WORK WITH US

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is seeking a talented individual to manage CCLA’s privacy, surveillance and digital rights advocacy, and to spearhead, coordinate and execute the work of the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations in this area.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is Canada’s national human rights and fundamental freedoms organization. We have been fighting for these rights and freedoms since 1964. CCLA intervenes in Canadian courts, testifies before legislatures, advocates through all media, and engages in activism, education, and outreach across the country for privacy, dignity and fundamental freedoms for all people in Canada.  We work to actively fight against injustice, such as racial profiling by police, privacy invasions by government, prolonged solitary confinement, abortion access restrictions, unfairness in the criminal system, and restrictions on freedom of expression.

The International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations (INCLO) is a network of independent national human rights and civil liberties organizations working to promote fundamental rights and freedoms by supporting and mutually reinforcing the work of the member organizations working in their respective countries and collaborating on a bilateral and multilateral basis. INCLO’s members include CCLA, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI); the International Human Rights Group Agora (AGORA); the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA); the Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS); Dejusticia; the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR); the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN); the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU); the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL); the Kenya Human Rights Commission; the Legal Resource Center (LRC); and Liberty.

We are looking for an individual who will split their time between managing CCLA’s privacy, surveillance, and digital rights (PSDR) work, and coordinating INCLO’s surveillance and digital rights (SDR) work. In this role you will:

For CCLA:

• Report to CCLA’s Privacy Director
• Be responsible for identifying and monitoring significant issues and developments, with respect to privacy, surveillance, and digital rights in Canada
• Recommend priorities for CCLA’s PSDR program (the Program); recommend, execute,or co-ordinate a strategy that may include litigation (public interest test cases, interventions, etc.); legislative advocacy, written and oral submissions to public agencies; public engagement; coalition work; research and reports; communications; or otherwise.
• Coordinate aspects of litigation for the Program including working with external pro bono counsel
• Provide and/or coordinate legal and policy research, oral and written submissions before administrative, executive and legislative bodies.
• Provide and/or coordinate oral and written communications for the Program, in collaboration with the Communications and Advancement teams, including web and social media posts, media releases, media appearances, op-eds, public statements.
• Work collaboratively with CCLA’s Advocacy team, and also independently, to enhance CCLA’s strategic goals, and its public profile.
• Develop and maintain your own expertise and networks in order to keep the Program relevant and current.
• Assist with fundraising and public educational work.
• Supervise students.
• Manage and execute discrete administrative projects or tasks or roles as required.

For INCLO:

• Report to INCLO’s Program Director
• Work closely with the 15 INCLO member focal points in order to coordinate and manage INCLO’s work on Surveillance and Digital Rights (SDR)
• INCLO’s SDR work aims to: raise awareness about the risks, dangers and potential rights infringements created by surveillance tools and techniques; put forward human rights-based solutions to these problems and remain agile to respond to new surveillance and digital rights issues as they arise.
  INCLO’s goal is that, where and when relevant, INCLO members can advocate and campaign for those evidence and rights-based solutions in their jurisdictions, be that in court or in legislation so that, when implemented, they force government and private enterprises to be transparent and be held accountable.
  INCLO also seeks to use our collective experience in this area of work to positively influence regional and international treaty bodies on these matters.
  Stopping rights-intrusive and disproportionate snooping, by way of specific bans, moratoriums, and/or the implementation of specific rights-based safeguards, can help strengthen people’s rights to autonomy, democratic participation, protest and freedom of expression.
• Develop a SDR strategy and plan of work in conjunction with INCLO’s Program Director and INCLO focal points, mindful of events taking place globally and at the international treaty bodies.
• Drive, monitor, and assist with the realization of the SDR plan of work, working jointly with the focal points.
• Be responsible for carrying out each component of the SDR plan of work and promote the participation, engagement and commitment of INCLO member organizations in it.
• Supervise and work jointly with INCLO’s technologist.
• Supervise and work jointly with INCLO’s strategic litigation team.
• Inform INCLO’s Program Director and INCLO focal points of the progress towards the achievement of the plan of work.
• Work within, and communicate with, INCLO’s Central Team secretariat.
• Manage international and domestic events, activities, projects and programs – including financial resources – identified to meet short, medium and long-term objectives.
• Work with INCLO’s Program Director and Financial Coordinator to financially support the realization of the plan of work, including assisting with funding proposals and reports to funders.
• Travel for international meetings –1-2 per year of 4-5 days (could be more).

Salary

The salary range is $60,000 – $73,000. Compensation will be based on experience and expertise.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree with 1-3 years of experience
• Academic and/or work background in privacy, surveillance, and digital rights issues
• Experience in the non-governmental sector
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent command of English (currently the working language of INCLO)
• Project management and organizational skills
• Strategic capability and leadership
• Communication, research and writing skills
• Computer proficiency
• People management skills
• Cultural sensitivity
• Knowledge of and commitment to privacy, digital rights, and the realization of human rights

Desired:

• Experience in international advocacy actions at the UN level
• Comprehension and knowledge regarding latest trends in this field
• Additional languages are an asset.
• Legal knowledge or graduate studies in a relevant field are a bonus.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Statement

In keeping with CCLA’s ongoing efforts to represent the diversity of our communities, we are committed to taking proactive steps to provide and create opportunities for historically marginalized groups. We strongly encourage qualified candidates from Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities, 2SLGBTQI+ people, individuals with disabilities, and other members of marginalized communities to apply. You are invited to self-declare in the hiring process.  This self-declaration information can be factored into recruitment and selection decisions to address our ongoing commitment to representation, diversity, equity and inclusion.

We recognize that structural barriers shape experiences and job qualifications and encourage people to apply even if they feel that the position would be a stretch.

How to Apply

Please address your application to Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, Executive Director & General Counsel, and send a cover letter, detailed resume and any references, in confidence, to hr@ccla.org.

We will process applications immediately as received, and until the position is filled.

Please refer to “Privacy, Surveillance and Digital Rights Coordinator” in the subject line.

The Interview Process

Please notify us if you require accommodation at any time during the recruitment process.

Location

CCLA’s office is located in midtown Toronto.

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.