Policy Advocacy and Communication Coordinator

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity, and hope to millions uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

In 2007, the IRC began providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable and crisis-affected people in Jordan in response to an influx of Iraqi refugees and the strain on host communities. Following the eruption of the Syrian war in 2011, hundreds of thousands of refugees crossed into Jordan. The ongoing insecurity in Syria and the growing needs of refugees have strained Jordan’s resources and infrastructure and exacerbated pre-existing issues like water scarcity and high unemployment.

As resources become more limited, refugees and host communities have fewer economic opportunities and become more vulnerable. The IRC’s new strategy for Jordan shows our commitment to improving the safety, health, education, and economic well-being of people affected by conflict, in camp-based (Za’atari, and Azraq camps) refugees and urban-based refugees, and in coordination with the humanitarian community and the Government of Jordan. Simultaneously, IRC in Jordan is pivoting to a more long term resilience/development programming responding to the context in Jordan and the worsening vulnerabilities faced by refugees and vulnerable Jordanians.

Job Overview/Summary:

Under the supervision of the Country Director, the Policy, Advocacy and Communication (PAC) Coordinator will be responsible for leading IRC Jordan’s policy communication and advocacy work, including the design and implementation of the IRC Jordan advocacy strategy and for developing briefings, key messages, talking points and other advocacy materials. This role will also supervise and support IRC Jordan’s communications work, ensuring that communications is integrated and aligned with advocacy and policy objectives. The PAC Coordinator will regularly liaise with the IRC’s regional PAC team, Syria PAC colleagues, as well as policy and advocacy colleagues in the U.S and Europe, to ensure that advocacy opportunities are leveraged across the national, regional and global levels.

Responsibilities:

• Under the guidance of the Country Director and Regional Director of Policy, Advocacy & Communications, define the advocacy strategy and policy priorities for Jordan in line with IRC’s country strategy for Jordan; lead strategy implementation in the field and advise and support colleagues in global capitals in implementing the strategy with targets in London, Brussels, DC/NY, and the region.
• Produce high quality gender sensitive public and private policy and advocacy materials including talking points, letters, briefing notes, position papers, and advocacy reports.
• Regularly liaise with relevant in-country stakeholders on issues of concern, including UN, donor representatives, diplomatic missions, and peer agencies, and grow the IRC’s bilateral relationships with key counterparts.
• Conduct a robust stakeholder holder mapping and maintain an updated contact list of key targets in-country.
• Promote a principled approach to advocacy and communications among relevant internal stakeholders and ensure that external messaging is evidence-based and driven by field realities.
• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team to ensure a strategic approach to advocacy engagement.
• In conjunction with country program staff and the regional advocacy and communications teams, closely monitor humanitarian and development policy debates and media pertaining to Jordan, ensuring that relevant information is analyzed and disseminated in a timely and effective manner.
• Supervise and support IRC Jordan’s communications work to ensure regular, timely, and high-quality communications content that highlights the needs of our clients and IRC’s successes.
• Provide analysis for Country Director and coordinate inputs from the country program for meetings, events as well as key cluster meetings.
• Represent the IRC in humanitarian coordination fora, conferences, lobby meetings, and other events as requested; or provide talking points for other senior representatives, including the Country Director and Regional Vice President.
• Respond to external inquiries on policy issues, including briefing policymakers and media.
• Provide trainings on advocacy to field staff and develop the capacity of national staff to implement impactful advocacy interventions.

Qualifications

Required Experience/qualification/Skills:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience crafting and delivering policy and advocacy work responding to complex humanitarian crises and/or post-conflict situations with strong nexus/development interlinkages.
• Experience in advocating on behalf of marginalized groups in settings affected by a conflict.
• Ability to link evidence generated from programmatic work to inform policy advocacy agenda and identify emerging trends.
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to apply innovative thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent analytical, presentation, communication, and representation skills
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is essential, with demonstrated exceptionally strong writing skills.
• Ability to navigate interpersonal and inter-departmental organizational dynamics to keep focus on goals and products.
• Ability to work well in fast evolving external context, and under significant administrative and programmatic pressures.
• Flexible to adapt to changing requirements.
• Culturally sensitive, able, and interested in working with a multi-ethnic team.
• Proven expertise in employing a strong gender lens to analysis and commitment to women’s rights and gender equality.
• Strong commitment to the IRC’s mission, purpose, and values.
• Must be able to work independently while being a team player.
• Advanced degree in relevant field desired.
• Experience with training and staff capacity building.
• Middle East regional experience and Arabic language skills preferred.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values, and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.
• Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development.
• Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
• Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context.
• Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience.
• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity.
• Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop and a sense of humor is a must.
• Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to local laws and internal policies.

Language:

• English is required, while Arabic is desired.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal

Position Reports to: Jordan Country Director
Management in Partnership with: Regional Director of Policy, Advocacy and Communications

Budget responsibility: manage budget earmarked for research, policy, communications, visibility etc. in coordination with relevant program teams.

Position directly supervises: Sr Communication Manager, Communication Assistant
Close collaboration with: Senior Management Team, Program Coordinators, Field Coordinators, Access and Security Coordinators, field staff, Global Advocacy and Communications Colleagues.

Key External Contacts: Public and private donor agencies, international and national NGOs, UN agencies, Jordan INGO Forum, partner organizations, foreign governments, Advocacy Coordinators or similar in other organizations, Policy and Advocacy Working Groups.

Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Diversity and Inclusion: at IRC MENA, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.

IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. All IRC staff, wherever they are located, are accountable for creating an environment free of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.

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