Senior Programmes Officer

Senior Programmes Officer

ILGA-Europe – European Region of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association

Brussels, Belgium

We’re looking for a movement support champion to work hand in hand with LGBTI organisations and groups in challenging contexts. We need a team mate who is equally good at strategic thinking and translating strategy into action, both over the long term and in time-sensitive, unforeseen circumstances.

Due date to send applications: Monday, 22 January 2024 (10:00 CET).

About ILGA-Europe

ILGA-Europe is a driving force for political, legal and social change at European and Central Asian level. Our vision is of a world where dignity, freedoms and full enjoyment of human rights are protected and ensured to everyone regardless of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.

ILGA-Europe are comprised of over 700 member organisations throughout Europe and Central Asian. From Iceland to Turkey and Kyrgyzstan to Malta, we work together with extraordinary activists to bring about real change for LGBTI people. Our staff team based in Brussels supports LGBTI organisations and activists in different countries across our region, connects key change actors at regional and national levels, and brings knowledge and experience together and to identify effective change strategies with the European and Central Asian LGBTI movement.

Supporting the development of a strong, skilled and connected LGBTI movement is a core pillar of our work. We bring a wide range of support activities and programmes to LGBTI organisations in Europe and Central Asia, including funding, training, coaching, strategizing, networking and coordination opportunities. This work is very dynamic and is rooted in the strategies and interests of LGBTI organisations in our region, as well as in the political and other developments that impact the movement. The role of Senior Programmes Officer is designed to contribute to and advance this crucial part of ILGA-Europe’s work.

The movement and our work are only as strong as our people. We support our staff and we value the knowledge, experience and commitment they bring to us and the movement.ILGA-Europe offers a strong remuneration package, including pension payments, insurance plans, luncheon vouchers, trainings and more.

Our commitment to being an equal opportunity employer

As an organisation working for the benefit of the LGBTI movement in Europe and Central Asia in all its diversity, we value the knowledge and expertise that come with lived experiences of injustice and systemic oppression. We particularly welcome applications from trans, gender non-conforming and non-binary individuals, and those targeted by racism, classism and disablism.

We are also keenly aware of the barriers faced by many people when applying for jobs, especially those experienced by members of under-represented groups and related to disability, ethnicity or national origin, colour, race, language, creed, gender, marital status, domestic circumstances, age, HIV status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, sex characteristics, among others.

We do all within our power to remove as many of these barriers in our day-to-day operations and in our employment practices. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments and providing various kinds of support. Please see the information about our employment package and benefits at the end of this advertisement.

What are the main job functions of the Senior Programmes Officer?

As Senior Programmes Officer, you will actively contribute to ILGA-Europe’s programmatic work supporting a strong, resourced and skilled LGBTI movement in high-risk contexts.

We are looking for a movement development champion who:

• Is keenly aware of the opportunities, challenges, needs, and threats related to LGBTI equality work in high-risk contexts;
• Is able to develop and hold strategic vision for the work focussed on supporting LGBTI organisations at risk, while effectively managing projects and budgets;
• Is capable of translating strategic vision and input from member and partner LGBTI organisations into context-specific strategizing, coordination, learning and funding activities.

The core of your portfolio will be strategising and implementing ILGA-Europe’s movement development work in support of LGBTI organisations and movements in high-risk contexts.

You will do this by building relationships with organisations and activists in your focus countries, monitoring developments, and developing funding, strategizing and learning activities. You will be contributing to mobilising more expertise and financial resources to support the movement’s work by engaging consultants and participating in project writing. You will also be responsible for the management of projects, reporting to and liaising with funders, developing and maintaining partnerships with civil society actors and other relevant stakeholders.

ILGA-Europe values creative and inclusive approaches to work and management and relies on cross-team work and participation of staff at all levels in the organisation. You will report to the Programmes Director, and will work collaboratively with other colleagues and external partners. An essential part of your work will be dedicated to working directly with LGBTI activists in member and partner organisations and groups.

Your main responsibilities will be:

Strategy and programme development and implementation:

• To develop and implement strategies and activities in support of the work of LGBTI groups and organisations in specific countries;
• To develop and carry out participatory consultation and assessment processes aimed at identifying and better understanding the strategies and needs of LGBTI groups and organisations;
• To monitor and evaluate the overall programmatic framework and its specific activities, and to contribute with the outcomes of monitoring and evaluation to future planning;
• To contribute to mobilising financial resources to expand and strengthen ILGA-Europe’s work and develop new programmes within its remit, in cooperation with colleagues;
• To ensure ongoing exchange and cooperation with funders supporting this work and partner organisations carrying out similar work.

Strengthening capacity of LGBTI organisations:

• To develop and implement calls for proposals that enable LGBTI organisations to advance their goals in innovative and strategic ways, incl. carrying out risk assessments;
• To develop and implement strategizing, coordination and learning activities with and for LGBTI organisations and groups;
• To support and monitor the implementation of projects supported by ILGA-Europe and provide advice to grantees in regards to the implementation of their projects;
• To monitor developments in assigned countries and cooperate with colleagues from different teams to ensure an appropriate and timely response or support from ILGA-Europe, as well as cooperation with key stakeholders, where necessary.

Supporting organisational learning:

• To harness expertise and experience emerging from ILGA-Europe’s programmes and from the wider LGBTI movement and to translate it into shareable resources or activities that make it as accessible to LGBTI organisations and other stakeholders;
• To support ongoing organisational learning at ILGA-Europe, especially in relation to our grant-making practices in high-risk contexts with a view of ensuring that it remains relevant, accessible and meets the needs of activists;
• To support awareness raising activities and engagement of European institutions, governments and relevant allies through liaising with other staff about relevant developments in specific countries.

What skills, knowledge and abilities are we looking for?

At ILGA-Europe we understand that not all individuals have the same opportunities to engage in paid work within the LGBTI movement, and value the experience brought in from other areas of work and life. To fit this role well, you should be strongly committed to working for human rights and equality, and have competencies and demonstrated experience in:

• Strategising creatively about how social, legal and political change can be achieved for LGBTI people, especially in high-risk or rapidly changing environments;
• Developing and implementing funding and learning programmes and activities;
• Experience in designing and hosting collaborative coordination and strategizing activities;
• Managing projects and budgets;
• Managing risks and effectively responding to unforeseen or crisis developments.

Due to the focus on the role, proficiency in both English and Russian is a requirement.

Important competences, experience and other requirements are:

• Knowledge and experience of working with the LGBTI movement or other vulnerable groups, particularly in high-risk environments;
• Understanding of how organisations and movements evolve and how to support them to achieve political and social change;
• Ability to develop and facilitate sustainable and meaningful collaborations, partnerships and alliances;
• Demonstrated capacity to adapt to rapidly changing environments and to find innovative ways to respond to emerging organisational needs or crisis situations;
• Ability to facilitate connections and peer learning for NGOs, grassroots organisations, and activists in a way that allows for meaningful exchange, collaboration, and transfer of knowledge;
• Ability to make the case for funding, including through written proposals and direct communication with funders;
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English and Russian (written and spoken) and to explain complex issues simply and concisely for diverse audiences;
• Ability to take initiative, to prioritize multiple tasks and meet deadlines, to plan and work independently, while being a strong and proactive team player;
• Ability to work as part of a diverse team and with people from diverse backgrounds, to maintain positive working relationships, and to ensure respect of equality and diversity in everyday work.

Willingness to relocate to Brussels and to travel in Europe and Central Asia. The regular working week is Monday to Friday but on occasion travel and work during weekends will be required.

Useful additional experience/knowledge includes:

• Experience with developing and implementing monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks and applying learnings to inform future programmes (desirable);
• Experience coordinating and guiding the work of others, for example consultants, advisors or peer task forces (desirable);
• Facilitation skills (desirable).

Information about the employment package

Open ended full-time position subject to continued funding for the post. Salary scale: 61 610€ to 65 111€, starting at the beginning of the scale. This annual salary is comprised of 12 months remuneration plus additional holiday pay paid out as of the second year of employment – the expected net monthly starting salary is approximately 2 800 € and increases annually. The working week is 37.5 hours (5 days of 7.5h). Every staff member is expected to work from the office in Brussels at least 3 days a week.

ILGA-Europe’s employment package includes:

• 20 days of annual leave (+ 10 public holidays) and an additional 5 days in December;
• fair measures to ensure recovery of extra hours worked during busy periods;
• hospitalisation and ambulatory health insurance (which cover the majority of LGBTI-specific care);
• a policy supporting employees who transition during employment;
• an employee pension scheme;
• ‘family friendly’ policies;
• annual public transport subscription for Brussels or indemnification of bicycle costs;
• additional 50 € per month contribution to costs of home-working;
• luncheon vouchers worth approx. 160 € for a full month worked;
• financial support for relocation to Brussels, where applicable;
• financial support for professional development (trainings, coaching and other learning opportunities enabling staff to grow in their positions).

Non-EU citizens and individuals who do not have an EU work permit can apply. We cover all the costs related to obtaining a work permit and visa, and manage the process. ILGA-Europe colleagues can provide support in finding accommodation, registering your residence and many other day-to-day issues related to moving to Belgium.

As a workplace, ILGA-Europe strives to be flexible and responsive to employee needs, balancing that with the needs of the wider team and those of the LGBTI movement. We offer flexible working hours and possibility to partially work from home, though the office in Brussels will be your main location of work. We understand that relocation may be difficult in the current circumstances and will adjust as much as possible to your capacities in this regard.

Applications

Due date to send applications: Monday, 22 January 2024 (10:00 CET).

Please submit a signed electronic version by e-mail to: [email protected]. The application form is available here. Please see the Job Description for a more detailed overview of the role here.