Policy Advocacy & Communication Advisor

More than 12 years since the Syrian crisis began, 15.3 million people inside Syria – more than 70% of the country’s population – are currently in need of humanitarian assistance. Syria continues to suffer from insecurity, active conflict, and a spiraling economic crisis that are all deepening humanitarian needs across the country. Basic goods, including food, are increasingly unaffordable as currency depreciation and inflation drive up their price. Economic and climatic threats are further undermining the country’s capacity to cope with new shocks. While the highest levels of conflict in the past four years threaten to drive needs still higher.

The IRC has been working in Syria since 2012 in the northwest and northeast of the country. With more than 1,200 staff our response is delivered both directly and through local partner organizations with a focus on health, protection, early childhood development and economic recovery. In 2022 the IRC and its partners supported more than 1.1 million people inside Syria. Beyond direct program implementation, the IRC also makes a significant contribution to policy, advocacy and coordination across the Syria response. The IRC Syria Country Director sits on the Humanitarian Country Team for Turkiye and the Syria Strategic Steering Group, as well as being a board member for the Syria INGO Regional Forum (SIRF). The Syria PAC Advisor role sits on the SIRF Policy and Advocacy Working Group to support sector wide advocacy efforts, as well as the advocacy working groups for the northeast and northwest forums.

Job Overview/Summary:

Under the supervision of the Country Director, and the Regional Policy, Advocacy and Communication (PAC) Director, the Syria Policy, Advocacy and Communications Advisor is responsible for leading IRC Syria’s PAC work, including the implementation and continued revision of the IRC Syria PAC Strategy and for developing briefings, key messages, talking points and other advocacy materials to influence decision makers to deliver meaningful change for Syrians in need. This role supervises IRC Syria’s Communications Manager, ensuring that communications is integrated and aligned with advocacy and policy objectives. The PAC Advisor will work closely with the IRC’s MENA regional PAC team, 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 Syria Country Director and the Regional Director of Policy, Advocacy & Communications, implement the IRC’s Syria PAC Strategy and policy priorities; lead strategy learning and revision in the field and advise and support colleagues in global capitals in implementing Syria related policy with targets in London, Brussels, DC/NY, and the region.

• Serve as a member of the IRC Syria Senior Management Team to ensure a strategic approach to advocacy engagement and contributing to the strategic direction of IRC’s work in country.

• Produce high quality 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.

• In conjunction with country program staff and the regional PAC team, closely monitor humanitarian policy debates and media pertaining to Syria, ensuring that relevant information is analyzed and disseminated in a timely and effective manner.

• Manage the Syria PAC team including budget, staff and communications outputs. Line-management of the IRC Syria’s Communications Manager supporting the delivery of 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, 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. Act as media spokesperson for the IRC ensuring we spotlight the issues faced by our clients and the solutions necessary to alleviate their needs.

• Provide capacity building on PAC to field staff and partners and develop the capacity of national staff to implement impactful advocacy interventions.

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;

• Experience in advocating on behalf of marginalized groups in conflict settings;

• 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 the delivery of strategy;

• Ability to work well in unstable security environments, 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;

• 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;

• Middle East regional experience and Arabic language skills preferred.

• Experience with training and staff capacity building 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 labor laws and internal policies.

Language/Travel:

• English is required, while Arabic is desired.

• Travel: 20% to field sites in Turkey and Syria as well as attending regional and global workshops and meetings.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal

Position Reports to: Syria Country Director

Management in Partnership with: Regional Director of Policy, Advocacy and Communications

Position directly supervises: Syrian Communications Manager

Close collaboration with: 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, partner organizations, foreign governments. Advocacy Coordinators or similar in other organizations, Policy and Advocacy Working Groups.

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.

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.