Policy Counsel

Summary

Join the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) as a 12-month Policy Counsel to support systemic advocacy for forcibly displaced people. You will work with the Policy team to develop and implement advocacy strategies, build relationships with NGOs and community leaders, and provide thought leadership. The role involves international travel for research and relationship-building. A J.D. or LLM and at least two years of relevant experience are required. The position offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including fully paid family health insurance, retirement options, and generous PTO.

Requirements

• J.D. or LLM. required
• At least two years of experience working on forced displacement issues in the Western Hemisphere, including at least one year of experience working with forcibly displaced people outside of the United States and one year identifying systemic issues and potential policy solutions for humanitarian protection pathways for people in the Western Hemisphere
• Demonstrated ability to acquire and maintain a high level of subject matter expertise in relevant aspects of forced migration law and policy in the Americas and other regions, including but not limited to: domestic asylum systems, third-country resettlement programs, and other existing and future humanitarian pathways, such as parole, climate, and labor mobility, as well as issues for forcibly displaced people at or near international borders
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships and work collaboratively with a diverse set of regional partners, including government officials and stakeholders outside the United States
• Strong attention to detail, efficient and effective high-volume relationship management, meticulous note-taking, strong organizational skills, and strong ability to synthesize information and memorialize it in an accessible manner
• Possess strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Communicate expertise persuasively and diplomatically to a variety of audiences in English and Spanish
• The position may be located in NY, DC or Remote within the US
• This position requires the ability to travel to all IRAP U.S. offices and to Latin America and the Caribbean
• This position requires office availability consistent with IRAP hybrid work policy

Responsibilities

• Support IRAP’s policy work to defend, preserve, and improve protection pathways for forcibly displaced people in the Western Hemisphere and around the world
• Work with IRAP’s Policy team and with IRAP’s other departments to develop, implement, and continually iterate IRAP’s systemic advocacy strategies in response to developments in the Americas and elsewhere
• Develop and maintain working relationships with non-governmental organizations, community leaders, and other key contacts in the Western Hemisphere, especially outside the United States, to identify and address systemic issues, build coalitions, and develop and advocate for policy solutions
• Provide thought leadership and regular support to IRAP’s region- and pathway-based policy advocacy under U.S. administration transitions and new administrations, while policies are more in flux than usual
• Serve as primary point of contact on Policy’s behalf with IRAP’s regional formal and informal partners in the Americas for purposes of substantive policy work, inter-organizational coordination, and documentation purposes
• Travel internationally for in-person research, relationship-building, trainings, and other policy-related events
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Fully paid family health insurance
• Retirement options
• Extensive PTO (20 or more vacation days, 22 and more public/ org-wide holidays)
• Comprehensive leave time for sickness
• Disability and parenting (5 months of parental leave)
• Reimbursement for work-from-home equipment
• Generous opportunities for professional development
• $74,705 - $90,525 a year