Join our Board of Directors, and help advance digital rights in Europe!

The Digital Freedom Fund works to advance digital rights through strategic litigation in Europe. We do this through grants that support the legal, advocacy, research, and other costs involved in litigation; through facilitating skill development and networking in the digital rights field; and through facilitating litigators’ access to pro bono legal support. 

DFF also co-drives a process to decolonise the digital rights field, which informs all our work. The initiative emerged from conversations held at DFF strategy meetings, which brought into focus the need to reflect on the way in which uneven power dynamics, exclusion, and privilege play out in our field, including how these shape the way in which digital rights are conceived and how they are protected. 

DFF is registered in The Netherlands and its office is in Berlin, with staff members  in Germany, Belgium, and the UK. Board members are based in various countries.

What is the role of a Board member at DFF ?

•  Collaborate with DFF staff and other board members (all leaders in their respective fields) to provide strategic direction and oversight around the organisation’s activities and budget, with a focus on governance

• Ensure accountability to DFF’s mission and values, and help ground our digital rights work in the lived experiences of people and communities targeted by data systems and related technology harms

• Participate in four annual board meetings  (three virtual meetings, and ideally one in-person)

• Get involved with a highly collaborative, highly motivated and dynamic staff team 

• Participate in occasional strategic planning and reflection retreats with the organisation

• Contribute to developing DFF’s financial resilience and membership base by connecting DFF to new networks and donors

• Your engagement might include participation in:

• Committees:  the Board operates through ongoing committees, such as Finance, Grant Making, and Risks and Regulation

• Ad hoc Working Groups: established  for short periods to work on specific projects 

• Be available for a minimum three-year term, renewable once

 Who are we looking for?

As a social reform organisation in the digital rights field, the Digital Freedom Fund is committed to actively integrating an anti-colonial lens in its work. We encourage applications from a diverse range of backgrounds who are impacted by digital rights, and we welcome candidates based both inside and outside Europe. 

DFF values the importance of non-traditional and/or non-formal experiences as much as academic and/or formal work experiences. 

Essential requirements:

• Affinity for oversight and/or strategic direction and NGO leadership  

• Strong understanding of or excitement to learn more about strategic litigation and the digital rights landscape in Europe

• Commitment to - and expertise in- social justice and anti-colonial values and practices

Current recruitment priorities:

(Based on gaps among current Board membership - if you have *any* of these skill-sets, we would really love to hear from you!)

• Grassroots movement experience: professional and/or personal experience in grassroots advocacy around social, racial, economic, or environmental justice

• Decolonising work and anti-oppression: professional experience leading or supporting organisational change efforts to promote anti-colonial, anti-oppressive, and accessible practices.  Check out our “Decolonising Digital Rights” project to get a clearer sense of what we mean by all this!

• NGO leadership: experience in an Executive Director role (or another role with similar responsibilities) at a nonprofit organisation

Additional priority skill areas:

• Organisational development and\\\\or human resources

• Fundraising and/or grant making processes 

• Financial management

• Media and digital communications 

How to Apply

If you think this Board could be a fit for you, we’d love to talk more!  We’re happy to answer questions and provide more information; Please feel free to reach out to the director Mauricio Lazala at  mauricio[at]digitalfreedomfund[dot]org.

Once you’re ready to apply, please send the following to info[at]digitalfreedomfund[dot]org with \\\"[board application+your name]\\\" in the subject line: Board application 

• CV 

• A statement of motivation (1 page maximum), answering the following questions:

• What does DFF\\\'s mission (found on our website) mean to you?

• What interests you most about joining our Board of Directors?

• How would your skills and experiences (personal and professional) translate into success in this role?

We look forward to hearing from you!