Duty station:  Tehran, Iran.

1. Background/Context

Are you passionate about bringing the voices of the refugees and displaced people to the forefront? Are you committed to ensuring learning from programmes informs policymaking and improves humanitarian response for displacement-affected people? Are you analytical, do you enjoy working with others and are you an excellent communicator? Do you have experience of delivering high quality communication and advocacy work in a sensitive context?  Can you think “out of the box” and offer context-specific solutions? 

NRC has a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Manager to lead our Advocacy and Communication Unit in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Read below for more details about the position and we look forward to receiving your application.  

NRC in Iran 

The Islamic Republic of Iran hosts about five million Afghans, the largest and among most protracted refugee caseloads worldwide. NRC supports refugees, displaced and disaster affected populations in Iran. We have grown to become the largest international NGO, currently operating in ten provinces across the country.

NRC Iran delivers humanitarian assistance in the sectors of Education, Livelihoods, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Shelter, Protection, as well as Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA). We co-lead several technical inter-agency working groups and provide capacity building to humanitarian partners in country.

About the position: Advocacy Manager at NRC Iran

The Advocacy Manager provides overall leadership, management and strategic direction to NRC’s policy, advocacy and communications work in Iran. S/he is responsible for identifying priority protection concerns for advocacy, strengthening the incorporation of advocacy into all aspects of NRC’s activities and guiding NRC’s advocacy messaging to promote an improved protection and humanitarian response environment in Iran. S/he also leads on the development and implementation of the country-specific communication strategy. The Advocacy Manager holds a key role in the Country Programme and reports to the Country Director.

All NRC employees are expected to work in accordance with the organisation’s core values: dedication, innovation, inclusivity and accountability. These attitudes and believes shall guide our actions and relationships.

1. Generic Responsibilities

The following is a brief description of the role:

• Line management for Core Competence and Partnerships Specialists, Grants, M&E Identify and coordinate NRC’s advocacy response to prioritised protection issues both within the country and internationally
• Develop and implement country-specific advocacy strategy, aligned to overall country strategy
• Line management, including development of staff
• Ensure advocacy coherence and reinforce effective synergies between programmes and advocacy by working closely with programme staff to integrate advocacy into programme planning and implementation
• Seek fundraising opportunities for advocacy and support fundraising for programmes; contribute to the development of quality proposals, ensuring inclusion of research and/or advocacy activities
• Ensure systematic training on advocacy and communication and build capacity of technical staff
• Provide high quality protection analysis on key humanitarian and displacement trends and prepare evidenced-based policy briefing papers, policy position statements and other public-facing advocacy products when strategic and relevant
• Liaise with other NRC Country, Sub-regional, Regional and Global Representation Offices to coordinate the strategic delivery of advocacy messaging and to maximise impact
• Identify and coordinate NRC’s response to prioritised advocacy issues both within the country and internationally

1. Professional Competencies

• Post-graduate with minimum 5 years of relevant Manager/ Adviser experience within the humanitarian field
• Solid understanding of international legal and policy processes relating to displacement and international protection
• Documented/proven results related to the position’s responsibilities, particularly in analysis, drafting of messages, coordination, networking, events organisation
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal
• Knowledge of the refugee context in Iran and/or the humanitarian context in Afghanistan is an asset
• Strong ability to write articles, briefings, reports and official correspondence
• Experience in communications management, including internal communications and communicating with communities
• Experience in policy analysis and influencing

Find more details about the role HERE.

1. What We Offer

• Duration and Type of contract: 2 years full-time, with 6-month probation period
• Salary/benefits: According to NRC salary scale, terms and conditions
• Duty station: Tehran, Iran

Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC HERE.

Important information about the application process:

• Internal candidates only: please click on the suitcase icon labelled “I am an employee” to be redirected to NRC’s internal careers site.
• When creating your profile, include your full name as given on your passport. Complete all the system-required fields for experience, employment history and education.
• Submit your application and CV in English, taking care to attach your latest CV.
• Applications that do not meet the minimum standards in terms of experience or qualifications will generally not be considered. Unsolicited applications not related to this specific job advertisement will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We receive many applicants for each vacant position.

Why NRC?

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organization helping people forced to flee. Our 15,000 staff work in crises across 40 countries, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people every year.

Watch this short video to see NRC in action.

For the past 40 years, Iran has hosted one of the largest and most protracted refugee crises in the world. Two years after the political changes in Afghanistan, at least 4.5 million Afghans reside in Iran, making it the largest refugee hosting country worldwide. This number comprises 750,000 Amayesh cardholders (long-term registered refugees), 267,000 visa holders (long-term Afghan residents in Iran), 360,000 with a residence permit, 2.6 million people who joined a 2022 government-led registration exercise, and a further large number of undocumented persons.

Iran’s inclusive policies grant access for all Afghans to primary health care, and Afghan children can study in Iranian public schools. Amayesh and visa holders are allowed to work in certain job categories. Despite the inclusive policies and support from the international community, Afghans still face challenges finding and retaining a stable income. This affects their ability to secure housing and keep their children in school, and could adversely impact their ability to renew their documentation and legal status on time.

The re-imposition of US sanctions on Iran in 2018 and the Covid-19 pandemic have further pressured Iran’s economy, increasing the challenges faced by all Afghans in Iran.

• Learn more about NRC HERE and NRC Iran HERE.

Internal candidates are encouraged to apply, and we are also open to external applicants who can show a commitment to NRC and being part of a challenging, but important mission to make a difference.

NRC might review applications before the advertised deadline, therefore interested candidates are encouraged to apply early.