Advocacy Specialist

The Advocacy Specialist supports the implementation of DRC Ukraine's advocacy strategy by contributing to evidence-based advocacy, policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and development of advocacy products. The role involves coordination with programme, MEAL, and communications teams to ensure advocacy reflects the needs of displaced and conflict-affected populations.

Responsibilities

• Support development and implementation of DRC Ukraine's advocacy strategy and annual advocacy workplan.
• Monitor political, humanitarian and policy developments relevant to DRC's operations and identify emerging advocacy opportunities and risks.
• Conduct policy and context analysis to inform advocacy priorities and messaging.
• Draft advocacy materials including briefing notes, talking points, policy briefs, factsheets, reports, key messages and presentations.
• Support the development of advocacy positions and recommendations based on programme evidence and protection monitoring.
• Contribute to the preparation of advocacy inputs for internal and external meetings, donor engagements and senior management briefings.
• Maintain an overview of relevant national legislation, policies and humanitarian coordination discussions affecting displaced and conflict-affected populations.
• Support the development of advocacy indicators and contribute to monitoring the implementation and impact of advocacy initiatives.
• Support in developing advocacy training materials to colleagues in DRC in Ukraine as well as relevant local partners and support the Advocacy Coordinator in delivering trainings for field colleagues.
• Coordinate with technical and field team members to deliver advocacy efforts and outputs that are informed by DRC’s programme work and field operations, ensuring it is evidence-based and in line with the advocacy strategy and workplan.
• Liaise with the communications team to ensure advocacy messaging is aligned across external communication products.
• Participate in relevant humanitarian coordination mechanisms, advocacy working groups and policy discussions as delegated by the Advocacy Coordinator.
• Build and maintain constructive working relationships with humanitarian partners, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders.
• Support the meaningful and safe inclusion of affected populations' perspectives in advocacy activities.

Requirements

• Master's degree in political science, international relations, law, human rights, public policy, humanitarian studies or another relevant field.
• At least 3 years of professional experience in advocacy, humanitarian policy, protection, human rights, research, or related fields.
• Experience supporting advocacy, policy, research or humanitarian programming in complex humanitarian or development contexts.
• Strong analytical skills with demonstrated experience conducting policy, legal or context analysis.
• Excellent drafting skills with the ability to produce rapid, clear, concise and evidence-based advocacy and policy documents in English.
• Understanding of humanitarian principles, protection, international humanitarian law, human rights and displacement issues.
• Familiarity with Ukraine's humanitarian and political context.
• Ability to analyse information from multiple sources and translate technical information into accessible and impactful advocacy messages.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Full professional proficiency in spoken and written English and Ukrainian.
• Experience engaging with humanitarian coordination mechanisms, government institutions or civil society networks (desirable).
• Knowledge of donor policies and the humanitarian architecture in Ukraine (desirable).
• Experience contributing to advocacy campaigns, public policy initiatives or joint NGO advocacy products (desirable).
• Experience working with an INGO or civil society organisation is highly desirable.

Skills

• Advocacy Strategies
• Policy Analysis
• Humanitarian Policy
• Human Rights
• Protection
• Research
• Humanitarian Programming
• Legal Analysis
• Context Analysis
• Advocacy Document Drafting
• Humanitarian Principles
• International Humanitarian Law
• Displacement Issues
• Information Analysis
• Advocacy Messaging
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Humanitarian Coordination
• Donor Policy Knowledge
• Public Policy Initiatives
• Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration

Languages

English, Ukrainian