EDRi is looking for an Executive Director

EDRi is looking for an Executive Director (permanent position)

European Digital Rights (EDRi) is looking for an Executive Director to join the leadership team at our office in Brussels. This is a unique opportunity to be at the front of the largest European civil society digital rights network at a time when we need an independent watchdog to protect our rights and freedoms in the digital age.

Job detailsLocation

EUR 103,000 gross annually

Hours of work

32 hours (EDRi has a four-day work week with Fridays off)

Contract

Permanent

• Deadline to apply: 09 March 2025, 23:59 CET
• Reports to: EDRi Board of Directors
• Salary: EUR 103,000 gross annually
• Benefits include: flexible working hours and telework policy, additional leave days for family care, transport to the office covered in Belgium, complementary pension support, 13th month and holiday allowance, lunch vouchers, training budget.

About the role

We are looking for an inspiring person committed to a collaborative approach to leadership, with strong experience in fundraising and a strategic vision, and who brings a strong commitment to human rights to guide EDRi’s growing network into the future.

At a time of significant turmoil — with democracy backsliding, restrictions on privacy rights, biased and harmful platform moderation, a growing push towards securitisation, and increasing crackdowns on civil society — this is a unique opportunity to steer the oldest and strongest civil society network in Europe on human rights in the digital age.

The successful candidate should be committed to confronting nexuses of power and challenging systemic inequalities which, at EDRi, are essential to protecting digital rights. We are looking for someone keen to engage in the collective work of ensuring that everyone can live with dignity and autonomy in the digital age, advocating for democracy, transparency, participatory decision-making, equity, peace, and justice.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively as a member of the management team — composed of the Executive Director, Head of Policy, Head of Communications and Campaigns and Head of Membership and Community — to lead, motivate, and support a diverse and talented team. This includes a leading role in fundraising and overseeing finances, as well as programmatic (including policy) and core support teams, executing strategic communication and campaigns, attending EDRi convenings, and facilitating collaboration within the EDRi network and beyond.

The EDRi Office plays a central role in supporting and working with its member organisations, affiliates, observers, and partners to protect and promote digital rights across Europe. The Executive Director leads the organisation’s development, strategy, operations, and external representation, working closely with the Board, staff, and network members.

This role also involves contributing to a healthy and welcoming work environment through maintaining the established respect of labour rights, fostering inclusion, and incorporating decolonising principles within the organisation’s practices.

The position is based in Brussels but we are open to applicants from across the globe, including those who need a permit to work in Belgium.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Leadership in ensuring the delivery of the organisation mission and strategy
• Steer the organisation in its learning, growth and development
• Provide leadership and collaborative management for the organisation
• Lead strategic planning processes, including the EDRi multi-annual strategy process and EDRi office annual workplan
• Ensure the implementation of strategic plans by the EDRi office
• Ensure the delivery of rigorous monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks, and regular stock-taking and reflection exercises
• Report to and support the board, and lead on the preparation of biannual narrative reports for the board and membership narrative reports
• Work in close collaboration with the management team, and formulate annual objectives for all work areas and evaluate them
• Represent the organisation at external events
• Contribute to the development of fundraising, advocacy, membership and other strategies and taking of tactical decisions, in collaboration with the management team and relevant committees of the board
• Design and lead projects

Financial sustainability and oversight

• Oversee the preparation of the yearly budget and oversee expenditure together with the finance team and the management team.
• Develop and execute, in close cooperation with the finance team, a fundraising strategy, consistent with EDRi’s organisational and development priorities, and ensure ongoing financial sustainability
• Lead fundraising efforts from foundations, corporations, and individual donors
• Maintain good relations with existing donors, and actively reach out to potential donors
• Lead and oversee the preparation of funding applications and reporting to foundations
• Ensure that the organisation complies with relevant legislation, accounting procedures, and grant contracts

Governance and organisation operations

• Prepare general assemblies and report on EDRi office activities and plans
• Contribute to EDRi network health and governance processes, including working groups with EDRi members, conflict resolution mechanisms and other processes, and overseeing the work of the Head of Membership and Community
• Ensure the implementation of Board decisions
• Ensure that the Board is made aware of all matters requiring a Board decision, and informed of all developments of major significance to the organisation
• Oversee recruitment and hiring of new staff members in collaboration with the management team
• Oversee internal human resources policies and practices and foster staff retention and wellbeing
• Provide oversight of all staff and join weekly meetings with staff
• Act as the Head of the Operations team consisting of finance, fundraising, membership and community colleagues
• Foster effective teamwork and establish a positive work environment in line with EDRi’s values and commitments to decolonising principles
• Participate in the work of the Staff Committee, and act as liaison between the Staff Committee, the Management Team, and the Board Employment Committee
• Set up and evaluate the individual objectives of Management Team and Ops Team members
• Lead strategic and operational discussions with the staff, such as staff retreats and bi-annual staff days
• Undertake regular one on one meetings with all staff
• Undertake annual appraisal and identify training needs and opportunities for the Management and Ops Teams
• Sign contracts and other agreements on behalf of EDRi
• Provide or refuse final approval for any unforeseen use of resources

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Required:

• Leadership skills and strategic vision
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Minimum six years of senior management experience in a non-profit organisation or similar context
• Commitment to human rights and justice in the digital age, including the right to privacy, data protection, and freedom of expression
• Commitment to promoting free and open source technology
• Experience working with Boards, decision making processes and organisational governance structures
• In-depth understanding of the digital rights landscape in Europe and key trends globally
• Experience in a membership organisation or in coordinating movements for social change, including working with activists and volunteers
• Experience with financial management, and leading fundraising strategies, funding processes, applications and reports
• Excellent people skills including active listening, empathy and understanding of lived experiences of activists in the human rights field
• Experience with or openness to collaborative or distributed leadership models
• Excellent level of English
• Excellent writing and public speaking skills
• Knowledge of and experience in organisational development and network development
• Experience in knowledge-sharing and documentation of change processes
• Experience in creating and implementing multi-year strategies
• Knowledge of another European language
• Knowledge of Wikis, database management systems, mailing list and free and open software is an advantage.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Interviews will be conducted in three rounds:

• The first round of interviews will take place online in the week of 17 March. Selected candidates will be invited for a second round.
• The second round of interviews will take place online in the week of 24 March.
  Selected candidates will be invited for an in-person meeting.
• The in-person meeting with the EDRi Board of Directors will take place in Brussels on 3 April.

As an organisation EDRi is committed to protecting and upholding the digital rights of all, and addressing discrimination, oppression and inequality. We are engaged in efforts to decolonise the digital rights field in Europe. As an employer, we strive to have a working environment grounded in equity, inclusion and justice. We therefore encourage individuals from marginalised groups to apply for this post.

We process the personal data relating to your application for recruitment purposes. The data controller is: EDRi, 12 rue Belliard, Brussels. We do not share your personal data with third parties.

Applications will be deleted one month after the recruitment procedure is completed and the selected applicant has started their position.

As an exception, notified shortlisted and interviewed candidates’ applications will be kept for a period of one year. You may ask us at any time to delete your information before the end of this one-year period.

For more information about how EDRi processes personal data and to exercise your rights, please consult our privacy policy or contact us at dpo@edri.org

You are interested but have questions for us?

Send an email to applications@edri.org

Join an information session on the position with EDRi colleagues on 12 February 2025 from 2pm CET. Please express interest by sending an email to applications@edri.org with the subject line ‘link to ED info session’ for a link to this session. You may join anonymously.

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