Over the past 90 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster.

The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

IRC UK

IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its headquarters in New York and London. Our team in the UK works to raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in England, a programme that is rapidly growing. In Europe, the IRC also has offices in Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm.

The Awards Management Unit (AMU)

The Awards Management Unit is responsible for building, maintaining, and strengthening relationships with public and institutional donors and position IRC as a partner of choice for delivering programs for our clients. This means working to expand IRC’s portfolio and diversify our relationships, as well as supporting the successful and compliant management and implementation of awards, whether directly or through partners.

The AMU is a bridge between donors and the IRC programme offices: providing expert technical advice, while maintaining portfolio-level visibility to ensure consistency, compliance, and manage risk. This unit ensures that donor compliance policies and procedures are implemented consistently and supports all staff working across the awards management cycle for all restricted funding from global government and multilateral sources.

The Purpose of the Role

The Senior Advisor - FCDO is part of the Strategic Partnerships Team, which is responsible for relationship management of IRC’s key institutional donors. FCDO is a long-standing and strategic partner for the IRC. The Senior Advisor leads, guides and coordinates IRC’s funding focused engagement with FCDO, collaborating closely with other teams which lead on policy, advocacy and technical engagement. The Senior Advisor provides an internal and external account management function, including acting as IRC’s focal point for FCDO’s Strategic Relationship Management Programme.

Scope and Authority

The Senior Advisor develops and implements strategies for maintaining and developing proactive and positive relationships with FCDO, in support of the delivery of our organisational strategy, Strategy 100.

The Senior Advisor is responsible for developing and maintaining positive relationships with colleagues across IRC, including IRC UK’s Executive Director, colleagues in AMU senior management, Programme Development, Programme & Awards Support and Compliance & Policy teams, Country Teams and Technical Excellence Units, Policy and Advocacy, and Communications teams, and IRC’s senior leadership.

Authority:

- Leads the development, implementation and review of IRC’s FCDO engagement strategy. - Initiates and coordinates IRC’s FCDO engagement and develops positive relationships with FCDO and partners. - Represents IRC externally with FCDO

Responsibility for Resources:

- ‘Management in Partnership’ for the Communications & Partnership Manager - FCDO [Role is currently being recruited]. - This role does not have budget management responsibilities

Key Working Relationships

- Reporting to the Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships in the AMU. - Closely coordinates and collaborates with the other units within the AMU, IRC UK Executive Director, UK Policy and Advocacy team, alongside other IRC-UK staff, and senior IRC staff on FCDO relationships. - Works with the Senior Advisors in the Strategic Partnerships Team. - Liaises with President’s Office on engagement with FCDO for strategic partnerships, including delivery of briefings. - Supports other teams to understand relationship management (structures and processes).

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Information and Knowledge Management

- Proactively identify, broker and coordinate relationships with FCDO stakeholders. - Maintain up-to-date knowledge of IRC’s position with FCDO, including funding portfolio, business development pipeline, implementation and compliance issues, risks, influencing aims and senior level HQ-HQ engagement. - Maintain up-to-date knowledge of FCDO strategies relevant to IRC’s work, such as funding priorities, geographical interests and political climate, providing analyses and synopses of press releases and other announcements, and disseminating this information internally. - Support IRC senior management in identifying and mitigating funding and relationship risks related to FCDO. - Map FCDO’s organisational structure, identify key targets, and maintain relationship records on IRC’s CRM system. - Maintain tools and resources to support donor engagement and relationship building with FCDO. - Contribute to the improvement of donor tools and resources to support engagement and relationship building. - Work with key regional and programme development staff to support FCDO business development planning. - Lead the Multi-Year Donor Engagement Strategy for FCDO, including coordinating meetings with cross-department operational team. - Lead the FCDO strategic team (UK ED, senior CRRD leaders, AMU senior leaders, UK SMT representatives) to steer our donor relationship and engagement. - Coordinate across IRC teams, such as Country Teams, Advocacy and Policy to ensure consistent, accurate and timely messaging for FCDO.

Line Management

- With the UK Communications Director, will have ‘management in partnership’ of the Communications & Partnerships Manager – FCDO

External Representation and Strategic Relationship Management

- Act as IRC’s day-to-day focal point for FCDO’s Strategic Relationship Management Programme (SRM), including maintaining strong relationships and communication with IRC’s SRM lead within FCDO. - Coordinate SRM Programme engagement, including scorecard reviews, joint business plan, quarterly meetings, and timely response to requests for information. - Provide regular briefings and updates on the SRM Programme and our involvement to inform and advise IRC senior leaders. - Undertake direct representation with donor officials, and support the development of IRC’s relationships, including brokering meetings between FCDO and IRC Regional and Technical Leadership, Country Directors and supporting the preparation for these engagements. - Contribute to narrative reports to the UK Board of Trustees, including providing ad hoc briefings, and delivering presentations to trustees on the status of our FCDO relationship. - Participates in key meetings with FCDO officials, Director-General/equivalent, Heads of Department, advisors, and other civil servants. - Represent IRC in external meetings, events and sector/relevant groups, including presentations/briefings to senior donor representatives. Represent IRC on the Bond Funding Working Group Steering Committee.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

- Strong working understanding of the UK political environment and trends relevant to FCDO, strategies, priorities and financing mechanisms. - Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills, including preparing briefings for senior colleagues and representing with donors. - Ability to lead projects, including working as part of remote/virtual teams. - Good analytical skills and first-class attention to detail. - Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.

Experience:

- Significant experience of business development, programme management, advocacy or leading other similar HQ-HQ strategic account / relationship management with FCDO. - Extensive experience of building and maintaining networks with influencers and decision makers. - Experience undertaking reviews of policies, datasets and reports, and producing associated written and verbal guidance relevant to senior and operational staff. - Proven track record of working successfully with virtual teams.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

The application deadline is Monday 13th February 2023.

IRC UK strives to be an equal opportunities employer. IRC UK is committed to equality of opportunity and to non-discrimination for all job applicants and employees, and we seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

IRC UK welcomes applications from all candidates, including underrepresented groups and refugees who have the right to work in the UK. A gap in your CV/work history is not detrimental. IRC is willing to invest in transferrable skills.

IRC UK will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application and/or interview process, and for essential job functions if appointed to a role. Please contact us if you may need such adjustments.

If you have any questions or need assistance with the online recruitment process, please contact the IRC UK HR team at applications@rescue-uk.org

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