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Explore our work with partners, globally and locally, to tackle social and economic injustice using a human rights lens.

Communications Officer Vacancy

Communications Officer Vacancy

Communications Officer Vacancy

 

The Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Gl-ESCR) is a non- governmental organization that believes transformative change to end endemic problems of social and economic injustice is possible through a human rights lens. Our vision is of a world where the human rights framework reflects the real- world experiences of all of us, effectively furthering social and economic justice and human dignity, and catalysing change from the local to the global, back to the local.

Our Mission is:

  • Strengthen the international human rights framework through creative standard-setting, so that the framework reflects the experiences, needs and aspirations of marginalised individuals, groups and communities, with a focus on creating beneficial jurisprudence aimed at transformative change.

  • Mobilise and partner with advocates, social movements and grassroots communities at national and local levels to more effectively claim and enforce economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights, including by engaging regional and international mechanisms for local impact.

  • Contribute to the effective promotion and realisation of ESC rights so that everyone can fully enjoy their ESC rights in practice, without discrimination and on the basis of equality.

  • Provide innovative tools and resources to ESC rights advocates and civil society actors, policy makers, development actors and others on the practical implementation and realization of ESC rights.

  • Identify, respond to and provide thought leadership on emerging trends and threats to ESC rights.

  • Monitor and strengthen the international human rights mechanisms to ensure that they are accessible to ESC rights advocates and rights holders and effective mechanisms for ESC rights monitoring and accountability and facilitate and support civil society engagement with those bodies.

For further information about GI-ESCR work, mission, and values you may visit our website at www.gi-escr.org/

Effective communications are essential for strong advocacy and for meaningful engagement with partners, key stakeholders, communities and right-holders, as well as with regional and international organizations and forums. They are also essential for narrative-setting, policymaking, and to ensure accountability. In that line, GI-ESCR has increased its communications capacity over the past few years significantly improving its communication strategy and policies. We would like to enhance that capacity by recruiting a full time Communications Officer who can continue strengthening our communications, manage our website, campaigns and presence on social media to maintain and develop GI-ESCR’s position as a leading advocacy organisation in the field of economic, social and cultural rights.

General Position Information

Job Title: Communications Officer.

Location: Flexible to work remotely, with a preference for Mexico City, Dakar, Nairobi, Geneva, or Brussels.

Commitment: full time, 40 hours a week.

Salary Range: 2,000 USD to 3,000 USD gross per month, negotiable, depending on level of experience and location.

Benefits: Health issuance contribution; 25 days of annual leave and to 10 days of public holidays.

Deadline for applications: 18 May 2020, 23.59 hrs. (Mexico City: UTC/GMT -6 hrs.)

Start Date: As soon as possible.

Duration: One-year contract with possibility of extension, depending on funding.

Probation period: 3 months.

Job Profile:

GI-ESCR is seeking to recruit a committed and creative Communications Officer who, under the broad guidance of the Executive Director, will assume primary responsibility for planning, developing, and implementing a comprehensive communications strategy to promote GI-ESCR’s mission and goals. The Communications Officer will also be responsible for managing GI-ESCR’s social media, measuring the impact of our communications strategies and campaigns, and editing and proof-reading GI-ESCR’s written materials. S/he will additionally be in charge of internal communication and reporting to donors.

Required Skills and Qualifications

  • Advanced university degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations or related fields (or an undergraduate degree plus at least 5 years of demonstrated professional experience in the field of journalism, communications, foreign relations, public affairs, public relations or corporate communications).

  •   Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is an asset, and Spanish is desirable.

  •   Exceptional writing and editing skills.

  • Detail oriented. Attention to detail is central to the position.

  •   Able to work under pressure. Being able to read and edit quickly without sacrificing quality.

  •   Ability to multitask and work independently, as well as part of a team.

  • Advanced proficiency in computer programs including MS Office applications is required.

  • Ability to create simple videos and infographics is an asset. Proficiency using programs such as Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Mailchimp, Canva, Premiere Pro and Audition are desirable.

  • Experience working remotely and with staff from diverse backgrounds and located in various time zones.

  • Professional knowledge of the use of social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Youtube) as part of an effective campaigning and communication strategy is required.

  • Adept at leading communications, campaigns and advocacy strategy development from conceptualisation to completion, balancing long-term strategic thinking with short-term tactical actions and analysis.

  • Ability to create and operationalise innovative approaches to communications and advocacy strategies in support of GI-ESCR’s mission and goals.

  • Strong political analysis and understanding of the international human rights framework and advocacy and campaigning activities.

  • Capacity to turn complex and technical language into appropriate messaging for a range of audiences and have experience delivering communications using a variety of channels aiming at 'hard to reach' target groups.

  • Understanding of communications and advocacy reporting, measurement and analysis.

Related Skills and Knowledge

  • Creativity, initiative, follow-through, attention to detail, ability to work independently and as part of a larger team.

  • Demonstrated commitment to human rights and/or international issues is highly desirable.

  • Prior office experience and strong organizational skills are required.

  • The ability to work well under pressure and to manage multiple priorities while working effectively toward deadlines is required.

  • Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within GI-ESCR as well as with external partners are required.

  • Ability to make assertive and sound decisions consistent with functions is required.

  • Additional working knowledge of Spanish and/or French would be an asset.

  • Experience working in human rights organizations and in fields related to social justice.

  • Expertise in advocacy, campaigning or journalism that supports and elevates voices of social movements and vulnerable groups and communities.

  • Development of visual materials, comparative data analysis with graphs and design skills, or strong creativity and interest to learn and develop these abilities.

  • Experience working in a matrix-type organization.

Work Experience

  • Five to seven years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communications, print media, broadcast, and/or new media. International and national work experience.

  • Previous experience in communications for human rights organisations, international organisations or in social justice fields is an asset.

  • High-level professional experience in proof-reading and editing work in English.

Essential Duties + Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Communications Strategy

  • Provide strategic leadership and vision of communications approaches that advance GI-ESCR’s mission and objectives.

  • Develop, maintain and update GI-ESCR’s communications strategy and associated work plan with short- and long-term targets and objectives. Monitor its implementation with concrete and realistic indicators that align with GI-ESCR’s mission and values.

  • Work with GI-ESCR staff to determine communications needs and establish a culture in which communications work is fully integrated into all GI-ESCR programs and activities.

  • Promote and disseminate, targeting strategic audiences, GI-ESCR’s reports and products, editing and proof-reading internal and external materials.

Organisational Communication

  • Manage GI-ESCR’s public identity to ensure mission, brand, and message continuity, coherence, integrity, and effectiveness.

  • Ensure communications activities and materials are aligned with GI-ESCR’s visual identity, as well as with its mission, vision, core values, and strategies.

  • Occasionally commission and manage external providers to undertake design, audio-visual or other work necessary to improve communications.

Social Media and Publications

  • Manage the development of GI-ESCR’s presence on social media and GI-ESCR’s social media accounts.

  • Produce strategic social media content, in liaison with the respective program officers.

  • Update webpages and social media sites.

  • Coordinate the logistics and organisation of media and campaigning events such as press briefings.

  • Support the design, development and implementation of campaigns, including social media strategies.

  • Proof-read, format, and distribute materials; assist with editing content in English (news releases, op-eds, briefs, web and social media content), and if possible, in French and/or Spanish.

  • Assist with the preparation of external publications and reports.

Networking and partnerships

  • Maintain, update and further develop GI-ESC’s partners’ contact lists, databases and mailing lists.

  • Help establish, document, review, and refine working processes for collaborative work with partners, including meetings, joint projects, information sharing, etc.

  • Ensure and further enhance the quality, consistency, and appropriateness of communication materials, activities, processes, strategies, and messages shared with partners.

Editing and Proof-reading

  • Proof-read written documents and publications

  • Collaborate with team members, attend team meetings, provide constructive editorial and design input, and communicate with team members to deliver consistent, accurate, and high-quality work product.

Collecting impact

  • Collaborate with team members, to internally collect the impact of GI-ESCR’s work and develop materials for their internal and external dissemination.

Donor Reports and materials

  • Support preparation of background materials, grant applications, briefs and information kits for donors and funding entities.

  • Assist with drafting of narrative reports to donors, in liaison with the relevant program officers.

Events and Campaigns

  • Assist in organising and generating public support for special projects, events, and campaigns.

  • Support the organisation of workshops, seminars, campaigns, events and project review meetings, including agendas and meeting minutes, and logistical support.

  • Perform any other related duties and tasks as assigned.

How to Apply + Selection Process

Please apply by 18 May 2020, 23.59 hrs. (Mexico City: UTC/GMT -6 hrs.) by filling-in the form, and uploading your CV and cover letter at: - . We will not accept any other way to apply.

Please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. should you require further information on this employment opportunity. For inquiries about the conditions of the vacancy, please write in the title of your message: “Inquiry: Communications Officer”.

Selection Process

The selection process will have the following phases:

  1. Submission and review of applications

  2. Shortlisting of candidates. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an online interview.

  3. Interviews and a brief practical exam on communications tools and strategies will be conducted for all shortlisted applicants.

  4. Notification of the successful applicant.

We kindly request not to call or send inquiries by email to request information about the progress of your application. Only complete applications and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

GI-ESCR is committed with the principle of equality of opportunity in employment, therefore, applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

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Climate and Environmental Justice

We have advanced rights-based and gender-transformative transition frameworks through research that centres the lived experiences of women and marginalised communities on the frontlines of extractive energy policies, promoting climate and energy frameworks attentive to the social and care-related impacts of transition pathways. We have developed a clear vision for a gender-just transition, firmly rooted in gender and human rights norms, establishing both the legal basis and the direction for the transformative changes our planet and societies urgently need. In particular, the ‘Guiding Principles for Gender Equality and Human Rights in the Energy Transition’, a collective effort built through online consultations, an in-person workshop and multiple rounds of revision with activists, practitioners and experts from around the world, outline a transformative vision for reshaping global energy systems through a human rights and gender equality lens.

Our work recognises that the climate emergency is both an existential threat and an opportunity to reimagine societies built on social, gender, economic and environmental justice. We ground our advocacy in feminist and intersectional principles, prioritising the agency and perspectives of communities in the Global South who have contributed the least to the climate emergency yet face its most devastating consequences. Central to our approach is the understanding that energy is not merely a commodity but a fundamental human right; essential for dignity, health, education, work and the realisation of countless other rights. We challenge approaches to the energy transition that risk replicating the harmful patterns of fossil fuel extraction and, instead, advocate for transformative policies that ensure human rights and gender equality as central to building climate-resilient societies rooted in dignity, justice and planetary well-being.

What's next?

We will continue to challenge approaches that treat energy transition as merely a technical shift, instead positioning it as an opportunity to reimagine economies and societies rooted in dignity for all, with particular attention to communities in the Global South who have contributed least to the climate emergency yet are most exposed to its worst effects.

We will connect community-level evidence and the lived experiences of those on the frontlines of extractive policies to national reform and global norm-setting, breaking down silos between human rights, gender, and climate movements, and advancing a shared vision that recognises just transitions as not only fundamental to achieving climate-resilient and sustainable societies, but as transformative pathways that advance social and gender equality, redistribute power and resources equitably, and ensure that energy systems serve the public good rather than profit.

We will mainstream rights-based and genderjust transition priorities in key multilateral spaces (particularly, within the Just Transition Work Programme and the to-be-developed Just Transition Mechanism, within the UNFCCC) to guarantee that just transitions are advanced at all levels.

We will also translate our work, through strategic advocacy, into at least two concrete policy wins, whether promoted, adopted, implemented, or scaled, in priority countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, South Africa, or Kenya), ensuring these policies align with human rights standards, centre gender equality, and reflect the needs and views of affected communities.

We will build momentum for the progressive recognition of the right to sustainable energy to shift dominant narratives away from purely extractive solutions that sideline gendered impacts, community participation, and Global South perspectives.

Economic Justice and Climate Finance

Our work has transformed the global discussion on fiscal policy in a more just, emancipatory and sustainable direction. Our approach has combined both high-level, expert contributions within decisionmaking circles, with bold, impactful work on narrative change with the general public.

We have been instrumental in the inclusion of human rights as a guiding principle of the future United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation, a multilateral instrument with the potential of raising approx. USD 492 billion per year in public revenues currently foregone to global tax abuse. In the process leading to the ‘Compromiso de Sevilla’ decided at FfD4, we proposed and succeeded in creating a specific human rights workstream within the Civil Society Financing for Development Mechanism, which was critical to ensure that explicit commitments on the matter were included in the negotiating outcome. In a context of cutbacks in multilateral institutions, we have amplified the capacities of technical experts, providing rigorous technical support and leveraging our influence to ensure the enactments of groundbreaking standard-setting instruments, such as the 2025 UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Statement on Fiscal Policy and Human Rights, and the first ex oficio hearing on the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights on Fiscal and Economic Policies to Address Poverty and Structural Inequality, leading to an upcoming thematic resolution on the matter. We have also bridged the silos between multilateral tax discussions and climate finance debates, promoting ambitious financing commitments to increase international and domestic resource mobilisation during COP 28, 29 and 30.

At the regional level, our engagement with fiscal cooperation platforms such as the Platform for Fiscal Cooperation of Latin America and the Caribbean (PTLAC), where we are member of its Civil Society Consultative Council, and the African Anti-IFFs Policy Tracker, for which we participated in the pilot mission in Ivory Coast together with Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), have been critical in cementing a growing engagement between tax administrations and ministries of finance with international legal experts, exploring actionable and transformative initiatives, such as the taxation of high-net-worth individuals, beneficial ownership registries and corporate countryby-country reports, to be implemented at the international level.

At the local level, our interventions in fiscal reform debates in Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Nigeria have contributed to shaping legislative outcomes in a more progressive, rights-compliant direction.

As for our leadership in narrative change, we have a measurable track record in delivering tailored, innovative campaigns which have decisively expanded economic justice constituencies by appealing to a broader tent. In Latin America and the Caribbean, we created the ‘Date Cuenta’ campaign, coordinating over 40 organisations across civil society to deliver plain language, innovative messaging connecting progressive fiscal reforms to the financing of health, education and social protection. ‘Date Cuenta’ generated over 55 original campaign messages that were tailored to the realities of seven priority countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Honduras) and disseminated in Spanish, Portuguese and English. In doing so, we convened more than 65 online co-creation workshops with partners, coordinating a unified communications strategy which combined digital outreach, press and media coverage, and collaboration with influencers. Ultimately, ‘Date Cuenta’ resulted in more than 60,000 interactions on social media, coverage in major regional and international media outlets, including El País, Deutsche Welle, Bloomberg and France 24, and the participation of at least 63 social media influencers through 58 dedicated publications. In collaboration with Fundación Gabo and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, we also organised a two-day workshop in Bogota with 20 journalists from 13 countries, building a regional network trained in a human rights-based approach to fiscal policy that has since generated published media coverage on outlets such as La Diaria, Ciper, El Diario Ar and Milenio. Through ‘Date Cuenta’ and our regional advocacy, we strengthened civil society engagement in key processes, including the Financing for Development track and FfD4, co-organised highlevel dialogues with states and civil society from Latin America and Africa.

What's next?

We will shape the UN Tax Convention and its Protocols so they embed human rights principles, and we will stay engaged through follow-up processes (including the expected Conference of the Parties) to support effective implementation. We will keep linking tax and climate finance so that new resources mobilised through fiscal cooperation are channelled to adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage, in line with UNFCCC commitments.

Public Services for Care Societies

We have translated participatory research into accountability and policy outcomes.

In Ivory Coast, our work with Mouvement Ivoirien des Droits Humains and affected communities since 2023 exposed how privatisation and lack of accountability restrict access to quality healthcare. It contributed to the closure of 1,022 illegal private health centres, an executive instrument strengthening the regulation of private hospitals across the country, and the creation of a permanent complaints management committee in healthcare through a bylaw issued by the prefect of Gagnoa. Partners engaged through this process also advanced concrete improvements at facility level: members of the Gagnoa Midwives Association who took part in the participatory action research pooled resources to renovate the neonatal unit of the Regional Hospital, and the Director of the Gagnoa General Hospital launched an action plan to expand services and improve patient reception, with the facility receiving the award for best hospital in the country in 2025.

In Kenya, our research with the Mathare Education Taskforce documented the absence of public schools and the expansion of private provision, evidencing impacts on households and caregivers and strengthening demands for free, quality public education. This work contributed to stronger community agency and collective organisation, alongside ongoing strategies ranging from communications to litigation to secure a public school in the area, some involving GI-ESCR and others led independently.

Across Africa, this work is complemented by a multi-country study examining the human rights implications of austerity in education and health, including how regressive fiscal policies, rising debt burdens and persistent underinvestment undermine the financing and delivery of public services.

In Latin America, from 29 November to 2 December 2021, over a thousand representatives from over one hundred countries, from grassroots movements, advocacy, human rights, and development organisations, feminist movements, trade unions, and other civil society organisations, met in Santiago, Chile, and virtually, to discuss the critical role of public services for our future. Following the meeting, the Santiago Declaration on Public Services was adopted to demand universal access to quality, gender-transformative and equitable public services as the foundation of a fair and just society.

We are currently advancing work on care systems, linking public services and fiscal justice through integrated research, advocacy and communications, including a regional campaign framing care as a collective responsibility requiring sustained public investment.

What's next?

In Ivory Coast, we will evaluate and strengthen the complaints management committee and position it as a replicable model for other health facilities. In Kenya, we will support the Mathare community to co-design a model public school for Mabatini and Ngei wards, grounded in human rights standards. Building on our multi-country austerity study, we will drive national advocacy on financing for education and health: advancing reforms in Ghana; launching a fiscal policy and public services financing agenda in Kenya through the CESCR process and targeted coalition work; and, in Nigeria, using the new tax acts in force since 1 January 2026 to catalyse a national accountability campaign for adequately funded, quality public services. In Latin America, we will amplify locally led care pilots across 8 countries and turn lessons into influence—advancing care policies that strengthen care organisations, protect care workers’ rights, support unpaid caregivers, include disability and family networks, and redistribute care more equitably.