Director of Global Affairs at Plan International

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Strategic Leadership & Influence
• Lead Plan International’s global influencing strategy, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and external trends.
• Advise senior leadership on political, reputational, and advocacy matters, shaping coherent, values-based positioning on global issues.
• Develop and implement stakeholder engagement strategies with donors, private sector, and thought leaders.
• Oversee integrated global public affairs strategy, ensuring brand and narrative support fundraising, partnerships, and digital engagement.
• Manage a lean, high-impact function with strategic budget oversight.
• Advocacy & Global Representation
• Lead global advocacy priorities and coordinate influence across multilateral platforms and inter-agency spaces.
• Represent Plan or support senior leaders at key global fora (e.g. UNGA), ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
• Oversee Liaison Offices and build strategic partnerships with governments, multilateral bodies, civil society, and the private sector.
• Champion localisation and youth engagement to amplify authentic voices and drive equitable advocacy.
• Communications & Brand
• Lead global communications strategy to ensure coherence, agility, and measurable impact across internal and external channels.
• Safeguard Plan’s brand and reputation through strategic oversight of crisis communications and risk management.
• Integrate communications to build transparency, trust, and engagement across the organisation.
• Leadership & Collaboration
• Lead and develop a high-performing, multi-skilled team across geographies.
• Foster strong collaboration across National Organisations, Country Offices, and Regional Hubs to ensure shared ownership of advocacy and communications priorities.
• Risk & Accountability
• Anticipate and manage reputational risks, ensuring effective crisis response and safeguarding organisational trust.
• Ensure all advocacy and communications activities align with organisational policies, values, and ethical standards.
• Manage budgets and resources transparently and efficiently.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Internal: CEO, Leadership Team, National Directors, Regional Directors, Chief of Staff, Chief Operating Officer (advocacy and stakeholder coordination), Chief Impact Officer (campaigns), Chief Transformation & Information Officer (data and impact evidence).
• External: UN agencies, multilateral institutions, governments, INGOs, media, influential policy makers, partners, and advocacy coalitions.

EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Senior leadership experience in global advocacy or public affairs within an international organisation.
• Extensive experience influencing at senior levels in the UN, intergovernmental bodies, and international policy spaces.
• Proven ability to lead global communications and brand strategies that support organisational positioning, reputation, and fundraising.
• Strong understanding of humanitarian advocacy and communications, particularly in fast-moving or crisis contexts.
• Demonstrated success advising senior leadership on political, reputational, and strategic issues in complex global environments.
• Expertise in crisis communications, risk management, and reputational safeguarding, including proactive scenario planning.
• Track record of leading cross-functional transformation, delivering measurable impact through lean, multi-skilled teams.
• Experience managing diverse, multi-location teams and budgets, with strategic resource allocation and operational efficiency.
• Knowledge of international development, humanitarian child rights, and gender equality, with a commitment to localisation and equity.
• Understanding of donor engagement and private sector partnerships as they relate to advocacy, influence, and communications.
• Excellent communicator, politically astute, with sound judgement and the ability to distil complex issues into compelling narratives; multilingual skills (especially French and/or Spanish) are an asset.