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Programme Director - Global Thematic Issues Programme

Amnesty International - 17 September 2009

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Job Description

job details 


Job Title: Programme Director
Team: PD Office
Programme: Global Thematic Issues Programme
Reporting to: Senior Director for International Law and Policy
Posts that this job manages: Heads of Teams and staff in the Programme Director’s office.
Other key relationships: with the Secretary General, the Senior Leadership Team, programme directors (law and policy, international advocacy, regions, communications, campaigns, research support unit, and gender, sexuality and identity), AI sections and structures, key human rights actors outside AI, e.g. within the NGO community, the UN system, the field of civil society and academia.

USEFUL INFORMATION

The Programme provides leadership and support on the global themes or transnational issues, focused on delivery of the human rights goals within the International Strategic Plan. Staff within the team are responsible for creating operational plans that capture buy-in from the Sections and structures in order to deliver a consistent movement-wide approach to campaigning and advocacy on these issues. Current or future themes include:

• Business and Human Rights
• Refugee and Migrant Rights
• Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Responsible for managing the programme budget.
Recruit, hire and retain the best possible staff to conduct the work of the programme, including utilizing volunteers and relevant AI networks.
Must be available to travel; required to participate in some international AI meetings.

Job purpose

1. To provide leadership and vision for Amnesty International’s work on human rights violations and issues which are transnational in nature, e.g. work on migration.
2. To ensure that Amnesty International has the research and analysis needed to advocate effectively for swift, decisive and rights respecting responses to violations that are transnational and in particular where state responsibility is contested. 
3. To lead the analysis of how to effectively engage with states on existing or emerging issues that are not purely within the territory of one state to ensure significant positive engagement on ensuring accountability for these human rights violations. 

DEPARTMENT PURPOSE

1. To provide strategic vision and leadership in the areas of global thematic research and analysis which allow AI to identify and address new trends or emerging issues in a timely manner.
2. To ensure that AI maintains its pre-eminent position in the field of human rights by responding effectively to emerging trends in human rights issues, understanding how globalization has changed the analysis of some violations and abuses, and allocating resources to address particularly difficult areas of human rights that require specialist concentration.
3. To ensure effective integrations and co-ordination with other parts of the movement and external organizations in order to ensure coherence and effectiveness of work regarding transnational issues.

ORGANIZATION PURPOSE

The International Secretariat, which operates from a number of sites around the world, gathers and communicates accurate and action-oriented human rights information globally. We campaign for meaningful human rights change; enable effective human rights activism and work to persuade governments and other actors to uphold universal human rights standards.  We provide strategic leadership, support and advice to the Amnesty International movement globally, fostering Amnesty International’s contribution, presence and public accountability throughout the world.

Main Responsibilities

Maintain a comprehensive and global overview of policy and practice trends and developments, collaborating with the regions in order to identify when a transnational approach to a specific case or emerging issue may be the most effective approach for AI to take, and undertake transnational analysis to support the process.

As part of the International Cluster Management Team, contribute to the development of an effective strategic cluster plan that will enable the delivery of Amnesty International’s vision.

Develop an effective operational Programme plan, within the wider organizational and cluster strategic plans, to ensure the team delivers consistent leadership and support on global thematic issues.

Oversee analysis and advice provided to the IS and wider Movement regarding engagement with states and inter-governmental organizations on transnational issues and methods to shape the global human rights agenda, in order to ensure AI’s work is effective and of a consistent high quality.

Ensure the effective management of staff and resources within the Programme, bearing in mind overarching strategic objectives; and in responding to requests from the Movement and other IS teams, identify which opportunities will enable the best use of scarce resources in adopting a response to a transnational issue.

Ensure the effective leadership and management of staff within the Programme, including motivating and facilitating staff to develop their professional skills and to develop their ability to think creatively and innovatively about the delivery of their work, appropriate allocation of resources, adherence to human resource standards and compliance with Staff Terms and Conditions of Employment and related policies and procedures.

Oversee and assure the quality of work undertaken by the Programme, working with the Law and Policy Programme to ensure that outputs are firmly rooted in strong legal and policy analysis, in order to maximize opportunities and build the reputation of Amnesty International as the leader in the field regarding the relevant theme.

Ensure that the team works with the Research, Methods and Standards Unit to identify and adapt research methodologies, techniques and practices, in order to ensure AI undertakes effective and credible research on the identified global themes.

Represent Amnesty International at a senior level in high profile key conferences and meetings in order to maintain AI’s reputation as the expert on the thematic issue under discussion, and secure support for AI’s human rights objectives.

Write and publish articles on emerging transnational or global issues from a human rights perspective.
WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE IN THIS JOB?

• The Global Thematic Issues Programme works with the relevant programmes of the IS and the movement to design strategies on how to develop work on these transnational or emerging areas of human rights.
• The Global Thematic Issues Programme provides timely, clear and accessible legal, policy and political advice to IS staff, the AI movement and partners throughout the world to enable AI and its partners to actively shape the global human rights agenda on these issues.
• The Global Thematic Issues Programme leads in designing research projects which will support the analysis and advocacy to ensure that gaps in human rights standards and norms will be exposed.
• The Global Thematic Issues Programme represents AI effectively with intergovernmental organizations and in other settings or provides the advocacy expertise for other AI staff to represent AI in these venues.
• The Programme Director effectively manages the staff and financial resources of the department, promoting excellence, encouraging flexibility and ensuring the application of AI’s research, legal and policy expertise and analysis across the work of the AI movement on these issues.
• The Global Thematic Issues Programme develops and maintains strong relationships within the IS, the AI movement and key external stakeholders who see the programme as a source of expert, timely, accessible and clear advice and judgment on work on these issues with state and non state actors and with other relevant players.

skills and experience
A deep and practical knowledge of law relating to transnational human rights issues.

Significant experience of designing and implementing a research based approach to international human rights issues.

Demonstrable expertise in the field of human rights law and policy with experience of developing strategies to address human rights violations and abuses which are transnational.

Demonstrated leadership in the global human rights movement through communication of a vision of the opportunities and threats facing the human rights movement with regard to the specific areas addressed by the programme.

Demonstrated vision and creativity as well as intellectual discipline to lead the human rights movement in developing human rights strategies on highly contested issues that are effective and compelling.

Ability to work well with legal and policy experts, campaigners and advocates, regional experts and researchers, and be able to facilitate communication among different parts of the IS and the AI movement.

Accomplished presentation skills which can be adapted to address diverse audiences and media.

Excellent written skills in English (and additional language is a plus), and preferably published on a comparable area of work and able to supervise the drafting of high quality documents in a timely manner.

Committed to ensuring effective management and professional development of the staff in the programme.

Committed to creating an intellectually challenging and supportive work environment for the staff of the programme and the IS.

Ability to lead, inspire, motivate and facilitate their own and other teams to collaborate/support one another to deliver integrated and co-ordinated interventions.


EQUALITY STATEMENT

Equality and diversity is at the core of our values and staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.


CONFLICT OF INTEREST
 
Public or other activity, affiliation to or support for any group or organization, personal association or other factor which may generate a real or perceived conflict of interest with Amnesty International’s principles (specifically independence and impartiality), or raise a security concern, or otherwise prevent the candidate from carrying out key functions of the specific post and would therefore disqualify the candidate from being appointed.   

Terms and conditions

Salary: Salary and package offered commensurate to experience
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: Clerkenwell, Central London
Contract duration: Permanent contract
Holidays: Full time staff receive 27 days per annum plus two Amnesty International grace days and statutory and national public holidays .
Office hours: 09.30 - 17.30 or 10.00 - 18.00 by arrangement.
Relocation: Relocation assistance will be available for staff members (and their dependents) recruited from over 80 km/50 miles from the International Secretariat office in which the post is based.
Life insurance: 4 x gross salary.
Travel loan: Interest free travel loan for bus, underground, or rail travel to work (no qualifying period).
Pension:  After six months of service staff are automatically enrolled in the Amnesty International Superannuation Scheme.  This is a defined contribution to which Amnesty International contributes 7% of gross salary and will match individual employee contributions up to an additional 3%.
Cultural Diversity: All staff will work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.
Health and Safety: All staff are required to comply with Amnesty International's policy and rules relating to Health and Safety and its security regulations at work.
Work Permit: Should it be possible to obtain a UK work permit for this post?  Yes, depending upon individual eligibility under the Home Office's points based system. Individual's should ascertain their eligibility to work in the UK before applying for a London based job with Amnesty International by using the points-based calculator at http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator. Please note that your application would be as a Tier 2 (Skilled worker) in the General category.
Probation: A 6 month probation period will be included in the contract for this position.

how to apply

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