Advocacy and Community Liaison Officer

Benefits

Additional Information

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future. The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict affected populations. IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri and Monguno of Borno state and Damaturu of Yobe State. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women's protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, food security & livelihoods. Job Overview/Summary The Advocacy and Community Liaison Officer will support the design and implementation of advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and community liaison strategies aimed at strengthening program visibility, government engagement, community participation, and policy influence. The position will serve as a critical link between IRC, communities, government stakeholders, partners, and other relevant actors to ensure effective coordination, representation, and community-centered programming. The role will support advocacy initiatives through evidence generation, stakeholder mapping, policy engagement, community feedback mechanisms, and strategic relationship management. The Advocacy and Community Liaison Officer will also contribute to strengthening accountability to affected populations, promoting positive community relations, and enhancing IRC's positioning with key external stakeholders. The position will work closely with programming, MEAL, protection, communications, and field teams to ensure that community voices, field realities, and program evidence inform advocacy priorities and external engagement strategies. Major Responsibilities Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy Support the implementation of advocacy and community engagement strategies aligned with country program priorities. Facilitate effective engagement with government ministries, community leaders, civil society organizations, and humanitarian actors. Support coordination and communication between IRC field teams and external stakeholders at state and community levels. Contribute to the documentation of humanitarian needs, community concerns, and program impact to inform advocacy messaging. Support community consultations, stakeholder meetings, and engagement forums. Ensure community feedback and accountability mechanisms are strengthened and functional across program locations. Monitor and analyze humanitarian, political, and community developments relevant to IRC programming and advocacy priorities. Support the integration of protection mainstreaming, accountability, and community participation across programs. Representing IRC in relevant coordination meetings and external engagements as assigned. Program Development Contribute to proposal development processes by providing context analysis, stakeholder mapping, and advocacy-related inputs. Support the development of advocacy briefs, talking points, donor engagement materials, and external communication products. Assist in identifying strategic partnership and collaboration opportunities with government and non-government stakeholders. Support the development of visibility and engagement materials highlighting program impact and community voices. Contribute to donor visits, high-level field visits, and stakeholder engagement planning and coordination. Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development Support capacity strengthening of staff and community structures on advocacy, stakeholder engagement, accountability, and community liaison approaches. Provide technical support to field teams on community engagement and representation approaches. Promote teamwork, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across departments and field locations. Support staff understanding and adherence to IRC policies, safeguarding principles, and accountability standards. Contribute to learning documentation, best practices, and lessons learned from advocacy and community engagement activities. Research, Learning and Analysis Conduct stakeholder analysis and ma