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About the Role

The Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor will be responsible for delivering elements of Mercy Corps’ influence priorities on key humanitarian crises and themes with European policymakers, including UK and European governments and institutions. This role also involves working closely with country offices to develop and deliver influence at the country level.

Responsibilities

• Represent Mercy Corps with policymakers and influence key policies relating to humanitarian crises.
• Track key policy processes and build relationships with decision-makers.
• Meet bilaterally with key policymakers to provide expert briefings and deliver advocacy messages.
• Identify and attend priority contact groups and forums to deliver policy change.
• Develop and update talking points and briefings on key humanitarian crises.
• Represent Mercy Corps as a spokesperson and support other colleagues in representing the organization.
• Brief the Senior Director ahead of high-level meetings and the CEO ahead of IASC Principals meetings.
• Work closely with country offices and colleagues in other departments to influence European policymakers on issues and funding affecting priority contexts and country programmes.
• Develop long-term strategies for influencing key policy areas.
• Identify and develop opportunities for Mercy Corps to effect long-term influence and thought leadership on humanitarian crises.
• Lead or support strategic engagement at priority events and produce or promote research and analysis.
• Work with media, fundraising, IDE, Emergency Response and programmes colleagues to maximize the impact of policy and advocacy work.
• Support strategic engagement and profile raising in Brussels.
• Produce or commission reports, briefs and other materials, and host events to disseminate research, analysis and recommendations.
• Act as an internal and external expert on humanitarian issues to shape policy messages and strategies.
• Produce briefs, articles and other materials for private advocacy and media work.
• Work closely with key Mercy Corps programmes and country-level experts, and monitor external research and think pieces.

Requirements

• Minimum five years of policy or advocacy experience, including high level influencing and representation on technical issues.
• Experience of developing and delivering advocacy strategy is essential.
• Experience in the European context - particularly in the UK and Brussels is highly desirable.
• Understanding of technical and policy issues around responding to humanitarian crises, conflict or displacement is essential.
• Knowledge of, or experience living in, the Middle East or Africa is highly desirable.
• Knowledge related to humanitarian crises, cash-based responses, resilience, Sudan/Gaza/DRC, UK or European aid policy is highly desirable.
• Educated to degree level, or equivalent experience.
• Excellent communicator and networker, able to build strong contacts and relationships.
• Commitment to the sector and specific issues, and the work of Mercy Corps.
• Ability to understand and assimilate complex technical and policy issues and communicate them effectively.
• Self-starter with the ability to manage and deliver complex projects involving multiple partners to deadline.
• Ability to work independently to drive forward messages.
• Demonstrable research skills.
• Strong team worker.
• Ability to cope with changing priorities, often at short notice.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Proactive and solutions-based attitude.
• High levels of motivation, professionalism and resilience.
• Support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards.
• Actively engage communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of field projects.
• Conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times.
• Complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Skills

• Policy analysis
• Advocacy strategy development
• External representation
• Relationship building
• Briefing development
• Spokesperson capabilities
• Strategic planning
• Research and analysis
• Communication
• Networking
• Project management
• Teamwork
• Adaptability
• Problem-solving
• Professionalism
• Resilience

Location

• UK
• NL
• Belgium

Work Type

• Full-time
• Fixed-term

Experience Level

• Senior
• Minimum five years of policy or advocacy experience

Education Level

• Degree level or equivalent experience

Salary/Compensations

• UK: starting salary £53,360
• NL: starting salary €63,040
• Commensurate on professional experience

Benefits

• 5% of time dedicated to learning activities for personal and/or professional growth and development.

About the Company

• Mercy Corps is a leading global humanitarian and development organization working with communities on the frontlines of conflict and climate change.
• We partner locally and globally to help people cope in the midst of crisis, adapt to a changing world, and thrive into the future.
• In 2025, we reached more than 36 million people with urgent aid and long-term solutions.
• We know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong.
• We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
• The Global Policy and Advocacy (GPA) Team seeks change in the policies and practices of key global institutions and policy makers in support of Mercy Corps’ mission to build secure, productive and just communities.

Equal Opportunity

• Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.
• Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity.
• We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.
• We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times.
• Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
• As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).