Seeking a VPN Community Lead

• Position: VPN Community Lead 

• Contract: 12 month consultancy, minimal 15 hours per week

• Compensation: 40,000 USD

• Location: Remote, based anywhere within UTC-8 through UTC+2

Context

As the spread of surveillance and censorship increases, VPN usage has also grown, particularly in emerging markets that have a larger concentration of vulnerable communities.

The role

The VPN Community Lead will be responsible for spearheading the beta version of the VPN Community Building & Engagement program, which is focused on creating a safe and collaborative space for diverse actors working on different facets of VPNs. The VPN Community Lead will help strengthen ties, communication, and trust with these actors, with an ultimate goal of helping improve the VPN ecosystem to reduce harm to vulnerable groups.

We are looking for someone who has a strong understanding of the VPN ecosystem, is passionate about supporting and improving equity for vulnerable groups, and has an organic disposition to bringing people together and advancing important conversations. 

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the development and design of the beta version of the VPN Building & Engagement program, which focuses on strengthening ties, trust and communication between diverse actors working on VPN technology and issues.

• Identify and perform outreach to key actors that should be part of important conversations centered on advancing human rights principles in the VPN ecosystem. 

• Build and cultivate engagement in diverse virtual community spaces, ensuring that members feel safe and supported.

• Ensure that the interests of vulnerable communities are advanced in conversations and missing voices are both included and leading key conversations related to VPNs. 

• Craft blog posts or external communication that compliment engagement and knowledge creation.

• Oversee a VPN Community Village, which includes a private, invite-only unconference with a small group of VPN leaders and digital rights activists.

• Establish metrics to determine the success of the program.

Person Specification

• Passionate about TCUs mission and impact, and experience working within the digital rights, internet freedom, or human rights field

• Experience in and understanding of the VPN ecosystem, and the gaps currently in the industry.

• Passionate about bringing people together, and advancing important technical conversations to include human rights principles. 

• Good interpersonal communication and project management skills

• Strong skills cultivating communities online, through tools such as mailing lists, online chat rooms, and others. 

• Proven ability to work with efficiency, flexibility, and good humor

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide array of people – junior and senior, for-profit and nonprofit, and from diverse backgrounds

To apply
This position will be open until we find the right fit. Please send your resume and answers to the following three questions to ops@digitalrights.community. You don’t have to write long responses, we are only trying to gauge how you think about these topics.

A. Why are you applying to this job?

B. What are the biggest gaps or challenges in the VPN ecosystem to advance the privacy and security needs of users? You do not need to give technical specifications (although you certainly can); we’re looking to get a sense of your awareness and understanding of the field.

C. What tactics or strategies are useful to cultivate a healthy, engaged community?