Women Human Rights Defenders – Program Coordinator

Overview of the Strategic Initiative: 
The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) is an international membership organization committed to achieving gender equality, sustainable development and women's human rights. In keeping with AWID’s mission, the Women Human Rights Defenders Strategic Initiative (WHRD SI) aims to strengthen the voice, impact and influence of international, regional and national women’s rights advocates, organizations and movements to respond, resist, denounce and challenge violence against women’s human rights defenders. 

Overview of the Position: 
The Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD) Program Coordinator is a full-time position and will provide programmatic support to the activities of the initiative. The WHRD Program Coordinator is responsible for the implementation of project goals in the four areas of work through AWID’s strategies:

Knowledge Building and Communications: Produces well written and timely analysis of WHRD issues, writing updates, articles and statements, developing advocacy tools, producing newsletters and publications, updating the AWID website and social media actions on WHRDs content, developing social media. 

AWID Action: Coordinates AWID responses to urgent alerts regarding WHRDs, working with membership team to develop new tools for engaging our constituency in solidarity actions. Facilitates the coordination of collective and coordinated responses to WHRDs at risk with our networks in the regional and international level.

Partnerships and Alliance-Building: Participates in efforts to expand and deepen AWID’s engagement and collaboration with actors from women’s and human rights organizations. Strengthens the WHRD International Coalition and the Urgent Responses Working Group. Contributes to sub-regional WHRD in Mesoamerica and MENA Region. Strengthens collaborations and alliance-building through proactive formal and informal communications with external stakeholders and key allies. 

Organizational processes: Tracks the impact of the initiative by maintaining and updating the monitoring and evaluation processes, and contributing to funder reports and internal reporting processes.

The WHRD Program Coordinator reports to the WHRD Manager.

Work Location of the Position:
• Work location is open
• AWID offices are located in Cape Town, Mexico City and Toronto but applicants may apply to work from home in other locations
• Applicants from the Global South are strongly encouraged to apply


Responsibilities:

Partnerships and Alliance-Building: 
• Contributes to the strengthening of the WHRD International Coalition, supporting communication, planning, implementation, reporting, and organizational processes as needed. 
• Facilitates the Urgent Responses Working Group of WHRD International Coalition:
- Convenes working group calls, maintains communication with working group members
- Facilitates the processes related to work planning, execution and reporting of the URGW
- Supports joint research projects with working group members
- Coordinates pilot cases and collaborates urgent appeals work
- Coordinates the strengthening, updating and dissemination of the Multilingual Online Directory of Urgent Responses for WHRDs at Risk
• Supports AWID’s participation in regional WHRD networks.
• Coordinates AWID’s support of the creation and strengthening of new regional or thematic WHRD networks
• Contributes to AWID participation in joint advocacy efforts with the International Coalition, including support in event logistics and AWID representation at international fora, developing AWID positions on key issues taken up in the coalition.
• Maintains regular email communication with WHRD stakeholders and allies, identifying new opportunities for alliance-building
• Participates in related meetings, representing AWID in international (or local/regional) venues as appropriate for the WHRD initiative

Knowledge Building and Communications: 
• Develops, coordinates and implements the programmatic communication strategy.
• Writes high quality analysis on critical issues and developments in relation to WHRDs for AWID’s communications and other key platforms 
• Sources, edits and writes articles, interviews and information for publication, in multiple formats, online and on social media
• Compiles and contributes to interim and final reports for funders as well as updates to internal and external stakeholders
• Develops, edits and supports presentations, articles and other documents within WHRD content in collaboration with other AWID programs.
• Adapts the WHRD research and knowledge to create accessible materials, presentations, advocacy tools, etc. 
• Collaborates with mainstream media and other media outlets to disseminate information, analysis and knowledge products

AWID Resource Mobilization in Solidarity with WHRDs:
• Reviews urgent appeals received by AWID, conducts verification on requests for support, and recommends actions based on internal protocol
• Recommends, prepares and implements AWID responses on appeals, urgent actions and campaigns
• Coordinates dissemination of AWID responses in English, Spanish, and French through website, electronic newsletters, and social networking sites
• Maintains communication with WHRDs, their organizations and allies at center of and involved in appeal, action and campaigns
• Maintains database of appeals received and acted on, periodically review cases for updates, produces reports regarding AWID’s actions and their impact
• Drafts position statements, policy briefs, urgent actions and solidarity messages and letters, and coordinates AWID endorsements of joint statements
• Promotes collaborative and joint responses to WHRD at risk with partner organizations

Organizational Processes:
• Contributes to WHRD work-planning, monitoring and evaluation processes
• Participates and contributes to WHRD team coordination meetings
• Maintains relationships with staff in other programs to facilitate smooth coordination and communication
• Participates actively in organizational meetings and committees
• As an AWID staff member, contributes to AWID Forum and other organizational processes 

Qualifications:

Experience:
4 to 6 years working for a non-profit organization in a related role:
• facilitating collaborative processes with diverse partners
• alliance-building, and building constituencies both face to face as well as virtually across different and diverse constituencies
• working with human rights systems and the WHRD framework
• writing and editing a range of products related to women’s rights 
• analyzing key issues and themes related to women’s rights and human rights 
• using new media, social networking, cutting edge community tools and techniques, and social media management/monitoring and analytical tools
• participating in advocacy initiatives or influence strategies working with non-profit organizations based in the Global South and/or Central and Eastern Europe
• working in a multi-cultural team

Academic Qualifications:
• University degree in Social Sciences or relevant field

Expertise & Skills:
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills; ability to facilitate and coordinate diverse groups (bringing them together for joint action)
• Strong verbal communication skills in English:
o Presentation & public speaking abilities
o Ability to develop and facilitate training using participatory methodologies
• Strong written communication (and editing) skills in English
• Knowledge of human rights systems and the WHRD framework
• Innovative, flexible, fosters change
• Demonstrated capacity to establish focus (develop and communicate goals of Work plans), think strategically and be forward thinking 
• Excellent analytical and diagnostic information gathering abilities (specifically regarding analysis of information across a range of disciplines and ability to extract relevant information/themes or solve problems)
• Displays good judgment, sensitivity and attention to communication
• Strong time management, detail orientation and thoroughness of work(quality control)
• Ability to prioritize and multi task
• Results-oriented and takes initiative; is able to work virtually and independently in small team
• Project management experience: ability to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate a work plan with multiple projects, multiple deliverables and deadlines
• Ability to work in a diverse, fast-paced environment
• Ability to work under pressure and manage stress

Knowledge and Other Requirements:
• Understands the situations of violence that WHRDs face as a result of their work, and the complexities of the contexts that generate risks and violence
• Knowledgeable about a breadth of Women’s Rights and Human Rights issues
• Committed to the principles and values of feminism and anti-oppression
• Travel: ability to travel internationally (approx. 5 weeks per year)

Assets:
• Experience working with grassroots Women’s Movements in the Global South, particularly in Meso-America and/or the Middle East and North Africa
• Courses or certificates in Women's/Feminist Studies and/or Human Rights
• Experience with creative communications tools for raising awareness and inspiring action
• Basic knowledge of the latest communication technologies; particularly content management systems and web 2.0 for the purpose of building online communities, information sharing and e-learning
• Arabic language skills (written and oral)
• Spanish language skills (written and oral)

How to apply:
Please submit, in English- a cover letter and résumé in Word or PDF format, addressing how you meet the necessary qualifications and outlining why you want to work for AWID, to jobs@awid.org by Sunday, December 14, 2014. Please include “WHRD Coordinator – [your name]” as the subject line of your email.

We thank all those who apply, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No calls please. AWID encourages, promotes and support diversity in all aspects of its work. To learn more about AWID and our programs, please visit our website at www.awid.org