THE ORGANIZATION The Fund for Global Human Rights is a leading supporter of on-the-ground human rights groups around the world. Dedicated to finding and funding the most effective human rights organizations in countries from Africa to South East Asia to Latin America, the Fund for Global Human Rights offers grants and facilitates technical support to ensure the long-term effectiveness and viability of frontline groups working in challenging conditions with scant resources.
Since 2002, the Fund has awarded nearly $55 million to more than 350 human rights organizations across the globe. Grantees work on a wide range of issues from indigenous land rights in Guatemala, to women’s rights in Morocco, to accountability for war crimes in West Africa, to discrimination against HIV positive people in India. The Fund currently maintains grants programs for rights groups based in eighteen countries around the world and offices in the US and the UK. For more information, please visit www.globalhumanrights.org.
THE POSITION The Fund is seeking a highly qualified applicant for the position of Program Officer for North Africa. Within North Africa, the Fund’s most developed grant making programs are currently in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. The position reports to the Program Director and will work as an integrated part of the full Program team. Preference will be given to candidates who are based in North Africa, London, or the Washington, DC area.
Essential Duties of the Position:
Manage grant making and technical assistance programs in North Africa • Keep abreast of human rights issues, trends and activities in North Africa; attend meetings and conferences, read current literature, and maintain contact with leaders in the field • Develop appropriate grant making, technical assistance, and capacity building strategies and priorities in assigned countries • Identify new grantee organizations through networking activities and open RFPs; conduct appropriate due diligence to evaluate potential grantees • Undertake all aspects of the grant making cycle including: proposal review, grant recommendations, docket preparation, indicator review, progress evaluation • Maintain contact and develop high quality working relationships with all current grantees and make regular site visits • Facilitate technical assistance to grantees on strategic planning, human rights skills, fundraising, and partnering with other NGOs and Fund grantees • Evaluate requests and make recommendations for discretionary / emergency support in each assigned country • Develop and implement appropriate and effective evaluation tools • Participate in annual program planning and evaluation • Work closely with development staff to ensure good communication flow about programmatic work for use in fundraising activities • Partner with grants administration staff to ensure smooth and efficient organizational workflow of administrative logistics • Coordinate special initiatives or projects as assigned
Docket Preparation • Propose a budget for each assigned country’s grant docket and recommend allocations • Present recommendations of grantee organizations to the Program Director or Vice President for Programs and the President • Prepare summaries of each grantee’s work • Write programmatic overview that analyzes the context of the work in each country and/or region for both internal and external audiences • Jointly with grantees, develop indicators to track progress of each grantee organization
Building a Network of Collaborative Partnerships • Maintain contact and collaborate with other organizations – funders and funder networks, regional organizations, INGOs, etc. – working in the region • Develop partnerships, share ideas, and create opportunities to leverage other funding with grant-making organizations working in the region or on similar issues
Other • Over time, develop expertise in, and take on leadership for, one or more of the Fund’s strategic thematic initiatives • Partner with development staff on donor tours, grantee visits to the US and UK, and other efforts • Assist in conception of and writing for the Fund’s public communications pieces related to North Africa or assigned thematic initiatives • Partner closely with the Program Officer for Migrants’ Rights on the Migrants’ Rights thematic initiative as there will be geographic overlap with many grantees in the region • Participate in bi-weekly program team and all-staff meetings, and in-person biannual full staff retreats
The Fund for Global Human Rights encourages candidates of all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds to apply. Personnel are chosen on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.
Qualifications: • Demonstrated commitment to human rights and to building a vibrant and powerful grassroots human rights movement • 5+ years of experience working in the human rights arena; field experience and/or advocacy experience in the region highly desired • 3+ years of grant-making or fundraising experience strongly preferred • Knowledge of international and grassroots human rights NGOs and international organizations •Experience living, working, or traveling extensively in Morocco/Tunisia/Algeria• Strong critical thinking skills required, including the ability to identify emerging human rights trends and analyze issues from multiple perspectives • Excellent interpersonal and intercultural skills required • Proven track record of excellent relationship development and management, both in-person and remotely • Ability to work independently and as part of a team • Team player, willing to contribute to any and all efforts underway to strengthen the Fund and the North Africa program • Organized and able to manage multiple priorities simultaneously while producing excellent quality work • High level of comfort traveling independently in developing countries required • Ability to travel 4-7 times per year, often for stretches of 7-10 days or longer • Excellent communication and writing skills required • Fluency in English and Arabic or French required, all three preferred • BA required; Master’s or other graduate degree preferred
How to apply
Please send a resume, cover letter, English writing sample on a human rights topic, and contact information for three references to jobs@globalhumanrights.org. Please mention “North Africa Program Officer” in the subject line of your email. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Anticipated start date is September 2015.