Country: France
Closing date: 09 Oct 2016
Title:France Director
Location:Paris
Responsible to: Chief of Staff
Salary: A competitive package commensurate with experience
Benefits: 5 weeks’ vacation plus 2 weeks RTT; matching pension fund contribution; 50% monthly transports costs (Pass Navigo) and health benefits
Starting date: December 2016
As France Director you will play a key role in crafting and delivering on strategies for impactful collective campaigns to protect civilians affected by armed conflict. You will continue to build and work closely with a strong network of civil society in France and beyond and maximise their joint impact to achieve change. We are looking for an activist at heart, an exceptional strategist and powerful networker that takes our engagement in France to the next level and ensures we are ever more effective in our mission to protect civilians affected by conflict.
Principal roles
Planning and executing collective advocacy campaigns to protect civilians from armed conflict– The focus of your work will be to craft and deliver on strategies for impactful collective campaigning to influence French foreign policy for better protection of civilians affected by conflict. Working alongside our global team you will work mainly with our French partner organisations and civil society more broadly, bringing them together in powerful, highly effective coalitions. You will maximise their collective impact by advising on strategy, injecting innovative and creative campaign tactics and then most efficiently implementing diverse advocacy activities, including gaining headline media attention. You will help create national, regional and global campaign moments to ensure governments fulfil their obligations to protect civilians. You will have excellent judgement, be able to spot opportunities where others see challenges, convince and provide fresh thinking and ideas.
Strengthening and building on adiverse, flexible and innovative network of civil society organisations in France committed to the prevention of armed conflicts– You will ensure that Crisis Action retains and deepens its position as the France hub of campaigning on issues of armed conflict. The main area of your work will be working with our partner organisations, and a large network of allies to drive forward and develop campaigns that mobilise the resources and influence of civil society to the greatest possible effect. You will liaise with senior representatives from partner organisations as well as the media and become a resourceful and trusted counterpart for them. You will expand our network by proactively engaging with and recruiting new partner NGOs.
Researching and analysing government policies to develop targeted strategies– Focusing on actual or potential conflicts that are of most strategic importance to our partners, you will ensure that Crisis Action provides valuable intel by investigating and analysing policy positions of the French government. You will ensure that Crisis Action builds in-depth and sophisticated intelligence on the French government’s positions towards relevant conflicts, the results of which will be top quality advice to partners on advocacy demands, strategy and suggestions for action. You will also be responsible for feeding this intelligence into our global groups, strategies and analysis. As a formidable political operator, you will build and sustain political relationships at the highest level, across political parties, and quickly win trust and respect.
Leadership of Paris office– You will be managing the Paris based team and will be responsible for ensuring that the work of the team is conducted to the highest professional standards. You will advise and guide the team members on their campaign work and foster their professional development. You will also be responsible for the financial management and running of our operations in Paris as well as official representation of Crisis Action.
Supporting our global work – As our France Director, and a senior member of our international team, you will lead the continued development of the organisation in France and provide integral support to Crisis Action’s development globally. You will bring an ambitious entrepreneurial attitude with you and will be asked to assist with devising and implementing our organisational strategy and our vision.
Person Specification
The following are essential:
At least 7-10 years of relevant work experience: A proven track record at influencing government policy at the highest levels and ability to identify campaign opportunities.
Excellent knowledge of the French political institutions and system and a proven track record in working with these.
Excellent political judgement, and the ability to think and work strategically to achieve political change.
Expertise in media and communications; including knowing what different audiences need to hear, crafting media stories, producing high-quality media materials and working across a variety of platforms, including new media.
Team player: thrives as part of a team.
High levels of professionalism. Extremely reliable and organised. Completes tasks in a timely and thorough manner. Great project management and time management skills to efficiently juggle competing priorities.
First-class interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to cultivate high-level contacts and to instil trust and confidence in partner organisations and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds.
High levels of ambition, energy, drive, dynamism, determination and focus.
Resilience and the ability to manage multiple internal and external demands.
Excellent writing skills and clear competence in the use of research tools.
Commitment to Crisis Action’s aims, objectives and mandate.
Willingness to take responsibility for and sometimes to delegate the administrative tasks associated with running a small office.
Native French proficiency and fluent written and spoken in English.
The following are desirable:
- Expertise in conflicts issues, the humanitarian & human rights sectors, especially with regard to the role of the international community.
- High level contacts in politics, the media and civil society sector.
- Understanding of the challenges involved in organising NGO coalition campaigns.
- Intercultural working experiences.
The following would be an added advantage
- Additional languages
Equal opportunities: Crisis Action values diversity and is committed to equal opportunities. All applicants for employment will receive equal treatment without discrimination on grounds of gender, ethnic origins, personal disability or sexual orientation, or any other grounds.
Disabilities: We are committed to making every reasonable adjustment to the workplace or working arrangements so as to accommodate people with disabilities
How to apply:
Please email your CV, completed application and cover letter to recruitment@crisisaction.org with “**France Director**” in the subject line.
The deadline for applications is 23.59 GMT, Sunday 9 October 2016.
First round i**nterviews will take place via video conference and are provisionally scheduled to take place during the week commencing 10 October 2016.**
We regret that due to the volume of applications we cannot respond individually to each applicant.