ESCR-Net – International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights connects over 280 NGOs, social movements and advocates across more than 75 countries to build a global movement to make human rights and social justice a reality for all. Through ESCR-Net, members exchange information, build solidarity across regions, develop new tools and strategies, and advance collective actions to secure economic and social justice through the human rights framework, with a special focus on economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR). The member-led, collective work of ESCR-Net is guided by core principles of gender and regional balance in leadership and participation, intersectional analysis, and centrality of grassroots groups and social movements.
ESCR-Net is looking for a new member of our program team, with primary responsibility for coordinating ESCR-Net’s Economic Policy and Human Rights Working Group, as well as supporting related cross-working group and network-wide actions. This Working Group offers a platform for members to deepen and popularize a human rights-based critique of the global economic system guided by grassroots struggles, working to support popular political education and collective action and campaigning across ESCR-Net, and to amplify and articulate alternatives to the dominant socio- economic model, grounded in an inclusive vision for realizing human rights and environmental justice. Following a history of more targeted advocacy on trade, export credit agencies and development finance, this working group has taken these new directions over the past couple years, following an ESCR-Net Global Strategy Meeting (November 2016), the hire of its first dedicated program coordinator (July 2017), and a working group strategy meeting in Tunis (February 2018). The Economic Policy Working Group currently involves over 51 member organizations and 6 individual members, both movements and NGOs from all regions. Its systemic critique project is guided by a Project Advisory Group of 10 members, including five movement members.
We value being a member-led network that engages in consensus-building processes, promotes the visibility of our member organizations before our own, and rightfully defers credit to our members. We do the hard work involved in coordinating a participatory network not only because it aligns with our values but also because we believe in its power to achieve systemic change. For a complete overview of ESCR-Net’s work, please visit our website at www.escr-net.org.
For a complete overview of ESCR-Net’s work, please visit our website at www.escr-net.org.
Specific Responsibilities:
• Coordinate and strategically develop the projects and future advocacy of the Economic Policy Working Group and support Network-wide collaborations. Guided by members and in partnership with other secretariat team members, the Program Coordinator will have primary responsibility for:
- o Regular coordination and communication with Working Group members to advance projects and activities, and relevant communication with other members and allies;
- o Organization and facilitation of in-person and online workshops and strategy meetings, creating spaces for member-led analysis, planning and evaluation; and
- o Staying informed about key developments and supporting identification of/guiding strategic opportunities for collective action by the Working Group and across working groups.
• Facilitate a diverse and member-driven Working Group in line with ESCR-Net’s core principles, including outreach to ensure regional and gender balance and the centrality of social movements in working group membership, active engagement and governance structures, as well as supporting wider membership recruitment in collaboration with the secretariat’s membership team. • Facilitate the development of Working Group political education, collaborative research, advocacy interventions, campaign tools, and other resources, as well as maintaining the Working Group website, in collaboration with the secretariat’s communications team.
• Build and maintain strategic alliances, i.e. with environmental groups, unions or academics, within the UN and regional human rights systems, etc.
• Travel internationally and regularly in connection with the Working Group projects and activities, and represent ESCR-Net’s work, mission and principles in a range of forums.
• Support fundraising activities, including drafting or reviewing proposals and reports and engaging with project funders, in collaboration with the secretariat’s development team.
• Contribute to the effective work of the program and wider secretariat team, including via periodic facilitation of program or staff meetings, peer review of documents, input into evolving policies and practices that support operationalizing our Network core principles within the secretariat, and/or support for staff transitions.
• Perform necessary budgetary, administrative and logistical tasks in collaboration with the secretariat’s finance and logistics team.
• Recruit, orient and manage interns, consultants, and potentially junior staff as relevant.
• Engage constructively and consistently with other colleagues, based in multiple locations, and report to the Executive Director.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate is someone who has a strong grounding in political economy and substantial knowledge of the field of human rights (particularly ESCR), economic theory and history, contemporary economic policy debates and alternative social-economic-political models. The candidate should have strong analytical, interpersonal and coordination skills; work well in collaborative processes with diverse organizations; and be eager to learn and engage with a wide range of issues.
Candidates should have the following qualifications (required):
• Strong background in project management and demonstrated organizing skills which include but are not limited to the design, implementation and facilitation of collaborative strategy meetings, campaigns, trainings and/or workshops;
• Experience working with member-led networks or coalitions, good political judgment, and strong facilitation skills to engage constructively with a diverse range of actors and creatively and strategically coordinate collective action to advance human rights;
• Firm understanding of political education and experience developing political education with grassroots groups or movements;
• A relevant graduate degree, with a strong preference for work in political economy, and at least four years of experience working to advance human rights and economic justice, with knowledge of international human rights law and mechanisms, or a relevant bachelor’s degree and at least seven years of progressive experience working to advance human rights and economic justice, with substantial knowledge of international human rights and strong grounding in political economy and movement-based work;
• Experience applying a feminist intersectional analysis, attentive to overlapping issues of exploitation and oppression; • Experience building solidarity with and across movements and organizations in diverse contexts;
• Ability to represent ESCR-Net and liaise with people at all levels, including effective public speaking skills and clear written communication;
• Ability to quickly grasp new issues through research and in dialogue with members;
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively in a diverse secretariat with remote colleagues working in multiple time-zones;
• Fluency in oral and written English; and
• Strong working knowledge, both oral and written, of Spanish, Arabic and/or French. In addition to the qualifications noted above, the following skills and experiences are highly desirable:
• Fluency in Spanish, French and/or Arabic;
• Substantial experience organizing or campaigning for economic justice, ESCR or related social justice issues, ideally as part of or in close partnership with grassroots groups and social movements;
• Experience at the intersection of economic policy and women’s rights and/or environmental issues;
• Experience in building new programs and creating governance systems;
• Research and monitoring skills including, for instance, community-led documentation or participatory action research, budget analysis, data analysis and visualization, financial sector research, human rights impact assessment and monitoring, etc.;
• Strong network of connections in one or more regions with diverse civil society organizations;
• Experience engaging with UN and/or other intergovernmental bodies;
• Experience managing online tools for communication and collaboration;
• Experience living and working in multiple regions; and
• Experience with fundraising.
