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Amnesty International is seeking a Deputy Regional Director of Campaigns for the East Africa, Horn and Great Lakes region to provide strategic leadership in the development, management and delivery of high impact campaigns. As Deputy Director, you will explore new tactics and influencing techniques, and work with a strong team of advocacy and movement-building experts as well as identify and foster opportunities for partnership and cooperation. This is an exciting opportunity for a facilitative and inspiring leader and an experienced human rights advocate.

About Amnesty International

Amnesty International is a global movement of more than seven million people who campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. It reaches almost every country in the world with:

• more than two million members and supporters who drive forward the fight for human rights
• more than five million activists who strengthen calls for justice

Amnesty International’s aim is simple: an end to human rights abuses. Independent, international and influential, it campaigns for justice, fairness, freedom and truth wherever they are denied. And whether the organisation is applying pressure through powerful research, advocacy or face to face campaigning on an issue, policy engagement, mass demonstrations or online campaigning, it is inspired by hope for a better world. One where human rights are respected and protected by everyone everywhere.

About the role

The Deputy Regional Director of Campaigns manages the campaigns programme staff, the Individuals at Risk programme, as well as Campaigns and Communications Assistants and closely works with the communications, media and the research teams. The role is designed to bring inspirational campaigns innovation, imagination, influencing and advocacy, cutting edge thinking, creative offline and online strategies, and tactical use of digital and other technology platforms to run high impact human rights campaigns. 

You will inspire and lead the campaigning staff through innovative strategies and solid support, all of which will stem from your strong communication across the organisation and effective links with Amnesty International’s various human rights teams, activists and the media. At the same time, as one of two Deputy Regional Directors, you will work closely with the Regional Director to manage the regional campaign’s operation, inspire your team of campaigners and others, and promote integrated ways of working that deliver cohesion, effectiveness and move the regional team towards achieving human rights impact.

Purpose of the role

• Provide strategic leadership in the development, management and delivery of high impact campaigns across East Africa, Horn and Great Lakes region.
• Support the Regional Director in providing strategic leadership and management of the regional office while serving as a member of the Regional Office Management Team.
• Provide strategic management and supervision of campaign staff and ensure integrated ways of working in a multi-functional office.
• Lead strategic planning and implementation of the regional office projects, work plans, learning, monitoring and evaluation to demonstrate the impact of human rights work.
• Manage the strategic allocation and utilisation of resources to achieve regional and global campaign objectives.
• Ensure the application of Amnesty International standards of work and quality controls in all aspects of campaigning and the production of campaigns outputs.
• Represent Amnesty International at the highest levels, including with government, civil society groups, partners and media to enhance the impact of the Regional Office’s campaigns agenda.
• Contribute to the management of the International Secretariat and deputise for the Regional Director when nominated.
• Enhance collaborative ways of working with colleagues in the Campaigns Directorate and wider International Secretariat and movement to advance learning and integrated ways of working.

Duties and Responsibilities

Management

• With the Regional Director, recruit and manage Campaigns staff, ensure staff and performance are managed effectively, and talent is nurtured.
• Ensure the identification and promotion of best practice, encouraging and leading learning and skill development among the Regional office staff.
• Use knowledge of the region and political judgement to advise and support the Regional Director and broader management teams on Amnesty International’s substantive human rights work in the region, including emerging issues, trends and crisis and conflict situations.
• Manage all organisational resources to ensure their most optimal use, in line with agreed priorities and policies and for maximum results.
• Promote an organisational culture of respect, teamwork and integration within the Regional Office, across the International Secretariat and manage the effective integration of relevant staff from the International Secretariat to the Regional Office.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with AI’s sections and structures in order to identify and exploit opportunities for collaboration, information-sharing and problem-solving.
• Participate in the corporate management of the International Secretariat, including by contributing to the development of strategic and operational plans, identification and solution of corporate management issues, ensuring effective communications across departments.
• Accountable for the duty of care of staff, working closely with the Regional Director and Human resources to ensure staff wellbeing and an enabling work environment. Contribute to internal security, health and safety and human resources policies and standards, supported by the Finance and Admin Manager.
• Develop effective coordination and collaboration with global teams based in the International Secretariat across different locations globally and with sections.
• In the spirit of integrated ways of working, work closely with the research team in the regional office in order to promote synergy across research and campaigns in order to develop high impact well-integrated inventions. 
• Deputise, as agreed or nominated to act for the Regional Director in his or her absence.

Campaigns Management and Strategic Oversight

• Manage the development and implementation of human rights campaigns and advocacy action plans for the region in line with global and regional priorities and strategies.
• Deliver impactful, innovative and fully integrated global campaigns that support movement growth, activism, youth mobilisation and Section engagement throughout the campaign cycle in coordination with global teams and sections.
• Ensure integration of campaigns, research and communications in order to provide an effective, coherent programme of work.
• Ensure that Amnesty International campaigns harness cutting-edge digital technologies and innovations to enhance visibility, engagement, outreach and impact.
• Represent Amnesty International with government officials, international organisations, civil society organisations, public events and in the media, developing and communicating messages crafted at influencing the appropriate audience.
• Ensure that campaigns staff with a continental brief collaborate with colleagues in other locations when creating plans and action.
• Work with campaigns, communications, activism, movement building and media to increase activist and public engagement in Amnesty International’s campaigns and support both growth and human rights impact.
• Monitor and analyse political, human rights and civil society development; participate in fieldwork to develop and deliver effective campaigning strategies.
• Represent Amnesty International to the movement, governments, international organisations, media and the public.

Quality Assurance

• Responsible for overall quality and timeliness of campaign plans and campaigning output from the regional office, coordinating with other stakeholders from other regional and global teams as required.
• Ensure compliance with globally developed quality assurance and impact assessment methodologies to ensure consistency and impartiality and measure human rights impact within the region.
• Ensure all outputs go through appropriate Quality Assurance Framework including but not limited to research, law and policy review.
• Identify learning and capacity development needs for campaign staff and act on them.
• Approve, review and/or advise on internal/external campaign materials, ensuring products deliver on campaign strategy and communicate clear, actionable messages to target audiences.
• Coordinate regional office campaign plans with the Global Campaign and Communications teams to support effective global campaign programming and an updated regional campaign calendar, and share and coordinate plans and activities with peers across regional locations.

Finance and Risk Management

• Support good financial and resource management practices by working closely with the Finance and Office Manager in setting budgets, monitoring expenditure and financial reporting in your area of management.
• Manage risk assessments and oversee the implementation of security, wellbeing, health and safety procedures for staff.

Skills and experience

• Extensive experience leading campaigns at the national and international level through a campaign’s lifecycle (issue identification, strategy development, campaign delivery, monitoring & evaluation, campaign exit and impact assessment), and using strategic campaign methodologies and tools. Experience in creating campaign materials for a diverse range of target audiences. 
• Understanding of voluntary commitment and of organisational needs of a membership organisation and the implications of this for developing and implementing campaigns internationally.
• Knowledge of the East, Horn and Great Lakes of Africa sub-region in which the post operates and the ability to work effectively within a varied and changing set of focus issues and countries.
• Experience working in a key leadership role in a complex organisation with a distributed International Secretariat, and preferably with experience of maintaining a successful operation during times of organisational change.
• The ability to matrix manage cross-functional, multicultural, and distance project teams. Experience working with colleagues, partners and/or rights-holders based around the world, including the global North and global South; knowledge of participatory methodologies desirable.
• Experience managing people and teams, of successfully coaching and mentoring people, and encouraging integrated and new ways of working; ability to identify and address skills gaps and experience of capacity building and training.
• The ability to develop long-term plans and to adapt to fast-changing political situations in an international environment. Excellent political judgment and the ability to spot and address both risks and opportunities.
• Ability to negotiate, challenge and confront conflict, brokering solutions to achieve goals.
• Experience and comfort with the use of technology, digital and online platforms to advance a social change and human rights agenda.
• The ability to lead innovative and creative approaches to campaigning; experience of using online and offline activism techniques and a range of digital channels to achieve campaign objectives.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills in English and fluency in a regional language; working knowledge of French, Swahili or Arabic is an advantage.