Deputy Project Coordinator - Policy and Advocacy (PlayMatters) job at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

About PlayMatters 3.0

The Play Matters - Sparking Lifelong Learning through Play is a multi-country initiative that aims to improve holistic learning and wellbeing outcomes for children affected by crisis and displacement in East Africa. Since 2020, PlayMatters has partnered with the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), district local governments, development partners, and education stakeholders to advance the integration of Learning through Play (LtP) approaches within Uganda’s education system. During PlayMatters 2.0, the programme established, tested, and adapted LtP delivery models in education-in-emergencies and refugee contexts while supporting the integration of LtP into teacher professional development, school improvement processes, and policy guidance. Building on these achievements, PlayMatters 3.0 focuses on institutionalizing LtP as an effective, competency-based teaching and learning approach within education systems. The project aims to strengthen system ownership, establish multiple pathways for scale, and ensure continuity of quality learning during crises., PlayMatters 3.0 working closely with government and national partners will expand and sustain LtP implementation across refugee-hosting districts, including Adjumani, Isingiro, Kiryandongo, Madi Okollo, Obongi, Terego, and Yumbe, while supporting national systems strengthening, policy integration, and scaling efforts with potential for nationwide adoption. The project is implemented in a consortium partnership with War Child Holland, Plan International and LEGO Foundation . More information on PlayMatters can be found here: https://www.playmatters.org

Position Summary:

The Deputy Coordinator – Policy and Advocacy will provide strategic and operational leadership for PlayMatters 3.0's policy influence, systems strengthening, stakeholder engagement, and scaling agenda. The position will lead the coordination and implementation of activities aimed at institutionalizing LtP within national and sub-national education systems while strengthening government ownership and sustainable pathways for scale.

The role will coordinate policy stakeholder engagements and influencing efforts while ensuring alignment with project objectives, donor requirements, and government priorities. S/he will ensure that project evidence, learning, and innovations inform education policy, teacher development systems, education sector reforms, and crisis-responsive education programming. Working closely with, consortium partners, government stakeholders, and technical teams, the

The Deputy Coordinator shall work closely with and ensure collaboration with other workstreams including technical, research, MEAL, communications, grants, and operations for effective implementation of policy and system strengthening activities and for the attainment of set policy and system influencing goals

Key Responsibilities

Policy Leadership and Coordination

• Lead implementation and periodic review of PlayMatters 3.0 policy influence and systems‑strengthening plans.
• Coordinate policy commitments across consortium and national partners.
• Embed policy priorities in annual workplans, budgets, learning agendas, risk registers, and performance systems.
• Monitor and share regular updates of emerging policy reforms and sector priorities.
• Enable adaptive management by identifying opportunities, risks, and strategic priorities.
• Develop annual policy influence and systems engagement plans aligned to project workplans and learning agendas.

Policy Influence and Systems Strengthening

• Institutionalize LtP in teacher development systems, policy frameworks, standards, curricula, and emergency guidance.
• Produce policy recommendations, position papers, technical guidance, and strategic documents based on project evidence.
• Support government adoption, ownership, and scaling of project innovations.
• Analyse policy developments and advise project leadership on implications and opportunities.

Government Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

• Maintain an up‑to‑date stakeholder map and influence framework (actors, incentives, decision pathways, engagement strategies).
• Cultivate high‑level and operational relationships with Ministries of Education, district/local governments, teacher education institutions, development partners, and coordination platforms.
• Facilitate government ownership in planning, implementation, learning, and scale‑up.
• Integrate PlayMatters tools, evidence, and recommendations into government systems and processes.
• Represent the project in technical working groups, sector reviews, curriculum reforms, and policy consultations.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement plans and sustainable pathways for government‑led continuation beyond project funding.

Policy Evidence, Learning and Advocacy

• Translate research, MEAL findings, and implementation learning into policy products and advocacy messages.
• Develop and disseminate policy briefs, technical notes, position papers, presentations, talking points, and advocacy materials.
• Ensure timely evidence sharing via forums, conferences, policy dialogues, and technical groups.
• Lead policy events including dialogues, workshops, dissemination meetings, and consultations.
• Work with Research and MEAL to fill evidence gaps and generate products that support influence objectives.
• Document quarterly briefs on systems change, policy influence outcomes, and scale achievements.

Capacity Strengthening and sharing

• Coordinate consortium and national partner inputs to policy, advocacy, and systems‑strengthening activities.
• Align partner workplans and deliverables with agreed policy influence priorities.
• Facilitate joint planning, reporting, learning, and accountability with system actors.
• Build capacity of partners in policy engagement, systems thinking, stakeholder management, and advocacy.
• Develop policy tools, guidance, and training to help partners and government use evidence for decision‑making.
• Build alliances with government agencies, teacher training institutions, civil society, development partners, and academia to advance LtP
• Facilitate collective advocacy, learning exchanges, communities of practice, and policy dialogues.

Policy engagement Monitoring

• Track progress against policy influence and systems‑strengthening indicators; maintain engagement and influence trackers.
• Formulate policy positions and recommendations based on research and evidence analysis
• Prepare reports, strategic briefs, and updates for project leadership, donors, and government.
• Monitor implementation quality and delivery of policy and advocacy milestones.
• Document stakeholder engagements, commitments, and policy change outcomes to inform adaptive management and donor reporting.
• Document policy debates, changes in policies, and shifts in policy strategies and ensure relevant information is built into action plans and disseminated to project staff in a timely manner

Qualifications and Preferred Experience

• MA degree from an accredited university in education, international development, social sciences, or related field;
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in policy engagement, advocacy, education sector reform, systems strengthening, or public sector engagement.
• Demonstrated experience working with government ministries, education institutions, development partners, and policy-making processes.
• Strong understanding of education policy, teacher development systems, education-in-emergencies, and competency-based learning reforms.
• Experience translating research and evidence into policy and programme influence.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to develop policy products, advocacy strategies, and influence plans.
• Experience working in complex, multi-stakeholder programmes and consortium environments is highly desirable.
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances.

• Lead implementation and periodic review of PlayMatters 3.0 policy influence and systems‑strengthening plans.
• Coordinate policy commitments across consortium and national partners.
• Embed policy priorities in annual workplans, budgets, learning agendas, risk registers, and performance systems.
• Monitor and share regular updates of emerging policy reforms and sector priorities.
• Enable adaptive management by identifying opportunities, risks, and strategic priorities.
• Develop annual policy influence and systems engagement plans aligned to project workplans and learning agendas.
• Institutionalize LtP in teacher development systems, policy frameworks, standards, curricula, and emergency guidance.
• Produce policy recommendations, position papers, technical guidance, and strategic documents based on project evidence.
• Support government adoption, ownership, and scaling of project innovations.
• Analyse policy developments and advise project leadership on implications and opportunities.
• Maintain an up‑to‑date stakeholder map and influence framework (actors, incentives, decision pathways, engagement strategies).
• Cultivate high‑level and operational relationships with Ministries of Education, district/local governments, teacher education institutions, development partners, and coordination platforms.
• Facilitate government ownership in planning, implementation, learning, and scale‑up.
• Integrate PlayMatters tools, evidence, and recommendations into government systems and processes.
• Represent the project in technical working groups, sector reviews, curriculum reforms, and policy consultations.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement plans and sustainable pathways for government‑led continuation beyond project funding.
• Translate research, MEAL findings, and implementation learning into policy products and advocacy messages.
• Develop and disseminate policy briefs, technical notes, position papers, presentations, talking points, and advocacy materials.
• Ensure timely evidence sharing via forums, conferences, policy dialogues, and technical groups.
• Lead policy events including dialogues, workshops, dissemination meetings, and consultations.
• Work with Research and MEAL to fill evidence gaps and generate products that support influence objectives.
• Document quarterly briefs on systems change, policy influence outcomes, and scale achievements.
• Coordinate consortium and national partner inputs to policy, advocacy, and systems‑strengthening activities.
• Align partner workplans and deliverables with agreed policy influence priorities.
• Facilitate joint planning, reporting, learning, and accountability with system actors.
• Build capacity of partners in policy engagement, systems thinking, stakeholder management, and advocacy.
• Develop policy tools, guidance, and training to help partners and government use evidence for decision‑making.
• Build alliances with government agencies, teacher training institutions, civil society, development partners, and academia to advance LtP
• Facilitate collective advocacy, learning exchanges, communities of practice, and policy dialogues.
• Track progress against policy influence and systems‑strengthening indicators; maintain engagement and influence trackers.
• Formulate policy positions and recommendations based on research and evidence analysis
• Prepare reports, strategic briefs, and updates for project leadership, donors, and government.
• Monitor implementation quality and delivery of policy and advocacy milestones.
• Document stakeholder engagements, commitments, and policy change outcomes to inform adaptive management and donor reporting.
• Document policy debates, changes in policies, and shifts in policy strategies and ensure relevant information is built into action plans and disseminated to project staff in a timely manner

• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to develop policy products, advocacy strategies, and influence plans.
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.

• MA degree from an accredited university in education, international development, social sciences, or related field;
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in policy engagement, advocacy, education sector reform, systems strengthening, or public sector engagement.
• Demonstrated experience working with government ministries, education institutions, development partners, and policy-making processes.
• Strong understanding of education policy, teacher development systems, education-in-emergencies, and competency-based learning reforms.
• Experience translating research and evidence into policy and programme influence.
• Experience working in complex, multi-stakeholder programmes and consortium environments is highly desirable.