Mercy Corps Scotland
Job Description
Job Title: Director of Policy and Advocacy
Responsible to: Executive Director / Vice President of Global Engagement and Policy in Washington, DC
Works closely with: Edinburgh-based PO acting as Part-time Advocacy Officer and Fundraising Communications and Media Manager
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Background
Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian relief and development organisation with headquarters in the USA (Portland, Oregon) and the UK (Edinburgh, Scotland).
We work in the world’s toughest places to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Our community-led, market driven programmes work with farmers, businesses and governments to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and generate sustainable change at scale. Our global team is providing 14.5 million people in 44 countries with the tools they need to transform their own lives.
Our policy and advocacy strategy is developed at a global level and is implemented at the highest levels to ensure that decision makers, influencers and funders have issues, priorities and capabilities of Mercy Corps front of mind.
Overall Purpose of the Post
The Director of Policy and Advocacy works in support of Mercy Corps’ global mission by influencing the policy environment to enable and enhance the success of Mercy Corps’ field programmes. The Director will lead the day-to-day implementation of policy, advocacy and government relations strategies to advance the mission and programmatic objectives of Mercy Corps. The Director will track and analyse key policy initiatives, coordinate advocacy strategies, and, where appropriate, work with partner agencies in developing joint advocacy initiatives. The Director will coordinate with other Mercy Corps teams in the field and at HQ to ensure positions are well grounded in the priorities of the communities where we work, with the objective of increasing our ability to influence key audiences, including governments, peer groups, and the general public. The Director of Policy and Advocacy will be responsible for developing a strategic plan, have an existing network of senior-level UK and EU contacts and build new networks, to grow Mercy Corps’ profile to advance policy and advocacy priorities in Europe. The role will involve high-level evidence-based representation and advocacy towards the UK government, EC in Brussels, United Nations officials and multi-national institutions in Geneva; development and collaboration on reports, briefing papers, and opinion pieces; and liaison with Mercy Corps field and HQ teams to effectively position Mercy Corps with decision makers and influencers. This work will be enhanced by working closely with the Fundraising, Communications and Media Manager to engage the wider public and media.
The Director of Policy and Advocacy will work closely with the Vice President for Global Engagement and Policy to expand and oversee the agency’s policy and advocacy work, helping steer and representing the organisation’s overall direction and strategy as an innovative, thoughtful, high impact international NGO leader. The post holder will position Mercy Corps as a thought leader in the aid community, ensuring that Mercy Corps can meaningfully influence public debates in support of our mission and global programme, targeting policy makers and governments on behalf of Mercy Corps.
S/he will be a member of the Senior Leadership Group of the European headquarters in Edinburgh and will be based in our small, yet growing London office.
Main Duties and Responsibilities (to be carried out in close collaboration with the VP of Global Engagement and Policy and the US-based Policy and Advocacy team)
· To develop key priorities and strategies for achieving global policy and advocacy goals through an integrated European policy and advocacy strategy.
· To identify, track, and participate in policy and advocacy issues critical to the agency, including but not limited to providing leadership in coalition efforts, tracking and influencing legislative initiatives, and building strong relationships with key legislative staff and government officials in the UK and EU.
· To provide guidance and oversight to the ‘PO/ part-time Advocacy Officer’ in policy research and drafting of thoughtful advocacy documents.
· To lead high level representation and advocacy to governments and donors.
· To develop and contribute towards well written briefing papers, fact sheets and opinion pieces.
· To contribute to media efforts for expanded and more vigorous public advocacy campaigns.
· To build and maintain strong relationships with senior-level UK and EU contacts.
· To work closely with the Washington DC-based Vice President, Global Engagement and Policy and the DC-based Policy and Advocacy team to ensure our efforts reflect our “one agency” approach to representation, media and outreach.
· To ensure strong relationships and communications with all parts of Mercy Corps, including fundraising, programmes and finance functions.
· To travel to key Mercy Corps field programmes 2-3 times per year.
· To act as an official spokesperson on policy and advocacy when appropriate and supporting other colleagues in their response.
· Any other duties as assigned.