Director of Policy and Advocacy

Director of Policy and Advocacy

Reporting to

CEO, National Youth Council of Ireland

Direct Reports

Policy and Campaigns Manager, Communications Manager, International Affairs Manager

Location

Our organization currently follows a hybrid work structure. Our base is at NYCI offices (3 Montague St, Dublin 2). The role will require the post holder to attend meetings in Dublin on a regular basis. The role will involve some travel, nationally and internationally.

Hours of Work

35 hours per week (some flexibility will be required to facilitate participation in meetings which occur in the evenings and on weekends).

Duration

This is a permanent post

Remuneration

Salary Band is €64,488 to €87,248 per annum

Additional Benefits

An 8% employers’ contribution to a company contributory pension scheme (subject to a 4% employee contribution)

Death in Service benefit of four times salary

Professional subscriptions (as applicable)

Travel (bike-to-work schemes/tax saver commuter tickets)

Annual Leave

27 days per annum.

Equal Opportunities

NYCI has an equal opportunities policy, which all employees and contractors are expected to develop an understanding of, with a commitment to equality of opportunities.

NYCI is committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment that values all identities, perspectives, and experiences, and provides opportunities for learning and growth. We especially welcome applications from people from all ethnic minority and migrant backgrounds, from women, nonbinary, LGBTQI+ and other working-class backgrounds, and people from other traditionally marginalised backgrounds.

Recognising the financial barriers that people on low incomes may face in attending in-person interviews, and the current challenges many are facing with the cost-of-living, NYCI offers to reimburse public transport costs within Ireland for candidates who attend in-person interviews, on production of

Notice Period

3 months.

Probation Period

6 months.

Application Process

Complete on-line application by 12 noon on Wednesday the 3rd of April 2024

Shortlisted candidates invited for interview will be informed week beginning the 8th of April 2024. Interviews are expected to be held on the week beginning the 15th of April 2024.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Actively collaborating with the other members of the senior management team (SMT) to ensure the delivery of the goals of NYCI’s Strategic Plan
• Work with SMT to develop, implement and review processes and structures to ensure effective oversight, monitoring and evaluation of NYCI’s Strategic Plan, and communicate these across the organisation
• As a member of the senior management team participate in the generation of new ideas and fresh approaches as to how the organisation works
• Provide strategic advice to the CEO, SMT and board, especially in respect of policy, advocacy and communications expertise
• Role modelling of NYCI values within and without the organisation

 

Management

• Managing the work of a department consisting of three teams – policy and advocacy, communications and international affairs – and setting ambitious and achievable objectives and goals with  teams and managers
• Working with managers to deliver and achieve effective operational plans and set objectives to support delivery of NYCI’s strategic plan
• Motivating direct reports, actively providing coaching, support, feedback and performance management and demonstrating good practice in this respect
• Fostering a culture of collaboration across teams and the wider organisation and identifying opportunities for cross-functional projects
• Managing, providing oversight and reporting, as needed, on cross-organisational projects and strategic initiatives
• Providing oversight of team budgets and taking responsibility for prudent management of available resources

 

Communicating and Influencing

• Providing guidance and oversight, as well as taking a hands-on role, in the delivery of an advocacy strategy that best utilises NYCI’s membership, its grassroots advocacy programme, relationships with Government, the Oireachtas, media and partners to mobilise solidarity and action on key issues affecting the youth work sector and young people
• Leading engagement with the Oireachtas and supporting and advising the CEO in engaging with Government departments and officials
• Credibly communicating NYCI’s policy positions and advocacy campaigns to diverse public, political, media, sectoral and internal audiences
• Representing NYCI on advisory groups and working groups to inform Government policy
• Leading the communications team to grow the profile of the youth work sector and NYCI and improve public and political understanding of youth work in Ireland
• Working with the Communications, International Affairs and Policy and Campaigns Managers, and across the organisation to ensure NYCI uses strategic opportunities to elevate the voices of young people and youth workers
• Ensuring NYCI’s CEO, Policy and Advocacy Committee and Board are well-briefed on emerging issues and supported in anticipating challenges
• Working with the International Affairs Manager to ensure youth participation informs national and European policy
• Ensuring teams work with agility so that NYCI is well-placed to take advantage of opportunities to influence change as they arise

 

Building evidence and expertise

• Creating an evidence base and leveraging the strengths of NYCI, to influence national, EU and international policy and to future-proof national policy

• Undertaking a programme of ongoing engagement with NYCI members to support the delivery of robust, evidence-informed and consensus-based positions on issues affecting the youth work sector and young people

• Ensure NYCI builds appropriate data collection and monitoring from various sources to understand key policy and legislative challenges facing young people and the youth sector, and inform policy and communications response
• Signalling relevant national and European policy developments and devising responses based on the ethos and strategic goals of the organisation
• Working with the Policy and Campaigns Manager to ensure delivery of high-quality policy and influencing materials
• Identifying the information and evidence needs of NYCI and youth work sector and leading the delivery of a focused research agenda to position NYCI as a credible leader, inform impactful campaigns and national strategy and deliver change for young people and the youth work sector
• Identifying and following through on strategic research partnerships and funding opportunities

 

Campaigning and engagement

 

• Leading the communications and policy/advocacy teams to deliver innovative traditional and digital campaigns to secure public and political support for investment in youth work and young people
• Establish and maintain monitoring and evaluation processes across campaigns
• Ensuring NYCI members are included in NYCI campaigns from an early stage and fostering a sense of unity on advocacy campaigns in support of the sector
• Mobilising NYCI members to take action locally and nationally in support of campaigns
• Building the breadth and impact of NYCI’s Local Champions programme, and reviewing evaluation and reporting mechanisms
• Identifying key strategic partnerships to deliver shared goals
• Deliver a programme of events to support member and youth participation in policy and campaign structures and ensure achievement of the “Vision for Youth Work”
• Working with SMT and the International Affairs Manager to maintain and grow links across Europe, through established structures and new initiatives

• Oversee the development of a new youth participation policy for the organisation, informed by young people, member organisations, SMT and supported by the International Affairs Manager and wider organisation.

 

This job description is not exhaustive. It may be amended to meet the changing requirements of NYCI and its funders.