Refugee Action is a national charity committed to working with people seeking asylum and refugees to build new lives, through both delivering practical support and advice and influencing national policies.
We are looking for an
Advocacy Manager
Responsible to: Head of Campaigns
Location: London Victoria
Purpose of post and key relationships
This post will co-ordinate and play a leading role in Refugee Action’s advocacy. The post holder will work with all relevant staff to ensure that the organisation is effective in our advocacy with key targets in parliament, government and among political alliances.
In addition to reporting to the Head of Campaigns, the Advocacy Manager will line manage the Senior Parliamentary Officer and work closely with other members of the Campaigns Team, as well as other staff involved in advocacy work, including the Chief Executive.
The position is available for one year (aiming to start mid-October 2018) to cover an internal vacancy due to a maternity cover.
Main duties and responsibilities
The Advocacy Manager will
- Have overall responsibility for developing and delivering Refugee Action's advocacy strategy, working in particularly with the Head of Campaigns, Senior Parliamentary Officer, Policy & Research Manager and Chief Executive;
- Oversee the planning and delivery of Refugee Action’s new and ambitious parliamentary engagement programme, deliver agreed elements of this and lead relationships with the programme’s partners;
- Develop and lead advocacy strategies for each of our campaigns;
- Lead and co-ordinate our parliamentary lobbying, representing Refugee Action externally with MPs and other targets, working closely with the Head of Campaigns who will hold relationships with a small number of senior parliamentarians;
- Lead and co-ordinate our lobbying of our targets in government departments;
- Line manage the Senior Parliamentary Officer and their work;
- Develop strong relationships and alliances with other organisations with similar interests, and lead in implementing shared plans;
- Provide regular updates and analysis of our advocacy work to all relevant staff, as well as allies and funders where appropriate;
- Be an active member of the Campaigns Team, and work collaboratively with all staff including those working on fundraising and service delivery.
The above duties will be prioritised by the Head of Campaigns in consultation with the post holder. The post holder might be asked to reorganise their workload to respond to emergency need. This would be done in a way that is consistent with the purpose of the post and in consultation with the post holder.
Person specification
All experience may be paid or voluntary, full or part-time, in the UK or overseas. Candidates will be short-listed on the following specifications:
Experience, skills, understanding and knowledge
- At least three years' experience of working in an influencing capacity with a proven track record of achieving strategic goals;
- Experience of successfully engaging in parliamentary lobbying and policy advocacy, with a good understanding of how these activities work with other influencing tactics, such as media engagement and popular mobilisation;
- Experience of nurturing strategic stakeholder relationships and developing coordinated action to create agreed change;
- Experience of researching and using information generated from the delivery of services to create systemic level change;
- A good knowledge of the structures, processes and key institutions in the UK’s asylum system and an insight into the experiences of refugees and people seeking asylum as they move through it;
- Experience of representing an organisation and its agreed positions to a range of external audiences at a senior level;
- Good people management skills.
Desirable
- Those with lived experience as a refugee are encouraged to apply
In addition to the above, you will be asked about the following aspects of the person specification in your application form. You do not need to write about them in your application form:
- Experience of ensuring influencing work is driven by the experiences of our beneficiaries;
- Excellent oral and written communication, influencing and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels of the organisation;
- Very good project and workload management skills;
- Experience of chairing and servicing internal and external meetings;
- Open and reflective attitude to own work and experiences;
- Ability to travel in the UK with occasional overnight stays away from home;
- Experience and understanding of cultural diversity and the ability to work with people from a range of different cultures;
- Insight into the needs, experiences and hopes of refugees and people seeking asylum;
- Understanding and commitment to equal opportunities.
This role will last for 12 months (the role is to provide cover as a result of maternity leave in the Campaigns Team).
For more information and to apply, please click the here.
Completed applications should be sent to recruitment@refugee-action.org.uk
Closing date: 09:00am, Monday 17th September 2018
Interviews: Thursday 27th September 2018
Non-profit Job (Full-Time) Project ManagementCampaigning 1537135200 London, United Kingdom EuropeLondonMigration & RefugeespoliticsAdvocacyCampaigningHuman RightsManagementPoliticsRefugees recruitment@refugee-action.org.uk 1537221600 Default Image 1 Premium Advocacy Manager*in London, England