Education and Communities Coordinator – Africa (Digital Security Helpline)

The Organization and Role

About Access Now

Access Now is a growing international human rights organization dedicated to defending and extending the digital rights of users at risk around the world, including issues of privacy, security, freedom of expression, and transparency. Our policy, advocacy, technology, and operations teams have staff presences in Africa/MENA, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America, to provide global support to our mission.

Our Digital Security Helpline is a globally distributed team that provides 24/7 incident response, digital security advice, and implementation support for civil society around the world. We offer real-time, direct technical assistance and advice to civil society groups & activists, media organizations, journalists & bloggers, and human rights defenders.

About this role

As the regional Education and Communities Coordinator – Africa you will help manage the preventative, educational, and community-building efforts of the Digital Security Helpline in the MENA and Sub Saharan Africa regions. You will work closely with the Helpline regional team of incident handlers to manage and coordinate educational efforts including audits, extended interventions, and digital security training, among others. You will help build, maintain and strengthen relationships with key civil society partners in the region, including Helpline intermediaries, safety trainers and regional help desks, and will help drive the presence and viability of the Helpline for some of the most vulnerable communities. The Education and Communities Coordinator – Africa sits within the Digital Security Helpline, and reports through the Helpline’s Education and Communities Lead.

This role is suited to an experienced digital security trainer or auditor who is excited by Access Now’s mission and is eager to connect with partners and organizations in the Region to provide support and advice to human rights defenders in Africa and around the world! We’re looking for an individual who strives to support at-risk communities with strengthening their digital safety knowledge and skills, and enjoys participating in collaborative efforts and nurturing trust relationships across our community of practice. Very strong candidates will likely have:

• familiarity with the ecosystem of regional intermediaries, rapid responders, trainers and other relevant partners operating in the Region to support at-risk users affected by digital security threats;
• experience providing security support for high-risk individuals, groups, or organizations; and/or
• experience with coordinating collaborative efforts, providing guidance and advice aimed at strengthening the capacity of fellow team members.

What you will do

As Education and Communities Coordinator – Africa you will maximize the impact of assistance and interventions in the Region, especially in relation to longer-term efforts and outcomes through organisational/group accompaniment framing, for regional work by the Helpline team. More specifically, you will:

• Support the coordination of digital security assessments, audits, trainings, clinics and other regional initiatives, both in-person and remotely
• Build and maintain relationships with regional intermediaries, help desks, trainers and other regional partners to strengthen the regional ecosystem capacity
• Build and maintain beneficiary relationships and partnerships with at-risk communities and groups from the region
• Facilitate referrals to and collaborate with other support organizations for the needs of civil society organizations, journalists, and at-risk users
• Coordinate technical, procedural and financial support to improve the regional ecosystem capacity, by engaging with relevant organizations, communities and networks (e.g. CiviCERT)
• Support the development, improvement and localization of articles, advisories and other resources and communications in support of regional clients and intermediaries
• Serve as an escalation point for regional expertise within the Helpline team and beyond
• Support strategic analysis and planning of regional efforts of the Helpline
• Assist in global implementation of the annual RightsCon summit series
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills, education, and mindset you will bring

• Experience in assessing risks and communicating risk reduction strategies to non-technical audiences
• Understanding of the security needs of at-risk users, such as civil society members, human rights defenders, media workers, discriminated demographics
• Competence in providing digital security training designed to support at-risk individuals and communities, in-person and/or online
• Experience in conducting security assessments for civil society organizations and/or at-risk individuals, delivering actionable remediation plans and support follow-up implementation
• Strong ability to plan, organize, and follow through with projects efficiently
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to manage priorities
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Competence or interest in the development of written resources and documentation
• Ability to travel internationally and domestically on occasion
• Fluency in English required; fluency in other language(s) relevant to the region or issue is desirable; i.e. Arabic and/or French
• Appropriate education and work preparation to allow for successful outcomes in the role; relevant academic degrees in engineering, and/or possession of security certifications are helpful

The Details

Location

This is a full-time position focused on the Africa Region, with preference for Nairobi, Kenya. The successful candidate must possess the right to work in the location in which they will be based. At this time most Access Now Team Members are working through hybrid office arrangements, combining remote at-home work with intermittent use of co-working spaces.

Remuneration

Access Now offers competitive compensation – in line with skills, preparation, and depth of experience – and benefits packages that align with our regional and office presences. While skills, experience, and the specific region/location drive compensation, anticipated, initial placement within the salary range for this role is between KSh195,800 and KSh255,000 KES gross monthly, if filled in Kenya.

Benefits for this specific role are tied to the location, and will vary. Regardless of location, all Team Members benefit from a strong global culture aligned around:

• Work-life balance…including a generous paid time-off program between 36 and 40 days annually
• Access to supplemental health care insurance policies
• Professional development and growth opportunities
• Extensive workplace flexibility
• Organizational resilience and support for all team members, including paid family leave and employee assistance programs
• Connection to a diverse, global team of passionate, principled professionals
• Opportunities to recharge (including one month of paid refresher leave after 4 years)

How to Apply

Please submit the following documents:

• Résumé/CV (removing all personally identifying information such as age, gender, marital status, address, and photo)
• Thoughtful cover letter outlining your suitability for our role, with particular attention to your experience aligning to the core functions

Our hiring teams review applications submitted through our Career Openings page; email submissions are not accepted. Please note that if you are applying via a link in a 3rd party system (examples: Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Snaphunt, Zip Recruiter), be sure that you are going through the application link in BambooHR so that you are properly uploading a distinct Cover Letter and a separate CV/Resume.

In order for us to communicate with you on the status of your application, please add apps.bamboohr.com to your contacts list, and check spam or junk folders so that you do not miss updates from us.

We are a global human rights organization committed to inclusivity and equity, and seek the most talented team members who bring their true selves, with diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences. We are interested in receiving applications from people who consider themselves as under-represented in their talent communities. As an equal opportunity employer, we value and encourage diversity and consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected status. Our commitment applies with regard to all aspects of one’s employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits, and termination.

Published 2022-06-16