Myanmar: Capacity Building Manager (CBM) – Research & Advocacy

Job Vacancy Announcement

Capacity Building Manager (CBM)–Research & Advocacy

July 2017

The Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) is a grassroots, locally led human rights organisation established in Karen State in 1992 and now operating in seven districts across southeast Burma/Myanmar. KHRG works with villagers to strengthen their ability to claim their human rights, documents their human rights situation, and conducts local and international advocacy. More information about KHRG and our work is available online at www.khrg.org.

Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) is seeking a Capacity Building Manager (CBM) to support its Research & Advocacy Team (AT) in managing and conducting local and international advocacy. The objective of the position is to strengthen KHRG’s organisational ability to effectively achieve advocacy objectives. The primary focus of the position is on capacity building, both embedding stronger organisational processes for managing advocacy and networking and developing the skills of local colleagues in the team. Applicants should be highly motivated, able to work with little supervision, and should have experience working on advocacy and human rights issues, ideally related to Burma/Myanmar or the region. A strong commitment to helping villagers claim their human rights is essential.

This is a full-time salaried position based in KHRG’s office on the Thai-Myanmar border in northern Thailand with travel to Yangon and Hpa-an, Myanmar. The ideal candidate would be available to begin in early September 2017, and would commit at least one year but preferably two years to the organisation. Due to the high volume of applications received, only short-listed candidates will receive a response.

Main Responsibilities

1. Build the capacity of local ethnic members of KHRG’s Advocacy Team – both in Northern Thailand and Yangon to independently manage advocacy activities.

2. Embed strengthened organisational processes for developing and implementing advocacy plans following a logical Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework.

3. Support management of KHRG’s advocacy activities, partnerships and external communications.

4. Ensure KHRG conducts effective social media outreach.

5. Represent the organisation in external meetings with local staff as necessary, including meetings with journalists, international organisations, NGOs and academic researchers.

6. Cooperate with local staff to produce English language submissions to various international bodies, such as the UN treaty bodies, Universal Periodic Review and Special Procedures' mandate holders.

7. Ensure partnership and stakeholder lists are systematically monitored and managed and maintain documentation of organisational positions on important issues.

Additional Responsibilities

1. Participate in management meetings and play an active role in KHRG’s inclusive management decision-making process.

2. Cooperate with KHRG’s Information Processing and Report-writing Team to produce reporting and advocacy materials as necessary, including sections of the annual thematic human rights report.

3. Support local staff in drafting external publications such as blog submissions, opinion articles and other written materials.

4. Support the production of organisational statements on international days of relevance such as International Human Rights Day, International Women’s Day, International Refugee Day, etc.

5. Support the development of short documentaries and/or videos.

6. Undertake any other ad hoc tasks as reasonably assigned by the Programme Director, such as assisting with donor reporting obligations.

Essential knowledge, skills and abilities

1. Substantive work managing advocacy or external communications, preferably in the field of human rights, and experience cultivating relationships with local and international governmental and non-governmental actors.

2. Teaching or capacity building experience, with a proven record of supporting and strengthening colleagues over the long-term and working towards sustainable organisational improvement.

3. The position holder will largely work as part of a small team of five people, thus team-working skills are essential.

4. Working in a multicultural environment, with an ability to ensure and foster clear communication between native and non-native English speakers.

5. Self-motivated, self-disciplined, well organised, and able to function under pressure, including simultaneously managing activities towards multiple objectives, meeting deadlines and responding promptly to job-related tasks.

6. Positive attitude, including a willingness to be flexible, take initiative, use problem-solving skills, accept feedback, and make adjustments to improve performance.

7. Knowledge of human rights legal frameworks, including human rights mechanisms both at the regional and international levels.

8. Experience working with an M&E framework.

9. Good knowledge of standard computer applications such as Microsoft Office (Power Point, Word, Excel, etc.) and online Google applications, as well as a proven ability to quickly learn new IT skills as needed.

10. Excellent English oral and written communication skills.

Desirable knowledge, skills and abilities

1. Academic degree in international relations, law, human rights, development studies or a related field.

2. Knowledge of the human rights and political situation in Myanmar, with specific knowledge of the situation as it affects rural communities in southeast Myanmar.

3. Expertise in writing human rights reports, or similar writing projects.

4. Knowledge of Adobe's Creative Suite, including Photoshop and InDesign.

5. Script-writing and video-editing skills.

6. Some knowledge of Karen, Burmese, and/or Thai language.

Salary

KHRG is a local NGO with an egalitarian salary system which does not discriminate between local and expatriate staff. This means that the salary is not competitive with salaries of international organisations but is sufficient to pay for basic living costs in the area. KHRG does not cover health insurance and staff are expected to take responsibility for their own insurance. Salary raises are subject to staff performance and performance evaluations. The position includes four weeks per year of paid vacation leave. Basic visa costs will also be covered. Other benefits can be discussed with applicants who are shortlisted for the position.

To Apply

Please submit complete applications by 26 July 2017. The applicant should be available to begin employment in early September 2017. Applications for the position should include a detailed CV (maximum two pages) with at least two references, a cover letter (of a maximum one page in length) and a relevant writing sample. The cover letter should describe your academic and professional experience as they relate to the knowledge, skills and abilities requirements listed above. References will not be contacted without notifying the applicant in advance. Please send applications to applications@khrg.org. If you have any questions or wish to discuss the position in more detail before applying, you may contact KHRG at khrg@khrg.org.