Job Title:         Advocacy Campaigns Specialist
Status:        Full-time
Location:    Alexandria, Virginia 
Department: Communications and Public Affairs Department

Position Summary:
The Advocacy Campaigns Specialist will be responsible for creating and organizing Islamic Relief USA’s (IRUSA) advocacy campaign efforts with key external and internal stakeholders. In addition, this position will produce messaging and materials that raise awareness/educate our supporters about humanitarian priorities and develop action/event materials that prepare and guide supporters’ ability to take action to promote IRUSA’s advocacy priorities. The Advocacy Campaigns Specialist will organize media/social media components for the campaigns; and collaborate with external partners/coalitions to coordinate joint campaign actions. This position will manage short and long term campaigns and benchmarking them according to best practice. The Advocacy Campaigns Specialist will report directly to the Director of Communications and Public Affairs. The candidate must demonstrate a commitment to IRUSA’s faith inspired values and principles as well as a commitment to the vision and mission of the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Campaigns
  • Liaise advocacy campaigns by collaborating with various internal IRUSA departments to advance the overall strategic goal of the organization.   
  • Works on new and existing advocacy campaigns with Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) and other Islamic Relief partner organizations, including strategic coalition and partnership building campaigns.
  • Create and coordinate new campaigns that will promote and strengthen the team’s advocacy priorities for dissemination and launching grassroots/grasstops education, registration and mobilization of IRUSA advocacy campaigns, and engage our supporters.
  • Assist the Public Affairs team in implementing an annual IRUSA advocacy strategy to engage members of Congress, multilateral stakeholders, state/local officials, partner organizations, and grantees.
  • Work with the Special Events Manager in organizing IRUSA’s kick-off conference; also may take lead on other events such as briefings, seasonal iftars, or civic engagement activities.
  • Work with Marketing and Fund Development departments to align advocacy and public affairs campaigns.
  • Work with the Volunteer Management Office to advance opportunities for IRUSA volunteers to participate in and contribute to various advocacy campaigns’ actions and programs.

Advocacy
  • Work with regional staff and advocates to Identify opportunities for IRUSA to support and promote local/state level advocacy campaigns aligned with our national level priorities.
  • Provide regional staff with periodic updates to campaign resources and materials that can be utilized and promoted at local IRUSA charity and volunteer service events.
  • Attend and participate in advocacy-focused conferences aligned with IRUSA's mission, where our campaigns and priorities can be promoted through tabling and briefings to new, diverse audiences.
  • Make presentations about current advocacy campaigns at select high-profile donor events selected by CFD.
  • Participate in multilateral organization meetings such as the United Nations and World Bank.
  • Attend regional congressional meetings relevant to IRUSA policy priorities and prepare summary reports.
  • Attend and participate in city, community, and networking events; charity and volunteer service events; and donation and sponsorship events.

Communications
  • Develop and coordinate media/social media messaging for advocacy campaigns with relevant internal departments.
  • Provide creative input for various projects such as website design, media, and social media outlets. 
  • Work with other members of the department to produce materials required for engagement and advocacy.
  • Work with the IT Department in creating content for the advocacy platform.

Qualifications and Competencies
  • Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy or Political Science preferred.
  • Minimum of 3-5 years’ work experience in advocacy & campaign development, public affairs, government relations, community organizing or communications is preferred. 
  • Prior Capitol Hill experience a plus.
  • Understanding of international and regional government politics and press preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience or interest in poverty and hunger alleviation, climate change, refugees/migration, and/or gender empowerment.
  • Able to handle a fast-paced work setting with diplomacy and composure.
  • Ability to independently handle multiple, simultaneous, varied assignments and meet tight deadlines while providing a consistent level of quality and accuracy.
  • Possess a basic understanding of the congressional legislative calendar.
  • General awareness of the leading advocacy and multilateral organizations.
  • Strong communications skills, including writing, public speaking, and social media.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to engage with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, NGO representatives, and interfaith leaders.
  • Ability to attend frequent off-site and regional meetings, after business hours’ events or weekends.
  • Confident and proficient user of MS Office and various social media platforms.
  • Working competency of Salesforce and Springboard for Advocacy preferred.
  • Highly organized and self-directed.
  • Must be eligible to work in the United States.
  • Ability to travel and work some evenings and weekends.

Islamic Relief USA is committed to taking a zero tolerance approach, which means acting on every allegation in line with agreed procedures. IRUSA representatives must adhere to the organizational values: Sincerity, Excellence, Compassion, Social Justice, and Custodianship. In accordance with these values, IRUSA operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Code of Conduct, and Anti-Harassment and Discrimination.
This position has been filled.