LGBTIQ+ Economic Development Lead At Hivos

Region: Global; Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia

Office: Any Hivos hub (Harare, Nairobi, San Jose, Beirut, Amman, The Hague)

Hours: 36

Application deadline: April 19, 2024

Hivos is seeking qualified candidates for the position of LGBTIQ+ Economic Development Lead for the Free to be Me program.

About Free to Be Me

Free to Be Me is an ambitious program that helps build and maintain a vibrant LGBTIQ+ movement capable of advocating effectively for their rights. One core focus of the program is economic exclusion of LGBTIQ+ persons, who face high rates of unemployment, poverty, school drop-outs, legal discrimination and stigma and violence. The program is led by Hivos, ILGA World and Positive Vibes and implemented in 12 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, in partnership with and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Free to Be Me objectives are:

1. Foundation: LGBTIQ+ civil society is vibrant, stronger, more self-confident and diverse and sustainably resourced, with the capacity to lead on legal and policy changes
2. Societal leaders, influencers, media, and the general public increasingly and openly support the rights of LGBTIQ+ people.
3. At least five core countries have made significant legal or policy progress- changes abusive or criminalizing laws, ended impunity, and/or adopted protective laws and policies, leading to the reduction of violence against LGBTIQ+ people.
4. Socioeconomic development programs are increasingly accessible for and geared towards the needs of LGBTIQ+ people in core countries.

Job context

As our global lead on Outcome 4 (socioeconomic development), you will have an exciting opportunity to blaze trails in a relatively new area that has so far received little attention from mainstream development agencies and policymakers. Experts on LGBTIQ+ economic empowerment are few and disconnected, while the needs are many and pressing. We are seeking a senior global program officer to build a coherent overall strategy for this work across the 12 Free to Be Me counties, delivering tangible progress in the next two years while also laying the foundation for sustainable change in the long term. You will also coordinate and oversee the implementation of this strategy, ensuring that it responds to the needs and strengths of the F2BM alliance members and the fast-changing external context, yet also remaining focused and achievable. Finally, you will work closely with F2BM global partner organizations to expand outreach to other global actors who can advance queer economic inclusion.

This role reports to the Global Program Manager of the Free to be Me program with a global scope including Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. This appointment is for an initial term of one year, renewable based on results and performance. This is a global role and can be based in any country where Hivos can legally employ staff.

Responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the role include:

• Build, continuously update, and coordinate implementation of a joint strategic and action plan for LGBTIQ+ economic empowerment together with interested local, national and global members of the Free to be Me Alliance.
• Identify, design and coordinate global influencing products, processes and moments that will help to achieve the goals of the joint strategy (e.g. cross-country research or international events and lobbying efforts).
• Coordinate and nurture the economic rights advocacy community that Hivos established in 2023 through the Free to Thrive fellowship program.
• Support national-level efforts in 12 countries and link these efforts to international advocacy and influencing opportunities. This includes supporting, and helping to document, economic inclusion pilot projects in different countries.
• Set-out a larger, long-term perspective that is jointly owned by the movement, laying the foundation for the large-scale change needed. Contribute to the development of funding proposals for follow-up programs beyond 2025.
• Ensure regular communication and sharing among Free to Be Me partners involved in Outcome 4. Document stories of change and best practice both for advocacy purposes and for replication in future programming.
• Manage grants for economic development initiatives and work in liaison with other Program Officers in coordination of projects supported under the economic development pathway.

Requirements

• Post-graduate degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in international development.
• Understanding of locally-led economic empowerment and inclusion of marginalized groups, and proven ability to translate local experience into effective advocacy strategies to change the policies and practices of governments and/or companies.
• Proven track record in building and working with multi-country coalitions or networks in the Global South.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills in multi-cultural settings.
• Understanding of the intersectional nature of oppression, and ability to act as an authentic trusted ally to marginalized groups. Lived experience as an LGBTIQ+ person is an asset.
• Experience of designing and managing impactful advocacy “products” such as research and events.
• A team player with a high level of emotional intelligence, resilience, and maturity, and the confidence to be able to “lead from behind”. Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive progress in complex and uncertain contexts.
• Innovative and solution-driven strategist who can be both a thought-leader and a doer.

Hivos is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. For this role, we particularly welcome applications from LGBTIQ+ people as well as members of other marginalized groups.

What we offer

Hivos offers a challenging position in an international environment.

This position will be based in any country where Hivos can legally employ staff. Hivos welcomes International & Regional applicants but can only offer a position to only those with a valid work permit. Hivos can only offer employment on local terms and conditions.