Digital Protection Coordinator – Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Front Line Defenders are recruiting a Digital Protection Coordinator – Eastern Europe and Central Asia to join our team. This is a permanent role based remotely in the EECA region. The role will report to the Head of Digital Protection/ Digital Protection Manager.
Overview
Front Line Defenders (FLD) is working to expand its capacity to support Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and Human Rights Organisations (HROs) in managing risks associated with the use of digital information and communications. We offer direct on the ground support to HRDs/HROs with the help of a team of Digital Protection Coordinators and Consultants (DPC). FLD is headquartered in Ireland but we are seeking to hire a candidate for a staff role who is based in the EECA region, to deliver direct digital protection support to HRDs/HROs at risk.
Background
Front Line Defenders is an international organisation based in Ireland that works exclusively for the protection of human rights defenders at risk. Human rights defenders are people who are persecuted because of their peaceful work for the rights of others. Front Line Defenders provides practical help through protection grants, physical and digital protection training, lobbying, advocacy and campaigning.
Role responsibilities
Key duties include:
- Provide direct, effective, timely (when possible) in-person one-to-one and group digital protection support to selected HRDs/HROs.
- Actively research on digital protection situation of HRDs/HROs in the region. Evaluate the situation of risk, changes and new trends.
- Propose HRDs/HROs at risk for our support. Assist relevant regional Protection Coordinator in prioritisation of those HRDs/HROs who are most at risk and in deciding who we would deliver support to.
- Analyse and assess the specific digital protection risks, vulnerabilities and capacities of the HRDs/HROs receiving or due to receive support. Collect data from multiple sources to inform support and training needs to understand HRDs/HROs digital protection weaknesses, missing and valuable resources, map the information, communication, devices, services/servers used landscape.
- Use above information to structure, in interactive cooperation with specific HRDs/HROs a support or training curriculum for constantly changing contexts, risks, and needs. Draft specific support plan or training content. Liaise with FLD colleagues to support the development of plans and curricula to meet bespoke HRDs/HROs needs.
- Provide direct, effective, timely (when possible) in-person one-to-one and group digital protection support to selected HRDs/HROs. Promote and coordinate the delivery of support. Organise and deliver support process starting with awareness raising of risks and potential mitigation, coming up with a plan to implement solutions with HRD/HRO and help carry out this plan which includes training, workshops, meetings, sessions to help facilitate learning, advice on acquiring specific hardware or services and direct support practical implementation of solutions that include learning, changing habits and the installation, configuration and use of tools in daily work.
- Help find local trainers and champions to assist in delivery of the support and the continuation of the process and maximise its effectiveness.
- Help create and maintain an up to date library of written guides for human rights defenders as learning material and to highlight risks and how best to mitigate them. Assist in creating materials for Security in-a-Box and other guides.
- Follow up each engagement after a certain period of time (4-6 weeks) to understand how the implementation of solutions is going and to help further in the sustainability of the approach used.
- Mentor local champions and trainers so they can continue supporting HRDs/HROs at risk and in need.
- Engage directly with HRDs to clarify misunderstandings they may have about digital protection, walking them through various processes, providing a listening ear and seeking to reduce their stress through provision of expert advice
For further information, please view:
Salary & Benefits
- €36,241 – €66,700 per annum
- 26 annual leave days
- Pension
- Paid Health Insurance
- Income Protection & Life Assurance
- Employee Assistance Scheme (EAP)
- Monthly Well-Being Provisions
Requirements
Interested applicants must have:
- Minimum 3 years experience in digital protection support.
- Minimum 1 year of experience of working with HRD/HRO in the respective region.
- Provided digital protection support and training for individual, group and organisations.
- IT problem solving in all major operating system (Windows, Mac, Android and iOS).
- Participation in national and international IT conferences.
- Prior experience in working with HRDs/HROs in the EECA region.
- Demonstrable and verifiable experience in providing digital security support (technical and conceptual) to HRDs/HROs in EECA in general;
- Interest and aptitude in information technology.
- Understanding administration of different operating systems for both computers and phones.
- Understanding of securing computers, phones and networking on the level of computer and network administrators.
- Very good ICT skills, on the level of computer and network administrators -understanding technical concepts and also practical hands-on knowledge of how to manage devices, programs and services;
- Demonstrable and verifiable skills in device administration covering different computer and mobile operating systems; experience in computer and device security configurations is a required skill;
- Understanding of online services including email and social media platforms.
- Understanding of information and communication technology risks.
- Strong understanding of the human rights context in the region of work and prior good experience in working with HRDs/HROs in the region.
- Resourcefulness to be able to respond in cases of emergencies
- Ability to formulate and conduct training and other learning processes in an accessible manner.
- Demonstrable and verifiable experience in conducting digital protection support and trainings for HRDs/HROs, from needs and risk assessment, agenda development and evaluation;
- Proven ability to train and coach adults in digital security.
- Ability to simplify complex technical terminologies into simple human understandable terms.
- Ability to work independently the majority of the time.
- Fluency in English and Russian, and working knowledge of one of the EECA regional languages such as Kazakh, Georgian, Ukrainian, Kyrgyz, Armenian, Tajik, Uzbek, or Belarusian
- Must be based in EECA, and be able to travel within the region;
- Previous good experience with individual, group and organisations digital protection support and training.
How to apply
Closing Date
Applicants must submit their applications (CV & cover letter) by 4pm (local Irish time) on Wednesday, 1st July 2026 via the ‘Apply Now’ button as per FLD vacancies page: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/recruitment-volunteering