Job Description

Key roles and responsibilities: Project Coordinator, AED Initiative

• As a thought leader on environmental defenders for the organization, coordinate with the AED project team to develop and implement strategies, projects and plans for the AED Initiative across the organization.


• Collaborate with Natural Justice staff members, community-based partners and movements, other NGO/CSO partners in multiple countries, academia, government allies and technical experts to develop and implement legal and other advocacy strategies at the international, regional and national level aimed at enhancing the legal and policy protections of African environmental human rights defenders.


• Assist to design and implement a comprehensive legal empowerment and capacity building program for community environmental human rights defenders in key focus countries.


• Work with the Natural Justice project team to oversee and administer the African Environmental Defenders Emergency Response Fund.


• Identify, build, strengthen and maintain networks and partnerships with relevant actors and stakeholders at national, international, and regional levels.


• Represent Natural Justice at international, regional and national meetings relevant to environmental defenders.


• Provide technical advice to partners, affected communities and other relevant stakeholders.


• Work with the project team and partners to organize and conduct webinars, workshops and seminars to amplify the issues of grassroots environmental human rights defenders.


• Write research reports, concept documents, academic papers, organizational reports, and other documents for publication.


• Work with the staff of Natural Justice to apply for and oversee grants, including preparing donor reports, providing regular project updates and maintaining a good relationship with the donors.

Qualifications and experience required:

• A minimum of at least 5 years of demonstrated work experience in human rights, environmental law, or other related fields. Experience working on programs/projects relating to the protection of African environmental human rights defenders will be an added advantage.


• An undergraduate degree in law, political science or another relevant social science discipline. A bachelor of law and a post-graduate degree in law is desirable.


• The ideal candidate will have substantial experience working in several African countries and with professional fluency in English and French.


• Knowledge and understanding of and experience working on law and policy advocacy initiatives on international, regional and national legal and policy processes and mechanisms for the protection of environmental human rights defenders.


• Candidates with experience managing emergency response funds or initiatives will have an added advantage.


• Experience coordinating with and supervising teams.


• Excellent oral and written communication skills.


• Shows initiative, good judgment, ability to think critically and problem-solve, and a strong work ethic.


• Ability to work independently and in collaboration with clients, partners and staff, and to develop and maintain partnerships with community-based or other grassroots groups.


• Ability and willingness to travel internationally.


• Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.