Senior Specialist, Government Relations

Job Summary

The Specialist will be responsible for developing, leading, and implementing an advocacy strategy to advance a subset of agency priority advocacy activities related to U.S. foreign policy, global hunger, global health, emergency response, international assistance funding and finance, aid effectiveness and reform, climate change, and regional/country specific issues.  

The Specialist will advance CRS’ issues bilaterally in Congress and within the Executive Branch, while working with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church partners, coalitions, and peer organizations to ensure that USG policy and funding decisions promote a strong enabling environment for CRS programming, advance integral human development, and address root causes of social injustice.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead USG advocacy and outreach strategy on agency sectoral and regional priorities to promote policies that advance integral human development and support CRS programs and that address root causes of social injustice.
• Represent CRS at events and in meetings with congressional offices, relevant administration departments  agencies, and DC-based multilateral institutions, including in international fora.  
• Initiate and arrange administration and Congressional meetings for CRS board members, executives, and visiting CRS field staff and partners as part of advocacy strategy. 
• Plan and coordinate key communications to advocacy targets, including but not limited to, letters to Congress and federal agencies, talking points, and Congressional briefings and testimony.
• Develop resources, including policy briefs, fact sheets, talking points, toolkits, and other materials for dissemination to policy makers, the media, partner organizations, and other advocates as appropriate.
• Solicit, analyze, and synthesize CRS experience overseas as input to development of policy positions and evidence-based advocacy, alone or with Policy Team and/or other Global Programs staff. 
• Work with relevant CRS country programs, humanitarian response staff, and technical staff to develop USG advocacy objectives; ensure consistency in CRS’ U.S.-facing engagement on these objectives; and arrange opportunities for program staff to engage with US government officials.
• Organize multi-day advocacy tours for visiting high-level Church partners and humanitarian partners, to advance joint priorities. Strategically convene partners and U.S government officials; members of the diplomatic corps, leaders of the U.S. Church; and D.C.-based foreign policy experts. 
• Collaborate closely with counterparts at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to ensure policy and advocacy alignment, communicate full consistency with Catholic Church teaching, and produce joint USCCB/CRS resources as they relate to international assistance.
• Collaborate with D.C.-based coalition groups and coordinate efforts to further legislative, administration, and other priorities.
• Provide advice to CRS constituent engagement efforts as they intersect with key portfolio issues, as part of integrated advocacy strategy.
• Develop and facilitate advocacy presentations and trainings for CRS staff, constituents, and partners, including Catholic Social Ministry Gathering.
• Communicate timely updates to key agency stakeholders regarding U.S. policy developments and implications for CRS programming.
• Support team MEAL processes to assess advocacy efforts and support implementation of lessons learned.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.