Danish Refugee Council is Denmark’s largest, and a world leading international NGO – one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. We are currently looking for a highly qualified Head of Global Advocacy to lead our Global Advocacy Unit. The Global Advocacy Unit is the custodian, convener, and coordinator for advocacy in DRC. It is a global unit, positioned to engage with policy and decision makers and influencers. The unit is part of DRC’s department for Partnerships, Advocacy & External Relations (PAER) and the Head of Global Advocacy will be a member of the department management group. PAER is DRC’s external facing body and drives global advocacy, press & external communication efforts as well as being responsible for high-level global strategic engagement with partners.

About the job

As the head of Global Advocacy, you will promote a consistent and cohesive voice on DRC´s key positions and messages globally with the higher intention of elevating and amplifying DRC´s advocacy work to the global arena and ensuring evidence informed advocacy that supports DRC´s broader strategic and programmatic priorities. Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

• Be responsible for the development and implementation of DRC´s global advocacy strategy.
• Actively contribute to the development and implementation of DRC´s global strategy and PAER department strategy and the advocacy specific priorities within these.
• Direct management of the global advocacy team
• Provide technical guidance and support, in line with technical supervision guidelines, including on crisis advocacy, strategy development and ensuring availability of tools, to Regional Advocacy and Communications Coordinators and advocacy colleagues within Representation Offices, facilitating surge support when necessary.
• Define processes and ways of working for all global advocacy initiatives, including modalities for coordination and engagements with internal and external stakeholders.
• Responsible for informing DRC´s global research agendas to ensure advocacy opportunities are considered from the onset.
• Ensure that global advocacy positions are informed by DRC´s relevant global research and assessment.
• Ensure the identification of, analysis and follow up on policy agendas relevant to DRC´s priority advocacy themes.
• Advise DRC Executive Management on policy developments DRC should be aware of, and proactively engage and/or respond to; advising on DRC´s added value and opportunities for engagement on advocacy policy agendas to achieve DRC´s goals.
• Ensure the mapping of opportunities for strategic communication and sequential engagement with key targets, allies, and partners relevant to the policy agendas DRC seeks to influence, based on power analysis.
• Oversee the coordination of global advocacy engagements.
• Ensure that the Fundraising, Communications, and Strategic Partnerships teams are informed by relevant advocacy messaging and complementary communications.
• Build relationships with stakeholders, targets, and allies at the appropriate level with special emphasis on civil society and refugee led networks.
• Support the identification of relevant stakeholders for relationship building at the executive level.
• Represent DRC at the appropriate level externally.
• Advisory role to the Executive Director for PAER and the Secretary General on advocacy needs, opportunities, and messaging.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to be a skilled leader and strategic thinker with significant experience in strategy design, planning and implementation with specific skills and expertise in advocacy within the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding sectors. You will be responsible for the management of a global advocacy team tasked with identifying relevant policy agendas, developing associated evidence informed messaging, and positioning DRC in the relevant policy fora. As a manager, you are expected to direct, guide, and support the Global Advocacy team to achieve their goals in support of the global advocacy priorities. Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required

• Minimum ten years of leadership/management experience in displacement and/or complex contexts.
• Knowledge of and experience of working with at least 3 of DRC´s priority advocacy themes, namely: Protection, Inclusion, Access, Externalization, Displacement and Durable Solutions.
• Excellent leadership, management, advisory and coordination skills.
• Strategic thinker, planner, and implementer.
• Strong interpersonal skills including consensus building and experience of working with diverse teams.
• Focused on process and results and ability to analyze successes and challenges and conceive and implement adaptations as necessary.
• Ability to navigate and position DRC within relevant global advocacy spaces.
• Demonstrated experience in influencing, representation, and external communication in high level fora.
• Familiar with the work of civil society, non-governmental organizations, the United Nations, institutional donors, and/or political structures.

Education:

• Master’s degree in relevant field

Languages:

• Essential – English C2 Proficiency or first language
• Desirable – Proficiency in any of the working languages in DRC HQ, Representation Offices and/or Regions including French, Spanish, German, Arabic,

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: Permanent

Band: E

Work place: Preferred at DRC HQ, Borgergade 10, Copenhagen

Start date: ASAP

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with the agreement between DRC and Lederaftalen between Dansk Arbejdsgiverforening og Lederne (agreement for managers), which can be found here: www.lederne.dk. Please note that you need to have the right to work in Denmark in order to be considered for this role.

For questions regarding the vacancy please contact Maja Mortensen at maja.mortensen@drc.ngo

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: June 21 2024

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.