Job Purpose
The Policy and Communication Manager is responsible for ensuring that NRCโs advocacy strategy is relevant to the needs of communities in Syria and is informed by evidence from NRCโs programmes. The post-holder, in line with the overall country strategy, supports Programme Specialists to develop and deliver on sector advocacy strategies and Area Managers and their teams to implement advocacy plans at field level as appropriate.
The Policy and Communication Manager also supports the development of communications-related visibility for programme activities.
What you will do:
Identify and coordinate NRCโs advocacy response to prioritised issues both within the country and internationallyย Develop and implement country-specific advocacy and communication strategy, aligned to overall country strategy Line management of the Policy and Communications team, set their strategic direction, and ensure that planning and commitments are executed; including development of staff where applicable 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 Sound political judgement on issues of extreme sensitivity. Makes decisions and solves problems on complex issues, requiring creative thinking to find best solutions and drawing on information from a variety of sources to inform decision making. Ensure systematic training on advocacy, policy and communication and build capacity of technical staffย Provide high quality analysis on key humanitarian trends and prepare evidenced-based policy briefing papers, policy position statements and other advocacy products when strategic and relevant Liaise with other NRC Country, Regional and Global Representation Offices to coordinate the strategic delivery of advocacy messaging and to maximise impact Oversee communications strategy, ensuring potential risks associated with NRCโs positions are assessed and sign-off procedures are adhered to Coordinates with NRC head office, regional office and representative offices, participate and represent NRC as needed in relevant country coordination groups and mechanisms, including sectors, INGOs and technical working groups, through information sharing to inform best practices, identifying gaps and avoiding duplication, with the objective of enhancing our joint influencing capacity and impact. Monitor influential research produced by key donors and think tank institutions and as well asย activities of relevant influential actors, organisations and institutions on governance, humanitarian assistance, protection; and ensure they are considered in advocacy work Ensure oversight of sign off for all influencing and media and communication products in Syria as per NRC guidelines Supervise and steer media and communications activities conducted by the media and communications staff, ensuring that these are aligned with the teamโs priorities, and comply with NRCโs media guidelines for content gathering.ย Build relationships with advocacy, media/communications colleagues in other organizations (eg. NGOs, UN agencies, civil society) to coordinate and collaborate on projects. Provide advocacy, policy and communication input into programme proposals to ensure that they are in line with NRC positions, priorities and guidelines. Ensure streamlining of NRC communication and media content across all programs in Syria. To improve the internal communication in country through the development of newsletters, social media, posters, internal campaigns, information sharingโฆ. etc As a member of the CMG -ย actively participate and contributes to the strategic direction of the country programme, provide analysis/reportsย to Senior Management Team and advise on programme & policy based advocacyProfessional Competencies and Qualifications Required
These are skills, knowledge and experience that are important for effective performance.
Bachelor degree in Political Sciences, Journalism, Law, or any other relevant field Minimum 5 years of experience working in advocacy in the humanitarian context Professional knowledge of humanitarian and protection principles Communications management, including internal communications and communicating with communities Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts. Knowledge of the Middle East context.ย Experience with humanitarian protection programmes and humanitarian policy and advocacy Strong writing skills and analytical skills, preferably with a history of writing communications materials, and ability to produce quality advocacy work within tight deadlines. Excellent teamwork skills and has experience working closely with programme teams, technical experts, partners and management to provide sound communications advice. Strong organisational and personal management skills, with ability to prioritise work issues to meet deadlines. Ability to work creatively, effectively and in an innovative manner and to identify and develop new ways to use the advocacy and media to NRCโs advantage.ย Excellent networking and negotiation skills to develop good workingย Experience in managing a team and working within senior country management teamsย Fluency in English, both written and verbal. Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage.Behavioural competencies
Planning and delivering results Analysis Communicating with impact and respect Strategic thinking Influencing Handling insecure environmentsWhat We Offer
Damascus, Syriaย duty station. 12-monthsย contract (renewable contract based on availability of funds and performance) Gradeย 9ย in NRCโs Salary Scale. NRC offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability. We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.Key Information - Please Take Note When Applying
We highly encourage you to learn more about the role: please review theย full job description here. Learn more aboutย NRCโs operation in Syriaย here. To apply as an internal candidate, click on the suitcase icon โI am an employeeโย on the top right of the page to be redirected to NRCโs internal career site. Apply by completing all the system-required fieldsย of your employment history, experience, responsibilities, and education in your application. Ensure toย attach your latest CV. Submit your application and CVย in English. When creating your profile, include your full name as per your passport. 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. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to give detailed feedback to applicants who have not been shortlisted. For any queries, please email us atย mero.recruitment@nrc.noย with โ Policy and Communication Manager - Syriaโ as the subject line. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. We work in crises across more than 31 countries, providing emergencies and long-term assistance to millions of people every year. We stand up for people forced to flee, advocating their rights. NORCAP, our global provider of expertise, helps improve international and local ability to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from crises. NRC also runs the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre in Geneva, a global leader in reporting on and advocating for people displaced within their own country. Employment with NRC may lead to employment in or deployment to Regions, Countries, Areas or Offices that may be host to considerable health, safety and security risks. NRC takes this very seriously and we have procedures in place to reduce known risks, but will never be able to take away all risks. NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality and physical ability.