Deadline: 05 January 2026
CHEVS is a young feminist collective advancing the human rights and dignity of LGBTQI+ people across Africa. CHEVS cultivates resilient regional ecosystems, confront coordinated anti-rights agendas, and help grow the power, safety, and influence of queer communities through advocacy, organising, and narrative transformation.
About the Role
The Co-ED will serve as CHEVS’ political lead, representing the organisation in regional and global spaces, including the African Commission, the United Nations and key movement networks, strengthening the organisation’s political presence at regional and global levels. She/They will shape CHEVS’ influencing agenda, lead strategic partnerships, strengthen movement ecosystems, and support donor relations and political positioning. The Co-ED will cultivate strong relationships with movement actors, donor partners, policymakers, and the media, positioning CHEVS as a key voice on LGBTQI+ rights advocacy. She/They will provide executive oversight to the Advocacy & External Relations team and co-lead the organisation alongside the Co-ED (Programmes & Operations).
- Location: Remote
- Starting Date: As soon as possible
- Reference: C-CED
- Contract: Permanent
- Salary: USD 40 – 50K
Purpose of the Role
The purpose of this Co-Executive Director role is to provide strategic, political, and relational leadership for CHEVS’ advocacy and external influence work. She/They ensures the organisation is visible, credible, and impactful within regional and global human rights ecosystems. Internally, she strengthens alignment between strategy, advocacy priorities, donor relations, and movement partnerships.
As the primary external representative of CHEVS’ political and advocacy vision, she/They:
- Shapes influencing agendas and high-level advocacy priorities.
- Leads political engagements with regional bodies, donors, and partners.
- Positions CHEVS as a leading feminist, youth-led organisation driving change across Africa.
- Supports the Co-ED (Programmes & Operations) to ensure organisational coherence, governance, and impactful delivery.
Duties and Responsibilities
Leadership:
- Provide strategic vision and develop long-term influencing and advocacy priorities for approval by the Board of Directors.
- Co-lead organisational strategy, governance processes, and shared decision-making in collaboration with the Co-ED (Operations & Programmes).
- Offer executive oversight to the Advocacy & Policy Director, ensuring alignment between strategy and implementation.
- Ensure that influencing, advocacy, communications, research, and movement-building workstreams operate in cohesion and advance shared strategic goals.
- Approve major advocacy positions, policy submissions, and high-level influencing engagements.
- Serve as a senior spokesperson for CHEVS in media, political, diplomatic, and multi-stakeholder spaces.
- Conduct official correspondence and represent CHEVS in meetings, agreements, and engagements with external stakeholders.
- Strengthen CHEVS’ regional presence by representing the organisation at high-profile convenings and community activities to enhance its public profile.
Advocacy, External Relations & Ecosystem Influence:
- Lead CHEVS’ high-level engagement with regional and continental human rights mechanisms, including ECOWAS, AU, and ACHPR.
- Shape and maintain strategic relationships with feminist movements, LGBTQI+ networks, youth organisations, and civil society coalitions.
- Identify political opportunities and risks, guiding CHEVS’ response to regional shifts, anti-rights trends, and threats to civic space.
- Represent CHEVS at major regional and global platforms, speaking on issues of human rights, digital safety, gender justice, and civic space.
- Guide narrative power-building efforts in collaboration with communications teams.
Fundraising & Donor Partnership Development:
- Lead strategic donor relationships, including cultivation, engagement, and high-level partnership-building.
- Support the development of multi-year funding strategies and ensure alignment between donor priorities and CHEVS’ feminist values.
- Represent CHEVS in donor briefings, advocacy, and partnership negotiations.
- Collaborate with the Co-ED (Programme & Operations) and Secretariat staff to secure and diversify funding for advocacy, movement-building, and influencing initiatives.
Human Resources, Planning & Management:
- Provide executive leadership to senior influencing staff, including the Advocacy & Policy Director and relevant communications roles.
- Ensure that staff have the competencies and support required to deliver on advocacy and influencing priorities.
- Promote a feminist, care-centred organisational culture focusing on wellbeing, accountability, and shared leadership.
- Support the Co-ED (Operations & Programmes) with organisation-wide planning, risk management, and oversight as needed.
Representation & External Relations:
- Maintain ongoing communication with stakeholders to keep them informed of CHEVS’ advocacy, research, and movement-building work.
- Engage effectively with regional bodies, diplomatic partners, donors, and civil society actors to strengthen CHEVS’ influence and partnerships.
- Lead organisational participation in regional and global coalitions, including relevant networks focused on human rights, feminist advocacy, digital rights, and narrative change.
- Where appropriate, contribute to international alliances and solidarity mechanisms advancing LGBTQI+ rights and feminist causes.
Skills and Experience
- A woman (cis or trans) or Gender non-conforming person with 3-5+ years of leadership experience in advocacy, partnership, feminist organising, or movement work.
- Experience engaging ACHPR, UN or similar regional mechanisms.
- Strong political instincts, power analysis, and experience countering anti-rights threats.
- Experienced in high-level representation, alliance-building, and strategic communications.
- Skilled in engaging donors at a senior level and shaping funding relationships.
- Fluency in French and English.
Why Join CHEVS?
- Shape and influence regional feminist and LGBTQI+ political strategy.
- Co-lead and contribute to a dynamic, youth-driven, decolonial organisation.
- Work alongside powerful movements, organisers, and strategic allies across the continent.
- Enjoy a 4-day work week (Monday–Thursday) that centres care and well-being.
- Access comprehensive health insurance.
- Benefit from 30 days of paid annual leave.
- Work fully remotely, with flexibility and trust.
How to Apply
To apply for this role, please prepare your CV (in English) and a motivation letter (one page) that summarises how your profile aligns with the key requirements, skills and abilities of this role. Both files should be submitted in .doc(x) or .rtf format via this form: mis.tl/cv .
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please contact us.
After submitting your application, you will receive an automated confirmation. If you do not receive this or have general questions about submitting your application, please write to us.
