Front Line Defenders’ EU Office
Vacant Position of Advocacy Officer
Brussels, 2013

The EU Office of Front Line Defenders, an  NGO which was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk, people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is seeking an Advocacy Officer in order to effectively pursue its advocacy and lobbying work on behalf of human rights defenders at EU level.

In providing protection and support to human rights defenders, Front Line Defenders and its staff are committed to:
- focus on the primacy and centrality of defenders;
- demonstrate profound respect and empathy for defenders;
- meet the needs expressed by the defenders in a fast, flexible and relentless manner;
- achieve tangible impact;
- act with independence, impartiality and integrity;
- perform with dedication, professionalism and accountability;
- show transparency and openness;
- develop participative and cooperative relations.

Work

The work as Advocacy Officer includes tasks such as sending appeals on cases of human rights defenders at risk, ensuring follow-up and tracking results achieved; undertaking advocacy and lobbying actions, in particular through the development of contacts with EU and Member State officials; organising and coordinating events, including visits of human rights defenders.

Prerequisites

The successful candidate will have a relevant academic background, at least two years of human rights related experience, as well as sound knowledge of the functioning of the EU Institutions and the EU human rights instruments. He/She will have excellent oral and written communication skills in English and desirably French - knowledge of Spanish or German is an asset.

Contract

The position of Advocacy Officer is full-time, and is initially a one-year contract. This may be extended to become an unlimited duration contract.

Procedure and deadline

Letter of interest and application form in English must be sent by email to Mr Vincent Forest, Head of EU Office: vincent@frontlinedefenders.org by Friday 7 September 2012. See (a) full job description and (b) application form (and scroll down). Applications with CVs will not be accepted.