ThaiNGO

If you are a change maker, if you stand up for justice, if you want to be part of a global movement of over 10 million supporters in 150 countries, and if you are passionate about making a significant impact on human rights and justice in Thailand and beyond, here is your opportunity! Amnesty International Thailand (AITH) is seeking a visionary Executive Director. 

Job Title: Executive Director (National hired)

Department : Country Coordination 

Job Family: Country Director 

Reports to:  Chair of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of AITH 

Job Grade: BG-12 

Location: Bangkok, Thailand 

Direct Reports: Deputy Director, Deputy Director Fundraising, Campaign Manager, Public Relation and Communications Manager, Finance/ HR and Office Manager, Senior Impact and Learning Officer, Assistant to the Executive Director 

Job Role 

The Executive Director leads Amnesty International (AI)’s human rights program in Thailand, aiming to promote an inspiring organizational vision for Amnesty International Thailand (AITH). This includes driving program and resource innovations to significantly enhance AI’s human rights impact, profile, and presence in the country. 

The responsibilities of this role include providing vision, strategic direction, and effective management for AITH. The Executive Director oversees the implementation of the country strategy, ensuring successful campaigning and fundraising initiatives, and achieving impactful human rights outcomes through the establishment of a strong and sustainable AI presence in Thailand. The Executive Director works closely with the AITH Board of Trustees (BOT), the Amnesty International sections in Southeast, East Asia, and Pacific countries, and Amnesty International Secretariat. They lead a highly efficient team and foster partnerships with other entities within AI Southeast Asia and the Pacific Regional Office to promote the growth of human rights and advance the vision and mission of Amnesty International Thailand. 

The scope of the Executive Director’s role includes serving as the principal political advisor and strategist, operational leader, strategic resource developer, chief spokesperson, executor of AITH’s initiatives, governance overseer, and manager of quality standards, reporting, and accountability. 

Role dimensions:  Accountabilities 

Principal political advisor and strategist 

• Develop and promote an integrated human rights and growth strategy for AITH aligned with Amnesty International’s global priorities.  

• Maintain a strategic overview of human rights, social, political, and economic developments in the country, including civil society, to identify opportunities and risks that inform AITH’s strategic directions. 

• Manage priorities from a movement perspective and establish connections with a diverse range of stakeholders. 

• Represent AITH views and issues at regional and global levels within Amnesty International, especially in the development of global priorities. 

• Uphold AI’s standards for human rights legal and policy analysis, ensuring accuracy and compliance with policy. 

• Lead AITH to be a key leader and innovator in human rights education, activism, and campaigning in the country.

Operational leader  

• Develop and implement operational plans to execute the human rights and growth strategy in consultation with relevant stakeholders. 

• Ensure alignment of AITH program activities with the strategic plan. 

• Oversee AITH’s campaigning and program initiatives and facilitate the mobilization of activism and resources to meet strategic and operational objectives.  

• Provide strong oversight and support for advocacy and lobbying efforts, including fostering relationships with partner organizations, media, and government. 

• Collaborate with rights-holders, fostering engagement and activism for the growth of the human rights movement. 

• Utilize Amnesty International’s national, regional, and global influence to urge governments and duty-bearers to champion human rights on national and international fronts. 

Strategic resource development

• Ensure the responsible team members to fulfil these following tasks:  

• Develop and implement a strong growth strategy by utilizing market insights to build a robust multi-year budget; monitor and adapt the strategy to achieve year-on-year net-income growth in sustainable income lines, aiming for organizational self-sufficiency. 

• Oversee membership recruitment strategies to expand constituency and funding resources.  

• Drive AITH’s strategic communications strategy to provide compelling stories to foster the recruitment and development of individual donors, members, campaign-action takers, and institutional funders.  

• Develop strategies to raise funds from members, and local and international funding agencies, adhering to international fundraising guidelines and to manage long-term relationships with these institutions.  

• Secure significant multi-year grants through proactively defining opportunities, providing applications, and reporting for existing funders; cultivate new relationships to secure funding from institutional funders, major donors, and national and international grant-making organizations, including the Amnesty International Secretariat grants-making body. 

• Work closely with the Chair of AITH BOT to lead fundraising efforts for AITH; provide organizational leadership and accountability for income and expenditure targets; coordinate high-level approaches to grant funders and major donors in partnership with the Chair of AITH. 

Chief spokesperson

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with key external stakeholders, including partner organizations, donors, and key internal stakeholders, to identify opportunities for cooperation and collaboration that can enhance AITH’s impact. 

• Serve as spokesperson for AITH in coordination with the Chair of the AITHBOT. 

• Represent the Amnesty International movement in Thailand, ensuring a visible profile with external stakeholders in the country. 

• Proactively engage with the media, lead the organization of media activities to support AI research and missions, and ensure compliance with organization standards for media work. 

• Facilitate coordination and communication between AITH and the International Secretariat on media and other representational activities

Chief executive of AITH

Operations and personnel 

• Lead recruitment and oversee performance management for AITH personnel, including staff, volunteers, interns, and consultants, ensuring the timely delivery of operational plans at quality standards. 

• Coordinate with the AITH BOT to ensure compliance with relevant domestic laws, policies, and the Constitution of AITH in all operations. 

• Serve as the “Head of Office” for AITH, ensuring overall safety and security and equipping the office with the necessary logistical, resource, system, and administrative capacity for effective execution of Amnesty International’s programs and activities. 

• Promote an organizational culture fostering innovation, quality, integration, and inclusiveness; develop office infrastructure, working practices, and supportive work environments to promote the individual well-being of personnel. 

           Financial management 

•  Ensure the responsible team members to fulfil these following tasks: 

• Maintain sound financial systems and practices at AITH, particularly in bookkeeping, adhering to the Standard Accounting System and Thai laws. 

• Execute effective financial management, including budget preparation, monitoring, and quarterly reporting, to provide high-quality financial analysis and support informed decisions. 

• Administer and oversee the overall responsibility of bank accounts. 

• Collaborate with the International Secretariat to identify and ensure the fulfilment of office resource needs

Governance overseer 

• Maintain a productive relationship with the AITH BOT by clearly defining management and governance functions. 

• Provide regular updates to the AITH BOT Chair on section operations and assigned tasks. 

• Ensure timely and high-quality financial and non-financial reports and updates to facilitate informed decision-making by AITHBOT on plans and operations. 

• Support AITH BOT members in delivering committed plans and activities under delegated authority, overseeing funds accountability. 

• Assist the AITH BOT Chair in preparing for regular meetings and expediently filling vacancies with members with the required competencies.  

• Foster effective communication, coordination, and collaboration between AITH BOT and other Amnesty International movement components, particularly the International Secretariat.

Quality standards, reporting, and accountability manager

• Ensure the responsible team members to fulfil these following tasks: 

• Develop and implement quality control systems to align AITH activities with organization standards of timeliness, accuracy, consistency, balance, independence, and impartiality; upholding impact indicators to measure effectiveness. 

• Ensure timely reporting by relevant program staff on key performance indicators of AITH, providing updates to both country management and the International Movement. 

• Oversee the monitoring and evaluation of AITH’s strategic and operational plans of AITH, facilitating the identification and sharing of knowledge and good practice models within the region and across the movement. 

• Ensure staff and members adhere to Amnesty International’s basic principles, organizational rules, and governance guidelines

Other tasks and responsibilities 

• Perform other tasks and responsibilities as assigned by the Chair and BOT of AITH according to organizational needs.

Person Specification 

Education & certifications

• Appropriate degree level qualification or equivalent, preferably supplemented by relevant post-graduate qualifications.

Essential experience 

• Minimum of 5 years of management experience, preferably in an international organization. 

• Demonstrated public-profile presence in the social justice and human rights sector. 

• Experience utilizing participatory and inclusive approaches to organizational and program management. 

• Experience in conducting effective policy advocacy, campaigning, and lobbying with governments and intergovernmental agencies at both national and international levels to drive policy change. 

• Proven track record of strategic resource development and investment planning. 

Essential knowledge 

• Comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of human rights and the socio-political-economic dynamics in Thailand, including the civil society landscape.Thorough understanding of Amnesty International’s values, mission, and policy positions. 

• Proficient knowledge in organizational development, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (M&E), particularly in managing organizational growth and change processes, with a focus on the development of activist organizations. 

• Strategic thinking, strategy development, big-picture analysis, and the ability to translate strategic concerns into operational terms.

Essential skills and abilities 

• Skills in organizational leadership, management, and administration, including strategic planning, effective people management, and conflict resolution. 

• Strong facilitation skills, particularly in managing complex relationships with private and public sector stakeholders. 

• A good knowledge of financial management skills, with proficiency in budget preparation, monitoring, and financial analysis. 

• Exemplary internal and external communication skills, both oral and written. Native proficiency in Thai, with fluency in English; proficiency in Thai is desirable for non-Thai applicants. 

• Excellent networking and relationship-building skills, particularly in identifying advocacy and policy influence channels such as media, government, and civil society. 

Personal attributes and qualitie

• Sound judgment and integrity with an understanding of both physical and political security issues. 

• Self-motivation and a results-oriented mindset, showcasing the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within teams. 

• Personal credibility, maintaining a professional demeanour that fosters trust and confidence among both staff and external stakeholders; uphold a manner consistent with AITH’s core behaviours and competencies. 

• Readiness to report and be accountable for actions and outcomes. 

• Commitment to both individual and organizational learning and innovation, utilizing relevant approaches, tools, techniques, and platforms to enhance effectiveness.

Amnesty International Thailand recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, cultural and ethnic background, or disabilities. 

This Job Description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs. It is part of every staff member's responsibility to contribute to AITH and the mission and comply to its values, which are: Mutual respect, Equity and justice, Honesty and transparency, Solidarity with the poor, Courage of conviction, Independence, Humility

* Please submit your CV and cover letter (both in English) to admin@amnesty.or.th by 12^th January 2025