Global Technical Lead

Overview

Sightsavers implements projects in over 30 countries in Africa and South Asia working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

• Title: Global Technical Lead – Decent work and Social Protection
• Location: Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana and Senegal
• Contract: 1-year fixed term contract
• Salary: Local Terms and Conditions apply

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to shape Sightsavers’ work at the intersection of disability rights, labour movements and social protection systems. As Global Technical Lead for Decent Work and Social Protection, you will lead the design and delivery of programmes that strengthen the rights and working conditions of formal and informal workers with disabilities, as well as improve disability-inclusive social protection.

Working closely with colleagues across our Inclusive Economies and Citizenship team, you will help ensure our programmes are impactful, evidence-based and aligned with global priorities. You’ll also play a key role in influencing partners, donors and wider stakeholders, helping to position Sightsavers as a leader in disability-inclusive labour and social protection programming.

This is a strategic and externally facing role, with opportunities to work across multiple countries and contexts, and to contribute to meaningful, system-level change.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and technical oversight of programmes focused on decent work, labour rights and social protection for people with disabilities
• Provide expert technical guidance to country teams, ensuring programmes reflect best practice and emerging evidence
• Build and strengthen relationships with trade unions, worker organisations and social protection stakeholders
• Support partnerships between organisations of people with disabilities (OPDs) and labour movement actors
• Develop and deliver training and capacity building for staff and partners
• Contribute to the development of inclusive social protection approaches that are accessible, comprehensive and responsive to risk
• Identify and help secure strategic funding opportunities, working closely with fundraising teams
• Develop tools, guidance and learning materials to support programme delivery across countries
• Contribute to research, policy, advocacy and communications to strengthen Sightsavers influence in this area
• Represent Sightsavers externally at global, regional and national forums

This role includes travel of up to 12 weeks per year

This is a highly varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details.

Skills and Experience

You will bring strong technical expertise in decent work or social protection, alongside a good understanding of the other area. You’ll be confident working in complex, multi-country environments, with experience of designing or leading programmes that support marginalised groups.

As the Global Technical Lead (GTL) you will be someone who is comfortable influencing a wide range of stakeholders, from grassroots organisations to global partners, and who brings a strong commitment to inclusion, social justice and the rights of people with disabilities.

Jobholder Requirements

Essential

• Significant experience leading programmes in decent work, labour rights or social protection, ideally in the Global South
• Experience working within trade unions, worker organisations or similar bodies
• Strong understanding of current debates and trends in labour rights, informal economies and social protection systems
• Experience working with, or alongside, trade unions, worker organisations or social protection actors
• Proven ability to build partnerships and influence stakeholders at different levels
• Experience of securing or contributing to funding proposals
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to work with complex information
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex ideas clearly
• Experience working across multiple countries
• A strong commitment to disability inclusion, equality and social justice

Desirable

• Experience working on disability rights and inclusion specifically
• Existing networks within labour movements or social protection systems at national or global level
• Experience influencing donor priorities or leading larger funding bids
• French language skills

Next Steps

To apply for this exciting new opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying, and we kindly ask that all applications are submitted in English to support the recruitment process.

As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.

Sightsavers is an employer that does not tolerate any form of harassment and has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. All potential candidates will be subjected to rigorous background checks and controls.