Senior Policy Counsel
International Refugee Assistance Project
Legal
New York, NY, USA
Posted on Jan 14, 2025
The Senior Policy Counsel will support IRAP’s systemic advocacy efforts to defend, preserve, and improve protection pathways for forcibly displaced people around the world.
The Senior Policy Counsel reports to the Deputy Director of Policy.
Responsibilties
- Lead portions of IRAP’s strategic planning for policy advocacy and substantive policy work to defend, preserve, and improve protection pathways for forcibly displaced people globally.
- Support IRAP cross-departmental efforts to analyze and strategize around rapid legal and policy changes on immigration and refugee matters.
- Represent IRAP in internal and external policy and advocacy spaces as appropriate.
- Develop, maintain, and leverage working relationships with key governmental and private actors to identify and address systemic issues, build coalitions, and develop and advocate for policy solutions.
- Lead Congressional advocacy on specific cases and thematic areas, including developing relationships and strategy to advance policy agenda in a generally hostile environment.
- Lead regulatory advocacy, including through rulemaking and other levers.
- Lead FOIA advocacy in concert with IRAP’s Litigation Department on certain issue areas as relevant.
- Lead narrative change advocacy and public campaigns as appropriate, including working with IRAP’s Communications Department and grassroots campaign platforms. Lead research and reporting on lawful pathways in support of policy advocacy, litigation, and narrative change.
- Lead written submissions to UN and international human rights bodies as appropriate. Support IRAP’s state and local policy advocacy as appropriate, including by identifying opportunities to challenge rights violations and by protecting resettled or relocated people through state and local law and policy.
- Support coordination and needs at the intersection of IRAP’s Policy and Communications Departments.
- Provide thought leadership and regular support to IRAP’s region- and pathway-based policy advocacy.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Demonstrated ability to acquire and maintain a high level of subject matter expertise in relevant aspects of forced migration law and policy, including but not limited to: domestic asylum systems, third-country resettlement programs, immigrant and non-immigrant visas, and other humanitarian pathways, as well as issues for forcibly displaced people at or near international borders.
- Demonstrated ability to make strategic decisions in a hostile political environment to preserve and advance key policy objectives.
- Demonstrated ability to take initiative to identify gaps in policy advocacy, opportunities to advance policy agenda including in hostile environments, and to develop unconventional coalition partners while maintaining core values.
- Demonstrated ability to design and execute in administrative law and regulatory advocacy.
- Demonstrated ability to design and lead Congressional advocacy, including mapping key actors; understanding and activating levers of oversight, appropriations, and legislation; and tools to mitigate harmful bills.
- Demonstrated history of effective partnerships with litigators, direct legal service providers, communications teams, and other policy advocates.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders.
- Strong attention to detail, efficient and effective high-volume relationship management, persuasive writing skills, strong organizational skills, and excellent ability to synthesize information in an accessible manner.
- Possess strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills. Communicate expertise and values effectively to a variety of audiences.
Education
J.D. or LLM required.
Experience
At least eight years of immigration-related experience and at least four years of policy advocacy.
Values, Competencies, Skills
Job-related Requirements
- 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.
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
IRAP’s benefits vary across office locations, and IRAP seeks to offer equitable and generous benefits to all employees.
Reasonable Accommodation
IRAP is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, IRAP will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please refer to your request in the cover letter.
IRAP is an equal-opportunity employer; people of color and individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. IRAP does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, citizenship status, ethnic background, religion, political orientation, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class. We consider all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of all local, state, and federal laws related to the Fair Chance Act.