The Policy, Advocacy and Communications Coordinator serves as a strategic advisor to the Country Director and Senior Management Team (SMT) at IRC Ukraine, driving the development and implementation of advocacy strategies, ensuring visibility of IRC's work, and contributing to policy change by leveraging programmatic evidence across national, regional, and global levels.
What You'll Do
- In collaboration with the Ukraine Country Director and the MENAU Regional PAC Director, lead the design and implementation of the IRC Ukraine Policy, Advocacy and Communications Strategy.
- Advise and support colleagues to implement Ukraine-related policy and advocacy initiatives with targets in global capitals as required.
- Serve as a member of the Ukraine Senior Management Team (SMT) to ensure a strategic approach to PAC and contribute 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, 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.
- Support the Advocacy and Liaison Senior Manager to grow the IRC’s bilateral relationships with government counterparts.
- Promote a principled approach to policy, advocacy, and communications among relevant internal stakeholders and ensure that external messaging is evidence-based and driven by field realities.
- Closely monitor humanitarian policy debates and media pertaining to Ukraine, ensuring that relevant information is analyzed and disseminated internally 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.
- Provide talking points for other senior representatives, including the Country Director.
- Actively contribute to joint NGO advocacy positions, messages, and initiatives, as prioritized in the IRC Ukraine PAC strategy.
- 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.
- Provide capacity building on PAC to staff and partners to implement impactful advocacy and policy interventions.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Political Science, Foreign Policy, Development Studies, Law, Public Relations or another related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- A minimum of 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.
- Proven analytical and strategic thinking skills and experience leading advocacy initiatives in a challenging environment.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and representation skills, with the ability to link evidence generated from programmatic work to inform policy advocacy agenda and identify emerging trends.
- Excellent English verbal and written communication skills in a wide range of applications (briefs, press releases, letters, presentations) and for different audiences (donors, policymakers, journalists, government officials and ‘general public’).
- Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to work well in fast-evolving external contexts, and under significant administrative and programmatic pressures.
- Ability to work in a diverse team and on short deadlines.
- Creativity, hands-on attitude, and attention to detail.
Nice to Have
- Existing experience of the Ukrainian humanitarian response is an advantage.
Team & Environment
- IRC Ukraine has over 250 staff, three field offices in addition to the main office in Kyiv, 15 local partners, and programming in protection, economic recovery & development, and health.
- The role is part of the Senior Management Team and supervises two managers: Advocacy and Liaison Senior Manager and Communications Manager.
- Reports to the Country Director.
Benefits & Compensation
- Supervisory responsibilities over Advocacy and Liaison Senior Manager and Communications Manager.
- Opportunity to serve on the Senior Management Team (SMT).
- Engagement in high-level advocacy, policy, and communications strategy at national, regional, and global levels.
- Capacity building opportunities for staff and partners.
- Representation in humanitarian coordination fora, conferences, and lobby meetings.
- Work in a mission-driven, humanitarian organization with global impact.
Work Mode
- Local country position based in Kyiv, Ukraine.
- Travel required to field offices in Eastern and Southeastern Ukraine along the frontline.
IRC is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at all levels. We are committed to upholding integrity, commitment, accountability, and equality in all our operations.
