Millions of small and large NGOs (non-governmental organizations) work independently of governments around the world. You can work for NGOs dedicated to issues like healthcare, education, economic development, children’s rights, reproductive justice, and humanitarian aid, but what types of jobs are available? In this article, Human Rights Careers describes 20 types of NGO jobs, including what salaries you can expect, what qualifications you need, and what tasks you might be responsible for. The overview is slanted towards the USA, but may still serve its purpose:
On 8 February 2022, the Martin Ennals Foundation published an opening for a communication officer.
The Martin Ennals Foundation is a small organization run by a highly motivated staff, Board and Jury. At different points in the year, its work will be fast-paced, intense and challenging. The Communications Officer and Programme Officer work closely together. An entry-level position to support both communications and programmatic activities will be opened in 2022. Several interns complete the team. The Communications Officer reports to the Director of the Foundation. The Communications Officer will also have frequent contact with members of the Board, with colleagues of the Jury organisations, and with MEA winners themselves. The Communications Officer will oversee service providers to the Foundation.
JOB DESCRIPTION: The Communications Officer is responsible for formulating and leading the MEF communications strategy in support of the organisation’s mission, which includes corporate communication elements and the delivery of a high-quality outreach campaign for the annual MEA ceremony. The Communications Officer provide supervision to the Programs and Communications Associate and interns. The Communications Officer’s tasks include:
Designing and delivering MEA’s corporate communications, regularly adapting social media activity, our website and newsletter to Foundation activities and current events.
Designing and delivering an outreach strategy for the annual MEA ceremony:
Overseeing the production of bespoke films about MEA winners
Collaborating with the City of Geneva in the production of marketing material for the MEA campaign (posters, flags, banners, etc.
Overseeing the production and dissemination of digital social media assets (both visual and editorial content)
Organizing a press conference to announce the winners of the Award
Producing and disseminating press material and other written and audio-visual products on our website and social media channels
Enhancing the impact of MEF’s advocacy activities with targeted communications strategies.
Monitoring and evaluating the performance of the Foundation’s communication strategy and its contributions to our annual objectives.
Requirements:
7-10 years of relevant work experience in a communication function;
Familiarity with traditional media, media monitoring and media relations;
Strong background in digital communications (professional knowledge with WordPress, Mailchimp, Hootsuite, Canva, Tweedeck and Google analytics an asset);
Fluency or professional proficiency in both English and French;
A degree or work experience in journalism, communications, political science, international relations, law, or relevant subject;
Ability to work across organizations and collaborate easily with colleagues;
Ability to multi-task and coordinate the delivery of tasks by junior colleagues, service providers, or peers;
Ability to cope with pressure and challenging work periods. Self-starters, entrepreneurs, determined and creative types are welcome to apply.
Conditions of the position
Indefinite term contract at 40%
A competitive salary
Flexible working arrangements
25 days’ vacation pro-rata
Preferred start date: mid-March
To apply, please send your CV, a cover letter, and an example of your work to info@martinennalsaward.org by end of day, Sunday March 6th 2022.
DefendDefenders (the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) seeks to strengthen the work of human rights defenders (HRDs) in the East and Horn of Africa sub-region by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and by enhancing their capacity to effectively defend human rights. DefendDefenders focuses its work on Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia (and Somaliland), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
DefendDefenders is recruiting a Technology Programme Manager for its work in supporting HRDs. Under the overall supervision of the Director of Programmes and Administration, the Executive Director, and in direct partnership with other staff members, the Technology Programme Manager shall be responsible, but not limited to the following duties:
Key Responsibilities
Manage and give direction to the Technology Programme and projects;
Empower and mentor the team to take responsibility of their tasks and encourage a spirit of teamwork within the team;
Manage overall operational and financial responsibilities of the team against project plans and manage the team’s day-to-day activities;
Participate in management meetings and contribute grants, proposal design and implementation for the Technology Programme;
Ensure proper adoption and usage of internal IT tools and organisation systems by designing training programmes for staff and streamlining /recommending systems that can improve operational efficiency;
Communicate regularly with other managers, Director of Programmes & Administration and the Executive Director within the organisation. Ensure that the team works closely with other departments;
Plan budgets and work plans from inception to completion;
Work with partners, consultants, and service providers to ensure delivery of project goals;
Design and implement the IT policy, security protocols and best practice guides for the organisation and partner organisations; and
Represent DefendDefenders and the Technology Programme externally, develop partnerships, and attract funding and resources
Working conditions
Full-time position based in Kampala, Uganda;
The selected applicant must be able to relocate to Kampala immediately, or within a short timeframe; and
Health insurance (in Uganda) and travel insurance are provided.
Requirements
Previous experience in managing a team;
Strong communication and presentation skills;
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a culturally diverse environment;
Willingness to travel;
Self-motivated, organised, and the ability to meet deadlines with minimal supervision;
Resourcefulness and problem-solving aptitude; and
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or related discipline, plus professional certifications.
Languages
Fluency in English is a must (spoken and written). Fluency in French is a strong asset, and in Arabic an asset.
Location
The position will be based in Kampala, Uganda, with frequent travels within and out of the country. Applicants should be eligible to work in Uganda without restriction.
Applicants should send a letter of motivation, CV, and contacts of three references to: jobs@defenddefenders.org by 15 November 2020. Do not send scanned copies of certificates. Interviews will be held in person (in Kampala, Uganda), or online late in November.
The subject line of the email should read “Application for Technology Programme Manager position.”
Human Rights Watch is seeking a forward-thinking, innovative and experienced senior security professional who can guide a globally dispersed organization that reports on the most sensitive human rights issues. The Director of Physical Security will lead the organization to optimal and inclusive physical security risk management practices for the complex environments in which it operates.
This position is the organization’s lead on all physical security matters, providing support and leadership across a wide range of areas including crisis and incident response, asset protection, programmatic work, travel safety and event security. In partnership with the Director of Information Security, this role provides unified security risk management leadership across HRW.
The successful candidate will understand the threat landscape facing Human Rights Defenders or similar constituencies and have a proven track record of enabling work in challenging operational contexts. They will continue to lead the organization towards best practices and further embed and promote a proactive security culture; collaborate with both internal and external security groups; and have experience in crisis management, operational security and training.
The role will require international travel, including to areas that might be considered high risk. This position will be based in one of HRW’s main offices and will report to the Chief Operating Officer or their designee.
Please apply by visiting the online job portal at careers.hrw.org. Application Deadline: August 1, 2020
DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) is a regional NGO based in Kampala, Uganda, that seeks to strengthen the work of human rights defenders throughout the sub-region by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and by enhancing their capacity to effectively defend human rights. DefendDefenders works in Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia/Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. DefendDefenders is seeking a highly motivated, self-starting, detail oriented, and well organised Communications Officer to support and promote the work of the organisation. The Communications Officer will be responsible for developing and distributing content on the organisation’s work and maintaining its public profile. The successful candidate must be able to work effectively under pressure, be a good team player, and be willing to travel occasionally, as required.
Apply by email in a single submission with the following documents: a letter of motivation, a CV, and two references, as well as unedited writing sample between 1000-1500 words, on the human rights situation in one of our mandate countries, to jobATdefenddefenders.org no later than Sunday 19 January 2020.
Scholars at Risk is staffed by a team of professionals with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Take a look at the available positions listed below and apply as soon as possible, as positions are filled on a rolling basis. If you have an interest in volunteering or offering pro-bono services to SAR, please email them at scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu with a short proposal and a copy of your resume or CV.
Scholars at Risk (SAR) is seeking a highly-organized and team-oriented individual to join the SAR team as a grants associate/officer. Position summary This is new position will support SAR’s program and fundraising efforts by providing primary drafting and reporting on
Scholars at Risk (SAR) seeks a Department Administrator to manage a variety of administrative and business processes and operations in support of SAR’s efforts to protect scholars and promote academic freedoms worldwide and to ensure the effective delivery of services
Scholars at Risk (SAR) is seeking a highly-motivated, detail-focused, flexible and team-oriented individual to manage planning, delivery and follow-up to the 2020 SAR Global Congress, a large-scale, multi-institution biennial event that brings together up to 300 representatives of SAR network
Scholars at Risk (SAR) seeks a Deputy Director (DD) to have overall responsibility for SAR’s day-to-day programming, internal operations, and administration. POSITION SUMMARY Reporting to the Executive Director (ED), the DD supports the Executive Director and the SAR Board, promoting
Scholars at Risk (SAR) seeks a dedicated, detail-oriented intern with excellent writing and research skills to join SAR’s Advocacy team for Spring 2020. This intern may be based in SAR’s New York City office or based remotely. This position reports
The Norwegian Human Rights Fund is looking for a country director in Colombia., which is a newly created post. Deadline for applications: September 17th, 2019.
Duration: 3 years with possibility of extension
Duty station: Bogota, Colombia. Travel inside the country and follow-up of grants/grantees will be an important part of the work. International travels will also be required.
The tasks include, but are not limited to
Lead the process of establishing a team in Colombia (initially 4-5 people) and set up an office.
Lead the strategy process for the NHRF for its Colombia work, including fundraising and communication work in line with the NHRF overall strategies.
Liaisons with and reporting to donors
Work dynamically with the grantees, and develop work, capacity building and follow-up based on needs and the situation on the ground.
Conduct risk assessments and risk reduction measures for the NHRF and its grantees.
Official qualifications (must have)
Master’s degree in social science, law, economics, or relevant field (can be compensated with long relevant leadership experience in funds mechanism).
Fluent in Spanish and Norwegian (might also be another Scandinavian language), good level of English needed.
Proven leadership experience, including leading a team/staff (min. 3-5 years)
Experience in working with civil society, grant making and funding mechanisms to civil society, including capacity building and networking.
Experience in handling donors and funds including from the Norwegian/Nordic governments.
Experience from Colombia, and possibly the region, when it comes to civil society and human rights defense/work.
Results-oriented and experience with Learning, monitoring and evaluation (LME) processes, previous work with Theories of Change is an advantage.
The Human Rights Council Network (HRCnet) is seeking a Coordinator based at the International Service of Human Rights in Geneva. For details on the post see below:
HRCnetis a 10-year old coalition of national, regional and international NGOs engaging with the UN Human Rights Council. Its current members are:
in Africa: African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (The Gambia), DefendDefenders (East and Horn of African Human Rights Defenders Network) (Uganda), Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network (Zimbabwe), West African Human Rights Defenders Network (Togo),
in Asia: Asian Legal Resource Centre (Hong Kong, China), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM ASIA) (Thailand), Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (India),
in Latin America: Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS) (Argentina), Conectas Direitos Humanos (Brazil),
in the Middle East and North Africa: Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (Egypt), Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (Egypt),
and the following International NGOs: Human Rights Watch (USA), International Service for Human Rights (Switzerland), Open Society Foundations (USA).
On 15 February 2017, the chair of HURIDOCS, Gisella Reina announced the appointment of Friedhelm Weinberg as the new Executive Director. She added: “HURIDOCS has a young and energetic director that listens and leads. His experience with our global network, having worked in Asia, Africa and the Former Soviet Union region, gives him the firm understanding of what our community thinks and wants. Friedhelm has proven his capacity to strengthen and motivate our international and distributed team to be creative and effective.”
is recruiting a Communications Manager, based in Geneva or Stockholm. The successful applicant will be shaping its international communications strategy and working closely with its Laureates. She/he will lead the Right Livelihood Award Foundation’s communications team and be responsible for the conceptualisation, implementation and the daily running of all communications of the foundation. Read the rest of this entry »
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 