Access Now is hiring for a Policy & Advocacy Manager – Europe

The Europe Policy & Advocacy Manager is the lead policy and advocacy officer for Access Now in Europe, advancing the organizational mission to defend and extend the digital rights of people and communities at risk. The Manager heads up a highly sophisticated team of digital rights policy experts that together form one of the most effective civil society teams influencing digital rights and technology policy on the continent. In collaboration with the team and coalition partners, this role will have the opportunity to drive the advocacy agenda at the intersection of human rights and digital technologies in the region.

The Europe Policy & Advocacy Manager anchors the strategic vision for Access Now’s work on the continent and, in doing so, guides efforts to follow and influence relevant policy developments, recognizes campaign and strategic litigation opportunities, strengthens relationships across key networks, and advises on crafting appropriate communications. The key focus of the role is to be a strategic and supportive manager, advising and empowering each regional Advocacy team member to deliver excellence in strategic engagement, and pursue professional development opportunities, optimizing all available resources.

The successful candidate will sit on the Senior Management Team of the global organization, and be responsible for the implementation of Access Now’s Policy and Advocacy programmatic objectives in Europe. The Manager sits in the Policy and International Programs Team, within the Advocacy Arm of the organization, and reports through the Director – Policy and International Programs. They work closely with other Advocacy Arm teams; ensure smooth collaboration with teams across the Helpline, Development and Grants Arms; and facilitate the team’s participation in cross-organization workflows.

This role may be filled as a regional Policy and Advocacy Manager, or as a regional Policy and Advocacy Director, based on the level of expertise and experience of the candidate.

Skills, education, and mindset you will bring

• 5+ years of relevant work and management experience, with increasing levels of responsibility. Preference for previous work in the areas of internet freedom, internet governance, human rights, digital policies, legal education or practice, political communication, internet engineering, and/or new technologies, with increasing levels of responsibility
• Solid understanding and interest in human rights, EU Policy, tech policy, campaigning, technology, and public organizing with a deeper knowledge in at least one of these areas
• Knowledge about the functioning of EU institutions and decision-making, and civil society networks working on related issues
• Ability to bridge the gap between policy and technology
• Practice empathetic leadership
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and management skills, and proven ability to manage teams and projects in the tech policy or advocacy sphere
• Knowledge of the European NGO ecosystem
• Global perspective and ability to participate in a diverse team with people from around the world
• Experience working in a grassroots organizations with member activists is a plus
• Ability to lead the organization and facilitation of events, workshops, and small meetings
• Fluency in English is required; knowledge of other relevant languages is preferred.
• Appropriate education and work preparation for the role, with bachelor or master degree equivalent in law, public administration, computer science, political and social sciences, international relations, or a similar field