Advocacy Coordinator At Jesuit Refugee Service

Organizational Context

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is a ministry of the Society of Jesus, incorporated as an international non-governmental organization with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate for the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. The organization as founded in November 1980 and now has a presence in over 50 countries. JRS undertakes services at national and regional levels with the support and guidance of an international office (IO) in Rome. JRS service is human and spiritual, working in situations of greatest need, seeking the long-term well-being of refugees and displaced people while not neglecting their immediate or urgent needs.

The main services provided are in the field of education, emergency assistance, psychosocial support and livelihood activities. Currently, more than 724,000 individuals are direct beneficiaries of JRS projects.

Operational Context/Role

The Advocacy Coordinator leads the JRS South Africa, advocating on behalf of refugees, asylum seekers, the poor, and the marginalized with governmental public institutions to ensure access to social services such as education, health, and livelihood opportunities. The person raises awareness about the situation of refugees, migrants, the poor, and the marginalized in the country, to promote activism among the JRS target audience, giving a voice to refugees, migrants, and the homeless, and promoting awareness of key migration-related issues.

Key Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities with JRS will be:

1. Overall coordination and management of Advocacy Strategy

• Responsible for coordination and development of JRS advocacy strategy and message on refugee policy
• Supporting and advancing JRS’ policy objectives, including the implementation of the strategic advocacy plan, and crafting and disseminating policy-driven messages and briefings

2. Direct Advocacy work on behalf of refugees and migrants

• Advocating for the removal of any discriminatory directives or practices that impede access to asylum seekers’ and refugees’ rights, including the rights to work and livelihoods, education, and health, including the protection of children
• Addressing discrimination and hostilities in the workplace towards refugees and other non-nationals.
• Influencing national, provincial, and local policy outcomes while coordinating stakeholder cultivation, outreach, and engagement

3. Providing face-to-face counseling and advice to refugees and asylum-seekers

• Advising and, where necessary, providing assistance in securing proper documentation for project beneficiaries
• Developing and maintaining a systematic information gathering and dissemination methodology so that
• JRS staff and strategic partners have access to timely information regarding the latest legislative, policy and regulatory developments
• Working in close collaboration with, and making referrals, to Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), Section 27 and other organizations which assist refugees.

4. Networking

• Using JRS membership on advocacy forums, such as CoRMSA, the Jesuit Institute, the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office, the Southern African Catholic Bishops Working Group on Migrants and Refugees, and the Protection Working Group, and contacts in relevant government departments to advocate for refugees’ rights, including the rights to work, livelihoods, health education and to address the specific protection needs of refugee women and children
• Organising support for JRS’ national advocacy agenda from JRS’ advocacy network in the International Office
• Coordinating the national advocacy network and facilitating fluent communication of refugee protection concerns to UNHCR and other bodies in Geneva through the JRS Representative there.

5. Education and Information

• Keeping up to date with current developments with regards to Refugee and Immigration law and policies and their impact on the lives of refugees and migrants
• Providing support and follow up to JRS’ departments regarding their advocacy so that all departments have one voice and vision on issues
• Linking in an effective way the national advocacy plans with positions taken by the JRS international advocacy network
• Coordinating and facilitating the drafting of policy positions on refugee-related matters
• Informing and advising the Country Director about analyses of policy issues and protection concerns affecting refugees and displaced people, with a special focus on crisis zones and on children.
• Assisting the Country Director in drafting materials for talks and articles
• Developing and editing materials for JRS publications on advocacy
• Working together with the Country Director in JRS’ use of wide-audience mass media in order to defend the rights of forcibly displaced people along the lines decided in the regional advocacy plans
• Processing support requests for research projects in JRS and the JI
• Assisting in establishing research agreements with universities and other centres in response to the needs formulated by the region

Supervision and Accountability

The advocacy Coordinator will be directly accountable to the JRS Country Director. Once a quarter (once a month to begin with) there will be a meeting with the JRS Country Director to assess progress and make adjustments if necessary.

Placement Location:

The places of work will be:

• In the Johannesburg and Pretoria offices of JRS

Travel: There is a limited budget for travel.

He/she will also be provided with a laptop, a cell phone and Internet access while at work in the offices. Data usage outside of the office will be negotiated as necessary.

Key performance Indicators

• On target performance of the advocacy area in line with project objectives, budgets, funder requirements and including timely reporting to JRS and the funders.
• Effective allotment resources
• Timely and effective monthly, quarterly and annual internal reporting
• Effective and responsive communication/ networking with relevant stakeholders.
• Proper recording of cases and satisfactory data capturing and reporting
• Effective contribution on policy governing people of concern and the development, where applicable, of necessary draft pieces of legislation in accordance with local laws and requirements
• Up to standard press releases and reflections

Qualification and Experience

• University degree in law or humanitarian aid policy, with a solid background in humanitarian law, refugee law, and human rights law
• Demonstrated in-depth understanding of South Africa refugee laws and policies
• Field experience with an in-depth understanding of the conditions of forcibly displaced persons
• Experience in advocacy related to humanitarian or human rights issues preferably at national, provincial, and local government level
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong writing and reporting skills
• Work experience in a multi-cultural environment

Languages: English and at least one additional language such as French or Lingala.

Core values

• Commitment to JRS mission, vision and values, and the ability to convey with enthusiasm JRS’ role in accompanying and serving forcibly displaced people and in advocating for their right to protection and a life in dignity;
• High integrity, honesty and confidentiality; ability to deal tactfully and discreetly with situations, people and information;
• Acceptance of diversity and inclusion as a core value.
• Willingness to work in flexible, sub-optimal, stressful and unstable environment.
• Good understanding of, and compatibility with, the values of JRS
• Compassion for refugees and displaced people, a motivation to serve and accompany, and (desirable) experience of working in the context of forced migration.
• A capacity to adapt to basic living and working conditions particularly to operate in a sub optimal working environment subject to power cuts / intermittent electricity.

Conditions

• Contract is for 1 year renewable (depending on funding) with an initial probation of 3 months.
• JRS remuneration policy is in keeping with JRS ethos to offer effective and professional service and at the same time express solidarity with the people served. The salary scale is calculated with the use of a Post Adjustment Multiplier and takes into account years of relevant experience and degree of responsibility of the role.