Advocacy Officer

The Women's Refugee Commission

Job Description

Full Job Description

Organizational Background

The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) works to improve the lives and defend the rights of refugee and internally displaced women, children, and young people. As a research and advocacy organization, WRC is dedicated to securing systemic changes in policy and practice that ensure uprooted women, children, and young people can fully exercise their rights to protection, services, and self-sufficiency.

Scope of Work

The primary role of the advocacy officer is to help advance WRC’s priorities and support the organization’s advocacy with policymakers, practitioners, and nongovernmental organizations working on humanitarian issues. The advocacy officer will particularly support the vice president of advocacy and external relations on advocacy initiatives to influence the US government and other policymakers in Washington, DC, including diplomatic missions, the World Bank, and other institutions, on humanitarian and gender equality policies and programs. The advocacy officer will also represent the organization externally with a wide range of partners, civil society coalitions and working groups, and other bodies relevant to WRC’s work.

As a member of WRC’s advocacy team, the advocacy officer contributes to the design and implementation of the organization’s advocacy strategy and work plan, provides guidance to and supports program team members on the integration of advocacy considerations into their initiatives, and works with the communications and development teams to reflect and advance WRC’s advocacy initiatives through external channels.

This position sits in the external relations department and reports to the vice president of advocacy and external relations, who is based in Washington, DC.

Essential Job Functions

  • Under the direction of the vice president of advocacy and external relations, engage the US Administration, Congress, diplomatic missions, the World Bank, and other relevant institutions and policymakers in Washington, DC, to influence humanitarian and gender equality policies, programs, and practices.
  • Manage a thematic portfolio related to at least one of WRC’s key areas of focus – gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, economic empowerment and self-reliance, or gender and social inclusion.
  • Help design and implement advocacy initiatives related to emerging humanitarian issues such as context-specific crisis response and climate change.
  • Participate in civil society advocacy bodies, including coalitions and working groups related to humanitarian policy and gender equality issues, to advance WRC’s priorities.
  • Develop talking points, issue briefs, policy recommendations, advocacy messages, fact sheets, and other resources to elevate WRC’s programs and support WRC’s advocacy objectives.
  • Represent WRC at meetings, conferences, and other public events.
  • Liaise with WRC teams to design advocacy strategies related to program and research initiatives.
  • Work closely with WRC’s communications and program staff to develop advocacy materials for target audiences, as well as to design public events to promote WRC’s priorities on humanitarian policy and practice.

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in international affairs, political science, law, or related field strongly preferred. Master’s degree or professional degree preferred, but not required.
  • Minimum 3-4 years of work experience on advocacy related to international humanitarian, human rights, or development, and/or gender equality issues.
  • Demonstrated experience in policy advocacy, including implementing advocacy initiatives for multiple audiences, particularly the US government or other influential bodies.
  • Strong understanding of the humanitarian system and gender equality issues.
  • Substantive expertise in one of WRC’s key advocacy areas (gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, economic empowerment and self-reliance, or gender and social inclusion) strongly preferred.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills: proven ability to effectively communicate complex issues in a clear manner to multiple and diverse audiences and to produce persuasive advocacy materials for a range of audiences.
  • Solid diplomatic skills: must be able to manage a variety of internal and external relationships in a cross-cultural professional environment, demonstrate political acumen, and represent the organization with senior-level diplomats and other policymakers.
  • Strong interpersonal skills: must be able to work collaboratively, manage professional relationships, seek out diverse perspectives, provide and receive feedback constructively, be solution-oriented, meet and communicate deadlines effectively, and embody WRC’s core values of inclusion, equality, integrity, dignity, and forward-thinking.
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively with minimum supervision, including the ability to be proactive and self-driven in pursuing initiatives.

Reports to: Vice President, External Relations and Advocacy
Position: Regular, full-time (hybrid)
Salary: $56,305-$89,844 (Commensurate with experience)
Location: Washington, DC
Posting Date: March 13, 2023
Closing Date: Until filled

How to Apply

Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume .

The target salary as depicted above represents the low and mid-point values for the given salary band. The actual salary of someone hired into the role will be based on various factors including but not limited to professional and academic experience, training, associated responsibilities and other business and organizational needs. Individual salary decisions remain dependent on the circumstances of each individual hire. The range as listed represents just one component of WRC’s total compensation package.

The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, or disability. All qualified applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. WRC is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

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