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About Amnesty International MENA

The International Secretariat, which operates from several sites worldwide, gathers and communicates accurate and action-oriented human rights information globally. They campaign for meaningful human rights change and enable effective human rights activism. They also work to persuade governments and other actors to uphold universal human rights standards. Amnesty International provides strategic leadership, support and advice to the Amnesty movement globally, fostering Amnesty’s contribution, presence and public accountability throughout the world.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Office plays a critical role in the Amnesty International Secretariat, gathering and communicating accurate and action-oriented human rights information and delivering on the vision to end grave human rights abuses and build societies respectful of human rights. 

Across the region, Amnesty International campaigns for meaningful change, support national entities, enables effective activism and growth, and persuades governments and other actors to uphold universal human rights standards across the region. The office provides strategic leadership, support and advice to the Amnesty International movement globally, fostering its global contribution, presence and public accountability.

About the Role

The Deputy Regional Director (DRD) plays a key role in partnering with the Regional Director and the other Deputies to lead the MENA team for Amnesty International. Based in Tunis, this pivotal position entails leading integrated, multifunctional teams implementing high-quality research, campaigning, and communication strategies to deliver substantial human rights impact within the designated subregion or country teams. The DRD is responsible for effective project management, ensuring equitable focus on research, campaigns (including online and offline activism), advocacy, and communications. Additionally, this role encompasses the management of staff performance, security, and well-being, often in complex political and security environments, with accompanying head of office responsibilities and representation duties.

Purpose of the Role

The Deputy Regional Director will:  

• Lead integrated multi-functional teams to implement high-quality research, campaigning and communication strategies that deliver human rights impact in the designated subregion or country teams;
• Lead on effective project management of operational plans, ensuring equal emphasis on Amnesty International’s research and campaign functions (including online and offline activism as relevant), as well as advocacy and communications functions;  
• Manage the performance, security and well-being of staff operating in often complex political, operational and security environments; carry out head-of-office functions, including representation;
• Provide high-level and strategic advice on major human rights trends, developments and key drivers of human rights violations in the region, including legal, political and socio-economic factors and adapting research programming to external shifts;  
• Represent the organisation in the media, towards national authorities and multilateral fora. 
• Design strategic campaigns to maximise impact, grow activism and attract members, oversee their implementation and adjust and innovate based on outcomes;  
• Ensure the effective application of Amnesty International standards of work in areas of responsibility, including Amnesty International’s Quality Assurance Framework for research methodology, outputs and publications, as well as finance, travel and security policies;  
• Support the Regional Director and work collaboratively with other deputy directors to share the management of an integrated multifunctional Regional Office, ensure consistent staff management and strategic allocation of the Regional Office’s resources.  

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and strategic oversight 

• Advise and support the Regional Director and broader management group on Amnesty International’s substantive human rights work and strategy towards the subregion or relevant countries, including emerging issues, trends and crises;
• Cultivate an environment conducive to innovation and change management, where ideas are encouraged, heard and shared, collaboration is valued, new projects, processes and team dynamics are explored, and experiential learning is the basis for adjustment and adaptation; 
• Manage the development and implementation of action plans for human rights research, advocacy, communications and campaigning for the subregion or relevant countries;
• Ensure integration of research, campaigning, communications and advocacy to provide an effective, coherent programme of work that delivers tangible outcomes for human rights in conformity with Amnesty International’s mission and consistent with its priorities, strategies and standards; 
• Represent Amnesty International with government officials, international organisations, civil society organisations, media and the public, developing and communicating messages crafted to influence the appropriate audience; 
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with Amnesty International’s sections and structures to identify and exploit opportunities for cooperation, information-sharing and problem-solving. 

Research management

• Be responsible for the quality of team research and advocacy outputs, working closely with originators to ensure that research strategy is sound and focused, key methodology, legal and policy issues are addressed, and evidence, analysis, and conclusions make a compelling case for change; 
• Ensure that country teams address developing grave human rights situations promptly and that research plans are adjusted as needed for emerging crises; 

Campaigns leadership

• Oversee integrated planning and delivery for all campaign projects in the subregion/relevant countries (global, regional, national crisis, etc.), including research and communications commissioning links. This ensures the office delivers a coherent suite of sustained campaigning projects that reflect organisational priorities;
• Work to increase public engagement in Amnesty International’s campaigns towards human rights impact and to convert followers into international supporters and members; 
• Promote innovation in campaigning and activism, including trying new tactics, techniques and methodologies;
• Foster relationships between country teams and Amnesty International regional and international sections and regularly share information about projects and actions to maintain a shared plan for campaigns and related activities. Where relevant, lead work with MENA sections to deliver campaign,  activism, communications and human rights education plans in-country;  
• Identify opportunities to partner with human rights and activist groups in Amnesty International’s campaigning. Ensure that engaging with nascent activists and youth groups is reflected wherever possible throughout the organisation’s campaigning work in the region. 
• Ensure processes enable active participation of key stakeholders in campaign development;
• Foster relationships between the Jerusalem office, sections and partners in Israel/Palestine, and share information about projects and actions to maintain a shared plan for campaigns and related activities

Quality Assurance and Reporting

• Ensure the quality of the country team’s research and advocacy outputs, working closely with originators to ensure that research strategy is sound and focused, key methodology, legal and policy issues are addressed, and that the evidence, analysis and conclusions make a compelling case for change;
• Be accountable for the quality of campaign plans and campaigning outputs from the country team, using the range of campaign tools strategically and coordinating with or seeking input from global teams as required;
• Approve, review and advise on internal/external campaign materials, ensuring products deliver on campaign strategy and communicate clear, actionable messages to target audiences;
• Ensure that the team reports with sufficient clarity and detail on the impact of their work on their Sharepoint project sites but also to external actors as relevant.  

Management of teams and projects 

• Ensure the timely delivery of agreed plans and that the team reports with sufficient clarity and detail on the impact of their work;
• Foster working conditions and working relationships that are respectful, safe, dignified and inclusive, in which all colleagues at all levels are respected, valued and held accountable for their conduct;
• Fulfil AI’s duty of care responsibilities towards all staff and take all appropriate measures to promote dignity at work, including the promotion of a diverse workforce and an inclusive work environment free from any form of prohibited conduct; 
• Ensure the identification and promotion of best practices, encouraging and leading learning and skill development among the Regional Office’s staff; 
• Work closely with the Regional Director as budget holder, set, monitor, manage and report on budget and expenditure for the work undertaken by their team;
• Manage risk assessments and oversee the implementation of security procedures for staff undertaking missions, travel, and other instances involving high risk, as well as site/office security where needed.

Skills and Experience

Knowledge and experience 

• Demonstrated knowledge and direct experience of the human rights and political context in Tunisia and, ideally, Algeria and Morocco/Western Sahara;  
• An expert understanding of the legal framework of international human rights law (and international humanitarian law as relevant), as well as relevant regional and national legal frameworks, to ensure expert editing in line with quality assurance framework and human rights research methodologies;  
• Experience in using online or offline campaigning and activism techniques and a range of digital channels to drive human rights action;  
• Knowledge of leading campaigns through a campaign lifecycle (issue identification, strategy development, campaign delivery, monitoring and evaluation, campaign exit and impact assessment) and using strategic campaign methodologies and tools; 
• In-depth experience in managing human rights research for advocacy purposes: conducting research using a range of appropriate methodologies, analysing and presenting findings, identifying advocacy targets, and applying research-based analysis to campaigning for human rights change;  
• Project management experience, including the ability to develop strategies and plans, review them and adapt them as required, exercising and promoting creative thinking;
• Knowledge of and experience in field security issues, ideally gained through operational fieldwork (including conflict or other high-risk situations) and digital security issues, as well as the ability to manage them appropriately; 
• Experience holding a leadership role in a complex organisation, experience in maintaining a successful operation during times of organisational change, managing a cross-functional, multi-cultural team, and identifying and addressing skill gaps and expertise in capacity building and training; 

Competencies 

• Written and oral fluency in English and Arabic is essential, and working knowledge of French is desirable. Fluency must be demonstrated at interviews and through publications or other written materials. Oral fluency means being able to conduct media interviews and public speaking engagements in the relevant language;  
• Demonstrated ability to understand and align strategic thinking with operational delivery;
• Ability to identify opportunities and threats and to recommend appropriate mitigating action; ability to make appropriate recommendations about an organisation’s interests and priorities;
• Excellent political judgement; 
• Demonstrated understanding of managerial-level responsibility; 
• Demonstrated willingness to be accountable and to receive and give performance-related feedback;
• Ability to lead and manage staff and financial resources, including setting, managing and monitoring plans and budgets for their team;
• Experience in working under pressure, managing conflicting demands, meeting deadlines and adjusting priorities;
• Ability to work in a manner that is consistent with the organisation’s core behaviours and competencies.

Personal style and attributes 

• Direct and collaborate with others to achieve results, utilising a challenging but respectful approach;
• Establish and maintain relationships with a broad range of people across the movement and externally to establish support and garner engagement; 
• Design and implement effective systems for tracking schedules, work plans and priorities for top-level management; 
• Take ownership of own responsibilities, honour commitments, support subordinates and provide direction while taking responsibility for delegated assignments; 
• Challenge and confront conflict, brokering solutions to achieve goals, using new approaches and technologies to develop innovative service solutions;

EQUALITY STATEMENT 

Equality and diversity are at the core of Amnesty International, 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.