Jesuit Refugee Service Regional Advocacy and Communications Officer (Asia Pacific)

The Regional Advocacy and Communication Officer will be responsible for all effective communication and advocacy work concerning refugees and displaced people in the Asia Pacific region. He of she works closely with the respective JRS staff assigned to the countries covered by the Regional Office in Bangkok.

The Regional Advocacy and Communications Officer reports to the Regional Director and forms part of the regional team, collaborating closely with Country Directors and Project Directors across the Asia Pacific region. As a member of the JRS international advocacy and communications network, the Regional Advocacy and Communications Officer also receives support and guidance from the International Communications Coordinator and the International Advocacy Coordinator at JRS International Office in Rome and liaises and with JRS Advocacy and Communications Officers around the world as well as with the JRS Geneva Representative.

Responsibilities

• develops a vision for JRS Advocacy and Communications work and objectives in the Asia Pacific Region, taking a transformational view which allows for adaptation to both the changing policy environment in the region and the internal structure of JRSAP and partners i.e. the Jesuit Network;
• develops and implements advocacy strategies and plans for the region;
• provides assistance to country offices in the region in the preparation of their annual national advocacy plans based on existing projects and develops a regional advocacy and communication plan;
• enhances advocacy efforts within the region by integrating the advocacy component in all aspects of the project cycle, including the project proposal, reports and evaluations;
• provides support and guidance in developing appropriate advocacy strategies through visits to the field, meetings and contact with country offices’ staff in the region;
• maintains regular communication to the JRS international advocacy network, ensuring a flow of information from the field to the rest of the network while using the JRS positions in Geneva, Washington, Rome and Brussels to advance the regions’ advocacy priorities;
• monitors and evaluates the implementation of JRS advocacy plans.

Refugee policy and doctrine

• assists the Regional Director and country offices in the region by providing analyses of policy issues and protection concerns that affect refugees and displaced people;
• coordinates policy development in the region, providing advice and technical assistance to pertinent staff to ensure consistency and coherency in public positions;
• supervises the documentation and consolidation of JRS experiences and lessons learned in the region;
• proposes and support advocacy-orientated research that will advance the rights of refugees and displaced people.

Communications, relations with the media and research

• assists country offices in the region to elaborate their annual national communication plans based on the projects and to develop a regional communication plan and media strategy based on these;
• communicate the vision, mission, values and activities of JRS throughout the region to specific target groups as well as to a wider audience;
• drafts press releases, briefings, statements, articles, reports, summaries and other advocacy-related documents on issues of concern to the region with respect to local, regional and international advocacy actions;
• provides the media with answers on queries regarding JRS work in the region or in other regions;
• delivers JRS message to larger audiences, through interviews, lectures, speeches, etc;
• support country offices in the production of such advocacy and communications documents in their respective countries;
• advises on the appropriateness of the release of sensitive information from the field;
• develops relationships with journalists and uses the media where appropriate to promote JRS’ policy aims;
• assumes overall responsibility for the JRS regional website and supporting the international office in its website development work.

Direct advocacy

• engages, where appropriate, in direct advocacy activities with governments, embassies, the UN, NGOs, and international NGOs (INGOs), civil institutions for the protection of refugees’ and displaced people and assistance to people with protection concerns;
• represent JRS at workshops, briefings and pertinent meetings/fora.

Advocacy and communications training of JRS staff

• provides training to JRS staff and volunteers to enhance their knowledge of advocacy and human rights, refugee and migration law and the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, basic advocacy and communication skills, and information-collection for advocacy.

Networking and alliances

• encourages collaborative advocacy by working with regional NGO coalitions in order to promote and strengthen advocacy amidst national coalitions working with the JRS offices in the region;
• maintains links, liaises and exchanges information, as appropriate, with UN organisations, embassies, wider church networks and other NGOs/INGOs;
• ensures that important information is shared with appropriate partner agencies.

Qualifications and experience

• advanced University Degree in Communications, Journalism, Law or Political Sciences, with a solid background in humanitarian law, refugee law, and human rights law;
• minimum of six years of solid field experience with an in-depth understanding of the conditions of forcibly displaced persons and refugees;
• proven experience in advocacy related to humanitarian or human rights issues;
• strong leadership and team-building skills, including excellent interpersonal and communication skills flowing from strong self-awareness and ability to provide and receive meaningful feedback – a willingness to engage in difficult conversations when necessary;
• ability to follow logical and consistent decision-making processes, to drive for results, to manage and maintain a resilient team in sometimes difficult and rapidly changing environments;
• strong writing and reporting skills, with at least two years of working experience in editing and writing material;
• experience in stakeholder management, including working with media/journalists and developing and implementing media plans;
• ability to maintain professionalism under the most adverse conditions and situations.
• work experience in a multicultural environment;
• excellent computer skills;
• fluency in English and at least one second Asian language is desirable, including strong drafting skills.

Conditions: salary, length of contract, conditions

Two-years contract with an initial three months probationary period.  Salary depends on the status and qualifications of the successful applicant with insurance and other benefits.

Interested candidates must apply in writing and address how they satisfy the criteria described above. Please visit http://en.jrs.net/RecruitDetail?CID=159 to apply. Applications close on 30 January 2015. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.