Director of Policy, Advocacy & Communications – HQ

Background

Founded in 2011, the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) is an international non-governmental organisation that supports humanitarian aid workers by establishing safety coordination platforms in insecure contexts. INSO provides registered NGOs with a range of free services, including real-time incident tracking, analytical reports, safety-related data and mapping, crisis management support, staff orientations and training.

INSO provides daily support to more than 1200 NGOs operating in 17 of the world’s most insecure countries.

INSO is registered in the Netherlands with its headquarters based in The Hague, the international city of peace and justice.

Job Summary

The Director of Policy, Advocacy and Communications (DPAC) post is an exciting opportunity to harness the power of INSOs presence, access and information to positively inform policy and discourse in the fields of humanitarian safety, security, and access.

Leading a small team of professionals, you will connect across NGOs, UN, donors, member states, and other stakeholders to facilitate evidence-based policy discussions, execute high-impact advocacy initiatives, produce groundbreaking research on humanitarian safety challenges and coordinate coherent strategic communications.

You will be based at our headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, and will report directly to the Executive Director as part of the Senior Management Team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of a multi-year PAC Strategy identifying priorities at global and field level and lead awareness across the organisation.
• Produce high quality policy and advocacy materials for both public and private use including talking points, letters, position papers, briefing notes, advocacy reports.
• Provide responsive and informative in-person briefings, talks, awareness-raising sessions in one-to-one or group settings.
• Represent INSO in various policy and advocacy forums including with United Nations, donors, and coordination forums.
• Develop and maintain impactful partnerships with NGOs, donors, and other stakeholders in pursuit of shared policy, advocacy, and research goals.
• Regularly liaise with the policy and advocacy community to grow bilateral relationships and integrate work with the annual calendar.
• Lead production of priority research papers, focused on adding value to the sector, and their launch and dissemination within the community.
• Oversee and develop communications activity to ensure high-quality and integrated messaging across all relevant channels and stakeholders.
• Coordinate engagement in industry conferences, forums and expos and proactively seek other opportunities to raise awareness and extend impact.
• Recruit, manage and mentor the PAC team and serve as a member of the Senior Management Team contributing to wider organizational development.
• Manage the departmental budget and develop opportunities for PAC project funding.

Requirements

On a personal level, you will be an articulate communicator, comfortable with public speaking, with excellent interpersonal skills and a high level of emotional intelligence.

The ideal professional background will include:

• Recent experience in a senior level policy or advocacy role for an NGO that works in complex humanitarian emergencies or situations of armed conflict.
• Demonstrable experience designing and executing high-impact policy and advocacy campaigns targeting relevant sectors.
• Experience delivering research projects to timeline and budget.
• Experience leading organisational representation in high-level / diplomatic settings.
• Good working knowledge of the humanitarian policy eco-system including key stakeholders, policy process and working calendar.
• Demonstrable interest in and familiarity with the current state of debate around humanitarian safety and up to date on recent literature.
• Experience leading and managing high-performance teams in complex and often sensitive work.
• Fluency in written and spoken English with excellent drafting and writing skills
• An advanced degree in a relevant field.

Nice to have:

• Knowledge of INSO and its mandate and activity in the field
• Conversational French
• Grant and budget management experience

INSO’s Safeguarding Policy

INSO is fully committed to safe recruitment, selection and vetting of all potential new staff, trustees and volunteers and we will ensure rigorous compliance with our Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policy throughout the recruitment process.

Terms & Conditions

Fixed-term (renewable) full-time contract based in The Hague, Netherlands, EUR 8300 per month, 8% vacation pay (vakantiegeld), 2.5 days annual leave per month. It is a Dutch contract based on Dutch social security and taxation rules. We provide basic premium ONVZ health insurance to you and your dependents. This position is eligible for a Highly Skilled Migrant visa and relocation allowance.

How to apply 

Please submit applications to [email protected] and reference ‘Director PAC’ in the subject line. Applications should be in English and include:

• An updated CV.
• A one-page cover letter detailing why you are interested in working for INSO and how your qualifications align specifically with the competencies required for the role.

Please do not send any additional information.  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.