Amnesty International South Africa Current Available Job Opportunity

As Amnesty International’s Campaigner in the South Africa National Office, you will lead on the development and implementation of overarching campaign strategies to deliver impact in relation to agreed human rights thematic priorities, providing campaign expertise, campaign management, political judgment and analytical, communication and representational skills.

The thematic focus will include but not limited to criminal justice system, policing and human rights, Human Rights Defenders, business and human rights, freedom of expression, assembly and association, socio-economic rights and strategic partnerships.

 

 

Job Title: Campaigner 
Location: Johannesburg
Reporting to: AISA Executive Director

SOUTH AFRICA NATIONAL OFFICE PURPOSE

Amnesty International South Africa (AISA) is a national human rights entity that is part of the global human rights movement established to address the national human rights priorities as well as to grow the human rights movement. The mission in South Africa is to address pertinent human rights issues through research, campaigning and human rights education and to empower people living in South Africa to take action on issues that resonate with them through AI’s global human rights movement. The work of AISA also involves leveraging South Africa’s influence regionally and globally to promote human rights domestically, bilaterally and internationally.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PURPOSE:

Amnesty International campaigns meaningful human rights change. It does this by enabling effective human rights activism and work to persuade governments and other actors to uphold universal rights standards.

HOW WE WORK – OUR BEHAVIOURS: ​
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Our organisational culture; which essentially represents how we behave, our working relationships and our ability to collaborate as a movement, underpins everything we do and is pivotal to the success of our impact. Our five behaviours form the basis of the type of culture we want to have in Amnesty:

• Accountable – I consistently strive to reach my goals in a thorough, timely way that I can be proud of, and I re-empower others to do the same.
• Considerate – I support my colleagues and try to find out what motivates them to do their best, and what pressures they are under, so that I can consider this when we work together.
• Creative – I continuously look for new and creative solutions and encourage others’ ideas so that we can adapt and succeed in an ever-changing and uncertain global environment
• Decisive – I make sound judgements within my work so that a project or activity can progress with pace and confidence.
• Respectful – I treat my colleagues with equality and dignity, and assume they have integrity. I value the different perspectives of my colleagues as well as my own and show them that their contributions and expertise matter.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Posts this job manages: This role will manage interns assigned to the team and additional campaigning staff should the programme grow.     
Other key relationships: The campaigner works in close collaboration with the researcher, ESCR Officer, Media Officer, Growth and Memberships team and, and where relevant, other posts in AISA, SARO, the International Secretariat and in the Amnesty International movement.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and deliver a high impact campaign strategy for ASISA and ensure it is coordinated with, and aligned to, the research, media and growth strategies.
• To develop and deliver the work on South Africa’s Foreign policy and represent AISA on the IGO Coordinators Group.
• To support and liaise with AI membership structures and maintain and develop networks of national and international NGOs and other external partners in the development and implementation of campaigning strategies and plans
• To write or otherwise devise campaigning and other materials for external and internal use, such as, public statements, web features, audio-visual materials and government correspondence as well as provide support for annual report entries
• To research the most effective ways to campaign on human rights concerns and monitor and conduct evaluations of campaigning strategies and plans
• To monitor and analyze political and human rights developments for purposes of devising appropriate campaign responses including by participating in field research and through contact with partners on the ground
• To communicate AISA’s concerns, positions and key messages to AISA’s membership, civil society organizations and at other forums, including through lobbying at relevant public forums in relation to campaigning priorities and undertaking other advocacy, and in addition,
• As appropriate, represent AISA in governmental, inter-governmental and various public forums, as well as with the news media and others
• To contribute to the development of sub-regional and region-wide strategies and plans for research and campaigning and provide input into internal discussions on the AI mission, policy, organizational and other issues in order to increase the effectiveness of AI’s work
• To participate in the coordination of the work of the team and contribute to the overall flexibility of resource use, including through setting priorities, preparing work plans, monitoring their progress and maintaining basic budgets
• To perform all necessary administrative tasks to ensure effective self-servicing, participate in the recruitment and induction of new staff and consultants and perform other corporate tasks as appropriate.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE IN THIS JOB?

• A successful campaigner will have developed and implemented effective and deliverable campaigning strategies within the overall strategy on the countries or other geographical areas or themes in her/his brief; communicated clear and effective messages to government, media, civil society, national and international NGOs and partners on the ground, having an impact on the human rights issues
• S/he will have produced, implemented, monitored and evaluated related campaign and action plans to agreed deadlines with relevant members of their project team(s); generated external awareness and activities on the countries and/or themes in her/his brief including by mobilizing and supporting the membership, and expanded networks of influence in relation to key concerns and priority areas in the regional strategy and plans; and written high quality materials for publication and other outputs
• S/he will have contributed to the effective functioning of the team, and to the implementation of AI’s mission, upholding AI’s values at all times.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience of strategic campaigning, including knowledge of the steps required to devise campaigning strategy and awareness of the need for actions and campaigning techniques to be based on strategies and be adapted to effect changes in a given situation
• Knowledge of the sub-region in general and a specialist knowledge in relation to specific countries or other geographical areas or thematic issues in your brief
• Ability to understand and express ideas in English, and, where applicable, other relevant languages in a fluent, clear and concise way, both orally and in writing, and to communicate complex information and institutional positions
• Ability to motivate and inspire others towards activism for change, including through creative and dynamic approaches to encourage campaigning in the face of obstacles and including an  understanding of digital campaigning tools and their appropriate use for target audiences to ensure both online and offline activism and mobilisation
• Ability to represent AISA in a variety of forums, particularly with civil society and the AI membership
• Experience of working in a team and understanding of the importance of efficient communications for the coordination and effective functioning of teams
• Demonstrated commitment to human rights, e.g. through previous work, membership of an organization, involvement in advocacy of human rights, etc
• Experience of managing conflicting demands, meeting deadlines and adjusting priorities
• Ability and willingness to undertake personal administrative tasks in accordance with AISA’s guidelines on self-servicing
• Understanding of equal opportunities, cultural diversity and gender issues as well as a commitment to apply relevant policies
• High levels of emotional intelligence and conflict resolutions skills

HOW YOU WORK:

• Delivering results
• Working with others
• Developing oneself and others
• Contributing to a dynamic and effective International Secretariat
• Making decisions
• Taking the initiative
• Communicating and influencing

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.

To apply

Submit a motivational letter and CV to the following address: [email protected] 

Application Deadline: 21^st February 2020 @ 16:00pm