Middle East and North Africa Director

Location: Beirut
Compensation: Competitive senior-level package with generous benefits including, health insurance, employer-contribution to pension scheme, 5 weeks of annual leave, inflationary increases and other benefits
Starting Date: ASAP
Responsible to: Chief of Staff

Deadline for applications is 11:59 pm, Wednesday, 25 April 2018

As Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Director you will play a key role in crafting and delivering on strategies for impactful collective campaigns to protect civilians from armed conflict in the Middle East. You will build on and work closely with a strong network of civil society across MENA 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 the Middle East to the next level and ensures we are ever more effective in our mission to protect civilians affected by conflict.

Principal roles

1. Planning and executing collective advocacy campaigns to protect civilians in MENA countries experiencing conflict – The focus of your work will be to craft and deliver on strategies for impactful collective campaigning across the Middle East to protect civilians from armed conflict. The main area of your work will be working with our partner organizations across the region, to drive forward and develop campaigns that mobilize the resources and influence of civil society to the greatest possible effect. 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 regional and global campaign moments to ensure governments fulfil their obligations to protect civilians. You will have a great command of the media, how to drive media attention and have good media networks in MENA.

2. Strengthening and building on a diverse, flexible and innovative network of civil society voices across key MENA countries committed to the prevention of armed conflicts – You will achieve this by closely cooperating with a wide range of civil society organisations, from the Middle East and North Africa whose work enhances the protection of civilians and by delivering high impact advocacy and media work in collaboration with them. You will liaise with senior representatives from partner organisations and become a resourceful and trusted counterpart for them. You will expand our network by proactively engaging with and recruiting new partner NGOs. You will also expand relationships with other powerful voices in region including the corporate sector, faith leaders, social movements, military leaders, celebrities and more.

3. Understanding regional politics 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 intelligence by understanding the political positions of governments within the region, as well as the multilateral institutions, i.e. League of Arab States, Organization of Islamic Conference, Gulf Cooperation Council, …etc. You will ensure that Crisis Action possesses an in-depth and sophisticated understanding of these governments and institutions’ positions towards relevant conflicts. You will be able to produce top quality advice on advocacy demands, strategy and suggestions for action. As a formidable political operator, you will build and sustain strong political relationships governments and institutions in the region.

4. Leadership of Crisis Action’s MENA office – You will lead and manage Crisis Action’s MENA team and will be responsible for ensuring that the work of the team is conducted to the highest professional standards. You will advise, guide and inspire our 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 MENA as well as official representation of Crisis Action.

5. Supporting our global work – You will be a core part of our international team, jointly strategizing around regional and international politics and how to change it. You will also help us reach out to potential partners in countries where we don’t have a presence and seek to engage and support them. You will be asked to support our fundraising strategy, and to input into our organizational strategy and vision.

Personal Specifications

The following are essential:

• At least 10 years of relevant work experience in leading effective campaigns that have influenced politics and policy in the Middle East.
• Expertise in media and communications; including knowing what different audiences need to hear, crafting media stories, producing high-quality media materials and working across media platforms, including new media. Experience of media work with Arab national and regional media.
• Ability to effectively develop, lead and provide strategic direction to a diverse team, with strong leadership, mentoring and managements skills.
• Excellent political judgement and the ability to think and work strategically to achieve political change.
• High level contacts in politics, the media and civil society across the MENA region.
• Team player: thrives as part of a team.
• High level of professionalism. Extremely reliable and organized. Handles competing tasks in a timely and thorough manner, in addition to having great project management and time management skills.
• High levels of ambition, energy, drive, dynamism, determination and focus.
• First-class interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to cultivate high-level contacts and to instill trust and confidence in partner organisations and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds.
• Resilience and the ability to manage multiple internal and external demands.
• Commitment to Crisis Action’s aims, objectives and mandate.
• Ability to work in Lebanon and travel in the region.
• Fluent (both written and oral) Arabic and English.

The following would be an advantage:

• Experience of campaigning on human rights issues and knowledge of individual conflict situations.
• Experience of leading or working within coalitions.
• Excellent knowledge of key regional institutions in MENA and a proven track record in working with them.
• Other Languages especially French, Farsi or Turkish.

How to Apply

Please apply via our online system no later than Wednesday 25 April 2018. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview. We regret that due to the volume of applications we cannot respond individually to each applicant.