Programs Associate – Geneva

The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect is a non-governmental organization working to encourage the international community to uphold the norm of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) populations from mass atrocity crimes. To advance its mission, the Global Centre conducts in-depth analysis on situations around the world, advocates for the implementation of R2P, assists in building and supporting networks for the prevention of mass atrocities, and hosts events and training courses on atrocity prevention and a variety of cross-cutting issue areas. The Global Centre has offices in New York and Geneva.

The Programs Associate will assist in the management and implementation of the Global Centre’s activities in Geneva, including advocacy, events, trainings and grant preparation. In this regard, the Programs Associate will support the work of the organization’s Geneva Representative, who acts as the Global Centre’s institutional presence at the UN in Geneva. The Programs Associate will also provide high quality research and analysis on country situations where populations are experiencing, or are at risk of, mass atrocity crimes, identify advocacy opportunities and accompany the Geneva Representative in meetings with external stakeholders, including civil society, diplomats and UN officials. The Programs Associate will also work with other relevant Global Centre team members on global activities and programs implemented through our New York office.

The Programs Associate will directly report to the Geneva Representative. This is an entry-level position and may involve some travel. While the position is primarily work from home, the Programs Associate is required to regularly attend in-person meetings, events, discussions and other obligations in and around the UN headquarters in Geneva. General working hours are set from 9-6 CET, but this position requires availability to periodically work flexible hours and/or evenings for time-sensitive matters related to our New York office.

Duties:

• Draft and send letters to governments, high-level UN representatives, and partner organizations. Draft official statements and assist in the Global Centre’s role as the Secretariat of the intergovernmental Group of Friends of R2P in Geneva.
• Assist in planning Global Centre events and in-person programming, including drafting concept notes and invitations, monitoring RSVPs, arranging travel for participants and speakers, coordinating with event venues and vendors, and other logistical responsibilities.
• Work with the Geneva Representative on preparing grant applications and reports to donors. Maintain a calendar for implementing the Global Centre’s annual program of work and reporting.
• Perform general administrative tasks and other related duties in support of the Geneva Representative, Executive Director, Director for Policy and Research and other GCr2P staff, including arranging meetings, maintain a contacts database and mailing lists, providing talking points and performing background research and writing on an as-needed basis.
• Accompany the Geneva Representative or, where applicable, represent the Global Centre at meetings, events, discussions and negotiations at the UN related to our country-specific or thematic work on atrocity prevention and R2P.
• Provide high quality research and analysis on country situations where populations are experiencing, or are at risk of, mass atrocity crimes, including for possible use in “Atrocity Alert,” “R2P Monitor” and other publications of the Global Centre. Under the guidance of the Geneva Representative, identify and conduct advocacy work with relevant country or situation experts from partner civil society organizations, governments and others within the UN system.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Ability to work within the constraints of tight deadlines and willingness to be flexible with working hours based on time zones of GCR2P offices (EST and CET).
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while collaborating with team members in multiple offices.
• Excellent organization skills and attention to detail. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Comfortable working and liaising with a diverse group of individuals from around the world.
• Experience in administrative and logistic tasks such as maintaining contact databases, event coordination and planning and processing reimbursements.
• Proficient in Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and shared workspaces such as GoogleDocs and Box. Experience with mail-merge and familiarity with Adobe programs is highly desired.
• Extensive knowledge of international relations, the UN system and Geneva-based mechanisms is desired. Experience in country research or human rights monitoring is a plus.
• Proficiency in English required, but additional language proficiencies are a plus, particularly another official UN language (French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, or Chinese).
• A relevant higher degree in a field connected to the work of the Global Centre.

Diversity and inclusion: The Global Centreis committed to having an inclusive, respectful and responsive organisational culture, where contributions are valued and where work arrangements are flexible, and through investment in the development of employees and networks. We define “diversity” as all the unique characteristics that make up each of us: personalities, lifestyles, thought processes, work experiences, ethnicity, race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic origin, national origin, disability or other differences. The Global Centre is also fully committed to respecting diversity and inclusion in the work with partner organizations, including civil society organizations and human rights defenders.

About the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect: The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect seeks to transform the principle of the Responsibility to Protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity into a practical guide for action in the face of mass atrocities. The Global Centre was founded by a number of supportive governments, leading figures from the human rights community, as well as by International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam International, Refugees International, and WFM-Institute for Global Policy. The Global Centre is now internationally recognized as the leading research and advocacy organization working on R2P and the prevention of mass atrocity crimes at the UN and beyond.

The Global Centre engages in advocacy around specific crises, conducts research designed to further understanding of R2P, recommends strategies to help states build capacity, and works closely with NGOs, governments and regional bodies which are seeking to operationalize the Responsibility to Protect. The Global Centre acts as the Secretariat for the Group of Friends of R2P, the Global Network of R2P Focal Points, the International Coalition for R2P, and the NGO Working Group on the Security Council.

Availability: Applicants for this position should be available to start between 1 and 15 March 2024, must possess valid work authorization for Switzerland and be based in or willing to relocate to Geneva, Switzerland or its vicinity.