Advocacy, Policy and Communications Coordinator

Background

IRC opened a country office and launched humanitarian assistance programming in Lebanon in 2012. More than a decade on, the IRC now operates throughout Lebanon, with its main office in Beirut and field offices in Qobayat, Zahle, Tripoli, and Mount Lebanon. IRC’s programs assist both Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese across multiple sectors: education, livelihoods, protection, women's protection and empowerment and child protection.

Scope of Work:

The IRC is seeking a Policy, Advocacy and Communications (PAC) Coordinator for its Lebanon Country Program based in Beirut. Under the supervision of the Country Director and the Regional PAC Director, the PAC Coordinator leads on the design and implementation of the PAC strategy for Lebanon. The PAC Coordinator will sit on the Lebanon Senior Management Team and work with country leadership to leverage IRC’s influence towards external stakeholders; elevate the voices of clients; contribute to meaningful policy changes; support principled engagement; and promote IRC’s work, using programmatic evidence and aligning with the program’s objectives.

Responsibilities:

• Under the guidance of the Regional PAC Director, define the IRC Lebanon’s Policy, Advocacy and Communications (PAC) Strategy and policy priorities for the IRC in Lebanon; lead strategy implementation in the field and advise and support colleagues in global capitals in implementing the strategy with targets in the Middle East, Europe and US.
• Serve as a member of the Lebanon Senior Management Team (SMT) to ensure a strategic approach to PAC and contributing to the strategic direction of IRC’s work in country.
• Produce high quality public and private policy and advocacy materials including briefing notes, position papers, talking points, letters, and advocacy reports.
• Work with colleagues to support the production of IRC’s programmatic thematic reports with focus on the IRC Monthly Protection Monitoring Reports through reviews for red lines and sensitivities as well as inputs of relevant information on the context.
• Regularly liaise with in-country stakeholders on issues of concern, incl. UN, donors, diplomatic missions, and peer agencies. Grow the IRC’s bilateral relationships with government counterparts.
• Maintain a robust stakeholder holder mapping and an updated contact list of key targets in-country.
• Promote a principled approach to advocacy, policy 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 global advocacy and communications teams, closely monitor humanitarian policy debates and media pertaining to Lebanon, ensuring that relevant information is analyzed and disseminated in a timely and effective manner.
• Provide analysis for the SMT and, wherever relevant, inputs for high-level 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.
• As requested, act as media spokesperson for the IRC ensuring we are able to spotlight the issues faced by our clients and the solutions necessary to alleviate their needs. Manage the PAC department including budget, staff and outputs. Line-management of the IRC Lebanon Senior Communications Coordinator.
• Provide capacity building on PAC to field staff and develop the capacity of national staff to implement impactful advocacy and policy interventions.

Professional Standards

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Key Working Relationships

• Direct Reporting to: Country Director
• Management in Partnership to: Regional Director of Policy, Advocacy & Communications
• Management of: IRC Lebanon Senior Communications Officer
• Close collaboration with: Program Coordinators, Field Coordinators, Regional Context Advisor, field staff, Global Advocacy and Communications Colleagues

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 with strong nexus/development interlinkages.
• Ability to link evidence generated from programmatic work to inform policy advocacy agenda and identify emerging trends.
• Excellent analytical, presentation, communication, and representation skills.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is essential, with exceptionally strong writing skills a must. Arabic language skills preferred.
• Ability to navigate interpersonal/ inter-departmental dynamics to keep focus on goals and products.
• Ability to work well in fast-evolving external contexts, and under significant administrative and programmatic pressures.
• Proven expertise in employing a gender lens analysis.
• Culturally sensitive, able and interested in working with a multi-ethnic team.
• Advanced degree in relevant field desired.
• Experience with training and staff capacity building preferred.
• Middle East and Northa Africa regional experience preferred.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.