Country: Thailand
Closing date: 30 Nov 2018
About Asylum Access
Asylum Access is a leading refugee human rights organization headquartered in Oakland, CA with substantial operations in three countries plus partnerships in additional countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Asylum Access works to make human rights a reality for refugees in first countries of refuge. Our unique combination of policy advocacy and legal empowerment creates legal environments that help refugees live safely, move freely and work legally. By helping refugees assert their rights, we are putting power back into their hands. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that gives refugees the tools to provide for themselves and make choices about their own lives.
Asylum Access envisions a world where refugees are seen as people with rights, not just people with needs. Asylum Access believes that by empowering refugees to assert their human rights, we can create effective, lasting solutions for refugees around the world.
We’re looking for a leader who is passionate about human rights and sustainable solutions, who is an experienced advocate, and has experience in managing a dynamic, multicultural team. We are also looking for someone who is comfortable representing the organization with government officials, funders, media and other key stakeholders. If that sounds like you, please consider applying! Additional information below.
Position Description
The Director of Asylum Access Thailand (AAT) serves as a member of Asylum Access’s top leadership globally, with ultimate leadership responsibility for Asylum Access Thailand. Thus, the AAT Director is responsible for:
Ensuring that AAT achieves Asylum Access’s mission in Thailand – to make human rights a reality in refugees’ daily lives, with the ultimate goal of empowering refugees to live safely, move freely and work legally in Thailand;
Serving as the primary spokesperson for the AAT in interactions with key stakeholders in government, media, foundations and more;
Overseeing and understanding all AAT programs -- including all legal empowerment and policy advocacy strategies -- and managing the leadership team so the team can collectively have impact;
Complying with all Asylum Access global requirements, including financial and programmatic reporting, donor accountability, and operational requirements to mitigate risk and ensure high quality in our services.
Essential Job Responsibilities
- Organizational Reputation, Growth and Policy Advocacy: The AAT Director will build and implement effective advocacy strategies and set clear advocacy goals, and will coordinate effectively deploying staff in pursuit of those goals.
As the organization’s highest level policy advocate, the AAT Director will build and maintain relationships with key decision makers, including government and UN officials, in order to encourage the respect of refugee rights and specific policy and law changes that underpin those rights.
The AAT Director serves as the primary spokesperson for AAT. He or she is responsible for actively building and maintaining the positive reputation of the organization so as to facilitate achieving organizational goals. This includes interactions with donors, partners, media and policy and government targets.
The AAT Director will actively pursue opportunities for public speaking and agenda-setting, approve all public documents prior to dissemination, and promote news about, and accolades awarded to, Asylum Access.
- Internal Leadership and Management: The AAT Director sets the tone and demeanor of the office for all other AAT staff and volunteers. A successful director will ensure the AAT team is motivated, effectively identifies and solves problems, embraces creativity, collaboration and cultural differences, engages in appropriate self-care practices to avoid burnout, and achieves and celebrates impact.
The AAT Director is responsible for managing all program and operations managers and any other staff reporting directly to him or her. This involves coaching and supporting all direct reports through regular meetings as well as informal or ad hoc interactions, and observing and providing feedback on job performance on a regular basis. Asylum Access Headquarters (AAHQ) provides best practice recommendations and coaching, as needed, to support national directors in fulfilling this responsibility.
The AAT Director also plays a leadership role in ensuring that AAT remains a desirable place to work or volunteer, including through clear communication of expectations, providing inspiration to all staff and volunteers, ensuring access to professional development opportunities, regularly capitalizing on lessons learned, and cross-office sharing of best practices.
The AAT Director bears primary responsibility for maintaining clear and open communication with Asylum Access global headquarters, and for ensuring that other members of leadership communicate regularly and effectively with AAHQ.
- Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Learning: The AAT Director is responsible for ensuring the generation of programmatic and operations plans and their implementation on a day-to-day basis. This includes ensuring that all programs have clarity of strategy, and that the strategy for each is aimed at changing the political and legal paradigms that underpin refugee rights. That strategy should be documented in annual plans and updated on a regular basis. The Director will also work with AAHQ in order to assess the value and potential impact of new strategies.
The Director will create an environment that makes space for and encourages continually learning through data collection and analysis, group and individual reflection, and a spirit of curiosity about how to improve our pursuit of impact.
- Operational Oversight: The AAT Director is responsible for oversight of all operations (finance, human resources, information technology, registration and other administration) and regular reporting to AAHQ in compliance with Asylum Access's global requirements. The AAT Director also is responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable local laws.
The AAT Director is also responsible for ensuring the safety of staff and clients, and other risk mitigation efforts.
- Donor Cultivation, Stewardship and Accountability: The AAT Director works in cooperation with AAHQ to cultivate and/or steward donors. Specifically, while AAHQ does most grant writing, the AAT Director may be called on to host donor visits or conduct outreach to prospective donors. Where possible, the AAT Director should identify possible future institutional and individual donors.
The Director also is responsible for providing quantitative data and qualitative narratives for grant proposals and reports.
- Organizational Leadership: The AAT Director sits as a member of Asylum Access’s Global Leadership Team alongside other national Directors and various members of the Asylum Access Headquarters team. As a member of the Global Leadership Team, the Director will support oversight of the organization’s strategic plan, scan organizational activities for risks, and offer solutions where appropriate.
Required Qualifications
Graduate degree in the field of human rights, public policy, public administration or other relevant degree.
5 - 7 years of experience in positions of leadership, preferably within Thailand.
Demonstrated success as an advocate and/or fundraiser.
Experience in the field of human rights.
Demonstrated ability to understand and develop creative responses to frequently changing political and legal environments.
Professional fluency in English and Thai.
Experience in team management including both staff and volunteers. Familiarity and comfort working with a multicultural and international environment.
Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous projects.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in the field of refugee work in Asia.
Experience in management, including finance and budget elaboration and control.
Experience managing other leaders.
Experience in donor relationship management.
How to apply:
Send your resume and cover letter to apply@asylumaccess.org with the subject line “AAT Director”. In your cover letter, please describe your reasons for applying, relevant qualifications, and how you learned about the position.
Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applicants in need of accommodation during the interview can contact HR at apply@asylumaccess.org.
Asylum Access is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. For more information about our organization, visit www.asylumaccess.org
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