Senior Advocacy Officer

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

About IRC

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. IRC restores safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster.

Across two refugee camps, Dadaab and Kakuma, and five counties (Garissa, Turkana, Tana River, Kajiado and Nairobi), the IRC in Kenya implements programs in health, nutrition, education, Economic Recovery, and Development while integrating advocacy and systems strengthening as well as providing emergency response through a network of field offices and a range of institutional and community-based partnerships.

Background / Project Context

The Re:BUiLD Extension Phase focuses on strengthening adoption and implementation of refugee-inclusive policies and systems. The program works with county governments and other stakeholders to translate evidence and policy commitments into practical changes in planning, budgeting, service delivery, and enabling environment reforms for refugee and host community economic inclusion.

Job Overview / Summary

The IRC seeks a Senior Advocacy Officer to support efforts in policy advocacy, and influence rooted in the IRC’s Kenya Country Program Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and will contribute to the implementation of the Re:BUiLD program’s influence and adoption initiatives.

The Senior Advocacy Officer will support implementation of the Re:BUiLD Extension Phase Influence & Adoption agenda by driving national and county-level engagement The role will focus on supporting platforms for engagement at the national level to advocate for an enabling environment for economic inclusion of refugee and vulnerable host communities. Additionally, the senior officer will support policy-to-practice adoption by supporting county planning and budget processes, strengthening coordination mechanisms, and ensuring that refugee inclusion commitments are operationalized at different levels. The senior officer will work closely with the implementing partner to strengthen meaningful participation of refugee-led organizations (RLOs) in locally led advocacy and accountability processes.

Key Responsibilities

1) County Government Engagement and Policy Implementation Support

• Maintain structured engagement with county executives, departments, county assemblies and coordination structures in Nairobi, Garissa, and Turkana Counties.
• Develop and support implementation of county engagement plans, including stakeholder mapping, influencing pathways, and follow-up routines.
• Support and engage counties to operationalize refugee-inclusive commitments, plans, budgets and policy/administrative reforms through practical actions such as workplans, action trackers, technical meetings, and implementation reviews to improve refugees’ and vulnerable host communities’ access to services and economic opportunities.
• Provide day-to-day coordination support to ensure decisions translate into implementation steps and clear accountability.

2) Evidence-based Advocacy

• Package program evidence into advocacy materials (policy briefs, position papers, call to action, advocacy statements, talking points, presentations and case stories, as required for different advocacy interventions.
• Support convenings and technical dialogues that promote uptake of evidence and agreement on practical adoption steps.
• Coordinate inputs from program teams to ensure advocacy messaging is accurate, consistent, and aligned to program goals.3.) Partnership Coordination
• Collaborate with partnership department for day-to-day coordination with local partners on RLO strengthening and locally led advocacy initiatives.
• Support joint planning, coordination meetings, and follow-up on agreed deliverables.
• Facilitate and strengthen safe, inclusive participation of RLOs in county and national dialogues, public participation forums, and accountability platforms.
• Support capacity strengthening actions that enable RLOs to engage effectively and responsibly in policy processes.
• Collaborate with private sector, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), particularly with refugee-focused advocacy groups/activists, women, youth, refugee led organizations, and partners to advocate on identified issues at national and county levels.

4) Policy Monitoring, Context Scanning, and Advocacy Moment Response

• Track relevant county policy processes, political economy dynamics, and regulatory developments affecting vulnerable host communities and refugee inclusion.
• Identify and document advocacy moments, opportunities, challenges, and working with the program team, recommend timely engagement actions to advance adoption and implementation.
• Support preparation of briefs and positioning notes when needed for key meetings or emerging issues.

5) Representation, Convening, and Coordination

• Represent the program in relevant national, county and stakeholder forums as delegated by the supervisor.
• Support cross-county learning and documentation of lessons between Nairobi, Garissa and Turkana Counties to enable replication and adaptation.
• Coordinate with internal teams (Programs, Partnerships, MEAL, Finance, Safety & Security, Communications) to align advocacy actions and program delivery.

6) Documentation, Reporting, and Internal Accountability

• Maintain engagement trackers, meeting minutes, action logs, and follow-up plans for each county.
• Contribute to donor and internal reporting on Influence & Adoption progress, including outcomes, risks, and mitigation actions.
• Support activity planning and spending tracking for assigned advocacy actions in line with IRC policies and budgets.

Key Working Relationships

Internal (IRC):

• Advocacy and System Strengthening Technical Coordinator
• Re:BUiLD Program Program Management Team
• Communications, Safeguarding, and Security focal points (as relevant)

Job Requirements (Minimum Qualifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, political science, law, development studies, international relations, communications, or a related field (advanced degree is an added advantage).
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in advocacy, policy engagement, governance programming, or strategic communications.
• Demonstrated experience engaging government systems, preferably at devolved/county level.
• Strong facilitation, relationship management, diplomacy, and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for a wide range of audiences and ability to produce high-quality briefs and reports.Understanding of refugee inclusion and barriers to economic participation (e.g., documentation, decent work, business environment, service access) is an advantage.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili required.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies

• Strong influencing and negotiation skills, with ability to build trust across diverse stakeholders.
• Evidence-based advocacy skills: ability to translate data and learning into clear policy asks and practical actions.
• Excellent planning and follow-through; ability to manage multiple workstreams and deadlines.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work respectfully with refugee and host community stakeholders.
• High integrity, discretion, and commitment to accountability and ethical conduct.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.