Policy Advocacy and Communications Coordinator

Innovative Human Rights NGO Seeks

Policy Advocacy and Communications Coordinator in Bangkok

About Asylum Access

Asylum Access believes it’s time to put power back in the hands of people who have been forcibly displaced from their home countries.

Our unique combination of legal empowerment, policy advocacy and global systems change creates conditions in which refugees can live safely, move freely, work legally and go to school. By supporting refugees as they assert their rights, we help restore their power and agency. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that honors refugees’ freedom, dignity and autonomy, and empowers them to make choices about their own lives.

Asylum Access’ global team and family of local civil society organizations advocate to make human rights a reality for refugees throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our national organizations are led and staffed primarily by community members in those countries, and there is strong mutual trust and respect between us and our clients. On the international stage, we work with established institutions to shift the global system to better uphold and promote refugees’ human rights. We can help catalyze and lead systemic transformation because, uniquely among NGOs in the refugee response sector, we focus exclusively on rights and governance.

Founded in 2007, Asylum Access Thailand (AAT) is a non-governmental organization and forms part of the Asylum Access family. We work to make human rights a reality for refugees and continue to strengthen access to existing protection mechanisms through direct legal assistance, information dissemination and community legal empowerment programs for our refugee clients. We believe all refugees deserve a fair chance at a new life. Since most refugees cannot go home and very few are resettled, we find ways to help refugees live safely, move freely, work and attend school while they are in Thailand because when refugees can begin rebuilding their lives, communities thrive.

Department Description

The Policy Advocacy and Communication team works to promote the rights of urban refugees’ rights. On the one hand, we engage various stakeholders both at the domestic and international levels to ensure that the Thai government respects and uphold the human rights of the refugees. On the other hand, we try to raise awareness to the public, particularly in Thailand which is the host country for those refugees. AAT also provides relevant information and raises awareness and understanding on the domestic and international legal framework for refugee communities in Thailand.

The Policy Advocacy and Communication team works alongside other human rights organisations and groups to advocate for changes to Thai law that will restore the safety and dignity of refugees in the country. We are pushing for a Thailand in which all refugees can feel safe and rebuild their lives.

Position Description

The Policy Advocacy and Communications Coordinator is a full-time position that works closely with and reports directly to the AAT Executive Director to ensure the ultimate success of Asylum Access’ mission and vision. This includes responsibility to work with the Executive Director in:

• Ensuring that AAT achieves Asylum Access’ mission in Thailand – to make human rights a reality in refugees’ daily lives, with the ultimate goal of empowering refugees to rebuild their lives in Thailand;
• Promotion of AAT by actively building the positive reputation of the organization to achieve organizational goals
• Complying with all Asylum Access global requirements, including alignment of AAT’s policy advocacy and communication strategy and initiatives with the global ones

Key Responsibilities

General Policy advocacy_: (35%)_

• Cultivate and maintain relationships that are important to AAT and Asylum Access, including relationships with the Thai government, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), UNHCR and other UN bodies both locally and internationally, NGOs, networks and coalitions of NGOs, and donor governments, among others.
• Engage the Thai government in a way that leads to actual change within a measurable time horizon.
• Identify and assess a variety of ways to achieve changes in legislation, policy, and practice.
• Assist the Executive Director in the development and implementation of AAT policy advocacy strategy
• Participate in local and regional networks meetings to ensure the strengthening of AAT Policy Advocacy Plan
• Assist in the update and monitoring of the annual plan of AAT and up to date policy advocacy database
• Undertake other responsibilities related to policy advocacy as assigned by the Executive Director

Specific Policy Advocacy: (45%)

• Identify, in conjunction with the Executive Director priorities for policy advocacy

• Oversee implementation of policy advocacy plan

• Draft, review and edit reports, submissions, recommendations, op-eds, articles and other documents related to policy advocacy

• Collaborate with the Executive Director to represent AAT in meetings with partners, such as UNHCR, NGOs, and other civil society actors

• Organize and conduct training sessions with Thai civil society advocates, government officers and other stakeholders about refugee rights

• Brief AAT team on policy developments and legislative amendments

• Manage and oversight AAT relationship with the Coalition for the Right of Refugee and Stateless persons(CRSP) and the Myanmar Response Network (MRN)

• Follow up, analyze and report regularly on the situation on Alternative to Detention and National Screening Mechanism and others emerging and relevant law and  policy

Communications (20%)

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and supervise Communication Officer to:

• Develop and Implement AAT communications plan

• Draft AAT internal updates, newsletters and other information materials for internal records to ensure compliance with organizational monitoring and evaluation standards and for sharing with funders, partners and the public

• Liaise with HQ communications team to provide information about AAT’s work

• Foster relationships with the social media including journalists

• Maintain AAT’s social media accounts

• Oversee the collection and storage of information about our work in the form of success stories, photos, quotes by clients, partners and other stakeholders for use in AAT advocacy work, reporting and general communication

• Develop communications messages and activities for Asylum Access Thailand, ensuring its message is consistent and engaging. This includes devising communications strategies, creating content, briefing media and organising events.

• Manage AAT’s Website, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms admin pages, as well as providing assistance to CRSP and MRN in relation to their media platforms.

• Write blogs, fact sheets, and other materials amplifying the experiences of refugees and human rights advocates to global and Thai audiences.

• Undertake other responsibilities related to communications as assigned by the Executive Director

Required qualifications

• Bachelor degree in law, human rights, social development, public policy, international studie, public relations, communications or other related fields;
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in policy advocacy work;
• Fluent in written and spoken Thai and English;
• Demonstrated experience in developing communication materials;
• Demonstrated experience in using social media to promote human rights;
• Thorough knowledge of the context of refugees in Thailand, including both national and international legal frameworks;
• Proven knowledge of refugee rights and knowledge of policy issues related to migration;
• Good understanding of the working of Thailand government institutes and current political climate.  Knowledge of, and experience on regional and international human rights mechanism is a plus;
• Proven ability to take initiative and ownership of projects, manage multiple deadlines, and work effectively with a high attention to detail;
• A positive and outgoing attitude with ability to work well in a diverse and multicultural office;
• Demonstrated ability to create policy recommendations and reports;
• Availability to travel, to work to tight deadlines, and participate meetings on weekend or after working time;
• Good working knowledge of Gmail, Google Drive, MS Office and related tools.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Comfortable taking initiative; proven ability to take a project from idea to implementation
• Experience with analytics;
• Communication skills. Able to communicate clearly and persuasively with others
• Decision-making skills. Able to assess different options and choose the best course of action, often daily.
• Leadership skills. Able to coordinate policies, people, and resources.
• Management skills. Able to shape and direct the operations of the organization. For example, they must manage business plans, employees, and budgets.
• Event management skills.
• Problem-solving skills. Able to identify and resolve issues within an organization.  Recognize shortcomings and effectively carry out solutions.
• Time-management skills. Able to work with multi-tasks independently.  Ensure that   work gets done and that it meets the goals.
• Comfortable working in multicultural environments
• Experience working with vulnerable populations, sensitive to their needs and associated  risks;
• Attention to detail and willingness to learn new skills;

Hours and Location of Work

The Policy Advocacy and Communications Coordinator is a full-time position based in our offices in Bangkok, Thailand. Candidates should be aware that some flexibility regarding working hours is required in order to take out of hours calls and meetings with international colleagues.

Salary and Benefits

Position comes with a competitive nonprofit salary, and a robust benefits package including paid time off and professional development funds. The monthly salary range is THB 45000 - THB 50,000.

Instructions to Apply

Please send a motivation letter, resume, and portfolios at our BambooHR portal. In your letter, please describe your reasons for applying, relevant qualifications, and how this position with AAT fits into your career plans. Also, please state the dates you can be expected to be available.

Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Keywords

Policy AdvocacyCommunications CoordinatorHuman RightsNGOBangkokLegal EmpowermentRefugeesAdvocacyCommunicationsThai governmentUNHCRASEANNGOsPolicy Advocacy PlanCommunication OfficerSocial MediaRefugee RightsMigrationGmailGoogle DriveMS OfficeAnalyticsEvent ManagementLeadershipManagementProblem-solvingTime-managementMulticultural EnvironmentsVulnerable PopulationsAttention to Detail