Senior Advocate and Program Manager for Climate Displacement

Refugees International (RI), an independent, non-governmental organization that advocates for lifesaving assistance, human rights, and protection for displaced people and promotes solutions to displacement crises, seeks to hire a Senior Advocate and Program Manager for Climate Displacement. This person will lead RI’s strategy and advocacy to enhance the legal, policy, and operational responses to displacement and forced migration arising in the context of disasters and climate change.

Ideal candidates­ have in-depth knowledge of how climate change contributes to displacement and have demonstrated experience engaging with and advocating for displaced people. They should be well versed in the relevant international and regional frameworks related to climate change and migration and will have worked with institutions and organizations focused on climate change or forced displacement. They will have experience in program development and management, project design and implementation, and grant writing and fundraising.

Responsibilities

• Manage RI’s climate displacement program, consisting of long-term and mid-term objectives, and the advocacy strategies to achieve them;
• Represent RI when working in coalition with organizations and individuals focused on climate change and displacement;
• Build a network for RI — with the United Nations, environmental organizations, the U.S. government, and international experts — to facilitate RI’s advocacy in the area of climate displacement;
• Conduct fieldwork on climate displacement, including interviews with displaced people and assessments of responses to disasters and policies and planning related to adaptation and mediation.
• Produce high quality written work with recommendations that can be used for advocacy with agencies and help achieve clear impacts.
• Participate, preferably as a speaker/panelist, in conferences and seminars focused on issues of concern to RI and the issue of climate displacement;
• Prepare and present Congressional testimony on climate displacement and related issues within sphere of expertise whenever opportunities present themselves;
• Partner with Strategic Outreach team and Program Team colleagues to develop media contacts and conduct interviews as needed to advance the advocacy agenda of the climate displacement program;
• In collaboration with the Development team, foster relationships with Foundations to garner financial support for the climate displacement program;
• Meet with potential donors and write reports to funders as needed;
• Collaborate with colleagues to advance shared objectives and to support the achievement of the Refugees International’s overall mission.

Experience and Education:

• At least five years of experience working on programs or initiatives related to the adverse impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations including displacement and forced migration;
• Advanced degree in international affairs, law, or other relevant discipline.

Competencies Required and Preferred:

• Commitment to practicing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within the organization and with the people for whom RI advocates;
• Working knowledge of relevant international policy and institutional frameworks including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the task force on displacement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the UN Global Compact for safe, regular and orderly migration, as well as those relating to human rights and climate change, food security, and resilience;
• Proven track record of conducting successful advocacy, especially to the U.S. government, and Congress, other major donors, and the United Nations;
• Experience working or traveling abroad, conducting field-based research, and inter-acting effectively with affected communities and/or local civil society organizations;
• Excellent writing, analytical, presentation, and interpersonal skills;
• Good cheer and collegiality.