Policy & Positioning Lead

About Plan International

Plan International is a global independent development and humanitarian organisation dedicated to advancing children's rights and promoting equality for girls. Focused on combating poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination that disproportionately affect girls, the organisation supports children's rights from birth through adulthood and empowers children to prepare for and respond to adversity. With over 85 years of experience working in more than 80 countries, Plan International leverages its knowledge and partnerships to transform children's lives worldwide.

Role Purpose

The Policy & Positioning Lead plays a strategic role in supporting the Executive Director of Global Affairs by enhancing Plan International's public profile through effective policy positioning, strategic communication, and high-quality external messaging. This role ensures that Plan's key initiatives, evidence, and impact are presented clearly and consistently to foster recognition, attract partnerships, and boost investments focused on girls' programs. It requires staying updated on sector developments, tailoring communications for diverse stakeholder groups including institutional partners, academics, governments, donors, and foundations, and converting complex internal analyses into compelling stories for speeches, proposals, opinion pieces, and other influential materials.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop cohesive, strategic positioning for flagship initiatives and priority focus areas.
• Create engaging narratives that articulate Plan's influence and unique value.
• Design polished packages for business cases and strategic briefs aimed at external audiences such as donors and partners.
• Coordinate leadership messaging for high-profile events and engagements, collaborating with internal technical experts.
• Gather timely geopolitical and sector insights to inform external engagement strategies.
• Translate complex evidence, data, and intelligence into accessible, policy-ready content demonstrating Plan’s transformational impact.
• Lead and edit speeches and op-eds for senior leaders, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and power-shifting narratives centered on youth perspectives.
• Collaborate with communications teams to maximize exposure at key external platforms and moments.
• Identify and plan targeted communications around major research publications and sector interventions.
• Engage cross-organisationally to integrate insights and maintain consistent messaging across country offices, regional hubs, and national entities.
• Manage multiple projects efficiently, adapting to evolving organisational priorities.

Required Skills and Experience

• Extensive background in strategic communications, policy positioning, and external stakeholder influence within international development contexts.
• Proven ability to devise positioning strategies linked to major initiatives and organisational priorities.
• Skilled in simplifying complex programmatic research and analysis into compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
• Experienced in drafting polished speeches, policy briefs, and strategic materials for senior leadership.
• Strong collaboration skills for cross-functional coordination involving communications, program teams, and executives.
• Familiarity with global, multifaceted organisations and expertise in stakeholder management.
• Insight into geopolitical and sector trends with capacity for strategic analysis to inform communications.
• Knowledge of donor communities, programming, and the humanitarian sector.
• Track record in preparing donor and multilateral tailored content such as investment cases and flagship initiative positioning.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience within international NGOs, multilateral organisations, or global development institutions.
• Background in global governance, advocacy, or external relations.
• Familiarity with thematic areas including girls’ rights, education, health, or climate change.
• Formal education or training in communications, public policy, international relations, or related disciplines.
• Understanding feminist leadership principles and anti-racism approaches.
• Language skills in French and/or Spanish.

Additional Information

This is a fixed-term two-year contract role ideally based in the USA or Plan International’s global hubs in the UK or Kenya, preferably where the applicant holds the right to work.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are foundational values, aiming for a workforce reflective of the communities served, offering equal opportunity regardless of personal characteristics. The organisation commits to a safe work environment adhering to safeguarding policies, including pre-employment checks and participation in misconduct disclosure schemes to protect children and young people.

Applicants acknowledge these recruitment protocols by applying.