Eastern Africa Researcher and Representative

Details

• Location: Uganda, Tanzania or Ethiopia
• Fee: GBP 14,500-16,000 per year (depending on experience)
• Contract Type: Consultancy for 17.5 hours per week
• Contract period: one year (with opportunity for renewal)
• Closing Date: 28/02/2024

HOW TO APPLY: Complete and return this application form via our jobs portal. Kindly note that the application form is required; we will not accept CVs. If you need any additional support, please reach out to Giulia Vinzi at [email protected]

About us

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is a high-impact, global organization. We work closely with allies and partners to advance respect for human rights in business and hold companies accountable for abuse. We do this by empowering human rights advocates in civil society, business, and governments to support bold leadership for human rights in business and strengthened corporate accountability, due diligence, and effective remedy for abuse. We also build transparency of advances, challenges, and abuse of human rights in business. We generate and share information that is relevant, reliable, and up to date, and we work with advocates around the world to use this information to drive positive change that puts human rights at the heart of business.

The Position

The Researcher will work closely with organisations in Eastern Africa to advance human rights in business and work towards eradicating abuse, with a particular emphasis on issues related to labour rights, natural resource extraction, and civic freedoms and human rights defenders when such issues touch on business activities.

The work will be aligned with the Resource Centre’s organisational aims of empowerment, accountability and transparency:

• Empower others to act: Work with organisations (civil society and other sectors) in the sub-region to ensure that their priorities and concerns are heard by relevant actors at regional and international levels, and to share insights and expertise on human rights approaches to business.
• **Promote accountability:**Invite companies operating in Eastern Africa to respond publicly to specific concerns of alleged abuse and exploitation, and/or questions about their approach to human rights due diligence; also engage strategically with representatives of government and international financial institutions, and international agencies.
• Build transparency: Collect and publicise via the Resource Centre’s website information in English and local languages from a wide range of sources about the human rights impacts of companies operating in Eastern Africa.

The Researcher will also play an important role in helping the Resource Centre achieve organisational priorities in areas including deeper regionalisation of its work and approach, smart strategies regarding government and business, and enhanced communications efforts.

Specific activities include:

• Represent the Resource Centre in Eastern Africa, meeting not only with civil society actors but also relevant representatives from business, government, international financial institutions, and international organisations.
• Develop strong networks, communicate regularly with local civil society groups, and work with some of them in developing effective strategies for change in specific cases of abuse.
• Develop a strong network of organisations working on business and human rights issues in Eastern Africa and communicate regularly with local civil society groups, and work with them to develop effective strategies for change in specific cases of abuse, including undertaking missions and visits to hear directly from local NGOs and affected communities.
• Conduct trainings and workshops on business and human rights for community and labour leaders alongside local partners, on topics such as documentation of abuse, international standards, and global supply chains.
• Research and share materials on business and human rights with actors in the sub-region, in English and local languages – via the Resource Centre’s website, social media channels, and e-newsletters, and in external publications.
• Invite companies to respond to specific allegations of misconduct raised by civil society.
• Participate in regularly scheduled Global Team and Africa Team calls, as well as ad-hoc calls and meetings as needed.
• Work with the Development Team to develop and draft proposals for new work and report on outcomes of ongoing work.

Key competencies and attributes:

• Values: Strong, demonstrated commitment to human rights in the business sector. Shares values and ethos of the Resource Centre.
• Human rights experience: Experience in the field of human rights, labour rights, social justice, law and policy, or advocacy – including in Eastern Africa.
• **Subject matter expertise:**Knowledge and understanding of the business and human rights field in general, including standards and developments, and of the relevant Eastern Africa context in particular.
• Research & analytical skills: Able to search for and identify relevant information online and offline; persistent in seeking out difficult-to-find information; creative in identifying new sources of information.
• Communications: Strong writing skills, including succinct writing for the web, and strong public speaking skills.
• Representation skills: Able to foster productive, professional relationships with a broad range of contacts, including representatives of civil society, business and government.
• Outreach and networking: Able to foster productive, professional relationships with a broad range of contacts, including activists, company representatives, and government officials.
• Team-work: Able to operate effectively and constructively as part of a multicultural and diverse Global Team and ensure smooth communication despite geographical distances between team members.