues in their work and sharing credit with others where appropriate.

Key Working Relationships:

Position reports to: Senior Director, Europe Advocacy

Internal contacts: Policy and Advocacy colleagues across the globe; Technical Excellence leads; International Programs leads; Resettlement, Asylum and Integration unit, Communications; Awards Management; President’s Office, External Relations Department

External contacts: Key Opinion Formers and policy makers in the UK

Job Requirements:

Education:

•  Degree in relevant field such as Public Policy, Law or International Relations

Work experience:

•  Demonstrated experience in advocacy and advocacy strategy development with a focus on creativity and strategic thinking
• 6-8 years of experience working on complex humanitarian and/or development issues

Demonstrated skills and competencies:

•  Examples of influence/impact on legislative and executive policy. Strong network of influencers and policy makers
• Deep understanding of relevant French stakeholders, and familiarity with leverage points within these institutions that can be targeted to achieve policy change objectives
• Ability to think strategically and creatively, being solutions-oriented when traditional advocacy means do not suffice
• Extensive knowledge of humanitarian aid and refugee issues
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate successfully with experts, high level 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
• Fluency with key parts of the IRC’s strategy and existing policy strategy
• Ability to work on tight deadlines
• Initiative and ability to work independently on fast-paced issues, and juggle competing demands

Working Environment:  Standard office work environment. Up to 15% travel required

The deadline for applications is 30th May 2023

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