Board Member Protection International Africa (PIA) (unpaid volunteer position)

Position: Board Member Protection International Africa (PIA) (unpaid volunteer position)

Location: West & East Africa

Mandate: 5 year term, renewable for an additional term

Starting date: ASAP

Guider: Chairperson of PIA Board

About PI

Protection International (PI) is an International NGO that contributes to the improvement of the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs) throughout the world. PI provides tools to develop Women/Human Rights Defenders’ capacities to manage their own security as their struggle against impunity and work in favour of human rights and democracy in their respective countries or regions. PI seeks to contribute to a situation where W/HRDs are recognised as legitimate actors for social change and to an environment where they can exercise their right to defend universally accepted human rights.

Protection International has its global office in Brussels, but primarily works where protection of W/HRDs is needed. PI has long-term presence in several countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Under its Global Strategy 2019-2023, PI is gradually transforming into a network of Hubs, establishing regional offices that work in a flexible manner across several countries.

Protection International Africa (PIA) is one of these Hubs with its main office in Nairobi, Kenya from where it coordinates its work in several countries of Africa. To best meet its strategic objectives and strengthen its institutional capacity, Protection International Africa (PIA) is seeking additional members for its Board of Directors.

Protection International Africa’S (PIA) mission is to increase agency for Human Rights Defenders and contribute to the creation of safe spaces for HRDs. It does so by developing comprehensive protection approaches with HRDs. Our program helps defenders build their capacities in order to manage their protection effectively, to encourage those that have a duty to protect them to fulfil their obligations, and to convince other individuals and institutions with a stake in the protection of HRDs to maximize their positive contribution. PIA always works in partnership with defenders.

To be a PIA Board Member

The PIA Board has the remit and mandate to ensure that the PIA’s strategic direction and operations are aligned with PIA’s vision, mission, and core values and that PIA is achieving and delivering on the commitments as stated in the PIA sstrategic framework. The PIA Board appoints the Africa Regionl Director (ARD) and oversees the alignment and implementation of the strategic plans.

Overall, the PIA Board provides direction in expert areas such as finance management, human resource management and policy development. Board Members act with integrity and must not be in conflict of interest with PIA vision, mission and core values. PIA Board Members are unpaid volunteers.

A PIA Board member, therefore, is expected to:

• Engage in strategic discussions and have oversight over the direction and operations of PIA;
• Ensure critical thinking, reflection, and dialogue on key issues that may impact PIA’s mission and way of working;
• Assess PIA’s alignment in carrying and promoting the protection and creation of spaces for HRDs;
• Actively engage and provide guidance in the development, in the alignment and in strengthening the roles and remit of the PIA Board within Protection International’s decentralization process and in the implementation of the Global Governance Arrangement; and
• Have one or two of the skills-sets that will help the collective PIA Board to make sound decisions on issues presented by the PIA Regional Director specifically on strategy, political context within Africa and international relevance to global advocacies on HRDs, governance, finance and funding, people care and culture.

Duties & Responsibilities

1. Serving as a trusted advisor to the Chairperson of the PIA Board and to the collective PIA Board members in safeguarding PIA’s credibility and integrity, and in the alignment and in the implementation of the PIA activities as reflected in PIA’s core values, mission and principles;

2. Make sound decisions in ensuring PIA meets all legal and fiduciary responsibilities, therefore, having oversight over the following:

3. approval of strategy, fundraising plans, annual budget, human resources and financial policies;

4. assets, financial structure and statements, investments, risk management, internal controls, financial audit;

5. Reviewing outcomes and indicators created by PIA for evaluating its impact, and regularly measuring its performance and effectiveness using those indicators;

6. Engaging in the recruitment process of the Regional Director including where and when needed, in conducting annual performance appraisals of the Regional Director, approval of the salaries and benefits for the Regional Director;

7. Regular attendance and active engagement of scheduled and extra-ordinary PIA Board meetings (virtual and in person), and serving in working groups and task forces;

8. Promote the work of PIA and identify partnerships and funding opportunities to ensure sustainability of the institution;

9. Where needed and assigned, attendance of events or meetings with stakeholders as an ambassador of PIA;

10. Assisting the PIA Board Chair and the Regional Director in identifying and recruiting other Board members;

11. Partnering with the PIA Board Chair and other PIA Board members to ensure that Board resolutions are implemented; and

12. Through the PIA Board Chair, liaise with the Chairperson of the Global Board of Directors of Protection International on issues of mutual interest.

What are we looking for?

Currently, the PIA Chairperson together with the current members of the PIA Board are seeking candidates with knowledge and experience with non-profit organisations and with demonstrable knowledge about human rights and human rights defenders. We are seeking 3 new Board members, with 2 successful candidates with Kenyan nationalities and 1 successful candidate coming from a Francophone country, preferably with nationalities from West or Central Africa.

We are seeking candidates with the following preferred experience and skills-set:

Experience

• Experience as a Board member in an international or regional organisation with preference for individuals with knowledge of the African region;
• Senior level experience with significant executive leadership duties;
• Has served in leadership roles in an organisation similar to Protection International or in other non-profit organisations;
• Previous experience as Treasurer, in finance and/or Human Resources;
• Familiarity with non-profit finances, financial controls, auditing tasks;
• Previous participation in organisational development processes for non-profits;
• Demonstrable experience in lobbying and advocacy for human rights/social movements;
• Capturing impact and successes through knowledge and learning tools;

Skills & Knowledge

• Experienced in one or more of the follow areas: human resource management, financial management, resource mobilisation, organisational learning and strategy development, monitoring and evaluation, strategic communication.
• Knowledge of International human rights law;
• Knowledge of protection, security, human rights movement/social movements;
• Knowledge and commitment to PIA’s mandate and scope preferably based on experience with human rights protection in the Africa region;
• Objectivity and independent thinking with a forward-looking perspective and clear strategic vision;
• Integrity, credibility, ethical behaviour and passion for realisation of PIA’s vision;
• Ability to unpack complex issues;
• Well-developed conceptual thinking and problem-solving skills;
• Willingness and ability to take charge in times of crisis;
• Diplomacy and affinity with cultivating relationships and consensus building among diverse individuals.

Languages

• For the Kenyan candidates, fluency in English is mandatory and proficiency in French is desirable

• For the Francophone candidates, high proficiency in English is highly desirable as Board meetings are conducted in English

• Proficiency in other relevant languages (Spanish, Swahili, Portuguese) is an asset.

What to expect

• Potential travel to PIA Board meetings, PI meetings and events, and other missions deemed important by the PIA Board (travel expenses are covered and per diems during travel/missions while serving as PIA Board member);
• Quarterly PIA Board meetings, and adhoc meetings as deemed necessary
• The possibility to gain first-hand experience and knowledge on strategies to support human rights defenders and grassroots movements globally;
• An open, friendly and multicultural PIA Board work environment;
• A people focused and collaborative way of working;
• Serving on PIA’s Board is without remuneration.