The senior advocate for women and girls' rights takes the lead role on advancing RI’s work on displaced women and children. S/he maintains relationships with key networks and advocacy targets relevant to advancing displaced women’s rights. S/he also carries out field assessments which focus on the specific needs of displaced women and children, mainstreaming these issues into all of RI’s work, and ensuring that they are incorporated in RI’s field reports and advocacy strategies.
Deadline: March 24, 2015
Location: Washington DC, USA
Organization: Refugees International
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
- Devise and carry out advocacy strategy to pursue the objectives on women and girls' rights in RI’s strategic plan. Work closely with colleagues in headquarters to develop and carry out the agreed strategy.
- Conduct assessments of the specific impacts of displacement on women and girls and analyze gaps in response to their needs for assistance and protection, and their rights to participation in decision-making concerning humanitarian and recovery/reconstruction policies that affect their communities.
- Summarize into short policy papers called field reports, the analysis of impacts of humanitarian crises on displaced women and girls and how to address the challenges they face. Devise and carry out an advocacy strategy toward achieving the recommendations outlined in these field reports.
- Hold frequent meetings with U.S. government officials, UN agency personnel, and other relevant actors to advance the overall advocacy agenda of the organization and/or to carry out a plan of action related to displaced women and/or to a particular region.
- Write longer reports as well as blogs for the agency website and articles for publication in media outlets, including newspapers and scholarly journals. In consultation with Congressional advocate, regularly prepare testimony or statements for Congressional hearings, briefings or debates, and advocacy letters to relevant officials.
- Develop media contacts and conduct interviews as needed to advance the advocacy agenda of the organization.
- Represent the agency at coordination meetings organized by NGOs, the U.S. government, the UN, think tanks, and other relevant institutions.
- Collaborate with fellow advocates and other RI staff to advance agency thinking on key issues and to support the achievement of the agency’s mission.
- Build RI staff understanding of the core work of women and girls' rights through trainings, briefings and materials.
- Contribute to agency fund raising efforts by meeting donors, contributing to grant proposals and reports, helping to organize Board and donor tours, and giving public presentations on displacement issues.
- Perform other reasonably related duties as assigned.
Special Education/Experience Requirements: A Master’s Degree in international affairs, political science, journalism, etc. which included the study of international humanitarian issues, particularly the impacts of conflict on women and girls; and a minimum of three to five years of professional experience involving some combination of overseas work, preferably with displaced women and girls, issues related to gender-based violence, and advocacy and policy work.
Special Knowledge/Skills Requirements: Familiarity with United States foreign policy and government structure and proven record of successful implementation of advocacy strategy and campaign; strong communication skills, especially writing and public speaking are essential; English language fluency and working knowledge of French is of value to the agency’s overseas work, as is Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, etc. Ability to work well with others in small teams and willingness to travel to dangerous and isolated places up to three months per year; hostile environment training preferred; familiarity with digital cameras and knowledge of photography are also very useful; flexibility and sense of humor.
HOW TO APPLY
Please apply by 24 March 2015 to jobs@refugeesinternational.org. Please put "Woman & Girls" in the subject line and include a cover letter, CV, and writing sample. Only finalists will be contacted to set interviews.
