About Access Now
Access Now is an international human rights organization dedicated to defending and extending the digital rights of people and communities at risk around the world.
By combining direct technical support, strategic advocacy, grassroots
grantmaking, and convenings such as RightsCon, the organization fights
for human rights in the digital age.
Since its founding in 2009, Access Now has grown into a team of more than 130 experts working to advance our mission
in centers of political power, technical innovation, and civic action
around the world, including across Africa, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe
and Central Asia (EECA), the European Union, Latin America and the
Caribbean, the Middle East/North Africa (MENA), and the United States.
It has matured into one of the world's leading NGOs in the digital
rights sector.
Every day, Access Now sees the
emergence of new technologies and digital tools with the potential to
disrupt human rights. To mitigate the threats as they emerge, the
organization has its eyes on both today’s developments and the horizon,
reacting to what we see and anticipating what lies ahead. With the
indispensable support of partners, donors, and allies, Access Now fights
to defend inclusive and pluralist democracies; preserve spaces for
civil society to flourish; and empower individuals to control their own
information, privacy, and identities in data-driven societies.
About the Role
The Executive Director will take the
reins of an established organization with a proven track record for
achieving results and in its second year of its current five year plan
(2022-2027). They will have ultimate responsibility for the delivery of the organizational mission
(“to defend and extend the digital rights of people and communities at
risk around the world”) and for the success of an ambitious
grassroots-to-global program that aims to shift the way that human
rights are experienced in the digital age. Additionally, the Executive
Director will oversee the growth of the organization, ensure its
financial viability through uncertain economic times, and serve as a
global leader and ambassador for its diverse team of experts, activists,
and technologists.
We are looking for a highly
capable, intuitive leader who has a lived experience and/or extensive
knowledge of the issues to which Access Now is committed to,
as well as a significant track record in the field of digital rights
and/or a deep understanding of the human rights framework. They must
have the ability to navigate grassroots activist spaces as easily as
global multilateral fora.
Given the breadth of topics that
Access Now addresses, as well as our grassroots-to-global model, the
ideal candidate should have a solid understanding of global political
and digital trends and frameworks, as well as a strong appreciation and
respect for regional and local nuance. They must moreover have a
demonstrated belief in an open, secure, and rights-respecting digital
sphere, be able to spot relevant technology developments, and know how
to triage and prioritize.
Importantly, they
should be able to inspire and lead a team that spans the globe and is
on the frontlines of the fight for human rights in the digital age.
They should have the ability to motivate the team, delegate
effectively, celebrate diversity, manage performance, and attract and
recruit top talent. They should be a strong and generous advocate of the
professional careers of others and support the growth and development
of the team wholeheartedly.
The successful candidate should have
experience in fundraising and raising the resources needed to sustain an
organization. They should know how to pitch a potential donor, liaise
with existing donors, and report back to those entities that grant money
to Access Now. They should be comfortable engaging with the
philanthropic sector, but never at the expense of the organization’s
independence, programmatic autonomy, or reputation.
As the chief executive of Access Now,
the Executive Director is the primary leader interfacing with the Board
of Directors and its subcommittees, including the Finance Subcommittee.
The Executive Director reports directly to the Board of Directors, and
supervises the following direct reports: Chief Operating Officer;
Executive Assistant; and the Directors of Development; Legal; Campaigns
& Rapid Response; Policy & International Programs;
Communications & Engagement; Helpline; and RightsCon. The Executive
Director is also responsible for leading the senior management team at
Access Now and for building strong and genuine working relationships
with relevant regional and programmatic staff.
Applicants should have a high degree
of integrity and forethought in their approach to decision making; act
with transparency and accountability; be capable of adapting to and
leading others through complex situations; and always take into account
what is best for the organization. Above all, the Executive Director
should be self-reflective and aware of their own limitations; lead by
example; and drive the organization to continuously improve by being
open to feedback about the organization’s practices and ways of working.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
This is an unrivaled opportunity to
take the reins of an established and unique global organization at the
intersection of technology and human rights around the world. As the
chief executive of Access Now, the Executive Director is ultimately responsible
for the organization’s mission, program, strategy, and values; its
fundraising, finances, and operations; its partnerships and
communications; the management of its team; and its governance.
Mission, Vision, Strategy, and Values
- Leads on, upholds, and ensures focus on the organization’s mission, vision, strategy, and values
- Provides strategic advice, visioning,
and support for the global implementation of the organization’s work,
across both program (from RightsCon to Grants, the Digital Security
Helpline, and Advocacy) and operations (including Human Resources,
Finances, Security Operations, and Legal)
- Facilitates strategic and operational planning, and ensures the management of the organization’s growth and resilience
Fundraising, Finances, and Operations
- Ensures the fundraising of necessary
resources to support the organization’s budget, building and maintaining
strong relationships with key institutional and other donors toward
that end, in coordination with the Director of Development and
Organizational Growth
- Works closely with the Chief
Operating Officer to maintain the fiscal integrity of Access Now,
including through the submission of annual budgets, quarterly financial
reports, and annually audited accounts to the Finance Subcommittee and
the Board of Directors
- Oversees legal compliance of the organization through oversight and consultation with Access Now’s General Counsel
- Ensures the successful navigation of
the organization through complex operating environments, including
through the thoughtful management of existing and emerging risks, in
coordination with the Chief Security Officer
Partnerships, Program, and Communications
- Acts as a spokesperson and ambassador
for Access Now, representing and promoting its mission and work across
the digital rights sector, in the media, and in the public sphere more
broadly
- Strengthens and maintains
partnerships, coalitions, and alliances with stakeholders from a variety
of different sectors and communities in support of the organizational
mission
- Provides thought leadership and effective advocacy on digital rights issues affecting people and communities at risk
- Works with relevant team members to
help steer the overall framing, content, and messaging of the
organization's programmatic work
Team Management and Organizational Culture
- Provides strategic leadership and guidance to the senior leadership team of the organization
- Manages direct reports, assisting
with the creation of individual objectives and work plans in alignment
with team and organizational goals and providing advice, direction, and
high-level support where useful
- Fosters a healthy, mission-driven,
and team-centric organizational culture that practices transparency and
accountability and prioritizes staff safety, security, and well-being
- Works with the Chief Operating
Officer and Director of People and Culture to understand the challenges
the organization and the staff face and to successfully navigate the
team through internal and external issues
- Works closely with the Security
Operations team to ensure staff safety, understand and anticipate
potential risk to team members, and preemptively address and/or respond
to risks as they emerge
Board Governance
- Serves as the primary liaison for the
Board and any subcommittees, including the Finance Subcommittee, and
works closely with the Board Chair(s) to manage the Board’s agenda and
priorities
- Develops, partners with, activates, and motivates the Board to support and advance the organization’s mission and programming
- Supports efforts to recruit and retain new Board members as needed
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics
- A significant track record in the field of digital rights and/or a deep understanding of the human rights framework
- Extensive work experience in similar
or related role leading an international non-profit organization with
significant global operations
- An instinct for effective high-level
strategic thinking and planning coupled with experience in setting
direction and helping a team to prioritize and focus on what matters
- A deep understanding of how to lead,
motivate, organize, and manage an organization that priorities
decentralized decision making how to to cultivate a relationship of
trust and accessibility with team members at every level of the
organization
- An approach to leadership,
management, and decision making centered on transparency, integrity,
equity, empathy, participation, accountability, and inclusion
- Proven ability to build strong
relationships with current, potential, and future donors and
successfully fundraise on behalf of programs
- Strong interpersonal and
communication skills, with experience in public speaking and the ability
to speak persuasively and compellingly about the organization to a
broad and diverse set of stakeholders across civil society, the private
sector, and the public sector
- Exceptional analytical, reasoning, and problem-solving skills
- Adaptable and responsive to fast-paced environments
- Knowledge and experience with working
in oppressive or closed environments, with an understanding of risk
assessment, conflict resolution, and crisis management
- Familiarity with financial nonprofit management, including budget preparation, analysis, decision making, and reporting
- Experience and skill in working with and supporting an international Board of Directors
Location
This is a full-time position with a strong preference for the
successful candidate to ultimately be based in (or relocate to) a
location where Access Now has an established presence and staff (San
José, Costa Rica; New York, USA; Brussels, Belgium; or Berlin, Germany).
Candidates from all regions are encouraged to apply. Relocation support
is available for the right candidate. At this time most Access Now team
members are working through hybrid office arrangements, combining
remote at-home work with intermittent use of offices and/or co-working
spaces. Regular travel will be required.
Remuneration
Access Now offers competitive compensation and benefits packages that
align competitively with locations and regions around the world. Salary for this role varies depending on location and experience, and begins at:
- Minimum gross monthly salary starting at €10,175.00 EUR (Belgium)
- Minimum gross monthly salary starting at $8,996.00 USD (Costa Rica)
- Minimum gross monthly salary starting at €10,677.00 EUR (Germany)
- Minimum gross monthly salary starting at $12,475.00 USD (United States)
How To Apply
Please submit the following documents no later than March 31, 2024:
- Résumé/CV (removing all personally identifying information such as age, gender, marital status, address, and photo); and
- Thoughtful cover letter outlining
your suitability for the role, with particular attention to your
experience with the core functions.
Please note that our Strategic Vision will be shared with applicants during the interview process.
