New Vacancy: Network Expert (Freelance)

Network Expert – What Are We Looking For?

We are looking for someone who can provide support, guidance, and energy for a network of national coordinators covering 20+ countries in Europe, working to deliver on the goals of the Knowledge Rights 21 Programme.

In more detail, we are looking for a candidate who can:

Develop a strategy for mobilising a network of national coordinators in order to maximise their impact, including identifying training needs and take part in the selection of the national coordinators;

Support national coordinators in planning and delivering on their advocacy and network mobilisation activities;

Support national coordinators in responding to substantive questions about copyright and gathering data, either directly or through seeking answers elsewhere;

Support national coordinators in working with other Programme outputs (notably research reports and beyond);

Support Programme Secretariat in the evaluation and implementation of national grants and other national activities;

Support Programme Secretariat in other activities related with the Programme.

In turn, the National Coordinators, who will be supported by the successful candidate, are responsible for developing the networks, contacts and understanding necessary to catalyse change. They act either as part of another organisation or as freelancers, and cover one or several countries, depending on their expertise and availability.

The successful candidate/organisation will work closely with the Programme Secretariat, and in liaison with the Programme’s Policy Committee.

Required Competences/Experience

The successful candidate is expected to be a self-starter with a flexible approach, able to manage the workload efficiently, offering:

The ability to provide coaching and guidance (tactical and strategic) to a network of people based around Europe, helping them to maximise their effectiveness in support of Programme goals;

Good knowledge of copyright law and copyright policy issues in relation to the needs of libraries, research, education and culture, or familiarity with legal issues affecting the digital environment plus demonstrable ability to quickly get up to speed on new topics;

Strong networking and interpersonal skills, including across different cultures and levels of expertise;

Good communication skills in English both in writing and public speaking, including ability to clearly explain complex topics in simple terms to different audiences;

Ability to think strategically about the development of the network of regional coordinators, and on this basis contribute to overall Programme governance;

Clear and timely communication, both internally with others working on the Programme, and externally with relevant stakeholders.

Remuneration and Terms

Successful applicants will be hired as contractors, and not employees.

It is anticipated that the successful candidate will need to be able to dedicate the equivalent of 1-2 days of work a week in order to fulfil this role. Remuneration will depend on the experience of the candidate, the time they can make available, and the payment will be inclusive of VAT, if payable.

The successful candidate will work from home, in close coordination and cooperation with the Programme Secretariat in The Hague. They will provide an invoice for their services on a monthly basis, unless agreed otherwise, based on a short report on their activities, with more extensive check-ins every three months to evaluate progress.

Additional resources will be available to support necessary expenses incurred in the course of this work. There is also the possibility of additional budget to commission further training. Successful candidates will be expected to take part in cross-Programme activities, with expenses for such participation (travel, lodging, food) also covered.

Contract

The successful candidate will be offered a 6-months contract, with the possibility of an extension for the duration of the programme.

How to apply

Please send your CV and a cover letter to info@knowledgerights21.org using “Network Expert” in the subject line.

The deadline for receiving applications for this post is 15^th July 2022.

About Knowledge Rights 21

Knowledge Rights 21 – 21st Century Access to Education and Research – is a programme run by Stichting IFLA Foundation, bringing together library organisations working across Europe, supported by the Arcadia Fund.

It is focused on building lasting capacity to modernise policies and practices around copyright, in particular in the areas of eLending, promoting open norms, protecting copyright exceptions against contract override, secondary publishing rights, and rights retention.

Through this, it aims to deliver progress, in the short and longer term, that enables learners, students, researchers and other library users to realise the potential of technology to deliver education, research and cultural participation.

At the heart of the programme is the development of tools, skills, and other support for advocacy by networks of libraries and related groups, at both the European and national levels.

Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash