Technical Advisor, Internet Governance and Digital Rights

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Technical Advisor for Internet Governance and Digital Rights will serve in a key leadership position in Internews’ Greater Internet Freedom (GIF) project, providing high-level strategic guidance and support to the Chief of Party and a global consortium of partners, as well as coordinating and driving the achievement of key internet governance, digital rights, and policy goals under this initiative.

Our ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise, prior experience working in multi-stakeholder initiatives aimed at human rights and technology, advocacy skills, and passion for promoting digital rights and Internet Freedom to this dynamic role.

The GIF project is a USG-funded Internet Freedom project implemented through a global consortium and led by Internews. The consortium places regional and local organizations at the forefront of the global fight to preserve an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet. You can learn more about the GIF team and project here: https://greaterinternetfreedom.org.

LOGISTICS

This is a remote-based position, with preference given to applicants based on the East Coast of the United States or in the United Kingdom, France, Kenya, Liberia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Lithuania. Candidates based elsewhere may also be considered. However, you must have work authorization in your location that does not require sponsorship from Internews. Additionally, there are locations in which Internews is not able to support fully remote work.

The selected candidate will report to the Chief of Party, based in the Eastern Time Zone in the US, and will work closely with consortium members around the globe. This position requires domestic and international travel.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so candidates are encouraged to apply soon.

This is a limited-duration position, with an expected end date of August 13, 2023. This position may be extended through November 2024, contingent upon the availability of funding.

Note: Hiring is contingent upon receipt of required donor approvals.

OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF BELONGING

We are an organization of dynamic, mission-driven individuals who are passionate about our core values and about supporting positive change in the world. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and flexibility. We believe that diverse teams are strong teams and work to support an ethic of belonging, dignity, and justice for all people. Our current team includes a mix of genders, parents and non-parents, and people of multiple races, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We are an EEO employer and encourage candidates of all races, genders, ages, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences.

DAY-TO-DAY TASKS will include:

Digital Rights Expertise

Drawing on prior experience conducting or supporting evidence-based, data-driven primary research on Internet freedom topics, the Advisor will:

• Provide expertise on digital rights policy issues including freedom of expression, data protection, privacy, access to information, and surveillance.
• Maintain currency in the trends and technologies affecting digital rights policy issues, and the mitigation strategies that are being experimented with.
• Engage in local, regional, and international digital rights events.
• Consult and assist partners on digital rights policy challenges.

Thought Leadership

Drawing on prior experience working within or collaborating with multi-stakeholder initiatives aimed at human rights and technology, the Advisor will work to unite civil society and public sector actors by:

• Working with human rights defenders, journalists, advocates, lawyers, marginalized populations, and Internet Fredom (IF) communities to understand their needs and help craft strategies and tactics.
• Working directly with communities in their own community spaces and maintaining trust and collaboration over extended periods of time.
• Monitoring and comparing trends across the consortium and finding ways to share findings with the IF community.

Mentoring and Training

The Advisor will engage effectively with a wide range of communities on issues regarding Internet Freedom, particularly issues at the heart of technology policy, Internet policy, and Internet governance by:

• Advising and mentoring coalition partners on local, regional, and global digital rights policy issues.
• Conducting trainings on a variety of digital rights issues including but not limited to the right to freedom of expression online, access to the internet, digital privacy and data protection, etc.

Events and Presentations

• Support Internews’ development of up-to-date digital rights briefing and communications materials.
• Support events and partner meetings.
• Represent Internews at regional and international Internet Freedom events, as well as in other topical spaces.
• Support Internews’ public engagement strategy with regard to Internet policy, Internet governance, and technology policy.
• As needed, travel domestically and internationally.
• In all duties, uphold Internews’ Core Values and demonstrate commitment to fostering a culture of Belonging, Dignity, and Justice.

QUALIFICATIONS WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Required

• Minimum 10 years of relevant prior experience, including at least five years’ experience leading internet policy efforts or related experience.
• Relevant university degree or equivalent lived/professional experience.
• Professional-level fluency in English.
• Experience working on global Internet policy issues including but not limited to freedom of expression, data protection and privacy, access to information, surveillance, etc.
• Experience deploying strategic communications, media outreach, targeted messaging, and over advocacy skills within efforts to integrate Internet Freedom objectives into national or regional-level advocacy efforts or public debates.
• Experience engaging in regional and international digital rights fora.
• Thought leadership in public discourse on regional and global digital rights issues.
• Experience writing and reviewing policy briefs.
• Expertise working with human rights defenders, journalists, advocates, and/or marginalized populations, as well as (ideally) with Internet Freedom communities.
• Proven ability to operate in a multicultural environment; culturally sensitive communication and mediation skills.
• Understanding of gender-sensitive programming and approaches to civil society engagement.
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize a shifting workload.
• Superior analytical and writing ability.
• Superior communication and presentation skills.
• Optimism, a sense of humor, and excitement at joining a supportive, skilled, multi-cultural team that is distributed across the globe.

Preferred

Note: Candidates who do not have these preferred qualifications, but who are interested and willing to learn, are encouraged to apply.

• Understanding of cross-cultural concerns in working with people across the world.
• Experience living and working outside of the United States.
• Experience with legal policy analysis, and legal advocacy.
• Experience with democracy, human rights, and governance field.

How to apply

TO APPLY

Applicants should submit a CV (maximum three pages) and a cover letter (maximum one page) expressing why they are drawn to this position, and why they believe they are a strong applicant. Internews will conduct an initial screening of applicants’ CVs and cover letters and then invite top candidates for a phone screening, then a final interview. We are seeking candidates who can begin work as soon as possible.

Please submit CV and cover letter via our Careers page.