Hivos is hiring a
Reports to: Global Program Manager, Free to be Me
Period: 01/02/2024- 31/12/2025, starting with a 1-year contract.
Scope: Global
Location: Hivos East Africa hub (Nairobi)
Hours: Fulltime
ABOUT HIVOS AND FREE TO BE ME
Hivos is an international development organization guided by humanist values. Together with citizens and their organizations, we aim to contribute towards just, inclusive and life sustaining societies where people have equal access to opportunities, rights and resources. We work in partnership with others in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America on three impact areas: civic rights; gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and climate justice. Our approach is solution driven, and we build wider movements for change by amplifying and connecting voices.
Free to Be Me is an ambitious, daring and innovative program that will help build and maintain a vibrant LGBTQI++ movement that is confident and capable to lobby and advocate for their human and economic rights. The program is led by an alliance of three consortium members – Hivos (the lead party), ILGA World and Positive Vibes. Together the alliance will coach, accompany, fund and train LGBTQI+ persons and organizations to influence norms and attitudes, generate (public) support, and promote laws, policies and regulations that recognize, respect and protect LGBTQI+ people’s human and economic rights.
The program is being implemented in 14 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The program started in April 2021 and is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the Power of Voices program, which is part of the Strengthening Civil Society subsidy framework. The five-year program has a budget of EUR 37 million.
JOB CONTEXT
We are looking for a Program Officer who understands why safety and security and wellbeing are critical aspects of activism on LGBTQI+ rights. This is a global role working within the Free to be Me team as well as with Alliance and national level partners.
The safety and security Program Officer will have an understanding of global trends impacting on the Free to be Me program. The job holder provides technical guidance and support to Free to be Me on matters of safety and security, risk analysis and support, and guides all stakeholders on monitoring opposition to LGBTQI+ Movement rights.
The job holder trains, supports and guides local Communities of Action (CoAs) and particularly the Safety and Security focal points. By doing so, the organizations and groups involved in the CoAs have the tools, knowledge and networks to stay as safe and secure as possible. This includes preventive measures, as well as (locally embedded) urgent response mechanisms in case of a crisis. Safety and security is considered holistically, and includes legal, digital, physical and psychological aspects. This role works closely with the Digital Defenders Partnership (DDP) in the management of the Bessy Fererra Fund.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Program design, guidance and support on safety and security:
Program implementation:
Situation analysis, monitoring and reporting:
Gather and analyze security information in program implementing countries, assess and monitor security situation (i.e., threats, security trends) in liaison with the SSFPs.
Monitors progress towards established safety and security goals in CoAs, and in the organizational level, and flags in the Hivos overarching management team when problems arise.
Build and maintain a reliable network for safety & security information within the Program and with other actors including established national HRDs networks at the regional and global level and link them to the CoAs.
In case a crisis occurs, the safety and security Program Officer plays a central role in the emergency response including facilitating/ reference to access support and emergency funds / link to local emergency mechanisms.
Support grant making efforts through the Bessy Ferrera Fund, depending on funds availability.
Testing/checking IT infrastructure, protection policy needs for the program in partnership with Hivos IT and DDP.
Staying up-to-date on contextual and tech changes and available resources, in close collaboration with the Hivos’ DDP team.
Coordination and collaboration
Sharing, learning, and quality improvement:
REQUIREMENTS
Minimum of three years of relevant working experience.
Experience of working on safety and security from a holistic perspective, with emphasis on safety and security of rightsholders, taking a feminist and intersectional approach
An understanding of LGBTQI+ issues and the safety and security needs of the community.
Experience in performing safety and security needs assessments and developing holistic safety and security plans.
Experience in providing safety and security training, support and guidance to local organizations, including rightsholder led organizations and activists.
Program management including expertise in integrating safety and security in programs, working with budgets/actuals, timelines, design and implementation of plans, safety and security procedures, and reporting towards targets.
Experience with the use of encryption, and secure communication channels
She/he/they believes in / embodies what both Hivos and Free to be Me stand for, and is inspired by and willing to be accountable to the program values and principles.
Work experience in a global setting.
Diverse and complex problem solving related to safety and security issues, requiring professional knowledge, field experience and an understanding of development
Is fluent in English, and preferably also fluent in one or two other relevant languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic).
Has the ability and willingness to travel.
Job skills: communication, project management, safety and security management independence, creativity, collaboration
Level skills: conceptual skills, persuasiveness, decisiveness, analysis.
We particularly welcome applications from the right holders of the LGBTQI+ community in the broadest of sense. We offer a contract based on Hivos East Africa's local labor conditions, with remuneration commensurate with the experience and expertise requested.