Belgium: Head of Brussels Office

Position: Head of Brussels Office

Reports to: Associate Director – Policy and Advocacy (based in London)

Contract: Permanent

Location: Brussels, Belgium

Salary: 70,000 Euros per annum

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 26 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.

The IRC in Brussels

The International Rescue Committee has a small but growing presence in Brussels, the primary purpose of which is to influence the European Union on IRC priorities including the EU’s aid and foreign policy and, for the foreseeable future, the refugee crisis.

The Policy & Practice Department in Europe

Policy & Practice is a dynamic department 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

The IRC’s new Europe Strategy sets out an ambitious vision for the IRC to become a thought leader in Europe. Working closely with IRC’s European HQ in London, this role is key to the realization of this goal.

The Head of Brussels Office develops and leads implementation of the IRC’s EU policy and advocacy strategy; ensures provision of advice and/or support to IRC affiliates and field offices on EU policies and their implications; and is responsible for the management and day to day running of the IRC office in Brussels including all staff based there.

Working in co-ordination with IRC colleagues in Europe and globally, this position will lead a rapid increase in the IRC’s influence and visibility with relevant policymakers and influencers across all parts of the EU system, and with the representatives of Member States as appropriate. This includes ensuring that we have the right kind of research, policy and advocacy products; significantly upscaling our reach and networks; leading our co-ordination with other relevant NGOs; and building new relationships with think tanks, media and other opinion formers in order to help bring about rapid changes in policy and practice.

There is considerable scope for the IRC’s presence in Brussels to grow and develop in future.

Scope and Authority

Authority:

• Lead on IRC’s strategy development and implementation for the entities of, and related to, the EU
• Act as the global focal point for IRC influencing in Brussels
• Represent IRC at meetings with senior European advocacy targets
• Brief senior IRC colleagues on relevant issues relating to the EU
• Manage and run the Brussels office

Responsibility for Resources:

• Manage and report on IRC’s Brussels budget
• Run the administration of the Brussels office in compliance with Belgian legislation
• Ensure compliance with IRC HR policy and practice, including through line manage at last one staff member and matrix manage all others based in the Brussels Office

Key Working Relationships

• Reports to the Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy
• Line manages the Policy and Advocacy Officer – Belgium; jointly manages the Refugee Crisis Adviser based in Brussels and works closely with the Policy and Advocacy Team in London; matrix manages a number of other IRC staff based in Brussels
• Close collaboration with IRC country offices leading our response in a number of countries
• Close co-ordination with Policy and Advocacy colleagues in New York and Washington DC, and with IRC Media and Communications colleagues in London KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Leadership and management (20%)

• Play a key role in achieving IRC’s strategic aim to become a thought leader in Europe by 2020, including through developing and implementing a strategy to significantly increase IRC’s profile and influence with key EU targets

• Oversee HR management in the Begium office, including:

  • Build a shared and high performance culture in the Brussels office between all staff based there, who work on diverse issues, often with different line managers based in other geographical locations
  • Set clear objectives with all direct reports, and ensure strong support and supervision against clear deliverables; carry out annual appraisals and mid-year reviews

• Prepare the annual budget and manage this efficiently throughout the year, including through regular reporting

• Prepare for IRC Belgium Board meetings and regularly update the Board

• Ensure that they office is run well and in compliance with Belgian laws and regulations, as well as with IRC organizational policies

Policy and advocacy (50%)

• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that effective policy and advocacy work is undertaken in Brussels as part of advocacy strategies on IRC priority issues, including: building new relationships with senior stakeholders and advocacy targets in EU and other appropriate institutions – and providing clear evidence of influencing them
• Plan and oversee events as part of the above, including with think-tanks, other NGOs and partners
• Identify needs and opportunities to produce public-facing policy products on priority issues, and ensure that these are met. This will include drafting impactful reports and briefings
• Ensure that colleagues, including those involved in communications, are kept informed of up-to-date policy messages and advocacy asks
• Keep track of relevant EU developments, particularly in the areas of migration, humanitarian, foreign affairs and development assistance policy, and ensure that these are communicated to colleagues across the organisation as appropriate
• Contribute to co-ordinating programme, advocacy and policy initiatives in Europe as well as between the European offices and offices elsewhere, including New York and Washington DC
• In co-ordination with the London office, act as internal reference on EU policies and procedures to IRC staff worldwide
• Implement a system for measuring and recording the results of policy and advocacy work in Brussels

Networking, representation and profile raising (30%)

• Identify, create and act upon opportunities to raise awareness of IRC’s work, brand and profile as a European thought leader on humanitarian issues
• Provide occasional support to fundraising colleagues, for example by making presentations and attending key meetings
• Liaise with European networks and NGO offices, including VOICE, ECRE and Crisis Action, represent IRC’s positions and identify opportunities for close collaboration
• Lead co-ordination and joint policy and advocacy initiatives with other NGOs as appropriate
• Work with communications colleagues to raise IRC’s media profile, including through blogs and op-eds
• Represent IRC as senior level meetings and events across a wide range of issues

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Relevant Masters degree or equivalent qualifications/ experience
• Ability to think strategically, and translate this into plans for action and then results
• Proven political judgment, and detailed knowledge of the workings of EU institutions and current EU debates
• Understanding of the humanitarian system, and knowledge of key EU debates on issues such as migration, foreign affairs and development assistance
• Excellent negotiating skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong networking and presentation skills
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to translate complex material and data into coherent narratives
• Strong communication skills and fluency in written and spoken English and French
• The ability to travel, to work to tight deadlines, and on own initiative
• Commitment to women’s rights and to IRC-UK’s vision, mission and values

Experience:

• Significant experience of working with senior contacts either in EU institutions, the European Parliament or in a relevant public affairs role
• Experience of working in or with NGOs
• Proven experience of developing and implementing successful influencing strategies – including in working closely with communications colleagues to shape opinion
• Experience of leading a team, motivating and line managing staff to deliver results and successfully managing budgets
• Experience of working as part of an interdependent team, ideally internationally, and of quickly forming effective working relationships to deliver results
• Highly motivated self-starter
• Experience of working with the media

Desirable:

• Useful political and institutional contacts in the EU
• Working knowledge of additional languages

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 skills, knowledge and experience specified in the person specification part of the job description
• Where you saw the job advertised
• Current salary

The closing date is: 10am on Monday 4^th April 2016 (UK time).

Interviews will be held in the week of 11^th April 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.