Associate Director, UN Advocacy

Job Overview

The Associate Director for United Nations Advocacy is responsible for developing and implementing advocacy strategies to advance the views of IRC staff in the field and the interests of the clients we serve with the UN Secretariat agencies (Secretary-General’s Office, Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and Department of Peacekeeping), UN Specialized Agencies, UN ECOSOC Humanitarian Segment, the UN General Assembly’s Humanitarian Coordination pillar and UN Security Council (UNSC) member states.

Major Responsibilities

• Policy tracking and influence analysis: Track UNSC developments related to country priorities and conduct targeted UNSC outreach and engagement to UNSC member state missions. Analyze and report on relevant policy trends, humanitarian dimensions, and key developments within the UN Security Council and the UN Secretariat; identify opportunities and support development of recommendations for policymakers.

• Advocacy strategy: Together with colleagues, develop and implement advocacy strategies to influence policy and program approaches of donors, host governments, and humanitarian and development organizations to improve the use of aid and ensure better outcomes for people affected by forced displacement, consistent with our overall priorities and strategy on aid reform.

• Liaise closely colleagues across the organization to ensure that our global advocacy strategies and UN policy recommendations are rooted in the IRC’s field experience and technical expertise. Identify and facilitate opportunities for IRC senior leaders to build relationships with UN and UN Mission decision-makers to directly advance IRC’s thought leadership agenda.

• Advocacy: Expand IRC’s policy influence within UN OCHA and with New York-based representatives of relevant UN Specialized Agencies by establishing a working rapport with senior staff, alerting OCHA and other Agencies to IRC’s concerns in various crises, and driving policy reforms to improve humanitarian action on the ground. Engage with policy stakeholders at the highest levels by representing the IRC at key meetings at the United Nations, including attending regular face-to-face meetings with the UN Security Council Permanent Representatives, Deputy Ambassadors, Political Officers, First and Second Counselors, Policy Experts and Humanitarian Affairs Officers.

• Lead development and coordination of IRC’s engagement in major UN fora, including annual UN General Assembly meetings.

• Policy Engagement: Contribute to policy generation by providing UN specific analysis to increase the credibility and efficacy of our solutions through constant collaboration and in focused policy fora. Support IRC’s policy team in identifying and developing policy priorities that are impactful and achievable.

• Spokesperson: Engagement with public audiences to showcase the work of the IRC. Represent IRC’s views in meetings of the UN Security Council, UN Secretary-General’s Executive Office, Under-Secretary-Generals, Inter-Agency Standing Committee Principals and Working Groups, various Special Representatives to the Secretary-General, UN Special Envoys, UN Panels of Experts, and UN Special Rapporteurs.

• Steward Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: both in the culture of IRC, as well as in the policy solutions we develop and the ways we wield influence.

Key Working Relationships

• Position reports to: Director, Advocacy

• Position directly supervises: N/A

• Internal contacts: Global Policy and Advocacy colleagues; Technical Unit leads; Program leads; Communications and Fundraising departments; President’s Office

• External contacts: Key partners at the UN; UN Member State Missions; peer organizations and think tanks; relevant coalitions

Education

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

• 6-8 years of proven experience in advocacy roles, including significant time in representational positions, and knowledge and execution of advocacy techniques and policy analysis

• Prefer direct experience with the United Nations, a UN Mission or with a peer organization doing UN-facing advocacy

• Prefer knowledge of humanitarian issues and the work of humanitarian organizations. Demonstrated experience working with relevant INGOs, think tanks and academic institutions

Work Experience

• Proven experience managing high-level relationships

• Experience in developing and implementing advocacy strategies

• Knowledge of and experience working with humanitarian organizations

Demonstrated Skills And Competencies

• Deep knowledge of humanitarian programming, especially in conflict-driven settings

• Extensive knowledge of relevant UN-related processes and products, particularly: UNSC deliberations and dynamics, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, UN reform reviews, UN Agency Executive Committee deliberations, Global Compacts on Refugees and Migrants

• Deep familiarity with international humanitarian law and laws of armed conflict

• Deep familiarity with leveraging points throughout UN and Member States that can be targeted to achieve policy change objectives; strong network among key Members States and NY-based UN agencies

• Ability to think strategically, synthesize complex information and develop innovative policy and advocacy approaches

• Excellent writing skills and the ability to translate complex material and data into coherent narratives that resonate with policymakers

• Initiative and ability to work independently on fast-paced issues, and juggle competing demands

Working Environment

• Hybrid work environment, minimum 3 days per week required in office. Up to 20% travel required.

Compensation

• ($105,000 - $115,000)