Deadline: 28.11.2022

Head of Communications/

IHRB
United Kingdom

ABOUT IHRB
Founded in 2009, IHRB is the leading international think tank on business and human rights. IHRB’s
mission is to shape policy, advance practice, and strengthen accountability in order to make respect
for human rights part of everyday business.
IHRB serves as an independent voice on human rights and business issues around the world,
including holding special consultative status with the United Nations (ECOSOC). We produce in-depth
reports, practical briefings, and regular commentaries. We provide trusted and impartial advice to
governments, businesses, and international organisations. We bring together leading experts with
diverse stakeholders to discuss timely subjects on the business and human rights agenda.
Collaboration and innovation are core to IHRB’s mission. Our partnerships range from one-off topical
convenings to multi-year programmes. We work directly with business leaders, government officials,
international organisations, civil society, and others to evaluate the effectiveness of policies, practices,
and responses. We also catalyse new initiatives dedicated to filling gaps in key areas or regions
requiring leadership, partnership, and targeted intervention.
Since its founding, IHRB has established a number of organisations and initiatives that are now
free-standing, namely: the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB), Centro Regional de
Empresas y Emprendimientos Responsables (CREER), the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB),
and the Centre for Sport and Human Rights (CSHR).
IHRB’s focus areas are diverse and reflect some of the most important and emerging human rights
issues facing business. Our programmes address the rights of migrant workers in global supply chains,
the importance of ensuring just transitions for workers and communities in the adaptation to lowcarbon economies, more effective and accountable decision making across the built environment
lifecycle, and the need for due diligence standards and practices throughout the shipping industry,
amongst others.
3 Head of Gulf Programme – Job Description www.ihrb.org | Institute for Human Rights and Business
THE ROLE
• Title: Head of Gulf programme
• Reporting to: Deputy CEO
• Start date: January 2023 (ideally)
• Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours / 5 days per week) or part-time (30 hours / 4 days per week)
• Location: Remote/Home-based, location flexible. Candidates must already have permission to work
in the country of their location and easy access to international travel.
• Duration: 12 months renewable annually subject to funding and performance, with 3-month
probationary period.
• Pay: £60,000-£68,000 per annum pro-rata depending on experience. This post will have a contract
or consultancy agreement subject to UK law. Equivalent consulting rate offered to non-UK based
applicants. PAYE contracts can be offered to UK-based applicants.
Overview
The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and
the UAE – are expected to be particularly affected by climate change due to increasingly overburdened
urban and ecological systems, high levels of heat and humidity, and limited water reserves. All GCC
countries have started reform processes aimed at transitioning to low-carbon, green economies,
restructuring the job market, and reducing their dependence on oil and gas revenues. Climate action
is now seen by GCC countries as an important accelerator and opportunity for economic diversification.
Momentum is building towards addressing the social and environmental dimensions of climate impacts
and climate action.
IHRB’s emerging regional programme, ‘Gulf Sustain’, aims to advance worker welfare in the GCC
by centring workers’ rights as an enabler of the green transition. The programme aims to develop
knowledge, drive inclusive dialogue, and advocate for stronger policies, accountability and
collaboration between businesses, governments, financial actors, civil society, and local, regional
and international organisations to promote alignment between policy agendas on worker welfare,
economic diversification, and climate action. Focus areas include labour migration, health and climate
change, just transitions, and gender equality and inclusion.
We are looking for a dynamic Head of Gulf programme to lead this initiative through its next stage
of development. If you are passionate about human rights, have a thorough understanding of worker
welfare issues and business and human rights frameworks, a high degree of diplomacy and political
awareness, and a strong track record of programme management and delivery, strategy development,
and relationship building, this role is for you.
4 Head of Gulf Programme – Job Description www.ihrb.org | Institute for Human Rights and Business
What You Will Do
Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
Programme management, strategic leadership, and implementation
Ensuring delivery of existing donor commitments while guiding the strategic direction of the
programme, particularly in the following areas:
• Coalition building: Catalysing multi-stakeholder engagement and collective action by exploring
opportunities for collaboration, as well as to expand the Gulf Sustain network of partners, allies and
supporters at country, regional and international levels.
• Advancing worker welfare: Advocating for a green transition framework centring workers’ rights,
including by finding constructive approaches to promoting a strong worker welfare dimension into
climate action decision-making spaces. Supporting and promoting existing worker welfare initiatives
in the GCC. Actively engaging in relevant national and international fora including climate and
business & human rights conferences.
• Managing programme budget, donor relations, deliverables and reporting.
• Undertaking line-management responsibilities and working collaboratively with other teams,
including on cross-cutting themes, programme-related communications and administrative issues.
• Overseeing the recruitment and management of consultants and local facilitators. Overseeing
research projects and communications outputs.
• Ensuring that the necessary systems and processes are in place for effective programme delivery
and systematically monitoring programme performance and impact.
Fundraising
• Developing a sustainable fundraising plan for the programme, including by identifying and developing
new funding opportunities from a range of sources.
Stakeholder Engagement
• Building and growing the profile of Gulf Sustain at the country, regional and international level
through stakeholder engagement and strategic connections across a wide range of constituencies
and potential partners.
• Representing IHRB at programme-related events and in the media, giving presentations and
moderating panels as appropriate.
5 Head of Gulf Programme – Job Description www.ihrb.org | Institute for Human Rights and Business
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The successful candidate will have the following:
Essential
• At least 5 years’ experience leading effective and innovative programmes in the fields of human rights,
labour rights, labour migration or business & human rights.
• A deep understanding of business & human rights frameworks and labour migration issues, where they sit
within the global geopolitical and economic landscape, as well as leverage opportunities and challenges.
• Leadership skills and an entrepreneurial and creative approach to problem-solving, tackling
challenges, and spotting and maximising opportunities.
• Demonstrable experience of successful budget and donor relationship management, and reporting.
• A proven track record in successfully establishing and maintaining relationships and experience of
multi-stakeholder engagement.
• Experience undertaking work that requires awareness of political sensitivities and the maintenance of
trust through careful diplomacy.
• Excellent people-management skills, including emotional intelligence, ability to guide and learn from
team members, to provide clear personal development pathways and to ensure strong programme
outcomes. Excellent coordination across teams and time zones.
• Fluency in English, with excellent written and spoken communication skills. An articulate and confident
public speaker.
• Attention to detail and ability to maintain a high level of accuracy in preparing and presenting information.
• A demonstrably strong work and team ethic.
Desirable
• Further education certificate/diploma in a relevant field.
• Excellent understanding of the GCC’s geopolitical, economic and social contexts.
• Experience working in the GCC.
• Excellent understanding of the intersection between the climate action and social policy agendas,
including of key challenges and opportunities for a just, green transition.
• Experience in successfully identifying and securing funding opportunities and negotiating funding agreements.
• A proven track record in developing programme strategy in line with programme and organisational priorities.
• Experience of moderating panels, virtually and in-person.
• Working knowledge of Arabic.
• Good time zone compatibility with Europe and the GCC.
6 Head of Gulf Programme – Job Description www.ihrb.org | Institute for Human Rights and Business
TIMELINE & PROCESS
1. Deadline for application: 24 November 2022, 9.00am UK time.
2. Interviews: Interviews will be held on 30 November and 1 December 2022, via Zoom. Applicants
should ensure their availability for a 1-hour slot during UK work hours on this date. Shortlisted candidates will be notified and invited by email by 4.00pm on 29 November 2022. Only
successful applicants will be notified.
3. Expected start date: 16 January 2022 (ideally). A job offer will be subject to the receipt of at
least two satisfactory references.
Application Instructions
Please email your CV and cover letter to Denise Derbyshire at: [email protected]. In your cover
letter you must address the above Person Specification to show your suitability for this role. Please
specify if you are applying for a full time (5 days per week) or part time role (4 days per week) and
also state where you saw the vacancy advertised.
As part of our ongoing commitment to an accessible recruitment process, applicants with disabilities
are encouraged to contact IHRB to discuss any support or assistance they may have during the
application or recruitment process. Please contact Denise Derbyshire, IHRB’s Administrator, via email
[email protected] – in the first instance.
IHRB is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all individuals regardless
of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race,
religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. This means we will not discriminate against
candidates or employees based on their protected characteristics.
Included in the candidate pack is an optional Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form. The information
collected is confidential and anonymous and will not be used in any decision making for this role.
You do not have to complete and return this document but doing so will help IHRB maintain equal
opportunities in all of our recruitment processes.
Applications from unsuccessful candidates will be held on file for 6 months after the end of the
recruitment process

Want to share
your Green Job?

Send us the job details to [email protected]
We will let you know the different publication options including free and featured ones.