ILGA-Europe is looking for an Advocacy Officer

ABOUT ILGA-EUROPE

ILGA-Europe is a driving force for political, legal and social change at European and Central Asian level. Our vision is of a world where dignity, freedoms and full enjoyment of human rights are protected and ensured to everyone regardless of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics. ILGA-Europe are comprised of over 700 member organisations throughout the European and Central Asian Regions. From Iceland to Turkey and Kyrgyzstan to Malta, we work together with extraordinary activists to bring about real change for LGBTI people across Europe.

Our staff team based in Brussels supports activists in different countries, connects key change actors at European and national levels, creates space to bring knowledge and expertise together and to identify effective change strategies with the European and Central Asian LGBTI movement. Therefore, at ILGA-Europe, we value and encourage our employees. We understand that the movement is only as strong at its people. And we do our best to ensure our people remain our greatest asset. We offer a strong remuneration package, including pension payments, insurance plans, luncheon vouchers, trainings and more. We look forward to you joining our team!

Our commitment to being an equal opportunity employer

As an organisation working for the benefit of the LGBTI movement in Europe and Central Asia in all its diversity, we value the knowledge and expertise that come with lived experiences of injustice and systemic oppression. We particularly welcome applications from trans, gender non-conforming and non-binary individuals, and those targeted by racism, classism and disablism.

We are also keenly aware of the barriers faced by many people when applying for jobs, especially those experienced by members of under-represented groups and related to disability, ethnicity or national origin, colour, race, language, creed, gender, marital status, domestic circumstances, age, HIV status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, sex characteristics, among others.

We do all within our power to remove as many of these barriers in our day-to-day operations and in our employment practices. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments and providing various kinds of support. Please see the information about our employment package and benefits at the end of this advertisement for specific measures we’ve put in place to fill some of the gaps caused by oppressions. Beyond these, we daily strive to maintain an organisational culture that is aware and sensitive to marginalisation and exclusions and their impact on staff.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN JOB FUNCTIONS OF THE ADVOCACY OFFICER?

The Advocacy Officer will be actively contributing to ILGA-Europe’s advocacy work aimed at bringing legal, political and social change for LGBTI people across Europe, by working with European institutions to leverage their mechanisms for change, by setting benchmarks for national governments on LGBTI equality, by engaging with governments and civil society at national level to strengthen capacity to translate political commitments into concrete measures, and by acting as a thought-leader on strategic issues for the European LGBTI movement.

We are looking for a person to lead on our work with actors who are central in translating human rights principles, laws and policies into practice to create change in the lived realities of LGBTI people. We are particularly interested in building alliances with organisations and/or institutions who are active and are allies in ensuring that LGBTI people’s needs and fundamental rights are taken fully into account in planning laws, policies to respond to humanitarian and other crisis, addressing socio-economic inequalities, as well as gender-based violence.

At ILGA-Europe we value creative and inclusive approaches to work and management, working across teams and staff participation at all levels in the organisation. While you will report to the Advocacy Director, you will also work collaboratively with your colleagues and external partners, and you will be accountable for the achievement of agreed work plans and priorities.

Your main responsibilities will be spread between four main areas of work:

• Developing and implementing effective policy and advocacy strategies with regional institutions, government or other relevant actors to respond to priorities identified by the European LGBTI movement;

• Monitoring of developments and assessing opportunities for advocacy of human rights of LGBT people at European level, as well as set out strategies on how to seize these opportunities;

• Developing and implementing capacity building and peer learning for policy-makers, civil society and practitioners at European and national levels on implementation of political commitments into concrete measures;

• Building strategic partnerships and coalitions with other NGOs and relevant actors.

Please see the Job Description for a more detailed overview of the role.

WHAT SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

At ILGA-Europe we understand that not all individuals have the same opportunities to engage in paid work within the LGBTI movement, and value the experience brought in from other areas of work and life. To fit this role well, you should be strongly committed to working for human rights and equality, and have competencies and demonstrated experience in:

• Proven expertise in human rights international standards and equality issues, including as they relate to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically

• Excellent political judgment and understanding of political dynamics and international institutional frameworks

• Experience and knowledge of the functioning and decision-making processes (in particular in inter-governmental organisations)

• Building and/or strengthening alliances between actors working in the human rights and social justice sector towards a common goal, including by developing and implementing joint actions or strategies

• Developing sustainable and meaningful collaborative relationships and alliances to strengthen the work of an organisation

• Planning and facilitating meetings, collaborative processes and learning activities

Important competences, experience and other requirements are:

• Demonstrated experience of facilitating the participation of NGOs in policy-making processes

• Ability to build effective relationships based on mutual trust and respect with partners and other stakeholders, as way to strengthen the work and the larger goals of an organisation

• Excellent analytical skills and ability to develop evidence-based policy proposals

• Ability to communicate with a wide range of actors and adapt messages and communication to their context

• Demonstrated capacity to adapt to rapidly changing environments and to find innovative ways to respond to emerging organisational needs

• Ability to facilitate and plan learning activities, connections, relationship-building for NGOs, grassroots organisations and wider civil society actors in a way that allows for meaningful exchange, collaboration, and transfer of knowledge;

• Having very good problem-solving skills

• Ability to take initiative, to prioritise multiple tasks and meet deadlines, to plan and work independently, while being a strong and proactive team player

• Ability to work as part of a diverse team and with people from diverse backgrounds, to maintain positive working relationships, and to ensure respect of equality and diversity in everyday work

• Willingness to relocate to Brussels and to travel in Europe and Central Asia. The regular working week is Monday to Friday but on occasion travel and work during weekends will be required.

Desirable additional experience/knowledge includes:

• A working knowledge of the European institutions (EU and/or Council of Europe), as well as knowledge of the international human rights framework

• Knowledge and experience of working with the LGBTI movement or other marginalised groups (highly desirable)

• Experience in organising and running peer learning and training sessions (highly desirable)

THE EMPLOYMENT PACKAGE

Open ended full-time position subject to continued funding for the post. Salary scale: from 56 815 € to 63 371 € (gross per year) starting at the beginning of the scale, increasing annually. This annual salary is comprised of 12 months remuneration plus additional holiday pay paid out as of the second year of employment – the expected net monthly starting salary is approx. 2 730 € and increases annually. The working week is 37.5 hours (5 days of 7.5h).

ILGA-Europe’s employment package includes:

• 20 days of annual leave (+ 10 public holidays) and an additional 5 days in December,

• fair measures to ensure recovery of extra hours worked during busy periods,

• hospitalisation and ambulatory health insurance (which cover the majority of LGBTI-specific care),

• a policy supporting employees who transition during employment,

• an employee pension scheme,

• ‘family friendly’ policies,

• annual public transport subscription for Brussels or indemnification of bicycle costs,

• additional 50 € per month contribution to costs of home-working,

• luncheon vouchers worth approx. 160 € for a full month worked,

• financial support for relocation to Brussels, where applicable,

• financial support for professional development (trainings, coaching and other learning opportunities enabling staff to grow in their positions).

Non-EU citizens and individuals who do not have an EU work permit can apply. We cover all the costs related to obtaining a work permit and visa, and manage the process. ILGA-Europe colleagues can provide advice in finding accommodation, registering your residence and many other day-to-day issues related to moving to Belgium.

As a workplace, ILGA-Europe strives to be flexible and responsive to employee needs, balancing that with the needs of the wider team and those of the LGBTI movement. We offer flexible working hours and possibility to partially work from home, though the office in Brussels will be your main location of work. We understand that relocation may be difficult and will try to adjust as much as possible to your capacities in this regard. Given the nature of the work, you will not however be able to start your employment with ILGA-Europe entirely remotely (from another country of residence).

APPLICATIONS

Deadline to send applications: Friday, 3 January 2025 (12:00 PM noon CET). Please submit an electronic version of the application form by e-mail to: recruitment@ilga-europe.org.

The application form is available on below. Please do not submit any other documents as these will not be reviewed.

Download the full job description here