International Program Officer – EJRN

Friends of the Earth International is seeking an:

International Program Officer – Economic Justice, Resisting Neoliberalism

0.8 fte – 30 hours – 4 days a week, Amsterdam-based position, NL work permit required

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) is the world’s largest grassroots environmental federation with over 70 autonomous member groups around the world. FoEI aims to ensure that the struggles and experiences of local communities – especially those most affected by unsustainable development – are brought to bear on policies and practices at national and international levels. Our international work focuses on four thematic areas: climate justice and energy, forests and biodiversity, food sovereignty, and economic justice, resisting neoliberalism. Our vision is of a peaceful and sustainable world based on societies living in harmony with nature.

FoEI’s decentralized and democratic structure allows all member groups to participate in decision-making. We are governed by our member groups who come together every two years to vote on issues facing the federation. Between meetings governance is provided by an elected Executive Committee made up of representatives from our groups. Our member groups are organized into four regional structures, each with a regional facilitator who enables the coordination of regional decision-making and activities. A small International Secretariat (IS) in Amsterdam and a team of global staff supports the member groups, campaigns, programs, and other activities of the federation through fundraising, program coordination, trainings, communications, and information management.

Job description:

The work of the International Program Officer focuses on one of FoEI's four international programs: the Economic Justice, Resisting Neoliberalism (EJRN) program. The program engages national member groups from around the world in a variety of strategies to achieve international policy and mobilization goals. In the coming period the EJRN program priorities include challenging unjust trade and investment agreements and the establishment of a binding legal framework on multinational corporations and human rights.

The program officer is part of a small Amsterdam-based team, led by FoEI's international programs facilitator, that supports development and implementation of EJRN program strategies and activities and facilitates the planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning processes of the programs and regions.

The EJRN program is coordinated by two International Program Coordinators (IPCs), content leads and spokespeople for the program, who are based in FoE member groups in Brazil and Australia. The program works closely with an international steering group made up of member group representatives from across FoEI's geographical regions, who help guide and oversee the work of the program. The program officer will work closely with the IPCs and steering group members, as well as FoEI’s finance, communications and fundraising teams.

The program officer convenes weekly meetings with the IPCs to move forward the work of the program, as well as bi-weekly meetings with the communications officer working on the EJRN program and supports the preparation and takes part in program steering group meetings. As part of the IS program team and the broader cross-program team at federation level, the program officer actively contributes to cross-program discussions and processes that aim to ensure the integrated, coherent functioning of the FoEI programs, as well as in relation to other structures of the FoEI federation. Working closely with a fundraiser that focuses on the economic justice area of work, the program officer also helps facilitate and contribute to work on new funding proposals for the program.

The program officer will serve as grant manager for FoEI’s Fair, Green and Global grant from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which funds the EJRN and other FoEI programs. The program officer will engage in FGG processes as needed on behalf of FoEI, as well as engage with potential future funders with the possibility of serving as grant manager of grants the program might receive in the future. The program officer acts as the budget holder for the EJRN program.

Job responsibilities:

• Support and improve the planning, monitoring, evaluation, learning and reporting processes for the program;
• Support the process of funding national member group lobby and advocacy work included in the program plans, including developing calls for proposals, reviewing proposed work plans and budgets, contracting and monitoring the work;
• Ensure development /implementation of clear terms of reference and contracts for freelancers hired to implement program work;
• Monitor the budget for program activities, track expenses and follow up with IPCs, member groups, consultants and suppliers as needed to ensure spending is on track;
• Work with the IPF and IPCs to ensure compliance with the requirements of the program's funders, including development of gender justice-focused outcomes, monitoring of program plans, and narrative reporting on program outcomes and lessons learned;
• Work with the IPCs to support implementation of program activities, including trainings, program meetings, development of communications materials and lobby and advocacy efforts.
• Manage FoEI’s Fair, Green and Global grant (back donor Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs), overseeing all planning, reporting, learning and evaluation processes connected to the grant and representing FoEI in any relevant FGG alliance processes.
• Supporting any EJRN program-related funding processes, including taking part in discussions and activities related to EJRN program planning, reporting, evaluation and learning.

Requirements:

Essential:

• At least three years of experience in managing international or multinational grants/projects, including experience with the planning, monitoring, evaluation, learning and reporting cycles;
• Affinity with the mission, vision, values and objectives of Friends of the Earth International, as well as with a theory of change that includes movement building and lobby and advocacy strategies;
• Excellent strategic thinking and planning skills, with experience in applying these in a complex and shifting international context;
• Strong interpersonal, inter-cultural and organizational skills;
• Proven writing skills; ability to summarize and distribute information quickly and succinctly;
• Strong attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines;
• Ability to work in collaborative decision-making processes in a global, decentralized environment and to manage and prioritize a variety of key initiatives concurrently;
• Excellent English (C1 level or higher) language skills

Would be an advantage:

• Knowledge of the economic justice movement and issues;
• Experience working on lobby and advocacy campaigns and movement building tactics and strategies focused on environmental or social justice objectives (including addressing gender inequalities and other forms of oppression);
• Fluency in Spanish, Portuguese or French.

What FoEI offers:

We offer an opportunity to contribute to a better world and work for an inspiring international and culturally diverse network in an office with a small friendly team at a great location in Amsterdam.

Salaries are competitive with comparable nonprofit positions and based on experience and qualifications, full time salary between € 4,081.- and € 4,897.- gross monthly.

Participation in collective pension arrangement is compulsory.

Candidate must be in the possession of a working permit for the EU.

Checking references is part of the selection procedure.

Contract duration: one year, to be renewed upon positive performance evaluation.

Friends of the Earth International is an equal opportunities employer. Diversity and inclusion are important values for FoEI. We aim to have a FoEI team that reflects the diverse composition of our federation. We strongly encourage applications from people currently under-represented in the environmental justice movement. We offer assistance with the development of language skills when needed for the position.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please prepare your CV and a motivation letter that summarizes how your profile aligns with the key requirements, skills and abilities of this role.

Both motivation letter and CV should be submitted by e-mail no later than September 15th with the subject “EJRN program officer” to: Nina Ascoly, International Programs Facilitator, at vacancies@foei.org. First round interviews will take place September 24th and 25th.

Please note that, in compliance with GDPR, we will keep your application in our protected files for a maximum of four weeks after the successful closure of this vacancy.