Deadline: Not specified

Location: Hybrid

Access Now is seeking to fill the position of Grants Programme Officer.

Access Now is a grassroots-to-global organisation that partners with local actors to bring a human rights agenda to the use, development, and governance of digital technologies and to intervene where technologies adversely impact human rights.

Responsibilities 

• Lead proactive outreach to identify new grantees who are a strategic fit for the programme
• Build deep and collaborative connections with civil society, activists, and other funders
• Identify emerging issues and trends for the programme to support
• Facilitate consultations with other team members at Access Now about regional and issue-based trends and potential grantees
• Respond to requests for support and grant referrals received by the programme, and carry out background research as needed in order to develop an initial strategic assessment
• Organise initial information consultations and intakes with potential grantees
• Provide guidance and support to potential grantees throughout proposal processes
• Process and review funding applications in grants management system, ensuring Access Now has all required documents, and a strong understanding of the request for funding; conduct reference checks, and complete internal and external due diligence
• Provide strategic review and develop funding recommendations for potential grants within the Programme Officer’s portfolio
• Support the Director of the Grants Programme in presenting funding recommendations to senior leaders
• Work with the Grantmaking Operations Manager to structure and design grant contract strategies
• With support from the Programme Director, build and monitor the grantmaking budgets and grants tracker to ensure the programme has an accurate understanding of committed and projected funds and clarity on the status of open grant applications and approved grants
• Follow grantees’ work throughout the grant period via check-ins and reviews of grant progress
• Identify opportunities to support and elevate grantees’ work through blog posts, networking, conferences, and connections to other parts of Access Now
• Maintain grantee and other grants programme contacts and share regular grants programme and organisational communications with grantees
• Review grantee reports, including financial reporting, in order to document outcomes for internal/external sharing and complete grant closeout reports
• Support strategic assessment of grantees and portfolio-level assessments of programme contributions and achievements related to Access Now’s mission
• Produce written materials about the grant programme and the work of grantees for internal and external audiences
• Plan engagement of grantees via site visits, RightsCon convenings, and grantee events
• Contribute to donor reports and fundraising efforts of Access Now’s Development Team
• Assist in the global implementation of the annual RightsCon summit series
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field
• Five years, minimum, of professional-level work experience involving grantmaking, human rights, digital rights or social justice
• Experience with Fluxx and Salesforce
• Knowledge of human rights norms and systems and digital rights policy issues
• Knowledge of digital security tools, resources, and training approaches
• Experience working with and/or in support of grassroots organisations, particularly in constrained or repressive contexts
• Experience working on human rights issues in the Asia Pacific and/or Latin America and Caribbean regions highly desired
• Strong professional networks and a strong track record of building trust and working collaboratively within human rights movements in the Global Majority; and with human rights funders
• Demonstrated commitment to or interest in addressing inequality and historical and systemic discrimination
• Familiarity with grantmaking processes
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation approaches that are well suited to human rights work
• Experience analysing budgets and financial audits preferred
• Competency in working across and between geographies and cultures, and with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Effective and compassionate written and spoken communication skills and the ability to represent the Grants Programme with internal and external stakeholders
• Track record of strong and consistent attention to detail while managing a large portfolio in a fast-paced, complex environment
• Fluency in English
• Fluency in Spanish is desirable

To apply and for more information, click here.

Photo source: US Africa