Governance & Rights Lead

Permanent. Full Time. Hybrid working (You will be required to attend the office for a minimum of 2 days per week with the option to work remotely for the remaining 3 days).

Location: This role can be based in any of our global hubs: Abuja - Nigeria, Bogota - Colombia, Dhaka - Bangladesh, Nairobi - Kenya, New Delhi - India

Salary: Competitive

If we receive a high volume of applications, we reserve the right to close the advert before the scheduled closing date. Therefore, we encourage interested applicants to apply at their earliest convenience.

About us

Christian Aid exists to create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. We are a global movement of people, churches and local organisations who passionately champion dignity, equality and justice worldwide. We are the changemakers, the peacemakers, the mighty of heart.

We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and recognise the value this brings in forming strong, creative and high performing teams. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, and from those with experience from outside of the voluntary sector. And no, you don’t have to be Christian to work here – we encourage people of all faiths and none to apply. We just ask that everyone lives out our values of dignity, equality, justice and love. We value a good work-life balance, so we’re open to part-time and flexible working. We also offer hybrid working for our office-based colleagues.

About the role

Reporting in to the Global Head of Programme Policy and Practice, the Governance & Rights Lead is a key role designated as the single point of accountability governance and rights leadership across the organisation, aligning with Christian Aid’s organisational values and goals.

The post-holder will be responsible for co-developing a thematic strategy, collaborating with the Strategy and Learning Manager in organisational effectiveness, and with the Policy and Advocacy Lead in the Policy and Influencing division within the Impact Department.

The role is ultimately accountable for the delivery of the Thematic Strategy on Governance & Rights and for reporting progress towards this at regular intervals to measure success and maximise impact.

Some of the key responsibilities of the Governance & Rights Lead include:

• Co-develop, create and deliver a thematic strategy for the whole of the Governance & Rights thematic priority, including clear measures of progress and impact/success which are then reported against at regular intervals aligning with organisational values and goals.

• Lead as the organisational technical expert on governance and rights programming and collaborate with staff across all 5 Multi Country Clusters (MCC's) and the broader Impact department, and IPE department so they are able to draw on governance and rights expertise – ours and our partners’ – in order to design, fundraise for and facilitate the delivery of strong signature programme work on governance and rights, maximising impact and income.

• Foster a culture of learning and improvement by identifying best practice among our partners and facilitating knowledge sharing across partners; by commissioning (or directly undertaking when appropriate) research and learning reviews to evidence good practice and course correct where needed.

• Build strong relationships with key policy and advocacy colleagues – particularly the Global Policy and Advocacy Lead for Governance and Rights –, focusing on ensuring insight and learning from programme practice feeds into, and influences public policy development, and provides evidence for advocacy materials.

• Collaborate with the Strategy and Learning Manager and the Impact and Evidence Manager to ensure appropriate evidence is being gathered and consolidated to measure and communicate the impact of our work on governance and rights and to adapt our signature programme approaches as necessary.

• Lead and build external networks globally so Christian Aid’s work on governance and rights is presented and promoted nationally and internationally, resulting in 1) an enhanced organisational profile within the sector to maximise our impact, 2) a portfolio of work that is innovative and in line with sector best-practice, 3) a pool of potential partners to engage and work with.

• Programme advisory and resource materials on governance and rights are developed on the basis of organisational values, goals, strategies, adaptive programming approaches, and informed by ongoing learning of Christian Aid

About you

Who we are looking for

Essential:

• Postgraduate or equivalent in International Development or relevant discipline.

• Detailed understanding of current thinking/debates on governance and rights (all human rights, including social, economic, civil and political), at global levels and across West & Central Africa, East and Southern Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Middle East in line with Christian Aid's 5 MCC's coverage.

• Extensive experience of translating ‘rights’ concepts into practice within development programmes, across social, economic and civil/political issues in a multi-country setting, and preferably in more than 1 region.

• Detailed understanding and experience of governance programming, both on the ‘supply’ and ‘demand’ side (i.e. institutional strengthening/accountability, and empowerment and voice).

• Understanding the role of faith-based actors promoting good governance and defending human rights.

• Extensive experience of International Development, strategic planning and multi-country programme management.

• Detailed understanding of current thinking in sector specific M&E, including adaptive management.

• Developed ability to apply analysis of power/social exclusion to programme design and management.

• Highly developed negotiation, facilitation, influencing, diverse stakeholder engagement skills, and ability to promote critical thinking and reflection.

• Significant experience of providing training, technical support and/or advice.

• Highly developed interpersonal skills, including the ability to discuss sensitive issues and inspire others to take up new challenges.

Further information

At Christian Aid we strive to be an inclusive and diverse employer and recognise the value that this brings in helping to build strong, creative and high performing teams.

We are actively encouraging racialised minorities, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people with caring responsibilities, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, women, and older workers to apply. This is because these groups are under-represented within our teams, especially at senior level, and we recognise and value the contributions members of these groups make to strong, creative and high performing teams.

We have a strong Christian ethos and we encourage applications from all faiths. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of and sympathy with Christian Aid’s faith identity.

All successful candidates will require a DBS/police check appropriate to the role and location and a Counter Terrorism Sanction check as part of your clearance for commencing your role with us. We also participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information as part of the referencing process from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

This role requires applicants to have the right to live and work in the country where this position is based and undertake the role that you have been offered. If you are successful and we make you an offer for the role, we will be required to conduct a right to work check on your immigration status in the UK. We will contact you regarding the documentation you will need to provide to evidence this.

How to apply

To apply for this position, please go to the Christian Aid careers page through this LINK.