Background

DefendDefenders (the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) seeks to strengthen the work of human rights defenders (HRDs) in the East and Horn of Africa sub-region by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and by enhancing their capacity to effectively defend human rights. DefendDefenders focuses its work on Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia (and Somaliland), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

DefendDefenders serves as the secretariat of the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, which represents thousands of members consisting of individual HRDs, human rights organisations, and national coalitions of HRDs that envision a sub-region in which the human rights of every citizen as stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) are respected and upheld. Additionally, DefendDefenders acts as the secretariat for the Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network (AfricanDefenders), which brings together five sub-regional networks from North, Central, West, Southern and the East and Horn of Africa. Further information can be found on our website or through our social media outlets on Twitter and Facebook.

DefendDefenders is recruiting a Technology Programme Manager for its work in supporting HRDs. Under the overall supervision of the Director of Programmes and Administration, the Executive Director, and in direct partnership with other staff members, the Technology Programme Manager shall be responsible, but not limited to the following duties:

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and give direction to the Technology Programme and projects;

• Empower and mentor the team to take responsibility of their tasks and encourage a spirit of teamwork within the team;

• Manage overall operational and financial responsibilities of the team against project plans and manage the team’s day-to-day activities;

• Participate in management meetings and contribute grants, proposal design and implementation for the Technology Programme;

• Ensure proper adoption and usage of internal IT tools and organisation systems by designing training programmes for staff and streamlining /recommending systems that can improve operational efficiency;

• Communicate regularly with other managers, Director of Programmes & Administration and the Executive Director within the organisation. Ensure that the team works closely with other departments;

• Plan budgets and work plans from inception to completion;

• Work with partners, consultants, and service providers to ensure delivery of project goals;

• Design and implement the IT policy, security protocols and best practice guides for the organisation and partner organisations; and

• Represent DefendDefenders and the Technology Programme externally, develop partnerships, and attract funding and resources

Working conditions

• Full-time position based in Kampala, Uganda;

• The selected applicant must be able to relocate to Kampala immediately, or within a short timeframe; and

• Health insurance (in Uganda) and travel insurance are provided.

Requirements

• Previous experience in managing a team;

• Strong communication and presentation skills;

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a culturally diverse environment;

• Willingness to travel;

• Self-motivated, organised, and the ability to meet deadlines with minimal supervision;

• Resourcefulness and problem-solving aptitude; and

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or related discipline, plus professional certifications.

Languages

Fluency in English is a must (spoken and written). Fluency in French is a strong asset, and in Arabic an asset.

Location

The position will be based in Kampala, Uganda, with frequent travels within and out of the country. Applicants should be eligible to work in Uganda without restriction.

Applicants should send a letter of motivation, CV, and contacts of three references to: [email protected] by 15 November 2020. Do not send scanned copies of certificates. Interviews will be held in person (in Kampala, Uganda), or online late in November.

The subject line of the email should read “Application for Technology Programme Manager position.”

Questions about the position can be directed to [email protected]