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Chief of Staff/Senior Policy Advisor

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Job Location: 
Washington, DC

The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) is a global research institute which works to empower women, advance gender equality, and fight poverty in the developing world. ICRW works with partners to conduct empirical research, build capacity, and advocate for evidence-based practical solutions to change policies and programs.

ICRW is currently seeking a full-time Chief of Staff/Senior Policy Advisor to provide strategic support to the President while advancing institutional priorities. The incumbent’s responsibilities span management, policy analysis, external relations and communications. S/he coordinates activities assigned by the President with institutional departments and with external stakeholders as necessary. At the request of the President, the incumbent researches and synthesizes complex issues and performs and summarizes background research on key policy initiatives. S/he manages the President’s policy agenda, press, travel and public events schedule. S/he represents the President at meetings when required and appropriate. S/he will work in a collaborative relationship with the President, focused primarily on driving special initiatives and critical new donor introductions, writing speeches and presentations for external and internal audiences, shaping important ICRW decisions and core processes, and managing a network of key relationships with partner institutions and leaders in the field. S/he will participate in all institutional board meetings – for the global, Asia Regional Office and East Africa Regional Office boards – as well as coordinate outputs and related Board communications. In addition, s/he will supervise the OTP Administrative Assistant as well as the Special Assistant to the President/Policy Advocate.

The right candidate will have an advanced degree in a related field and a minimum of ten (10) years related experience to include managing staff, confidential and sensitive data and information, and internal and external communications. The incumbent should also have at least five (5) years of substantive policy experience along with strong communications experience. Experience with, or knowledge of, policy and research institutions and the women and girls space is required.

Primary Duties: 

Management Support

  • Manages the Administrative Assistant to the President, ensuring all travel, correspondence, calendar updates, appointments, etc. are properly managed and the Special Assistant to the President/Policy Advocate, ensuring that OTP relationships, research, communications and policy work is properly managed.
  • Maintains task lists and project workplans.
  • Directs institutional budgets.
  • Approve timesheets, budgets and expenditures of direct reports.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Policy Advisory Services

  • Scans policy issues pertaining to the women and girls space, advises the President on relevant issues in the global policy discourse and works with senior leadership to frame the policy agenda for ICRW.
  • Develops close working relationships with a wide range of constituencies, including policymakers, corporations, investors and national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
  • In conjunction with the President and the Senior Director of Strategic Communications, creates and leverages external communications opportunities to fulfill strategic policy goals.
  • Researches, writes, produces and disseminates a variety of written materials including reports, press releases and policy documents, as requested.

Managing External and Internal Networks, Speeches and Presentations

  • Actively contributes to the external outreach agenda for the President.
  • Works with Communications in positioning the President for conferences, meetings and other events.
  • Facilitates effective participation in external events (e.g., identifying networking opportunities, participating and managing follow-up whenever possible).
  • Attends meetings for the President; synthesizes, facilitates and implements outputs.
  • Helps to maintain coherence in internal communications, ensuring that external insights are incorporated into internal messaging across ICRW.

Donor Development and Special Projects/Initiatives

  • Helps the President to introduce ICRW to new donors (e.g., outreach to foundations, matching opportunities to internal colleagues, follow up) and special initiatives.
  • Contributes to shaping the scope and approach of engaging major donors and other partnership opportunities.
  • Provides analytical support and creates content for proposal development and for discussions of potential organizational opportunities.
Required Skills: 
  • Excellent analytical, written and spoken communication skills.
  • Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to interact with tact, comfort and diplomacy with a wide range of individuals, including ICRW Board members and partner organizations representing government, corporate and NGO sectors.
  • Excellent organizational skills with the ability to multi-task and manage multiple priorities. 
  • Ability to frame the development and implementation of the President’s policy advocacy strategy.
  • Entrepreneurial spirit to create opportunities within her or his broader responsibilities.
  • Must be resourceful with a demonstrated ability to solve problems and find and implement alternative solutions as needed, especially in dealing with dynamic projects. 
  • Must have a substantial network of policy contacts in the US, European and multilateral arenas.
How To Apply: 

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume, and salary history/requirements to jobs@icrw.org with “Chief of Staff” in the subject line. Due to the large volume of responses we receive, ICRW is not able to provide candidacy status on an individual basis. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. ICRW is an equal opportunity employer, M/F/D/V. Screening of applicants will continue until the position is filled.