Do you want to fight for equality? Tackle inequality at its roots, together with colleagues, partner organizations, and activists in more than 90 countries? To change the systems behind it, once and for all?

Oxfam Novib stands behind the people who stand up for equality. Together, we fight for a world where everyone has equal opportunities, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or skin color. A world where everyone feels safe; where income gaps are shrinking instead of growing, where climate change is tackled in a firmer and more honest way. 

Equality is the common thread throughout our activities and projects, but also internally. We are aware that our team of colleagues can be even more diverse and that having a diverse team is the only way to see the world from a broad perspective. To obtain a multi-voiced team, we are therefore calling on women, members of the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, or people with disabilities to apply for this job.

Apply and become part of Oxfam Novib!

Job description

The Climate Resilience Unit develops and implements programs working on the voice, rights and capacities of small holder farmers, indigenous and local communities to adapt to climate change. We support frontline communities, esp. women and youth, to shape locally led adaptation plans addressing their needs, their rights to access and control natural resources; ensure transparent spending of & local access to climate finance. We support local solutions to conserving and using agrobiodiversity to adapt the food system, rehabilitate land, landscapes, and natural resources. We will keep governments, private & financial sector accountable for their impact on climate change and their contributions to the just transitions required. The unit contributes and manages several projects, implemented in partnership with Oxfam country office and national, regional partners; it consists of thematic specialists, and policy leads on issues related to climate resilience, agro-biodiversity, food & agriculture, seeds, and natural resource governance.

Land is the first asset smallholder farmers invest in. It empowers women and men to have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their lives. Secured land rights are vital for farmers to invest in adapting their production system to an ever-changing climate. Land is also a finite resource and under increasing competition from investors and agriculture and extractive companies. It is vital that investors and companies use and respect guidelines and procedures (like FPIC and VGGTs) in their due diligence processes, so that land rights of local communities are respected in investments related to the just energy and agriculture transitions required to respond to the climate crisis.

The policy lead land rights will lead on evidence-based advocacy strategies aimed to improve the policies and practices of governments, food & mining companies, and financial institutions so they respect the land rights and the right to participation of people affected by their investments and operations. With the aim of driving change from the Netherlands as part of a global network, advocacy efforts will focus on the land aspects of various climate finance mitigation and adaptation streams, targeting private and public sector actors, both in the Netherlands, Europe and internationally. Ultimately, the work of the policy lead contributes to rural women and their communities having secured land and resource rights and, within their movements, actively leading in the inclusive governance and sustainable management of their natural resources. The position contributes to the outcomes of two programs (Power of Voice Fair4All funded by MoFA; Cultivating Change funded by Sida) and is working with the Oxfam country offices, national partners, allies, global networks and research institutes in these programs.

Key responsibilities

• Advocacy – You lead the Oxfam Novib strategy on land rights and related rights to community voice, participation and consent, towards Dutch and international actors, working through multi-stakeholder groups and alliances (like International Land Coalition). You support local CSOs in creating space for affected communities’ voices to be heard and rights to be respected. You manage and build a network of land rights allies in the two programs you contribute to. You conduct & commission research, support local case work, contribute to policy briefs, and engage with the media in order to advocate for agreed evidence-based policy positions.
• Campaigning – You support campaigning, including the Land Rights Now campaign, and the land aspects of the Oxfam climate justice & inequality campaign for the just agricultural and energy transitions. You actively take part in the campaign development team, support national influencing & campaign work, and have direct engagement with targeted decision makers (e.g. Private Sector in food and agriculture, extractive industries; financial sector).
• Project delivery and program development – You ensure quality delivery of project results on land rights in the two programs this position contributes to, with a focus on policy influencing and compliance by advocacy targets, and on supporting partners with research, strategic cases and influencing strategies at national level. You contribute to proposal development and fundraising.
• Oxfam coordination – You will participate in the Oxfam global land team and contribute to the Global Land Program, you liaise with the Oxfam climate justice campaign group on land & climate, the policy influencing team, and work closely with private and financial sector colleagues.
• Knowledge and capacity development – You are up to date with the latest developments, and networks related to land rights and climate change, compliance mechanisms (VGGTs, FPIC) in the financial, private sector and bring/build a network of alliances and Oxfam country offices to exchange tactics, cases, strategic research showing trends and impact, building knowledge and expertise.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates who:

• Hold a master’s degree in a relevant field, preferably international relations, political science, development, or governance.
• Have a minimum of 3 – 5 years of proven experience working on advocacy towards both State and private sector (including financial sector), with a focus on land rights, agriculture and food, or energy transition/extractives, natural resource governance in the context of climate change.
• Have proven advocacy skills in advancing human rights and environmental policies and practices, and confidence to influence Dutch, EU actors.
• Have experience with multi-stakeholder working groups, alliances, networks and supporting collaboration between partners, social movements, and research institutes.
• Have knowledge of and experience in demonstrating the impact of (insufficient) implementation of international standards (VGGTs, FPIC, IFC performance standards, OECD guidelines, and UNGPs) on local communities.
• Have basic budget and MEAL literacy skills, experience with research, case-studies & knowledge products, and can work in multi-functional and international teams across the project cycle, including proposal development.
• Master professional oral and written communication skills in Dutch and English.
• Have a valid permit to reside and work in the Netherlands and are able and willing to travel abroad.

Working at Oxfam Novib

• All our work is guided by our core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness, Courage, Solidarity and Equality. At Oxfam Novib, we work according to the Feminist Principles - Oxfam Policy & Practice.
• Oxfam Novib is committed to offering you a motivating work environment at our offices in The Hague. We offer a one-year contract from the start (including a 1-month trial period), with the possibility to extend.
• Oxfam Novib offers an attractive and honest benefits package, including a year-end allowance and yearly pay increase from the Collective Labor Agreement. Moreover, we offer complementary options to choose from. The salary range for this position is set in scale 10 with a salary range between €3.469,- and €5.339,- gross based on 36 hours a week.
• We are currently working hybrid (50% in the office in The Hague and 50% at home).
• Oxfam Novib is based on the power of difference. That is why we aim to attract a diverse mix of talented people who share our standards, values and principles, and who are committed to prevent and eliminate any type of misconduct.
• We have an active policy against sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, any form of abuse of power or lack of integrity and financial misconduct. This subject will be covered in our application and selection process.

Additional information

• Do you believe that this is the job you are looking for? Then we would love to meet you! Please send your resume and cover letter via our application portal.
• If you have questions regarding the position, please contact Gerard Steehouwer,
• GREEN: Climate Resilient Communities Unit Manager, gerard.steehouwer@oxfamnovib.nl;
• Only applications received before the closing date 13 February 2024 and submitted via our application portal will be considered.
• This job opening is posted internally and externally, simultaneously. Internal candidates are given preference if they possess sufficient qualifications, or these can be obtained in short term. We believe it’s important in our organization that our employees are offered maximum opportunities for growth in new themes and competencies. Priority for internal candidates supports this.
• At the time of a contract offer, it is necessary for Oxfam Novib to request valid references. Our candidates will be subject to appropriate screening checks, including criminal records and terrorism, financial checks, or integrity screenings/references.
• Oxfam Novib reserves the right, to its sole discretion, not to make agreements regarding this job opening, make an agreement in a lower level, or make an agreement with an amended job description.
• Qualified candidates residing in the Netherlands, or other EU/EEA countries and who are willing to relocate to the Netherlands at their own expense and responsibility, are encouraged to apply.
• Oxfam Novib is unable to provide visa sponsorship at this time.