Civic Freedoms and Human Rights Defenders Researcher and Database Coordinator

• London, Berlin (offices) or Global South (from home) preferred. Applicants must already have authorisation to work in preferred location. The candidate will have to be committed to work across time zones and have some overlap with Europe and Latin America time zones.

• GBP 32,500-34,500 per year commensurate with experience and adjusted according to location (the range is aligned to London cost of living; if based in another location, the range will be adjusted down accordingly)

• Full time position (35 hours/week) for at least one-year with a possibility to extend thereafter, pending successful fundraising, 24 vacation days per year, plus local public holidays.

• Deadline: 10 March 2023

• To Apply: Complete and return this application form via our jobs portal. Kindly note that the application form is required; we will not accept CVs. If you need any additional support, please reach out to Giulia Vinzi at vinzi@business-humanrights.org

Job description

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is seeking a full-time Researcher to join our small team of passionate human rights advocates committed to the protection of civic freedoms and human rights defenders. The vision of our programme is that civil society organizations and human rights and environmental defenders addressing business-related harms can work in safe and enabling environments free from restrictions, threats and attacks, and that civic freedoms are protected.

About the organization

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre works with diverse allies and partners to put human rights at the core of companies’ business models and end abuse; to empower communities and workers to secure their rights and gain accountability for abuse; and to encourage governments to create the right regulation and incentives to uphold human rights in business. We are a global organisation that is rooted in five continental regions, with a diverse Global Team of 80 people based in 20 locations around the world. Global Team members work with a rich network of human rights advocates in ten languages, covering the full range of human rights in business. We have three thematic programmes: workers’ rights in global supply chains; responsible natural resource use and a just transition; and accountable digital technologies, and three cross cutting priorities: civic freedoms and HRDs, corporate legal accountability, and racial and gender justice.

About the Position

The successful candidate will be a core member of our Civic Freedoms and HRDs Team and work collectively to shape and implement our work over the next two years.  As Researcher, you will lead our flagship database that tracks attacks against HRDs focused on business, produce high-quality written research outputs, and support the convening and work of the Alliance for Indigenous, Environmental and Land Defenders (ALLIED) Data Working Group. Your work will be done in active collaboration with BHRRC’s regional teams, as well as with HRDs and their organizations, including Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and other international organizations that support HRDs. It may involve some engagement with companies, investors, relevant UN offices, and policy makers.

As Civic Freedoms and HRDs Researcher, you will have excellent communication, organizational, systems management, and analysis skills, a strong understanding of and experience in data collection and analysis, an interest in data-driven research, a strong understanding of and personal commitment to working on business and human rights issues, and a track-record of working cross-culturally. You will be motivated and work in alignment with the programme’s core values of being guided by the leadership of and accountable to HRDs challenging corporate abuse, pursuing systemic change to economic systems to ones rooted in justice and respect for the rights of people, communities, and nature, and centring intersectionality, transparency, trust, care, solidarity, and collective action.

You will have a strong sensitivity to security risks, in particular the risk that the HRDs and communities we work with face.

The Civic Freedoms and HRDs Researcher will have a particular focus on the HRDs database and related outputs. Responsibilities will include:

• Lead on the HRDs database: Lead on the day-to-day management of the HRDs database, which involves conducting ongoing desk research on attacks against HRDs related to business from a range of sources including NGOs, unions, media, and governments; helping identify trends and thematic research priorities; supporting a small team of colleagues who conduct research on specific regions and leading monthly data verification meetings, reviewing data for any inconsistencies or errors; strengthening our data security, data entry, storage, and analysis tools; troubleshooting any technical issues that arise; and taking other actions to improve the quality and accuracy of our data collection.
• Develop high quality analyses and other materials: Lead on the development of our annual report on attacks against HRDs (example here) which includes an analysis of root causes of attacks and recommendations for investors, companies, and governments. Engage with regional researchers and external partners to strategically identify trends of worsening attacks on HRDs for deeper-dive investigations and coordinated advocacy for greater impact. Create strategic dissemination and advocacy plans for all research products in collaboration with the team. Write compelling content for our website and social media, as well as speaking points and presentations of our research findings.
• Coalition building support: Support the coordination of the ALLIED Data Working Group. Provide technical advice to national-level data collectors at the design stage of new databases.
• Engage constructively with companies: Seek public responses to allegations of abuse from companies to increase transparency and encourage stronger human rights due diligence.
• Manage digital platform: Monitor developments related to business, civic space, and HRDs and manage and strengthen our HRDs and Civic Freedoms portal.
• Outreach: Help sustain an active network of contacts globally, including individual HRDs, communities, trade unions, civil society organisations (local, national & regional), companies &
• Contribute to team strategy development and collaboration: Support the team in developing an annual programme strategy and sharing that strategy with the global team. Participate in bi-weekly team meetings and facilitate those meetings on a rotating basis.
• Represent: Participate in webinars and other outreach related to the HRDs database findings, and other related reports.There may be occasional related travel.

Essential skills and experience

• Knowledge of business and human rights issues: Prior experience and/or academic study related to business and human rights. A clear understanding and strategic insight related to human rights in business and the global economy. At least four years of experience in data-driven research, advocacy, and/or database management related to human rights.
• Commitment to and experience with the protection of civic freedoms and human rights defenders: Strong, demonstrable commitment to and experience with supporting HRDs.  A strong understanding of restrictions on civic space in a global context and the economic drivers of this trend. Lived experience as a HRD and/or directly supporting HRDs at risk is
• Database management and data analysis: Strong ability and experience in database management; adept at undertaking systematic data collection and analysis to a high level of detail and accuracy. Good understanding of data ownership and security risks related to data collection and ability to work with colleagues to strengthen our data analysis tools and software. Basic understanding of or interest in programming is an advantage.
• Research & analytical skills: Strong experience with synthesizing and presenting complex information in a persuasive, succinct and balanced way, with a strong attention to detail and accuracy. Experience researching and writing briefings and reports, preferably related to civic space, human rights defenders, and/or business and human rights.
• Communication skills: Excellent English language skills. Strong speaking skills and experience representing organisations to external audiences. Powerful writing skills and ability to synthesise research and data for effective communication. Additional languages and comfort with more secure communication platforms are an advantage.
• Collaborative working skills: Experience with working in high performing, distributed, multi-cultural and international teams and working with colleagues and external partners to deliver high-impact programmes.
• Organisational skills: Strong attention to detail, prioritization skills, and ability to co-create team-wide organisational system Self-motivated and comfortable working independently, while maintaining open and consistent communication with the programme team and global team, working in different time zones and geographies.
• Values: Demonstrated commitment to the values and ethos of the Resource Centre, and the Civic Freedoms and HRDs programme.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is a diverse, global team. We are committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone regardless of their background and we acknowledge that people from certain backgrounds are under-represented in this area of work and seek to directly address that through our hiring practices. We particularly encourage applications from women, gender non-conforming, BAME applicants, people with disabilities, and people who identify as Indigenous and/or LGBTQ+. We also encourage applications from individuals with lived experience as human rights defenders.

TO APPLY: Complete and return this application form via our jobs portal. Kindly note that the application form is required; we will not accept CVs. If you need any additional support, please reach out to Giulia Vinzi at vinzi@business-humanrights.org