Background: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration, working closely with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners. Established in 1951, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. The Islamic Philanthropy Fund (IPF), launched by IOM in February 2025 in Riyadh under the supervision of Private Sector Partnerships Division at the HQ, IPF aims to harness the power of Islamic charitable giving to support some of the world's most vulnerable migrant and displaced populations. This initiative aligns with Shariah principles and seeks to provide a sustainable source of income to ensure the safety and dignity of those affected by crises.
The Private Sector Partnerships Division (PSP) sits within the Office of Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications under the overall oversight of the Director General. PSP builds partnerships with the private sector that enable IOM's strategic priorities and engage the private sector as a key stakeholder in migration through impactful and innovative partnerships. PSP leads strategic outreach and engagement with the private sector and Islamic Philanthropy Fund and provides Headquarters, Regional and Country Offices with assistance and expertise relating to initiating, establishing, and maintaining partnerships with the private sector and IPF. PSP is responsible for the development and implementation of IOM’s Private Sector and IPF Strategy which provides a framework for how IOM engages with the private sector and IPF partners to support safe, orderly, and regular migration. PSP oversees engagement with the private sector and IPF, establishes and coordinates IOM’s private sector and IPF partnerships due diligence process, builds staff capacity in private sector and IPF partnership-building and oversees the Goodwill Ambassador programme and celebrity partnerships.
IOM has had a presence in the United Kingdom since 1995. The UK office supports migrants through a variety of resettlement, support, and protection activities. The relationship between IOM and the UK has grown significantly, with the UK being one of IOM's largest donors and an influential Member State. IOM UK collaborates with the government and other partners to provide emergency response, resettlement assistance, and durable solutions for displaced populations.
Objective: Under the overall guidance of the Chief of Mission in the UK and with technical coordination from the Private Sector Partnerships Division to ensure alignment with IOM's overall strategic goals and objectives for the IPF, the incumbent will lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive Islamic Philanthropy strategy in the UK. This role will focus on mobilizing resources through Zakat, Sadaqah, and other Islamic charitable giving mechanisms by engaging international charities, financial institutions, foundations, corporations, high-net-worth individuals, and relevant stakeholders within the UK.
Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
Scope of Work:
- Strategic Planning and Landscape Mapping
- Develop a comprehensive strategy for the growth and sustainability of the Islamic Philanthropy Fund (IPF) in the UK.
- Map out the IPF landscape in the UK, including how UK-based Islamic charities and grantees operate, and identify the specific regulatory frameworks applicable to them.
- Assess the size and volume of funds mobilized by Islamic charities, with a particular focus on Zakat and Sadaqah donations.
- Utilize existing research to map Muslim communities involved in alms-giving, detailing their size, geographic distribution (including parliamentary constituencies), socio-economic profiles, and key entry points such as diaspora organizations.
- Establish a detailed IPF profile for the UK, based on these assessments, and provide recommendations on potential partnerships for initiatives of mutual interest.
- Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Development
- Identify and engage with key stakeholders, including Islamic organizations, community leaders, private sector entities, high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), Islamic finance and banking stakeholders, Muslim social media influencers and key Islamic institutions responsible for issuing Fatwas.
- Develop products, tools, engagement plan to successfully establish partnerships with these Islamic institutions and other key actors.
- Organize and facilitate meetings, workshops, and events to promote the IPF and foster collaboration.
- Map Islamic charities that deliver international assistance and identify areas of joint interest with IOM.
- Fundraising and Resource Mobilization
- Design and implement targeted fundraising campaigns based on the mapped landscape and stakeholder insights.
- Develop proposals and grant applications to secure both financial and in-kind support.
- Secure 2-5 strategic partnerships to mobilize resources with support from the mission and Private Sector Division.
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
- Establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the IPF’s impact.
- Prepare regular progress reports, including comprehensive monitoring and evaluation outputs, with actionable recommendations for continuous improvement.
- Ensure compliance with IOM policies and maintain transparent documentation of all activities and transactions.
- Ensure strong coordination with IOM’s PSP Division and internal IPF stakeholders, to exchange good practice and support global efforts.
Expected Outcomes and Deliverables:
- Strategic Growth Framework: A detailed strategic plan for the IPF in the UK, incorporating insights from the landscape mapping and community profiles.
- Comprehensive IPF and Community Mapping
- A thorough map of UK-based Islamic charities, grantees, and their operational and regulatory contexts.
- Assessment of funds mobilized, especially through Zakat and Sadaqah.
- Mapping of Muslim communities engaged in alms-giving, including size, location, socio-economic status, and access points.
- Identification of types of projects, beneficiaries, and key countries receiving funds from UK Muslim donors.
- Mapping of Islamic charities involved in international assistance and potential collaboration areas with IOM.
- Identification of key Islamic institutions for Fatwas and partnership opportunities.
- Stakeholder Engagement Reports: Documentation of engagement activities, stakeholder insights, and partnership development progress.
- Fundraising Campaign Materials and Proposals: Campaign assets and funding proposals tailored to the UK Islamic philanthropic landscape.
- Resource Mobilization: Achievement of 2-5 partnerships and successful mobilization of cash and in-kind donations.
- Impact and Compliance Reporting: Regular reports demonstrating the Fund’s impact, compliance with IOM policies, and recommendations for improvement.
For more details about the role and how to apply, please visit our website: https://unitedkingdom.iom.int/careers
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Non Charity Employer 
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Thank you!
Role: Senior Officer, Policy & Advocacy (Climate Change & Environment)
Reporting To: Policy & Advocacy Adviser (Climate Change & Environment)
Salary: £47,333
Location: Remote working (preference for GMT +/- 8h).
For non-UK candidates: Please note that you would be hired via Deel either as a contractor or as an employee with local national benefits.
Contract duration: 3 year fixed-term contract, renewable
Probation period: 6 months
Contract type: Full-time or part-time (minimum 4 days a week), compressed hours and flexible working arrangements available
Closing date: 13 June 2025 at 23:30 UK time
What does United for Global Mental Health do?
At United for Global Mental Health, we work with trusted partners to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and increase support for mental health worldwide.
The United for Global Mental Health team is made up of diverse, passionate and knowledgeable individuals based in the UK and in countries around the world. By combining our extensive in-house expertise in advocacy, financing and campaigning with the unique insights of our many partners, we’re making progress on ensuring that everyone, everywhere has someone to turn to in support of their mental health. You can read about our three-year strategy and our 2024 impact report here.
What will I be doing?
This role will support the delivery of several activities within our portfolio of activities on climate change, the environment, and mental health. The four main areas of work that the Senior Officer will be responsible for include:
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Leading work with national partners (50% of post)
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Integration of people with lived experience (hereafter referred to as PWLE) across the portfolio (25% of post)
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Developing our advocacy on the intersection of air pollution and mental health (15% of post)
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Developing our advocacy on the intersection of biodiversity loss and mental health (10% of post)
National level work (50% of post)
A key component of the current project will be to support national partners in a subset of countries globally (approximately 6 countries) to advocate for action on climate change and mental health. The final set of countries is yet to be defined but will likely include one country per WHO region and one country from the Small Islands Developing States. The specific responsibilities of this component will include:
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Lead in the selection of national partners in each country. This will include supporting the running of a competitive process to select one civil-society organisation based in each country to conduct the work
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Strengthen the capacity of national partners to work on climate change and mental health (e.g., via training to national partners to be delivered by the Senior Officer), if required
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Support national partners in advocating for the integration of mental health into climate policies, including but not limited to Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans, Heat Health Action Plans etc.
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Lead in cohort-building activities for this subset of countries (e.g., organising regular meetings, ensuring shared learnings etc.)
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With the support of our Operations team, support in the logistics of sub-contracting national partners and monitoring deliverables
Involvement of people with lived experience (25% of post)
The meaningful engagement of PWLE of mental health challenges is central to all work at United for Global Mental Health. The specific responsibilities of this component will include:
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Leading on setting up and coordinating a Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG), which will meet every two months to provide guidance to UnitedGMH and national partners on their work on climate and health. The Senior Officer will be responsible for recruiting approximately 12 PWLE (2 x WHO region), organising regular meetings, and ensuring that the feedback of PWLE is integrated across different projects
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Support the attendance of PWLE to key global advocacy moments in a meaningful, safe, and impactful way
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Support national partners on the integration of lived experience considerations in their work on climate change and mental health
Work on air pollution and mental health (15% of post)
The evidence on air pollution and mental health is a nascent, but rapidly growing, area of interest. The specific responsibilities of this component will include:
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Scope what concrete opportunities exist for integrating mental health considerations into air pollution policies at the global, regional, and national levels
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Build connections with organisations working on air pollution and clean air policies
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Refine our messaging on air pollution and mental health
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Lead on the production of one advocacy brief on air pollution and mental health
Work on biodiversity loss and mental health (10% of post)
There is emerging evidence on the association between biodiversity loss and mental health, but very little work has yet been done in the policy space. The specific responsibilities of this component will include:
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Scoping what concrete opportunities exist for integrating mental health considerations into biodiversity policies at the global, regional, and national levels
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Build connections with organisations working on biodiversity, conservation, and nature
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Refine our messaging on biodiversity and mental health
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Lead the production of one advocacy brief on pesticide use and suicide
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Lead on our engagement with the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties (biodiversity COP)
Is this job for me?
Requirements
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A minimum of 3 years of experience working on global mental health policy, advocacy, research, or practice
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Expertise in managing and engaging with multiple different types of stakeholders (e.g., civil society, UN agencies, governments etc.)
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Experience working on co-creation, patient and public involvement (PPI), or working with people with lived experience of mental health problems
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Excellent project management skills and strong planning skills including attention to detail, critical thinking, multi-tasking and problem-solving
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Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
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Ability to work collaboratively in a team
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Expertise in the development of funding proposals and ability to track and report on grant deliverables
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Expertise in organising meetings, events, and small gatherings of partners and other stakeholders
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Ability to travel 2-3 times a year internationally
Desirable
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Expertise in climate change and mental health is desirable but not required
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Experience of working in low- and middle-income countries on mental health is desirable but not required
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Experience of working on influencing policy within a government is desirable but not required
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Fluency in English is essential, the ability to work in a second UN language would be an advantage (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian)
Diversity and inclusion
Equity, diversity and inclusion are central to UnitedGMH’s core mission and values, and the organisation is dedicated to promoting this across our work and also within the workplace. We will ensure that this commitment is embedded in all operational aspects of the organisation and also implemented within our day-to-day working practices.
Reasonable adjustments statement
We aim to ensure that all applicants are provided with the same opportunities during the recruitment process. Should you have a disability and require a particular adjustment to be made to allow you to fully participate in the recruitment process, please ensure that this is made known to the person arranging your interview.
How can I apply?
To apply please submit your CV and a cover letter (800 words maximum) via Charity Job.
Selection process
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A subset of candidates will be invited to:
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Submit a short written assignment
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Participate in at least 2 online interviews between the 1st of July and the 18th of July
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Benefits
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28 days of holiday a year plus national holidays in your country of residency
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Possibility of being hired by Deel as a local employee (with local pension and social security benefits) or as a contractor (decision up to the employee based on personal preference)
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Up to 1000£ a year of allowance for office space
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Up to 500£ a year in personal development training allowance
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A minimum of 1 in-person team retreat a year
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Possibility to work from anywhere in the world (where you have the legal right to work from)
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Possibility to work compressed hours
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Access to Employee Assistance Programme via HealthAssured
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[For UK-based staff] You contribute 5% of your salary and we pay for 3% (8% total)
