Executive Director

European Digital Rights

Hours
Full-time 32 hours per week

Start date
May 2025

About the Organisation

European Digital Rights (EDRi) is a leading network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that advocates for digital rights and freedoms in Europe. Founded in 2002, EDRi is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, and works to ensure that fundamental rights such as privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information are protected in the digital environment. EDRi’s mission is to defend and promote digital rights by influencing policies, raising awareness, and empowering individuals and organizations to challenge unjust digital regulations. 

EDRi is a coalition of over 50 member organizations across Europe, including digital rights groups, privacy advocates, and human rights organizations. Some of its notable members include Privacy International (UK), Bits of Freedom (Netherlands), Access Now (global), and La Quadrature du Net (France). These groups collaborate to challenge harmful policies and promote digital rights at national and European levels.

About the role

EDRi Office plays a central role in supporting and working with its member organizations, affiliates, observers, and partners to protect and promote digital rights across Europe. The Executive Director leads the organization’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 by maintaining the established respect for labor rights, fostering inclusion, and incorporating decolonizing principles within the organization’s practices.

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.

Responsibilities

Leadership:

• Leadership in ensuring the delivery of the organisation's mission and strategy
• Steer the organization in its learning, growth, and development
• Provide leadership and collaborative management for the organization
• Lead strategic planning processes, including the EDRi multi-annual strategy process and EDRi office annual work plan
• 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 the preparation of biannual narrative reports for the board and membership narrative reports
• Work in close collaboration with the management team, formulate annual objectives for all work areas, and evaluate them
• Represent the organization 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 & Oversight:

• Oversee the preparation of the yearly budget and oversee expenditures 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 organizational 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 organization complies with relevant legislation, accounting procedures, and grant contracts

Governance & Organisation Operations:

• Prepare general assemblies and reports 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
• Board is made aware of all matters requiring a Board decision and informed of all developments of major significance to the organization
• Oversee recruitment and hiring of new staff members in collaboration with the management team
• Internal human resources policies and practices and foster staff retention and wellbeing
• Provide oversight of all staff and join weekly meetings with staff
• 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 decolonizing 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
• Evaluate the individual objectives of the 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 one-on-one meetings with all staff
• Annual appraisal and identify training needs and opportunities for the Management and Ops Teams
• Sign contracts and other agreements on behalf of EDRi
• Provide, and refuse final approval for any unforeseen use of resources

Skills, Competencies & Experience

Experience:

• Experience working with Boards, decision-making processes, and organizational governance structures
• Experience with openness to collaborative and distributed leadership models
• Experience with financial management, and leading fundraising strategies, funding processes, applications, and reports
• Experience in a membership organization and  in coordinating movements for social change, including working with activists and volunteers

Skills & Knowledge:

• Leadership skills and strategic vision
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Minimum six years of senior management experience in a non-profit organization 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
• In-depth understanding of the digital rights landscape in Europe and key trends globally
• Excellent people skills including active listening, empathy, and understanding of the lived experiences of activists in the human rights field
• Excellent level of English
• Excellent writing and public speaking skills

Desirable:

• Knowledge of and experience in organizational 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 lists, and free and open software is an advantage.

Required Qualifications

• Undergraduate Degree

Compensation & Benefits

• Additional Leave days for family care
• Transport Allowance
• Complementary Pension Support
• Holiday Allowance
•  Lunch Vouchers and Training Budget

Conditions of employment

• You need to be eligible to work in Belgium

Working locations

• Remotely working in Brussels Belgium

How to apply

• Send an email to [email protected] with a CV and a cover letter by 9th March 2025 at 11:59 PM

Interviews

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• The first interview will take place online on 17th March 2025. 
• The 2nd interview will take place online on 24th March 2025
• The in-person meeting with the EDRi Board of Directors will take place in Brussels on 3rd April 2025

Policies

• EDRi is committed to protecting and upholding the digital rights of all, and addressing discrimination, oppression, and inequality. We are engaged in efforts to decolonize 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 marginalized groups to apply for this post.

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