Senior Advisor – Strategy and Planning

BACKGROUND
Over the past 90 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster.

The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

IRC in Europe

The IRC has offices in London, Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm. The offices support the organisation’s global activities and particularly to diversify its donor base and be able to better advocate with European policymakers on behalf of the people we serve. IRC in Europe comprises approximately 550 staff.

The Purpose of the Role

There has been considerable growth for IRC in Europe, not least in response to the growing role of the organisation as a thought leader on refugee issues, as well as a deliberate strategy to diversify our influence across Europe. The position holder will need to flex between areas of work from funding to advocacy, working with a range of internal stakeholders at all levels.

As Senior Advisor, Strategy & Planning you will work closely with the Senior Director – Strategy and Planning, Europe and the Senior Vice President Europe (SVP Europe) to support the IRC in achieving its goals across the Europe network, as well as ensuring the IRC Europe Strategy is relevant and an effective tool for the organisation.

Scope and Authority

Authority:

Reporting directly to the Senior Director – Strategy and Planning, Europe, the Senior Advisor supports the SVP, Europe, and the Europe Senior Leadership Team (SLT) on a range of critical initiatives that impact the wider organization.

Responsibility for Resources:

Working with the SVP Europe and Senior Director, Strategy and Planning, the Senior Advisor will:

• Deliver talking points to support the SVP Europe in all internal and external engagements, ensuring effective engagement with relevant departments and partners.
• Assist the SVP Europe and Senior Director, Strategy and Planning with range of enquires and responses needed and may be assigned as first/key point of contact on various issues as decided by the SVP and Senior Director, Strategy and Planning

Key Working Relationships

• Colleagues at the SVP Europe office and other Leadership Board planning teams
• Colleagues in the Europe Senior Leadership Team
• Close coordination with Executive Assistant to SVP Europe
• Colleagues across IRC Europe as well as Leadership Board and Senior Leaders’ Group who represent IRC global leadership.
• IRC Country Offices and Technical Units as required.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Policy and Influence (40%)

• Draft strategy documents, reports, speeches, briefing notes, and talking points at the request of the SVP Europe and Senior Director – Strategy and Planning, Europe.
• Conducts research and analysis to support the strategic aims of the IRC in Europe.
• Plan international visits to country programmes and to European offices, as required, as well as any subsequent follow up from those related to the increase in IRC revenue and influence work.

Planning and Coordination (40%)

• Track and document key strategic internal and external meetings, draft talking points for the SVP Europe, ensure that key action points are communicated and follow up occurs.
• Provide timely and effective communication of instructions and decisions of the SVP Europe to team members at all levels.
• Build and maintain positive relationship with leaders across the Europe network, and ensure that their views are represented.
• Work with internal team members to commission and/or develop briefings.
• Work with internal team members to commission and/or develop itineraries and agendas to ensure the IRC President and SVP engagements in Europe are effective.
• Cultivate partnership and communications among the Leadership Board, Senior Leaders Group and the IRC Europe leaders.
• Maintain sensitivity and diplomacy with senior colleagues.

Strategy and Planning (20%)

• Lead on collating and tracking key performance indicators for the Europe Strategy in support of IRC Strategy 100 and the wider IRC organisation.
• Support on the internal communication of European progress on the delivery of S100, the Delivery Letter for Europe department, and work to promote the work of European teams widely within the organisation.
• Through coordination with the European Senior Leadership Team, keep an active overview of the work of departments to ensure effective and coordinated support to and response from the SVP Europe.
• Identify challenges in the short and longer term, to efficiently implementing the Europe strategy and working with relevant team members to develop proposed solutions.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Politically astute with the ability to analyze and summarize large amounts of information quickly.
• Strong interpersonal, relationship management and influencing skills; ability to manage without authority; ability to work with a variety of stakeholders with different agendas
• Rigorous and critical thinker, able to ask probing clear questions and drive toward solutions quickly.Ability to anticipate and assess situations accurately and recommend/implement effective courses of action required.
• Ability to coordinate multiple meeting tasks and a myriad of complex details on a concurrent basis.
• Ability to handle stress, function effectively under pressure and meet time parameters.
• Predisposition toward simple and practical solutions, through consensus building.
• Solutions focused and resourceful.

Experience:

• Significant demonstrable years progressive experience or proven background in planning and project management, NGO knowledge preferred.
• Experience in communicating optimally with stakeholders with tact and diplomacy, both orally and in writing, including working with all staff levels and diverse personalities.
• Experience of working in a support role a senior leader, handling a wide range of priorities and drafting talking points at short notice for both internal and external meetings.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to present at a senior level and work in a fast -paced environment.
• Pre-existing knowledge or experience in humanitarian/development/nonprofit sector.
• Proven experience in organizational reporting, research and analysis.
• Experience in managing and strategizing around internal communication methods preferred.