Freedom House Newly Created Position

Freedom House is seeking a Senior Program Manager for the Global Human Rights Defender Emergency Fund.

According to the job description, "it is a newly created position which will report to the Director of Rule of Law and Human Rights Programs. The Global Human Rights Defender Emergency Fund will provide assistance, including emergency funds and services, to human rights defenders who are under threat, attack, detention, prosecution, or otherwise at immediate risk due to government repression. As well, the project will seek to mobilize international, regional and local support for human rights defenders and support the development of strategic responses to on-going government repression of human rights defenders."

The job entails "establishing and maintaining strong relationships with select indigenous partners human rights organizations around the world, forming and maintaining close coordination with a referral group of international organizations and assistance providers, developing and overseeing strategic operational discussions related to fund recipients and mode of assistance, and troubleshooting all obstacles impeding the fund."

I find the announcement of the position quite interesting. The SPM will certainly have a challenging time, to say the least, trying to manage funds given to Freedom House through the State Department's Iran Democracy Assistance program and trying to get any credibility working with organizations on the ground in Iran for reasons cited in the INW post linked above.