Turkey Researcher

Details:

• Part time post: 2 days (14 hours) per week – hours may increase, subject to funding
• Location: Turkey (Istanbul or Ankara)
• Fee: €11,000-12,000 (TRY 192,228.16 – 209,703.45) per annum depending on experience
• Contract type: 1 year Consultancy with possibility of extension
• Closing date: Sunday 31 July
• To Apply: Complete (in English) and return this application form via our jobs portal

The Resource Centre is an equal opportunities employer.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (“The Resource Centre”), an international non-profit organization tracking the human rights impacts of over 10,000 companies worldwide, is seeking a Researcher to work in Turkey.

The Organisation

The Resource Centre works with partners to put human rights at the core of companies’ business models; to empower communities and workers to secure their rights and gain accountability for abuse; and to encourage governments to create the right regulation and incentives to facilitate these outcomes. We are a global organisation committed to cooperation with diverse actors in our movement. We have more than 80 members of our global team based around the world who work with a wide network of human rights advocates. They are mix of employees, and short- and long-term consultants in many countries, but treated with equity and parity and supported with an effective performance management system. We are currently officially registered in five countries: UK, Germany, USA, Australia, and Colombia.

With our global network of allies, our primary global approaches to deliver this vision are:

• Strengthen organisations and communities to achieve greater equality of power in negotiations, with business and government, to advance their human rights. Use the evidence and data we generate to advocate and influence decision-makers including business, investors and governments
• Strengthen corporate accountability, due diligence and effective remedy for abuse
• Build transparency of the advances, challenges and abuse of human rights in business

Applicants must have:

• 3-5 years’ work in the field of human rights, labour rights, development, environmental or social justice – including in Turkey
• Fluent Turkish and excellent English-language skills
• Commitment to advancing human rights in the business sector
• Strong ability to work constructively with a range of stakeholders (from civil society, business, government)
• Experience in working in a country spread project, including travels (when possible and safe)
• Experience in implementing an EU/UN/USAID funded project (desirable)
• Proven research writing skills (report, needs assessment/gap analysis, policy brief, etc.)
• The right to work in Turkey

The position:

The Researcher will work closely with organisations in Turkey to advance human rights in business and work towards eradicating abuse, with a particular emphasis on issues related to labour rights, natural resource extraction, and technology & digital rights, civic freedoms and human rights defenders when such issues touch on business activities.

The work will be aligned with the Resource Centre’s organisational aims of empowerment, accountability and transparency.

The Researcher will also play an important role in helping the Resource Centre achieve organisational priorities in areas including deeper regionalisation of its work and approach, smart strategies regarding government and business, and enhanced communications efforts. This will be achieved through effective representation, online and in-person networking, missions throughout the region, and the occasional organizing of small civil society workshops.

The Researcher will report to the Project Manager in Turkey and will work closely with a finance officer and other colleagues in Germany, UK, and around the world.

Specific activities include:

Conduct online research to identify stories about companies’ human rights & environmental impacts in Turkey (in English and Turkish) and present them on the Centre’s website and e-newsletters, in a compelling format for users. The wide range of subjects covered will include discrimination, labour rights, displacement, attacks on human rights defenders and other vulnerable populations like indigenous and women, pollution affecting health, poverty alleviation, security issues, etc.

Build and maintain an active network of contacts throughout the region with: NGOs (local, national & regional), companies & business organizations, media, development agencies, investment firms, academic institutions, governments and others. Spread the word about the Resource Centre by informing individuals & organizations in the region about the Resource Centre and its Weekly Updates. Increase sign-ups for Weekly Updates and traffic to our website.

Empowering local communities, NGOs, and human rights defenders (including labour leaders) to engage with companies to improve human rights due diligence and protections.

Invite companies to respond to concerns raised by civil society. This involves an initial approach by email, and often extensive follow-up via phone as well as email with relevant representatives of the company. Identify strategies to increase the accountability of non-responding companies.

Organize and conduct regional research missions (travel permitting) to gain a clearer picture of what is happening on the ground, and to build local contacts with civil society and business representatives.

Write materials for our website and outreach, including blog posts, briefing notes and papers, and articles to be submitted to relevant media outlets.

Translate materials & assist translators occasionally, so that we can increase the amount of guidance and case materials available in both Turkish and English.

Administrative duties: Be self-servicing in terms of administrative tasks, e.g. financial record-keeping, filing, ordering supplies, printing & distribution of materials, taking notes in meetings, etc.

Grants Making and Capacity Building: Experience in supporting grassroots organisations including financial management is a plus.

Person specification

Values: Strong, demonstrated commitment to human rights. Shares values and ethos of the Resource Centre.

Human rights experience: At least 3 years’ work in the field of human rights, labour rights, development, environment or social justice – including in Turkey.

Research & analytical skills: Able to search and identify relevant information online; persistent in seeking out difficult-to-find information; creative in identifying new sources of information.

Representation skills: Able to represent the organization in the region, including at meetings, conferences, and on regional missions.

Existing networks: Established networks and contacts with relevant stakeholders in the region.

Data input capacity: Able to deal with fast-moving data & contacts input & management; Experience or willingness to learn how to work on a news-style website.

Outreach and networking: Able to foster productive, professional relationships with a broad range of contacts, including activists, company representatives, and government officials.

Languages: Fluent Turkish and strong English (reading, writing, speaking), are essential.

Communications: Strong writing skills, including succinct writing for the web.

Strategic insight: Able to identify new opportunities to increase the Resource Centre’s impact and role in Turkey.

Teamwork: Able to operate effectively and constructively as part of a multi-cultural, global team, and ensure smooth communication despite geographical distances between team members.

Self-initiative and motivation: Able to use own initiative and work independently within agreed framework; motivated by achieving results and completing tasks.

Organization and prioritization: Strong organizational and prioritization skills, enabling efficient and effective work.

Strategy, planning, development: Willingness to provide input into strategy & planning discussions about the organization & website; willingness to assist with fund-raising for the organization.

Conflict of interest: No activities or membership/affiliation with organizations in conflict with the aims & objectives of the Resource Centre or which may jeopardise its image, impartiality & independence.

Terms and conditions

• This is equal to a part time consultancy position. Payment will be made on the researcher’s presentation of a monthly invoice showing the number of hours worked. The researcher will be responsible for paying from the fees his/her own taxes, health insurance, pension, etc, and those costs are taken into account in calculating the fees. The Resource Centre will reimburse necessary work-related expenses such as for travel.
• 2 days (14 hours) per week. The hours worked are flexible, provided that there is effective communication with team members in other regions, that the hours are spread reasonably throughout a week, and permits the Researcher to respond to issues as they arise as expeditiously as possible.
• The Turkey researcher will be trained and supported by the Programme manager, our Middle East researcher, as well as other team members. He/she will participate in 1-hour team meetings, held virtually every two weeks with all our team worldwide.
• The consultant will have the freedom to organize paid days off from doing consulting work for the Resource Centre, in an amount expected to be 10 days during the year (70 hours) – i.e. equivalent to 24 days per year for full-time work. The consultant will not be expected to work on national holidays of the country where the consultant is based.
• Due to the small size of the Resource Centre, all people assisting with its work must be willing to shift priorities and tasks quickly and be willing to have their work reviewed by colleagues. The specifics of tasks will be agreed in advance with the Programme Manager and Regional Director.