JOB DESCRIPTION
Position:
Reports to:
Location:
Salary:
Hours:
Senior Policy & Advocacy Officer
Head of Policy
London
£40,000
37.5 hours
BACKGROUND
Over the past 80 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled
expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in
1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to
refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.
The International Rescue Committee UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its headquarters
in New York. The IRC is on the ground in some 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating
refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster. Through 29 regional offices in cities across the
United States, the IRC also helps refugees resettle in the US and become self-sufficient.
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.
IRC-UK
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. Since its establishment IRCUK has grown rapidly and is now acknowledged for its high quality project management, technical
expertise and, increasingly, our policy and advocacy work. The IRC also has offices in Brussels and
Geneva.
IRC-UK comprises approximately 90 staff across five departments.
THE POLICY & PRACTICE UK DEPARTMENT
Policy & Practice is a dynamic team combining our communications, policy and advocacy, and
technical unit expertise in Europe. Its core purpose is to raise and develop the IRC as a thought
leader in Europe and drive transformational change in the humanitarian sector, and specifically to
dramatically increase the productivity of humanitarian aid and its ability to achieve outcomes for
people living in and displaced by conflict and crisis.
Team Chart
Director of Policy and
Practice
Associate Director –
Policy and Advocacy
Head of Policy
Senior Policy &
Advocacy Officer
The Purpose of the Role
The IRC-UK Senior 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:
 Act as IRC policy and advocacy lead on multiple priority issues or contexts, responsible for
working with country and technical staff and other global advocates to develop and implement
global strategies to influence policy and improve outcomes for people affected by conflict and
crisis.
 Design and implement IRC’s European policy and advocacy strategy in relation to those
priorities, ensuring that it is firmly grounded in evidence from our programmes and a good
analysis of our advocacy targets in the UK and Europe.
 Act as IRC expert briefer on priority countries and issues, representing the IRC to high profile
policy-makers, practitioners, think-tanks, academic partners, the media and the public in the
UK and Europe.
 Provide policy 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.
 Work closely with IRC UK Communications team to develop and coordinate policy products,
advocacy and public campaigns on IRC priority themes and countries.
 Identify and develop relationships with key UK and European advocacy targets, and develop
and lead advocacy coalitions of NGOs.

Provide training and advice on advocacy to staff in London and in country programmes,
supporting IRC field staff and technical teams in developing their capacity for policy
development and advocacy and establishing appropriate advocacy messages and strategies.
Scope and Authority
Authority:
 This position has authority to brief senior leaders in the humanitarian and development sector
as well as ensuring the IRC is represented at key stakeholder meetings.
 Represent the IRC at external advocacy meetings, events and forums. This includes
representing the Director of Policy & Practice and/or the Executive Director IRC-UK.
 Act as convening chair of NGO consortium events as needed.
 Provide guidance to the IRC-Belgium Policy & Advocacy Officer on specific policy initiatives
 Manage Policy & Advocacy temporary staff and interns.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Policy and advocacy work (50%)
 As policy and advocacy lead on at least two priority policy issues, develop policy and
advocacy strategies and lead implementation, coordination, information sharing and product
development.
 Support the Head of Policy in policy analysis and development on a range of agreed issues.
 Develop UK/EU specific policy messages and advocacy strategies on these and at least one
other issue from the list of priorities.
 Draft policy reports, briefing papers, submissions to government consultations, web content
and materials for advocacy, communications and media purposes on IRC policy priorities,
through country visits and desk based research.
 Support the European Strategic Partnerships Team (ESPT) in developing advocacy strategies
to influence new European donors and stakeholders in support of the IRC Europe Strategy.
 Identify advocacy targets on key IRC-UK priority countries/issues, with the support of the
Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy
 Lead IRC-UK analysis of and engagement with at least one of: UK parliament; EU institutions;
other European Government.
 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.
 Build IRC presence and profile in the UK and EU parliaments including establishing
relationships with key parliamentarians. Represent IRC at UK/European networks, fora,
conferences and events.
 Write IRC public-facing materials for policy audiences, advocacy work and general
communications/fundraising.
IRC UK strategic planning and reporting to Board (20%)
 Support the Head of Policy and Associate Director of Policy & Advocacy in the implementation
of IRC-UK’s Europe strategy
 Identify and develop opportunities for the IRC to effect long-term influence and thought
leadership on priority issues.
 As policy and advocacy lead and subject matter expert on at least two priority policy issues,
developing and leading the implementation of policy and advocacy strategies in coordination


with colleagues in media and communications, international programmes, grants managers,
and the President’s Office.
Participate in at least two cross-departmental policy working groups to shape IRC UK strategy
and external messaging on key issues/contexts.
Provide updates and information on IRC UK’s policy and advocacy work to board members
and potential donors, in relation to selected priorities.
Events, Communications and fundraising (including institutional) (20%)
 Represent IRC and advocate to high profile policy-makers, practitioners, think-tanks, academic
partners, the media and the public in the UK and Europe.
 Work with international programmes and communications teams to shape, identify and pursue
opportunities for funding for IRC programmes and for advocacy.
 Organise and represent IRC at policy events on IRC issues.
 Provide content for key communications material including website, 2-pagers, and annual
report.
 Create and maintain bilateral relationships with policymakers in key UK and EU institutions.
 Identify and attend priority contact groups and forums in the UK and Europe to deliver policy
change related to priority countries and crises.
 Build and lead coalitions of different actors, including other NGOs, around the IRC’s priority
issues.
Training & capacity building field teams and technical units (10%)
 Visit priority countries at least once per annum to work with the field staff to develop and
update policy and advocacy strategies, and produce fresh messages and materials on key
policy issues for global use.
 Create and maintain internal systems, including contact lists, diaries of upcoming events and
opportunities and other databases.
 Provide training and support to all IRC field staff and technical units to develop and implement
effective advocacy strategies, as required.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:
 Masters degree, in a subject related to IRC’s work (e.g. Development Studies, International
Relations, Law, Refugee or Migration Studies, Conflict Studies) or equivalent experience.
 Excellent understanding of the discourse on conflict, fragile states, humanitarian response,
refugees, post-conflict issues, and development effectiveness, as well as the international
policy environment in which these issues are addressed
 Demonstrated ability to design and implement effective advocacy strategies on a wide range
of issues/contexts
 Excellent writing and communication skills in English, and the ability to translate complex
material and data into coherent narratives
 Knowledge and understanding of the UK policy landscape and key advocacy targets, and
processes governing humanitarian aid and development policy
 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
 Commitment to team work
 Highly motivated self-starter


Flexibility
Ability to travel overseas to situations of conflict/disaster
Experience:
 At least four years 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 substantial experience in research and drafting for advocacy and
publication
 Experience of public speaking
Desirable
 Experience working with the EU and European Parliament
 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)
 Strong networking and presentation skills
To Apply
Please send a CV (two pages maximum) and cover page (two pages maximum) to: [email protected]
Please state clearly in your cover letter:
 Your reasons for applying
 How you meet each the points in the person specification
 Where you saw the job advertised
 Current salary
The closing date for this position is 10am 18th November 2016
Interviews will take place on 25th November 2016
In order to minimise administrative costs, IRC-UK will only contact short-listed candidates. Candidates
must have the right to work in the UK.
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.