ThaiNGO

Location: Appropriate location in the region.

Application Deadline: 25 June 2017.

Interview Dates: 1st week of July or earlier.

Start Date: Preferably as soon as possible, flexible.

Background

Civil Rights Defenders is an international human rights organisation based in Sweden that defends civil and political rights and empowers human rights defenders at risk. In Southeast Asia, the organisation works closely with a number of human rights groups and organisations. We advocate for human rights issues in the region, targeting decision-makers, peers and, through partners, the public. We provide long-term support to partners, organise human rights events, and conduct advocacy and lobbying actions, at times jointly with partners or in coalition with other human rights groups. Capacity building support and other kinds of support to human rights defenders is central to our remit; we provide trainings for partners, discuss strategies with them, and provide expert assistance on human rights or other relevant issues. 

Area of Responsibility 

Based in the region, the programme officer (PO) is responsible for implementing the Southeast Asia Programme and maintaining long-term partnerships with human rights organisations and movements in the region, in keeping with the Civil Rights Defenders Global Strategy, the Asia Strategy, the Country Plans of Action (PoA) and the country budgets. The PO reports to the Asia Director. The PO mainly focuses on one target country in Southeast Asia, but his/her work is not limited to the activities in the target country. In summary, the PO will: 

– Act as capacity-building resource for our partners;

– Monitor and analyse the human rights situation in the target country and Southeast Asia in general;

– Monitor, evaluate and report on partnerships and activities;

– Travel frequently in the target country and other areas in the region (approx. 30-50 days per year) and occasionally trips to Stockholm;

– Identify, assess and propose new partners and activities;

– Conduct human rights activities with partners;

– Initiate, provide advice on and participate in lobbying and advocacy actions;

– Initiate and participate in communications activities and media work in collaboration with the CRD management;

– Assist in developing proposals for the Asia Programme;

– Establish and maintain contacts with relevant decision-makers in the region, the target country, Sweden and internationally. 

Job Description

Monitoring and analysing the human rights situation:

The PO should monitor developments concerning human rights in Southeast Asia and in the target countries through human rights reports, news from the region and, last but not the least, through meeting with relevant stakeholders in the target country or abroad. The PO should be able to present the human rights situation in the target country at short notice.

Acting as a resource for our partners, monitor and report on partnerships:

The PO is a resource, an advisor, and a sounding board to local partners in their activities, advocacy actions, and during difficult times. Through active dialogue with partners, technical support as well as more general support such as providing links with experts in CRD's network, the PO will enhance the impact of local human rights actions. The role of the PO is central, and involves strengthening the partner organisations.

The PO monitors the progress of partner agreements, provides technical support during implementation if needed, and evaluates it after completion. This task includes, among other things, regular visits to partners which encompass engagement with their context and ongoing discussions with staff and project beneficiaries, as well as coordinating activities with other international organisations providing support to the partner.

Initiate partnerships: The PO is responsible for identifying and assessing and initiating partnerships with new local human rights partners. This includes assessing the capacity and relevance of local human rights groups, as well as project applications, and the management of grants, projects and project budgets.

Conducting human rights activities together with partners: CRD aims to be as actively engaged as possible in the countries where we work, depending on the nature of the activities and practical possibilities. Often, this is in collaboration with local and/or regional and international organisations. The PO's responsibility is to implement the planned human rights activities and to create and initiate new ones, taking into consideration the needs of human rights groups and the human rights situation in target countries.

Lobbying and advocacy actions: We use our human rights and country expertise to inform and influence local and international decision-makers in order to improve the human rights situation and ensure the protection of human rights defenders at risk. The PO plays a vital role in taking such initiatives and in ensuring that Civil Rights Defenders participates in and contributes to local and/or international advocacy actions.

Communications and media work: As the organisation's expert on Southeast Asia and the human rights situation in the target countries, the PO provides ideas, analyses and supporting/additional documents to be used by the PO or the wider organisation in order to highlight a specific case or human rights situation in a country under his/her responsibility to the media or other interest groups.

Assisting in developing proposals for the Southeast Asia Programme: The PO should, in collaboration with the Asia Director, identify potential donors, develop programmes and draft funding proposals, and meet with potential donors and organisations that support our work.

Establishing and maintaining contacts with relevant decision-makers and other stakeholders: The PO will establish and maintain contacts with other regional and international human rights organisations, donors and relevant decision-makers in Southeast Asia and internationally. The PO must be willing to use and develop his/her lobbying and communication capacity to contribute to our visibility as a credible expert human rights organisation.

This position reports to and works closely with the Asia Director. 

Qualifications

– Graduate degree in Human rights, Law, Political Science, International Relations or relevant experience in related fields/areas. Experience in civil society capacity-development will be an added advantage;

– Minimum of three years of working experience in the field of human rights, preferably in the NGO sector, including in grant and programme management;

– Practical experience in conducting human rights advocacy and monitoring in Southeast Asia, and expert knowledge of the human rights situation in Southeast Asia;

– Fluency in English;

– Ability and willingness to travel frequently (approx. 30-50 working days per year);

– Strong intercultural and interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work effectively individually and in collaboration with diverse colleagues, activists, NGOs and other stakeholders.

Conditions of Employment

This is a full-time position based in the region, beginning with a probationary period. Salary is competitive in the non-profit sector and commensurate with experience. Employee benefits include medical insurance and paid personal and sick leaves. Extension of the contract is contingent on funding.

How to apply

Please submit a cover letter, a CV with minimum four professional references and a recent writing sample in English in an email with the subject line "2017 SEA PO" to Asia@crd.org by the end of day (Indochina Time) on 25 June 2017. We may shortlist or fill the position earlier than the deadline so early application is encouraged, but applications received after the deadline may also be considered if the position is not filled. Only short-listed candidates will be invited to an interview in person or online.