ABOUT WITNESS

WITNESS is a global organization that helps people everywhere harness the power of video and technology to tell their stories, document the truth, and defend human rights. With growing threats to human rights and its defenders, along with the proliferation of manipulated media, how can we ensure that critical voices are heard, amplified, and protected? How do we establish the authenticity of video when the truth is constantly in question? In this volatile landscape, WITNESS deploys its global team of over 50 people, spread across five continents, to ensure that technology works for, not against, human rights.

Through our research, expertise, and cross-regional networks, WITNESS is well positioned to anticipate and intervene on the threats and opportunities new technologies present. A vanguard at the intersection of authenticity, trust, and synthetic media, WITNESS shapes the thoughtful design, development, and deployment of technologies, policies, and practices that enhance, rather than undermine, audiovisual witnessing, with a particular focus on the impact of deceptive Artificial Intelligence.

Our leadership in this space builds on collaborative global consultation and convening work that successfully anticipated the threats to the trust basis of audio-visual media over ten years ago. Through our Technology Threats & Opportunities (TTO) program, we track the impact of deepfakes and generative AI on human rights, rights defenders and the trustworthiness of video and our information landscape as a whole. We respond with critical advocacy and direct interventions such as creating and influencing technical standards to preserve media authenticity and pioneering the first global deepfakes rapid response mechanism. We amplify the urgent human rights implications of emerging technologies to tech giants, advocating that companies center human rights concerns within their development and deployment processes, as well as to policy makers. Our approach is rooted in lived experience, harm reduction, and systemic change.

PRIMARY FUNCTION/PURPOSE

We are seeking an experienced Associate Director to lead our TTO program, driving the implementation of our workplan and projects. Reporting to the Global Program Director and working closely with the Executive Director, you will supervise the TTO team, provide strategic guidance to ensure WITNESS stays ahead of the impact of generative AI and other emerging technologies on human rights (gen-ai.witness.org), and work with other team members to design and implement projects that align with the TTO initiative’s ambitious vision for change. These projects fall into the following categories:

• Research and globally-grounded advocacy focused on emerging threats and opportunities related to AI, audiovisual media and technology for witnessing. For example, this involves promoting human rights-centered approaches to validating the origins and detecting the manipulation of video content with methods of transparency such as watermarking, fingerprinting, and the use of verifiable metadata, and ensuring that access to technologies to detect new forms of media manipulation like deepfakes is available globally and equitably.

• Effective, globally-grounded advocacy addressing large-scale challenges faced by communities and activists using video and technology for human rights, such as efforts to ensure the preservation of critical video content that might otherwise be removed and lost from social media platforms.

You will collaborate with the Global Program Director and the Executive Director to prioritize, lead, and manage projects involving the TTO team and consultants hired for specific tasks. Additionally, you will facilitate collaboration with regional teams across WITNESS' operational areas (Africa, Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, and United States), cross-regional thematic teams (such as Archives), and other non-programmatic teams (such as External Relations).

This role reports to the Global Program Director and has a dotted line to the Executive Director. It is also responsible for directly supervising the TTO team, which currently consists of three members.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy and Oversight

• Lead the development and implementation of the TTO annual workplan.
• Act as the day-to-day manager for the TTO team – which currently consists of three members – and consultants working on key projects, providing supervision and leadership.
• Ensure WITNESS stays up-to-date on critical developments in the fields of AI, platform accountability, social media governance, and other relevant technical and commercial advances in emerging technology fields identified as part of our work-planning process (e.g. AR/VR).
• Support the conceptualization and implementation of a foresight strategy that engages both the broader WITNESS team and diverse global stakeholders typically not involved in such processes.
• Adapt or develop new tactics as the landscape shifts, analyzing signals in the ecosystem that may require TTO to evolve in order for WITNESS to stay at the forefront of a rapidly changing field.
• Collaborate with the TTO team and other WITNESS teams to convene key stakeholders in our communities of activism and civic journalism, as well as related fields, to prioritize key threats and solutions around current at-scale problems and emerging areas of opportunity and challenge.
• Project manage the development of relevant materials, including outreach, logistics, invitations, preparation, and follow-up.
• Support the development of materials and trainings focused on audiovisual AI.
• Participate in the Associate Directors team – which is led by the Global Program Director and currently consists of four members, – to review and weigh in on strategic programmatic direction, cross-collaboration, major initiatives, and resource allocation.

• Support the Global Program Director in ensuring that TTO effectively engages in WITNESS' Monitoring and Evaluation processes, including preparing bi-monthly progress updates, six-month reflections, and other external reporting.

Advocacy, External Representation, and Networking

• Lead, in close collaboration with the Executive Director, key relationships with stakeholders in civil society, industry, and government working at the intersection of digital rights, technology, human rights, and platform accountability. This often involves engaging in high-level forums and strategically connecting with different stakeholders at global level.
• Spearhead advocacy and organizing efforts towards key technology platforms and/or legislative proposals across various settings, including one-on-one, small group, large group, and public forums.
• Creatively develop new areas of intervention and collaboration across disciplines, integrating extensive theories and techniques within related or diverse disciplines.

Communicating around key TTO priorities

• Be responsible for targeted communications around TTO priorities, including both written and video presentations, as well as in-person talks or presentations. This should take into account the needs and nuances required by different audiences.
• Contribute to the development of social media content and media outreach around TTO priorities.
• Act as a public spokesperson for WITNESS on key issues and engage in press outreach.

Fundraising

• Support the External Relations team in fundraising for relevant projects by providing input on proposals, budgets, and reports, as well as by participating in relevant donor meetings or suggesting new collaborations.

Administration

• With support from other TTO members, handle limited administrative work related to the activities described above – WITNESS does not have a large dedicated admin team, so team members are expected to contribute to administrative tasks related to TTO's work.
• With support from other TTO members, update relevant tracking spreadsheets and metrics.

Please note that this position description serves as a guide to the critical duties and essential functions of the job. It is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities, qualifications, physical demands, or work environment conditions. From time to time, the role will require completing additional duties commensurate with the level of this position, as needed and requested by its manager. Position descriptions are reviewed and updated as needed to align with the evolving needs of WITNESS, at the sole discretion of management.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Required

• 8+ years of relevant experience, including a proven track record in successful people and project management.
• Excellent written and spoken English; proficiency in additional languages is a plus. Native English is not required.
• Proven ability to work and lead across a global, diverse team with sensitivity, kindness, emotional maturity, and strong interpersonal skills.
• In-depth knowledge and experience with current and emerging technologies and their impact on human rights – not as abstract or academic concepts, but as real-world and biased issues, – including AI, misinformation/disinformation and content moderation.
• A deep, intuitive, and practical understanding of video and technology trends, combined with experience in advocacy and organizing at local, national, and/or international levels.
• Established contacts and relationships relevant to the technology advocacy ecosystem, not necessarily limited to traditional or Silicon Valley stakeholders.
• Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders, including government officials, industry leaders, civil society representatives, and media.
• Background in and/or passion for human rights, with a solid understanding of networks, grassroots organizing, and how activists mobilize online.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Flexibility and adaptability for early morning or late evening calls to accommodate different time zones (primarily CEST, EST, and PST).
• Strong commitment to social justice and alignment with WITNESS' values and mission, demonstrating a global perspective on human rights.

Desirable

• Experience with foresight techniques.
• Professional experience with social media, video-sharing, or meme platforms.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Forms), which is extensively used at WITNESS.
• Strong digital communication skills, including creating visual content and writing/editing online content.
• Basic web publishing skills, including knowledge of HTML and CSS.

LOCATION

We are a globally distributed, remote workforce. This is a full-time position ideally based in Brussels, London, San Francisco, or Washington DC – it should be based in Europe or the Continental United States. The successful candidate must have the legal right to work in the location where they will be based. Visa sponsorship or relocation assistance is rare and generally offered only for highly specialized roles. The person in this position should be available for travel of up to 40% of the year, primarily within the EU, UK, and US, with occasional trips to other locations.

COMPENSATION

WITNESS does not negotiate salary on the basis of equitable compensation. Annual salaries are adjusted based on location (see note above regarding Location). Examples of salaries for this role based on location include:

• United States: 113,650 USD
• Belgium: 81,690 EUR (inclusive of 13th month)
• United Kingdom: 82,900 GBP
• For other countries: finalists will receive confirmation of the salary for that location.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in this role, you must apply via this site (hosted by BambooHR). To complete your application please send your resume/CV and respond to the application questions.

Applications will be accepted through the end of day 19 September 2024. Please note that due to the anticipated volume of applications, we may not be able to respond to each applicant individually or provide feedback on individual applications. Kindly avoid sending duplicate applications via email or other channels.

WITNESS is committed to building an inclusive workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We encourage applications from individuals who are members of marginalized and/or underrepresented groups.

WITNESS is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all ages, races, ethnicities, national origins, religions, genders, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, as well as individuals protected by other statuses under federal, state, or local laws, including but not limited to disability, marital, domestic partnership, familial, caregiver, transgender, and military or veteran statuses.