• Type of contract: Employment
• Contract duration: 12 month fixed-term contract with possible extension
• Work time: Full-time position (40 hours per week)
• Reporting to: Head of Reparation Praxis Hub
• Location: Geneva, Switzerland or unspecified
• Remuneration: Starting from 7’300 CHF/month gross if based in Geneva; post-adjusted based on location if based somewhere else
• Start date: September 2024
• Application deadline: 4 August 2024

Background

The Global Survivors Fund (“GSF”) was launched in October 2019 by Dr Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Prize laureates 2018. Its mission is to enhance access to reparations for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence around the globe, thus responding to a gap long identified by survivors. GSF acts to provide interim reparative measures in situations where states or other parties are unable or unwilling to meet their responsibilities. GSF advocates for duty bearers as well as the international community to develop reparations programmes. It also guides states and civil society by providing expertise and technical support for designing reparations programmes. GSF’s survivor-centric approach is the cornerstone of its work. The Reparation Praxis Hub collaborates with all units at GSF in the production, systematisation, and sharing of knowledge based on what works on reparation for conflict-related sexual violence, building on the Global Reparations Study, the experience of other GSF units, as well as from other experiences from the field. In sharing this knowledge, it aims at promoting institutional learning, produce practical tools, support other actors working in the field as well as stimulate communities of practice.

Role Summary

The role of the Senior Research Officer is to support the Reparation Praxis Hub, assisting and conducting research and organising events for systematising, learning, and sharing practical knowledge.

Position Responsibilities

• Conduct factual, legal research and key informant interviews on domestic reparation programmes for conflict-related sexual violence victims globally, and distil best practices and lessons learnt
• Lead the documentation and systematisation of GSF experiences, as well as other practices relevant for the definition of a reparation policy, including gathering precedents and sources to be included in the Hub platform
• Support the Head of the Reparation Praxis Hub to outline the key topics, structure and methodology of a Handbook on Reparation for conflict-related sexual violence
• Support and work in collaboration with the Global Reparations Study team, particularly in facilitating the research of its members on matters related to the Hub
• Coordinate and follow up on commitments with the Human Rights Clinic of the University of Essex, facilitating their contribution to the research work of the Hub, reviewing drafts, providing comments and guidance, and addressing concerns that could derive from the collaboration
• Support the National Advocacy and Technical Support team by attending regular meetings and follow up with meeting commitments
• Participate and contribute to GSF thematic working groups on topics such as child victims and co-creation
• Liaise with other GSF units for seeking collaboration on the research and production of the Hub platform, for identifying experiences and topics relevant for identifying lessons or that require research, and for conducting the activities needed for translating those lessons into practical tools
• Support defining the web application for the Hub platform, jointly with the Communications Unit
• Coordinate the editing and translation of key Hub products in different languages
• Contribute to the dissemination strategy of key Hub products, and liaise with the Communications Team for effective distribution
• Contribute to the definition of an interdisciplinary community of practice gatherings or other forms of exchange, systematise lessons from those activities, and follow up on the commitments agreed on them
• Follow up on the Latin America community of practice meeting, promoting the continuation of the exchange between the University of Sevilla, and of civil society and survivors' representatives from Colombia, Guatemala and El Salvador
• Coordinate the participation and travel of civil society and survivors' representatives to future gathering of communities of practice, anticipating and resolving obstacles for it
• Plan preparatory meetings and support activities for the community of practice gatherings, including the arrangement of psychosocial support for attendants
• Review the narrative and budget proposals relevant for the community of practice gathering and prepare the necessary paperwork and contractual arrangements for the signing of partnership agreements when relevant
• Support the strengthening of communities of practice to foster exchange of knowledge on reparations, via the organisation of the speaker series "Let's reflect on reparation"
• Support the organisation and facilitation of online exchanges with GSF Technical Advisory Pannel members for contributing on topics relevant for the Reparation Praxis Hub
• Supervise and manage interns in the Reparation Praxis Hub, offering feedback, handling workloads and contributing to performance assessments
• Contribute to the strategic planning of the Hub, including developing annual Action Plans, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), budgeting, and coordinating with other units
• Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of the Hub, and report on KPIs
• Provide additional support for day-to-day operations of the Reparation Praxis Hub.
• Attend meetings and calls and represent GSF when required
• Travel, as required, representing GSF during assignments in country
• Support other units and ensure appropriate sharing of information during the restructuring of the Programmes Unit
• Perform other duties as required.

Position Requirements

Education and Experience

• A master's degree in international human rights law, transitional justice, or other relevant equivalent studies
• Five to seven years of progressive relevant advocacy experience, implementation and or research on human rights, humanitarian law, conflict-related sexual violence, reparations, and/or transitional justice. Experience that combines field work, policy implementation, and research is highly desirable
• Solid experience in project management, including in reviewing budgets, project proposals, and production of indicators.

Other requirements

• Excellent research, drafting and editing skills in English. English is the working language of the Global Survivors Fund. Good knowledge in written and spoken French, Spanish, and in any additional UN language would also be an asset
• Strong content knowledge and work experience related to conflict-related sexual violence, reparations, and/or transitional justice
• Proven ability researching, writing, and finalising key outputs in the fields of work of GSF such as key publications (advocacy or academic)
• Professional demeanour and excellent communication skills
• Excellent networking skills
• Creativity and ability to think 'out of the box' for solutions to complex problems
• Robust planning and organisation skills, ability to identify priorities and adjust plans and actions as necessary
• Attention to detail and ability to work independently, sometimes under tight deadlines
• Strong work ethics and demonstrated ability to take initiative
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint) desirable
• Experience working in at least one of the countries where GSF has projects.

How to apply 

Please send your CV, cover letter and three references to recruitment@globalsurvivorsfund.org  with “Senior Research Officer” as the email subject, by Sunday 4 August 2024 midnight CET. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The Global Survivors Fund will consider applications from qualified professionals from all backgrounds, cultures or beliefs. We aim at reflecting, through our staff, our commitment to diversity, gender balance and inclusion as well as reflecting the diversity of the places where we work and the communities we work with. We therefore encourage candidates from regions where GSF intervenes to apply. GSF operates and enforces policies on Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Fiscal Integrity amongst others. Please note that for this particular position, candidates must be authorized to work in the country where the position will be based, at the moment of the application, or be able to secure such an authorization without GSF support.

Your Data - If you choose to apply for this position, you will be providing us with your Personal Data, which we will process for the purposes of selecting a candidate for the position only. We will keep the Personal Data you share with us as part of the application process for six months from the deadline for application, after which it will be deleted. Your Personal Data will be accessed only by our HR Staff managing the recruitment process, as well as the members of the selection panel. You have the right to a) ask us for access to your Personal Data and for information about how we process it, b) to ask us to rectify the Personal Data we have on record for you, c) to ask us to delete your Personal Data or restrict its use, and d) to object to our processing of your Personal Data. To exercise these rights, please contact recruitment@globalsurvivorsfund.org . If you have any concerns or complaints about how GSF processes your Personal Data, please submit them to DataProtection@globalsurvivorsfund.org.