Global Advocacy Campaigns Climate Advisor

Islamic Relief Worldwide is an independent humanitarian and development organisation, serving humanity for over 38 years. With an active presence in over 40 countries across the globe, we strive to make the world a better and fairer place for those affected by poverty, conflicts and natural disasters.

IRW is currently recruiting for the position of ‘Global Advocacy Campaigns Climate Advisor’ to join its dynamic External Relations & Advocacy Division based in one of the following offices; Birmingham or London, UK/Islamabad, PK/Nairobi, Kenya.

Job Purpose:

• Lead on the planning, implementation, coordination and review of Islamic Relief’s global advocacy work program on climate, working closely with our international offices.
• Develop influencing strategies and plans to advance IRW’s priority campaigns by identifying and seizing relevant opportunities to engage, pressure and persuade relevant UN spaces and at international, regional, sub-regional, and national stakeholder level
• To be responsible for COP strategies, drawing on evidence-based research from member offices
• Coordinate and empower IR Partners and National Offices to implement advocacy climate strategies
• Work with campaigners and communications staff across the Islamic Relief Family to ensure that policy, media and campaign ‘products’ and events are well targeted
• Coordinate with regional offices to develop strategies for dealing with institutions
• Assist policy/advocacy/capacity building campaigns staff in IRW country offices with strategic advice and knowledge on climate issues such as adaptation and mitigation
• Develop key policy/advocacy, messages for the global family on climate change
• Provide a voice to communities that IRW serves through compelling advocacy campaigns and reports, ensuring that they are at the heart of the process of Advocacy.
• Occasional travel required globally

The successful candidate must have or be:

• A Degree in a relevant field
• Good diplomatic and coalition-building abilities, including being able to understand and value competing viewpoints and divergent interests and find common ground among them
• Excellent communication, representative and persuasive skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, ability to inform and engage through written communication
• Knowledge of:
  • The global humanitarian and development policy and institutional arena and frameworks, its challenges and blockages, and how they can be addressed
  • Knowledge of Islamic teachings in development/climate change and their representation externally (where possible)
  • Ability to manage large meetings and communicate complex concepts clearly
• Pragmatic tactician, able to gather and analyse intelligence to identify the levers, interests and incentives that could make decision-makers more receptive to our calls to action and moving quickly to seize windows for change when they open
• Comfortable with complex issues and ability to translate them into clear and actionable demands for decision-makers
• Understanding of the media and working with journalists
• Confidence in dealing with dignitaries
• Strong ability to work calmly under pressure to tight deadlines and balance competing priorities
• Sensitive to the complexities in working with wide and diverse civil society coalitions, in particular, NGO and social movements and media networks
• Results focused – ability to plan, coordinate and deliver objectives and targets with a positive drive to achieve results
• IT literate with a command of MS Office applications, in particular, interface presentation tools
• International travel will be required as a part of the role
• As international travel is required as a part of the role, we require applicants who are willing and able.

For more information, please click on the Documents tab above to view the full Job Description.

If you are talented, reliable, service-minded, resilient and a highly motivated professional looking for a meaningful career, with a strong commitment to IRW’s mission and values of sincerity, excellence, compassion, social justice and custodianship, please apply by completing our online application form.

PLEASE NOTE: Interviews are expected to take place w/c 24/10/2022 via MS Teams.

Pre-employment Checks:

Any employment with Islamic Relief will be subject to the following checks:

• screening clearance
• criminal records check
• receipt of satisfactory references

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

IRW is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom IRW engages. IRW expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records checks. IRW also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Applicants should be sympathetic to the values of Islamic Relief:

(Sincerity, Excellence, Compassion, Social Justice and Custodianship)

Islamic Relief is an equal opportunities employer