Advocacy & Media Manager

Job Posting Organization:
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an international humanitarian organization that was established to assist people forced to flee their homes due to conflict and disaster. NRC began its operations in Sudan in 2019 and has since expanded its reach significantly. By 2025, NRC and its partners had provided direct assistance to over 1.3 million people and an additional 1.5 million through various humanitarian efforts across 18 states. The organization places a strong emphasis on advocacy, particularly focusing on the protection of civilians, ensuring humanitarian access, and supporting local responders. Sudan is recognized as one of NRC's largest and highest-priority operations globally, making it a focal point for the organization's international advocacy initiatives. The NRC operates in multiple countries, employing around 15,000 staff members dedicated to delivering life-saving assistance and long-term support to millions of individuals in crisis situations.

Job Overview:
The Advocacy & Media Manager plays a pivotal role in leading NRC's advocacy and communications efforts in Sudan. This position is responsible for spearheading NRC's humanitarian diplomacy initiatives, crafting actionable policy recommendations aimed at enhancing the protection of civilians and improving humanitarian access. The role is primarily externally focused, serving as NRC's chief media spokesperson and representing the organization in various relevant forums. Internally, the manager is tasked with integrating advocacy across all programs and operations, providing strategic advice and analysis to inform decision-making, and supporting the implementation of NRC's overarching strategy in Sudan. The manager will develop and lead a comprehensive advocacy and communications strategy that aligns with the country strategy and coordinates with three Regional Offices, NRC Representation Offices, the Head Office, and the Secretary General's office. This position requires a high level of engagement with key stakeholders, including diplomats, donors, UN agencies, and NGOs, to advance NRC's advocacy objectives and humanitarian priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Advocacy & Media Manager will undertake a variety of responsibilities, including but not limited to: developing and coordinating NRC's humanitarian diplomacy strategy for Sudan, which involves stakeholder analysis, engagement plans, and messaging focused on Gulf and African states. The manager will analyze program findings and coordinate research initiatives to produce high-quality analytical, policy, and advocacy products, thereby strengthening evidence-based advocacy. Building and maintaining relationships with organizations involved in the Sudan response is crucial, as is contributing to INGO Forum advocacy efforts and supporting the development of joint positions and advocacy initiatives. The manager will lead NRC's strategic communications efforts, overseeing media engagement and the production of high-quality communications products. Additionally, this role includes line management of the Advocacy and Communications Unit, which encompasses performance management, workforce planning, recruitment, staff induction, and development. The manager will work closely with NRC's local partners to create joint advocacy initiatives that align with NRC's advocacy strategy and oversee capacity-strengthening initiatives for both NRC staff and local partners. Furthermore, the manager will ensure that NRC's Regional Offices and relevant departments are regularly briefed on advocacy priorities and supported in advancing NRC's objectives in Sudan. Identifying funding opportunities for advocacy work and contributing to the development of quality proposals are also key responsibilities.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a postgraduate degree in a relevant field and have a minimum of five years' experience in humanitarian, human rights, diplomacy, mediation, or related fields within international organizations such as INGOs, UN agencies, or diplomatic institutions. Demonstrated experience in advocacy, policy engagement, humanitarian diplomacy, and stakeholder engagement is essential. This is a specialized advocacy role, and applicants must have substantial advocacy experience, including management and influencing work in humanitarian contexts. Candidates lacking demonstrated advocacy experience will not be considered. Additionally, candidates should have experience in strategic communications, media engagement, and serving as a spokesperson, along with experience working in complex, conflict-affected, and volatile environments. Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, are required, including the ability to produce high-quality briefs, reports, and policy papers. High levels of initiative, flexibility, and creativity are also necessary, along with strong interpersonal and coordination skills. Managerial and project management experience is considered an asset.

Educational Background:
The position requires a postgraduate degree in a relevant field, which may include areas such as international relations, humanitarian studies, public policy, or communications. This educational background is essential to ensure that the candidate possesses the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to effectively navigate the complexities of advocacy and media management in a humanitarian context.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of relevant experience in humanitarian, human rights, diplomacy, mediation, or related fields. This experience must be within international organizations, such as INGOs or UN agencies, and should include substantial advocacy experience, particularly in humanitarian contexts. Experience in strategic communications and media engagement is also critical, as is familiarity with working in complex and conflict-affected environments.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, as the role requires excellent written and verbal communication skills. While English is the primary language for this position, knowledge of additional languages, particularly those relevant to the Sudanese context, would be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The duty station for this position can be either Port Sudan, Khartoum, or Nairobi, Kenya, and it is classified as an unaccompanied contract. The initial contract duration is for 12 months, with the possibility of renewal based on funding availability and performance. The role may require approximately 20% travel. The salary and benefits are based on NRC’s International salary scale, specifically at grade 9, with a monthly salary of NOK 52,93

• NRC is committed to being an equal opportunities employer, promoting diversity without discrimination based on age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, or physical ability. The organization encourages innovative thinking and empowers employees at all levels to take responsibility and share ideas.