Overview
The Policy & Positioning Lead provides strategic support to strengthen and elevate Plan’s organisational voice through high-quality policy positioning, strategic communications, and compelling external products. It ensures Plan’s flagship initiatives, evidence, and impact are consistently articulated and communicated externally.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop unified, high-level positioning for Plan’s flagship initiatives and priority areas.
- Produce powerful and compelling narrative and statements on Plan’s impact and value proposition.
- Create polished packaging for business cases, proposals, and strategic briefs for external audiences.
- Coordinate leadership messaging for high-profile events, conferences, and strategic engagements.
- Source timely geopolitical and sector insights from technical experts.
- Translate complex programmatic evidence, data, and internal intelligence into clear narratives and policy-ready content.
- Compile problem/solution sets demonstrating how Plan adds value.
- Ensure coherence and consistency in messages shared across the organisation and externally.
- Lead, edit and coordinate the development of high-quality contextually attuned speeches for the CEO and senior executives.
- Develop op-eds, expert-driven arguments, and other written materials.
- Ensure external communications consistently integrate power-shifting narratives that centre youth perspectives.
- Work with communications colleagues to align speech opportunities with key external moments.
- Identify upcoming opportunities for message amplification across venues, events, and platforms.
- Develop targeted communications plans for major research releases, flagship initiatives, and sector interventions.
- Identify entry points for influence across thematic areas.
- Work across teams to harvest high-quality insights, analysis, and impact stories.
- Ensure external packs and messaging are accessible and usable by COs, ROs, and NOs.
- Support internal alignment between strategic communications and programmatic evidence.
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Required Experience
- Significant experience in strategic communications, policy positioning, and influencing in external forums with a focus on international development.
- Experience developing positioning plans linked to major initiatives, research releases, or organisational strategic priorities.
- Demonstrated ability to translate complex programmatic evidence, research, and internal analysis into clear, compelling narratives for external audiences.
- Proven experience drafting high‑quality speeches, op‑eds, policy briefs, and strategic positioning materials for senior leaders.
- Strong track record of working cross‑functionally with programme teams, communications functions, and senior leadership supporting organisational messaging.
- Experience working in a global, complex organizational environment, with a strong understanding of stakeholder management.
- Knowledge of geopolitical and sector trends, experience in strategic analysis and positioning against trends.
- Knowledge of and experience in the development and humanitarian sector, both the donor community and programming.
- Experience producing content tailored for donors, multilaterals, or sector‑wide engagement.
- Experience working with or within international NGOs, multilateral institutions, or global development organisations (desirable).
- Experience in global governance, advocacy, or external relations (desirable).
- Familiarity with thematic areas such as girls’ rights, education, health, or climate change (desirable).
- Understanding of feminist leadership principles and anti-racism approaches (desirable).
Qualifications
• Formal training or qualifications in communications, public policy, international relations, or related fields (desirable).
