Director, State Advocacy

International Rescue Committee • New York, NY

5d • Remote

About The Position

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future. The Global Advocacy & Influence Department is a dynamic team that uses the power of IRC’s ideas to solve the biggest challenges facing IRC’s clients. From the drivers of conflict to the needs displaced people, the team partners with politicians, policy makers and civil society to bring these solutions to life. We take pride in being solutions-oriented and creative. We are precise in our tactics, and messages. We lead change year over year, knowing that system change takes dedicated focus while maintaining the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Finally, we are collaborative, working not only with programs, strategy, research and innovation, and communications teams across the IRC, but also externally, constantly seeking new ideas and perspectives from others in the humanitarian sector and beyond. Job Overview/Summary The Director, State Advocacy will lead development of state and local Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration (RAI) Policy and Advocacy strategies, managing at least one full time staff, and directly engage with RAI program offices, strengthening the Policy and Advocacy team’s capacity to provide direct advocacy support throughout the network and providing tools, resources and learning support to build advocacy capacity among staff throughout the RAI network, advancing policy and programmatic goals in tandem. This role serves as a key external representative of the IRC- engaging with coalition partners, policy makers, and other stakeholders to drive change. The Director facilitates these engagements by playing a direct role with IRC’s network of U.S. offices. The Director will collaborate closely with colleagues in the RAI federal policy and advocacy team and the RAI program delivery team.

Requirements

• Education: Graduate degree or equivalent experience in public policy, law, or related field
• Work Experience: 8-10 years working in politics or policy at the state and/or congressional level
• Experience developing and implementing successful advocacy and influencing strategies, using campaigning and/or coalition advocacy techniques
• Experience in developing the capacities of others (internal & external) in advocacy, including developing resources and conducting formal trainings and on-the-job capacity-building with colleagues with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of experience with policy advocacy
• Experience in using strategic communications including digital channels for advocacy would be an asset
• Experience working in coalition to build support amongst various stakeholders
• Understanding of the U.S. resettlement program and/or and knowledge of policy issues related to U.S. immigration and integration is highly desirable
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to translate complex material and data into coherent narratives
• Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong public speaking, presentation and networking skills
• Ability to travel and to work on tight deadlines
• Ability to work as a team player with remote supervision and multiple lines of internal communication and accountability
• Initiative and ability to work independently on fast-paced issues
• Commitment to the IRC’s vision, missions and values

Responsibilities

• Advocacy Strategy: Develop and oversee implementation of a multi-year advocacy strategy, in close collaboration with global policy leads, policy communications and digital communications, to advance IRC’s key influence priorities and maximize the opportunity for IRC to advance our influence objectives.
• Advocacy: Build and manage IRC’s credibility, profile and relationships with key US stakeholders in support of advocacy strategies on IRC’s priority issues. Spot and deliver on external opportunities to advance IRC’s profile, policy and influence objectives; advise on IRC positioning and prioritization vis a vis the US Government and Congress. Direct executive branch and legislative initiatives and represent the IRC at key meetings and fora. Partner and coordinate with the RAI US network on legislator engagement to drive or prevent policy.
• Influence Analysis: Lead the strategy for influence and development of power maps for key policy issues to identify influence priorities and targets, and to develop and execute creative influence strategies, including with nontraditional partners. Continuously ideate and identify new approaches and partners that go beyond advocacy as usual.
• Legislative and Policy Tracking: Oversee the expansion of IRC’s legislative reach by tracking, understanding and anticipating: policy trends and shifting government positions; individuals and organizations engaging on our issues; and the politics around our issues. Build strategic influence plans around legislative processes & profile opportunities / events; this includes hearings, deadlines and processes for engaging in annual bills, and major ad hoc bills moving in our space. Actively pivot and execute on influence strategy based on emerging opportunities.
• Policy Generation and Contextualization: Contribute to policy generation and prioritization by providing US specific insights that increase the credibility and efficacy of our solutions through constant collaboration with Policy and Solutions colleagues. Support IRC’s policy team in identifying and developing policy priorities that are impactful and achievable. Draft policy, amendments, and research state regulations to inform recommendations and enhance program implementations.
• Communications and Profile strategy: In close collaboration with the global communications team, identify shared external relations priorities and opportunities. Provide market and audience expertise to communications team to shape communications specific to the US and develop materials for advocacy targets, including digital/social content and take actions. Act as sign off point on US facing external content when relevant. Identify and leverage opportunities to raise influence and profile in the US through strategic events and other activities.
• Senior leadership engagement: Identify and implement opportunities to leverage IRC's CEO and other senior leaders to amplify IRC's thought leadership on our issue areas through meetings with senior officials, politicians and other NGOs. Provide briefing materials and provide in-person staffing for meetings as appropriate.
• Testing and innovation. Use network to conduct rapid analysis to test political and policy environment on new and emergent issues.
• Board and Advisors: Develop an understanding of IRC’s Board and Advisors, especially their areas of expertise and influence connections in order to engage them on substantive issues and leverage their networks to deliver on advocacy objectives.
• Spokesperson: Act as an IRC influence spokesperson in the US, communicating with journalists, policymakers, thought leaders and the public to showcase work of IRC's policy solutions and amplify our influence messages strategies.
• 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.
• Team Management: Develop and model new ways of working, manage high performing team and positively contribute to IRC leadership team and IRC culture. Create an inclusive environment by establishing a culture of care and encouraging different ideas. Share time and credit with direct reports, showing appreciation and increasing visibility by giving them access to more senior staff and highlighting their accomplishments.

Benefits

• US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $163 per month, dental starting at $6.50 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees