PURPOSE OF POSITION:

 

World Vision is looking for a passionate, organized and motivated humanitarian team player to join our high capacity, mission driven and talented global Humanitarian Policy & Advocacy team. This exciting job opportunity is for a humanitarian professional looking to strengthen their understanding of the broader humanitarian system at the global level, while maintaining strong links to humanitarian field work. This role brings together external engagement, advocacy and networking, policy development, technical expertise and deployment opportunities.

The Advisor for Humanitarian Policy and External Engagement sits within the External Engagement and Resource Development (EERD) division of global Disaster Management in World Vision International. Reporting to the global Director for Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy, the position is based in Geneva, and focuses on engaging the United Nations on matters related to protecting children and communities affected by humanitarian crises and fragility.

The Advisor provides thematic leadership on policy, and implements influencing strategies for forced displacement, with a focus on protecting Children on the Move (refugees and internally displaced). He/she also support advocacy and external engagement on localization, and engagement with faith actors in humanitarian action. They closely and continuously follow general humanitarian policy developments in Geneva, representing the organization at the working level, and actively engage in, contribute to, and support humanitarian dialogue and coordination.

 

This includes (among others):

• Maintaining and building strong working relationships with humanitarian counterparts in the NGO, UN and Member State community
• Coordinating World Vision’s global engagement with UNHCR, and the Office of the UN Rapporteur for IDPs
• Representing World Vision in the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) working groups, in the Global Protection Cluster, and contributing to the advocacy working group of the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action
• Actively engaging in ICVA working groups, and participating in the Initiative on Child Rights in the Global Compact

 

The advisor works closely and collaboratively with other members of his/her team, members of the wider Disaster Management unit, and maintains good working relationships with counterparts in the Geneva office. He/she consults on cross-cutting issues, and draws on organization-wide expertise to facilitate relationship building with key stakeholders in Geneva. This includes highlighting and coordinating key events and external opportunities, including the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships week, UN ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment, donor conferences, and other relevant opportunities.

The Advisor provides support to the Geneva based Senior Director for External Engagement and Resource Development with representation and external engagement management, including quarterly reporting, and facilitates engagements for other Disaster Management Senior Leadership in Geneva as required.

The Advisor will deploy to support humanitarian field operations up to 20% of their time, focusing on humanitarian advocacy, external engagement, and humanitarian protection (mainstreaming). The incumbent must therefore be able to demonstrate at least one year of experience in protection or related technical field (such as GBV or Child Protection). When not deployed, the Advisor will provide regular support and capacity building to response field offices on his/her areas of policy expertise, and on protection.

 

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

Closely and continuously follows humanitarian policy developments in Geneva, representing the organization at the working level and building relationships with the UN, Member States, NGOs, other civil society partners to achieve policy change on issues including:

• Priority response contexts, access, IHL.
• Forced Displacement with a focus on Children on the Move.
• Localization.
• Faith and humanitarian action.

 

Proactively contributes to the development of new humanitarian policy, reports and research with a focus on Children on the Move (forced displacement) and contributes as relevant to the implementation of the Global Campaign (ITAW) in fragile contexts.

 

Deploys to support humanitarian field operations, focusing on humanitarian advocacy, external engagement, and humanitarian protection (mainstreaming).

When not deployed, provides regular support and capacity building to Sustained Humanitarian Responses on areas of policy expertise, and on protection.

 

Actively seeks external engagement opportunities to strengthen World Vision’s humanitarian profile by engaging in, contributing to, and supporting humanitarian dialogue, events and coordination in Geneva, including:

• Coordinating key events like the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships week, UN ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment, donor conferences, and others.
• Facilitating opportunities for senior World Vision staff to build relationships with Geneva based decision makers to advance World Vision’s thought leadership.

 

Leads coordination of World Vision’s relationship with UNHCR, and provides strategic advice and support to Senior Leader EERD in their UNHCR leadership role, as well as facilitates UNHCR related internal and external engagement.

Provides support to the Geneva based Senior Director for External Engagement and Resource Development with representation and external engagement management, including quarterly reporting on external engagement across global Disaster Management unit.

 

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

 

• 5 years relevant job experience with graduate degree (equivalent of a Master’s in a relevant field e.g. business administration, international or public relations, communications, social sciences or law), or 6 years relevant work experience without post-graduate degree.
• Candidates with first-hand experience of forced displacement, protection mainstreaming (or GBV or Child Protection), and localization are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Professional fluency in English, French desirable.
• A sound overview of International Humanitarian Law and knowledge of humanitarian sector and its derivate standards, guidelines and tools an asset.
• In depth understanding of civil society leverage points throughout the Geneva-based humanitarian community including strong familiarity with relevant UN and coalition processes.
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to translate complex material and data into coherent narratives that resonate with policy makers and peers.
• Excellent networking, coalition building and capacity building skills.

 

Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• Professional-level fluency in a second UN language (esp. French).
• Research and policy development skills.
• Experience in humanitarian operations, ideally in a context of forced displacement.
• Exposure with faith-based organizations and networks.
• Ability to think strategically, synthesize complex information and develop innovative policy approaches.
• Strong communication skills with a demonstrated ability to communicate successfully with players in all segments of the humanitarian field, including high level decision-makers.
• Initiative and ability to work independently on fast-paced issues, tight deadlines and juggle competing demands.
• Proven capacity to achieve results through collaboration, leadership through influence and virtual teams.
• Ability to travel internationally including support to field programmes in remote and challenging environments.
• Experience working virtually in particular with field-based teams, experience in virtual training and capacity building.

 

Work Environment/Travel:

• The position requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 25% of the time, including to humanitarian response environments.