Refugee Advocacy Lab Partnership & Campaigns Officer

Position description

Refugees International, a humanitarian organization that advocates for lifesaving assistance and protection for refugees and other displaced people, seeks to hire a Partnership & Campaigns Officer for the Refugee Advocacy Lab (the “Lab”), a partnered initiative to grow and strengthen the movement for U.S. leadership on the protection and inclusion of people who have been forcibly displaced. Housed at Refugees International and co-led with the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Church World Service, and Refugee Congress, the Lab works to support and engage diverse partners on the ground by developing strategic communications resources, championing inclusive policies, and strengthening capacity for the field. Our priorities are driven by and grounded in the perspectives of leaders who have experienced forced displacement, and we collaborate with a wide range of partners who power our work.

Since our launch in 2020, the Lab has worked closely with partners across the country to support a broad, diverse movement that can communicate about forced displacement in a way that resonates, bring in new champions, and push for policies that reduce barriers for refugees and other newcomers to restart their lives and thrive in the United States. The Lab is proud to offer technical, advocacy, and communications support to organizations driving this work forward on the ground in ten key states, as well as be a resource for the field more broadly through the production of tools, research, and trainings, and a platform for peer learning and engagement that can be utilized by organizations nationwide.

The Partnership & Campaigns Officer will engage Lab partners across the country in aligned policy advocacy and coalition-building efforts, from supporting our work with local organizations on the ground in our ten Lab states to overseeing the Lab’s coordination of a network of nearly 50 partners. They will also support the Lab’s efforts to consistently and strategically engage diverse stakeholder groups – business, faith, veterans, sponsors, and others – in our campaigns and local efforts.

A successful candidate will have a deep interest in and knowledge of refugee and forced displacement issues in the United States; demonstrated experience in the management and coordination of diverse partner groups; an understanding of coalition dynamics; excellent writing, communication and organizational skills; and a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

This position reports to the Executive Director of the Refugee Advocacy Lab and will be housed on the Strategic Outreach team based at Refugees International in Washington DC. If based in the Washington DC area, the work location is a hybrid one. Working remotely is possible for an employee working in New York, New Jersey, or Indiana.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate with the Lab core team to engage external partners in support of state and national priorities, including targeted partnership development across a range of sectors including but not limited to business, faith, education, veterans’ groups, and immigrant- and refugee-led-organizations.
• Coordinate the Lab’s engagement with key grasstops stakeholder groups such as state and local elected officials and leaders who have experienced forced displacement, among others, finding new opportunities to include groups in Lab activities.
• Drive power mapping of existing and potential partners across ten states where the Lab supports local partners towards inclusive policy advocacy goals, including tracking relevant news coverage, state government positions, and organizations engaging in our issues.
• Support the rollout and success of various Lab campaigns, including identifying and engaging new partners.
• Produce materials highlighting the Lab’s priorities, impact, current partners, and network for external circulation.
• Conduct consistent outreach via emails, phone calls, and virtual meetings with existing and prospective partners, including coordinating the Lab’s quarterly partner meetings and intentionally engaging Lab partners in activities throughout the year.
• Work with Communications Manager to coordinate logistics for public facing events and partner meetings.
• Manage the Lab’s partner database, including keeping up-to-date records of various Lab affinity groups and state-level partners.
• Work with the Lab executive director and RI operations team to oversee the management of any relevant partnership agreements, contracts and MOUs.
• Support relationships with existing and potential funders of the Lab, including tracking Lab accomplishments and supporting funder report and proposal drafting.

Qualifications

• A strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within the organization and with the people for and with whom Refugees International and the Refugee Advocacy Lab advocate;
• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study such as public policy, international relations, or migration issues and/or equivalent experience working on refugee and/or displacement issues and/or policy advocacy and campaigns in the United States;
• A keen attention to detail and organization, and ability to initiate and juggle multiple tasks simultaneously and independently;
• Strong interest in, and understanding of, the non-profit strategic communications and advocacy work of the Refugee Advocacy Lab;
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including an understanding of dynamics required to manage and grow a network of partner groups towards a shared goal and engaging decision-makers across diverse sectors;
• A baseline understanding of – and deep interest in – current immigration and refugee policy and legislative trends in the United States, particularly at the state level;
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to translate complex material into clear, compelling communications;
• Experience working on advocacy campaigns, including partner engagement and recruitment;
• Being a team player excited to join a collaborative and creative team;
• Being a self starter and creative thinker, excited to bring new ideas the team and execute them;
• Must be eligible to work in the United States;
• Individuals with lived forced displacement experience are encouraged to apply.

ANNUAL SALARY RANGEbetween$60,000-70,000 depending on background and experience.

Application instructions

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