Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Consultant - Digital Rights and Civic Space Advocacy

at CIVICUS

🏢 About CIVICUS

CIVICUS is a unique global alliance dedicated to protecting and expanding civic space worldwide through research, advocacy, and mobilization. Unlike many NGOs, it operates as a network of civil society organizations and activists across six regions, focusing specifically on citizen action and civic freedoms. Working here offers the opportunity to be part of a globally recognized movement defending democracy and human rights in the digital age.

About This Role

This Senior Consultant role involves strengthening regional partners' capacity to protect digital civic space and designing advocacy strategies targeting governments and multilateral institutions. You'll drive coordinated efforts across six regions to promote inclusive democracy in the digital era, making this role impactful by directly influencing global digital rights policies and protecting activists worldwide.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve morning coordination calls with Regional Support Mechanism partners in different time zones to discuss digital threats in their regions, followed by designing advocacy materials targeting specific UN mechanisms. The afternoon could include strategic planning sessions to align regional advocacy efforts and developing capacity-building resources on digital security for civil society partners.

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🎯 Who CIVICUS Is Looking For

  • Has 5+ years of senior-level experience designing and delivering high-impact advocacy strategies specifically on technology governance or digital rights
  • Possesses deep understanding of regional digital rights landscapes across multiple CIVICUS regions (Africa, Asia, Americas, Europe, Middle East/North Africa, Pacific)
  • Can demonstrate experience coordinating advocacy targeting UN bodies, multilateral institutions, and national governments simultaneously
  • Has practical experience building capacity of civil society organizations on digital security and civic technology implementation

📝 Tips for Applying to CIVICUS

1

Highlight specific experience with CIVICUS's Regional Support Mechanism structure or similar multi-regional civil society networks

2

Quantify your impact on digital rights advocacy - e.g., 'developed strategy that influenced X policy change at UN/regional body'

3

Demonstrate understanding of both technical (digital security) and political (advocacy) aspects of digital civic space protection

4

Reference CIVICUS's specific advocacy targets mentioned in the job description: national governments, UN, multilateral institutions, donor agencies

5

Show how you've previously aligned strategies across multiple regions while respecting regional autonomy and contexts

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your experience designing advocacy strategies that specifically target the UN and multilateral institutions on digital rights issues', 'Examples of building capacity of civil society organizations in the Global South on digital security and advocacy', "How you've coordinated advocacy efforts across multiple regions while maintaining strategic alignment", 'Your understanding of the intersection between digital technology and civic space protection in at least two CIVICUS regions']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → CIVICUS's State of Civil Society Report and their specific positions on digital rights and civic space
  • → The structure and partners of CIVICUS's Regional Support Mechanism across the six regions
  • → CIVICUS's recent advocacy campaigns targeting UN bodies like the Human Rights Council on digital issues
  • → How CIVICUS collaborates with other digital rights networks like Access Now, EFF, or regional coalitions
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a digital rights advocacy strategy you designed that targeted both national governments and multilateral institutions simultaneously
2 How would you approach capacity building for Regional Support Mechanism partners with varying levels of digital rights expertise?
3 What are the biggest threats to digital civic space in [specific CIVICUS region] and how would you address them?
4 How do you measure impact in digital rights advocacy, particularly when working across six different regions?
5 Describe your experience coordinating advocacy efforts across multiple stakeholders with potentially conflicting priorities
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on technical digital security skills without demonstrating political advocacy experience targeting governments/institutions
  • Treating all regions as homogeneous rather than showing understanding of regional differences in digital rights challenges
  • Presenting generic human rights experience without specific examples related to digital rights or civic technology
  • Failing to demonstrate experience working in networked/multi-stakeholder environments like CIVICUS's alliance model

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to CIVICUS!

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