United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Senior Policy and Advocacy Adviser – Economic Programmes

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Senior Policy and Advocacy Adviser – Economic Programmes

Reports to: Deputy Director of Economic Programmes

Location: London

Salary:£45,000

Hours: 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 and London. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster. Through 22 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 IRC-UK has grown rapidly and is now acknowledged for its high quality project management, technical expertise in governance and rights and economic recovery, and innovative thinking on early recovery and gender based violence. The IRC also has offices in Brussels and Geneva.

IRC-UK comprises approximately 70 staff across five departments.

Economic Programmes Unit

The IRC2020 strategy has highlighted cash programming as a key tool toward ensuring greater client responsiveness and effectiveness in emergency preparedness and response. The IRC Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) Unit has committed to investing in policy and practice changes that will facilitate greater use of effective and efficient unconditional cash transfer programmes within the IRC’s own operations, as well as within the humanitarian sector more broadly. This involves significant operational investments in preparedness planning, a push toward digital payments, as well as evidence-based policy influence with both humanitarian and development actors.

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.

The Purpose of the Role

As part of a dynamic and growing policy and advocacy team based in London, the IRC Senior Policy and Advocacy Adviser for Economic Programmes will work under the direction of the Deputy Director of Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) in HQ and ERD staff in the field to support policy and practice that will ensure evidence-based policy change on cash. This position will take the international lead on creating and implementing a ground-breaking new global organizational policy and advocacy strategy around cash transfer programming, with particular emphasis on increasing the IRC’s visibility in Europe to help establish us as a thought leader. Leveraging the IRC’s technical expertise, this post will mobilise European decision-makers to use unconditional cash transfers effectively and efficiently in the field. Beyond Europe, the position will serve as the global focal point for cash advocacy, and lead the IRC’s efforts to influence donors, decision-makers, practitioners, and corporations involved in delivering humanitarian assistance efficiently and effectively.

Scope and Authority

Authority:

The Senior Policy and Advocacy Adviser – Economic Programmes will report to the Deputy Director of Economic Programs for Cash Initiatives, with a functional line to the IRC-UK Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy. The position will continuously coordinate and liaise with ERD technical advisers, technical specialists, field programmes (ERD coordinators) and global policy and advocacy staff as well as other staff in IRC working on cash and livelihood issues. The position will also work closely with IRC fundraising, communications and media teams to build awareness with the UK and European public. It will build new high-level relationships and represent the organisation to senior and influential targets.

Responsibility for Resources:

The Senior Policy and Advocacy Adviser – Economic Programmes is responsible for leading and implementing tasks under the IRC’s organizational Cash Strategy as well as the “Cash” objectives agreed in the IRC Europe Strategy.

Key Working Relationships

• Line manager: Deputy Director of Economic Recovery and Development Unit (ERD).

• Equal Co-supervision: Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy.

• Communication/collaboration with:

o Policy and advocacy team

o Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) team in New York

o ERD Field staff

o Brussels Office

o Communications and media staff

o Other technical units

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Policy and Advocacy Strategy Development

• Lead the development of a new, comprehensive global cash advocacy strategy, using the IRC2020 strategy and leverage the IRC’s strength as a global organization with advocacy targets around the world. This post is central to the delivery of the organization’s overall cash strategy and the cash pillar of the Europe strategy.
• Drive and implement the delivery of, and monitor progress towards, the IRC’s advocacy strategy on cash coverage in humanitarian settings.
• Facilitate new ideas and discussions, and set the vision for new advocacy, policy and research projects that will make substantive contributions to policy and practice on humanitarian cash assistance.
• Ensure alignment and cohesion with other organizational advocacy priorities and strategic initiatives, such as research and development, best use of resources, client responsiveness, and evidence-based programming.
• Harness the IRC’s technical expertise in cash preparedness and response to ensure a key role in transforming policy and practice, through meetings, roundtables and other events, outreach to key stakeholders and donor and humanitarian forums, media, IRC’s website and social media.
• Conduct at least one field visit per year to keep abreast of IRC cash programming.

Advocacy and Research

• Identify critical research gaps in the policy case for increased coverage of cash assistance, and work with research and technical experts to initiate research efforts to address the policy needs.
• Strategically position the IRC’s research findings in policy briefs and advocacy messages before the right targeted audiences, in order to ensure the IRC is understood as a thought leader in cash assistance in the humanitarian sector, influences appropriate policies, and shapes the broader international debates around humanitarian aid effectiveness.

Representation and Visibility

• Forge new relationships and networks with senior decision and policy-makers in European donor, private sector and policy environments to advance key humanitarian cash-related messages and cultivate external advocates for the IRC’s work
• Lead the organization’s efforts to overcome policy barriers related to the use and deployment of cash programming in humanitarian settings.
• Increase the visibility of IRC’s cash-related work to improve transparency and aid effectiveness and mobilize new audiences in Europe in support of our policy and practice goals.
• Rapidly expand the IRC’s global network of supporters, allies and champions to get the case for increased cash coverage to the attention of audiences around the world.
• Drive forward opportunities for innovative collaboration with practitioners, experts, and leaders outside the IRC to raise the profile of key advocacy initiatives. This may include forming advocacy commissions or ad-hoc working groups.
• Steer the agendas and participate in key inter-agency groups, such as the Cash Learning Partnership, Better than Cash Alliance, World Economic Forum Humanitarian Council and follow-on action from the High Level Cash Panel. Expertly represent the IRC at key donor and policy forums in the UK and Europe.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Masters degree in public policy, international relations, political science, economics or a related field.
• Excellent oral communication skills, experience and confidence speaking at high level events.
• Strong political judgment, and detailed knowledge of the workings of UK, EU and other relevant political institutions and relevant debates
• Excellent ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing; including ability to translate complex material and data into coherent narratives and draft clear and effective policy reports, briefing papers and media articles.
• Strong networking skills and familiarity with key European opinion formers
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to work in close collaboration with team members and remote field offices
• Commitment to team work
• Highly motivated self-starter comfortable with working independently in a matrixed work environment
• The ability to travel, to work to tight deadlines, and on own initiative
• Commitment to women’s rights and to IRC-UK’s vision, missions and values
• The right to work in the UK.

Experience:

• Distinguished track record of evidence-based policy influence, working in partnership with practitioners, researchers, policy makers and the private sector.
• Clear experience of developing and driving ambitious new policy and advocacy strategies, with clear evidence of results
• 5-7 years advocacy or policy experience, preferably related to humanitarian assistance, aid effectiveness or economic recovery
• Experience of working with the media or with communications colleagues to influence appropriate media channels
• Experience working with UK and other EU donors and policy-makers, preferably in a policy and advocacy function

Desirable

• French language skills.
• Experience of public speaking and working with the media (including writing and broadcast interviews).

To Apply

Please send a CV (two pages maximum) and cover page (two pages maximum) to: applications@rescue-uk.org

Please state clearly in your cover letter:

· Your reasons for applying

· How you meet the person specification, skills and experience specified in the job description

· Where you saw the job advertised

· Current salary

The closing date is: 10am Monday 4^th January 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.