United States of America: Senior Director, International Programs Policy and Advocacy

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 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 offices in cities across the United States, the IRC also helps refugees and other immigrants resettle in the U.S. 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 Policy and Practice Department is a dynamic team combining the IRC's Communications, Policy and Advocacy, and Technical Unit expertise. Its core purpose is to develop the IRC as a thought leader 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.

Job Overview: The Senior Director of International Programs Policy and Advocacy will work closely with the Vice President to lead the five-year vision whereby the IRC aims to become an outspoken implementer that shapes humanitarian policy and practice. This will be achieved by pursuing organizational strategic objectives through several streams of work. The Senior Director will help lead the Policy and Advocacy Department in achieving changes in policy and practice that remove roadblocks to the delivery of aid and secure long-term solutions for displaced people.

Specifically, the Senior Director will oversee the development of policy initiatives and lead work to: support country teams in removing acute bureaucratic barriers that prevent or impede program delivery; speak out in capitals on the realities encountered in our day-to-day work on a maximally credible basis in order to deliver our policy recommendations; and leverage IRC's footprint to advocate for long-term solutions for displaced peoples as they move from conflicts to camps or urban settlements, resettlement, or repatriation.

Major Responsibilities:

• Lead, in collaboration with the VP and other Directors, a highly-motivated Policy and Advocacy Department in implementation of advocacy strategies for designated regional and country-based priorities
• Lead a focused, evidence-driven policy agenda to raise awareness and influence decision makers to adopt effective solutions to identified operational challenges
• Provide thought leadership in translating operational and country-specific concerns into global level priorities and advancing them in coordination with the organizational strategy
• Liaise closely with leadership in International Programs and Emergency Preparedness and Response at the headquarters, regional and country levels to channel the data and knowledge generated by IRC's diverse programs and leading evaluation efforts, developing strategies that are derived from an intimate and analytical understanding of IRC's work with the populations we serve
• Work across the organization to support alignment of policy and advocacy work with programs, communications and the organizational strategy
• Create and leverage relationships with high-level government and NGO leaders who have the power to change policy and influence practice
• Represent the IRC at high-level policy-related meetings, committees and fora with donors and key policymakers
• Write, speak and present as a contributor to IRC's thought leadership in areas of influence

Job Requirements:

Education:

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

Work experience:

• 10 or more years of experience working on complex humanitarian and/or foreign policy issues, preferably in the area of forced migration, refugee protection and/or refugee resettlement
• Demonstrated management experience in planning, implementing and managing advocacy efforts in relevant organizations and contexts

Demonstrated skills and competencies:

• Deep understanding of international relief and development, including financing and operational contexts, and ability to translate this knowledge into effective influencing strategies
• Thorough understanding of foreign policy and diplomatic architecture, with experience influencing government officials and agencies in the U.S. and abroad
• Strong communication and writing skills and the ability to translate complex and technical material into coherent narratives
• Fluency with key parts of the IRC's strategy, including the aid community's journey to become increasingly results and evidence-based
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects simultaneously
• Capacity to innovate and problem solve

Working Environment: Standard office work environment. Up to 20% travel required.

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