Digital Rights Expert

• Provide overarching technical input to the project’s strategy on digital democracy, civic engagement, participatory governance, and digital innovation.

• Guide the design and delivery of project components to ensure alignment with respective trends, stakeholder needs, and democratic priorities across the regions. Identify cross-cutting opportunities to strengthen civic infrastructure and democratic engagement through digital platforms and innovations.

• Provide active input and technical support to the Evidence and Learning Lead in the design, rollout, and analysis of regional needs assessments.

• Actively participate in the development of digital and institutional needs assessment tools to ensure they are aligned with the diverse capacities, contexts, and thematic priorities of local CSOs. • Actively participate in the development of indicators, data collection frameworks, question sets for digital democracy assessments, analysis and development of reports and other research outputs.

• Offer regional insight on emerging digital democracy trends and stakeholder capacities to inform the design and adaptation of assessment tools.

• Support the interpretation of assessment findings and assist in translating data into actionable strategies for CSO capacity-building and project adaptation.

• Lead the design and delivery of targeted virtual trainings, mentoring sessions, and learning engagements for CSOs across the region.

• Develop tools, frameworks, and guides to help CSOs increase their effectiveness in digital organizing, participatory governance, institutional development, and constituency engagement. • Facilitate peer learning and experience exchange among grantees on innovations in digital civic engagement.

• Attend and facilitate the regional convenings (virtual and in-person) to share key findings of the project with various stakeholders

• Act as a technical and strategic advisor to POs , ensuring consistency in quality, coherence in program implementation, and responsiveness to specific contexts.

• Support POs in mapping relevant CSOs, democratic stakeholders, and civic tech actors within their areas.

• Provide ongoing virtual support to POs in facilitating learning events, partner convenings, and stakeholder consultations.

• Lead the regional mapping of key stakeholders engaged in digital democracy, civic participation, social innovation, and institutional reform along with POs.

• Build and maintain partnerships with Civil Society Organization (CSOs), universities, think tanks, private sector actors, and tech communities relevant to the project’s objectives. • Support the identification of thematic synergies and mutual collaboration opportunities among grantees and partners.

• Provide strategic inputs into advocacy strategies focused on strengthening democratic processes through digital innovation.

• Collaborate with the Communications and Reporting Manager and the Evidence and Learning Lead to develop evidence-based content for advocacy, storytelling, and public engagement campaigns.

• Contribute technical knowledge to briefs, reports, case studies, and other knowledge products derived from project implementation.

• Contribute to technical monitoring and evaluation processes, supporting the integration of learning into project design and implementation.

• Identify and document scalable and contextually relevant approaches that support digital democracy and institutional resilience among civil society actors.

• Participate in strategic reviews and learning sessions with the wider project team and donors.

• Master’s degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Development Studies, Governance, Digital Innovation, or a related field.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in democratic development, digital rights, civic innovation and civil society strengthening.

• Demonstrated experience in implementing or advising on digital engagement strategies, civic tech interventions, or inclusive governance programs.

• Experience in working with or advising CSOs

• Strong understanding of democratic systems, CSO ecosystems, digital rights, and local/regional civic challenges.

• Proven facilitation, mentorship, and training design skills, especially in virtual environments. • Excellent coordination and communication, and networking abilities to work across regions and stakeholder groups.

• Strong writing, reporting, and presentation skills in English.

• Capacity to work independently and collaboratively in multicultural and distributed teams.

• Eligible applicants are invited to submit their CVs and Cover Letter to by September 5, 2025. The deadline will be strictly observed. •

• The cover letter must introduce the applicant, her/his background as it relates to the above qualifications, a statement of the applicant’s motivation in applying for this position, and the first possible starting date should the applicant be selected.

• The shortlisted candidates will be contacted within two weeks after the closing date for an interview.

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