LIF Access & Advocacy Advisor

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 more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees delivers 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 Libya INGO Forum (LIF) is an independent network of 33 international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) implementing humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding programs to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable population living in Libya. LIF provides a platform to facilitate the work of its members and support them to address key issues of common interest efficiently and effectively. While LIF is hosted by IRC, it maintains some degree of independence allowing it to effectively represent the perspective of all its members equally.

The Libya INGO Forum (LIF) is seeking an Access and Advocacy Advisor to be responsible for leading the access and advocacy efforts and facilitating related discussions. They support the Access Working Group, as well as collect and verify instances of access impediments faced by INGOs in Libya, producing monthly LIF access reports. The Advisor also analyzes access-related information and coordinates linkages between the INGO Forum and other relevant organizations. They lead advocacy efforts, the LIF Advocacy Working Group, and develop key analytic tools and policy positions. Additionally, the Advisor liaises with advocacy partners, collects, and shares relevant information, ensures effective communication, and coordinates with external stakeholders to promote INGO representation. When necessary, they act in a deputy director capacity, supporting the LIF secretariate, and contributing to a collaborative and productive team.

Major Responsibilities:

Policy/Advocacy
• Lead advocacy efforts called for by the LIF membership/Steering Committee and ensure policy positions are evidence-based.
• Chair and strengthen the LIF Advocacy Working Group and ensure the timely production of notes, advocacy, and other influencing materials/products.
• Act as an administrative and coordination co-chair to the external Protection Cell working group.
• Produce and disseminate quarterly LIF newsletters regarding member and LIF activities to key international stakeholders.
• Provide timely policy analysis, reports, and information on key priority topics to support INGOs efforts in Libya, and the representation and coordination of the LIF Steering Committee, Country Director Group, and Advocacy Working Group.
• Update and implement the LIF advocacy strategy in collaboration with the members.
• Ensure that LIF advocacy actions and products present a balanced view and support the needs/rights of vulnerable people in Libya.
• Engage in data collection efforts, in coordination with other Secretariat staff, to canvass NGO opinion, perspectives and experiences on key issues related to the enabling environment.
• Stay up to date on humanitarian, political, social, and security issues relevant to Libya and regional migration.

Information Sharing/Coordination
• Coordinate the LIF advocacy efforts and support the Director in liaising with external advocacy partners such as donors and foreign governments, INGO platforms, humanitarian actors, and others to strengthen advocacy efforts related to Libya.
• Ensure key analytic tools are developed (including stakeholder/power mapping, sign off procedures, events/opportunity calendars, monitoring and tracking of outcomes).
• Collect, analyze, and share information, in coordination with other LIF staff, relevant to members, and external stakeholders, with the goal of influencing policies and improving protection space.
• Build a network with advocacy and other relevant staff in external agencies.
• Work with other members of the Secretariat to support relevant and appropriate information flows to members, NGO representatives, and key stakeholders in Libya and externally.
• Ensure effective and consistent communication and engagement with the UN, national NGOs, local authorities, donors, embassies, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure that INGO positions on specific issues are well represented at relevant platforms and meetings; and as much as possible promote representation by INGOs themselves.
• Coordinate internal and external communications as needed.

Access
• In coordination with the Director, lead access efforts called for by the LIF membership/Steering Committee and ensure access discussions and decisions are contextualized and conflict sensitive.
• Support the Director in co-chairing the Access Working Group (AWG) and strengthen its efforts, including ensuring the timely production of related notes, reports, updates, policy briefs, and other similar materials.
• Collect and verify all instances of access impediments and constraints, and measures taken to address those issues, faced by INGOs in Libya and produce monthly access reports.
• Lead prioritization and analysis of access-related information from relevant stakeholders including patterns and trends through the joint production of monthly information and quarterly trends reports.
• Coordinate linkages between the INGO Forum and other organizations relevant to both access and the safety and security of NGOs, including UNDSS under the “Saving Life Together” framework.
• Ensure all LIF members are familiar with formal access processes and any changes in those processes that occur.

Management
• Act in a deputy director’s capacity, as needed, especially when the Director is unavailable.
• Support LIF with donor reporting and proposal development.
• Help organize and facilitate workshops and other capacity development, as necessary.
• Ensure compliance with donor and host agency (in this case, IRC) regulations.
• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: LIF Director
The position directly supervises: N/A

Internal and External
• LIF Streeting Committee.
• LIF members.
• Advocacy working group.
• Access working group.
• Technical working groups

Essential Skills:

• Master’s degree in political science, International Law, or related field; or bachelor’s degree with at least 5 years relevant work experience.
• At least 3-5 years of experience in a conflict or post-conflict setting with an INGO. Experience with an INGO or other forum/network preferred.
• Relevant work experience in policy analysis, advocacy strategic planning, access coordination, communications, research, media, data gathering and/or information management.
• The ability to set realistic goals, independently identify solutions, and be accountable, dependable, and self-driven.
• Familiarity with access coordination and/or security project implementation in complex humanitarian or development contexts.
• Strong communication, inter-personal, facilitation, and diplomatic skills.
• Fluency in English, with strong writing and editing skills. Knowledge of Arabic is a plus.
Desired Skills:
• Familiarity with access coordination in complex humanitarian/development contexts.
• Experience with advocacy project implementation position in a humanitarian/recovery context.
• Knowledge of migration-related issues and EU migration policies strongly desirable.
• Familiarity with humanitarian principles and response architecture (such as UN-led coordination mechanisms).
• Knowledge of the Libya context and of migration dynamics.
• Experience with web design or maintenance, and/or with graphic design or layout a plus.

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.