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PRODUCING KNOWLEDGE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE (PKSC) MANAGER

About The Organisation

The Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA) is a feminist pan-African organisation focused on the strategic litigation of women’s human rights and sexual rights both at national levels and within the African human rights system. Our work is based on the belief that strategic litigation is an immensely powerful tool for social change because it helps to reframe the understanding of entitlements before the law and challenges the legal discourse. ISLA seeks to gain ground by creating domestic and regional jurisprudence in women’s human rights and sexual rights; strengthening the capacity of litigators and NGOs on the continent; and conducting rigorous research.

Overview of Work

The Producing Knowledge for Social Change (PKSC) priority area is central to ISLA’s mandate. It aims to deepen understanding of feminist strategic litigation in Africa by creating knowledge products, documenting ISLA’s litigation and advocacy experiences, and strengthening learning internally as well as across the African feminist legal ecosystem. PKSC integrates knowledge production into programme work across the organisation and provides the evidence base to inform litigation strategies, collaborations, decision-making, and organisational learning. ISLA aims to appoint a Producing Knowledge for Social Change Manager to lead and coordinate its knowledge-producing efforts. The PKSC Manager will be responsible for developing rigorous, organisationally grounded, and movement-aligned women rights and sexual rights knowledge products; enhancing both internal and external learning; collaborating across ISLA’s priority areas; and documenting evidence to support organisational strategy. They will lead consultations and convenings, manage expert contributors, ensure high-quality research outputs, and embed knowledge work within ISLA’s broader strategic litigation objectives.

Minimum Responsibilities

Responsibilities

Knowledge Production and Documentation (50%)

  • Lead the conceptualisation, development and review of knowledge products aligned with ISLA’s feminist political identity, strategic priorities and theory of change.
  • Develop annual PKSC workplans in consultation with thematic leads and programme teams.
  • Initiate ideas for knowledge production based on documented needs and gaps on feminist lawyering.
  • Identify and engage appropriate experts, reviewers, and contributors.
  • Ensure timely, high-quality development, review, and publication of knowledge products in line with ISLA’s style, methodologies and feminist analyses.
  • Document ISLA’s work, processes and experiences to contribute to organisational learning and strategic decision-making.
  • Ensure that all knowledge products are accompanied by a clear commissioning note setting out their purpose, target audience, and intended use case.
  • Establish and maintain an institutional legal resources repository, including clear classification criteria, to strengthen institutional memory and access to legal materials.
  • Develop and oversee a centralised system for tracking research support requests, including clear timelines, escalation pathways, and quarterly review processes.
  • Ensure that publications are accompanied by dissemination plans and are properly archived for institutional knowledge management.

Programmatic Work (20%)

  • Ensure that knowledge production is embedded in all priority areas and operates as the “tail end” of programmatic work.
  • Support the use of evidence across programmes to track progress toward outcomes.
  • Review programmatic practices, approaches and processes and recommend improvements based on learning insights.
  • Repurpose content from research, publications, and events into accessible communication outputs, including summaries, briefs, insights, and digital content.
  • Promote inclusive communication practices that advance language justice and accessibility across PKSC outputs and events.

Leadership, Collaboration and Governance (25%)

  • Contribute to steering the PKSC priority area toward ISLA’s strategic goals.
  • Lead the establishment and strengthening of the PKSC priority area.
  • Ensure that tasks and projects are completed on time, of a high quality, and political aligned with organisational standards.
  • Foster a collaborative, learning-oriented and feminist team culture.
  • Lead the development and updating of internal guidance documents, project templates, and knowledge production workflows to strengthen organisational systems and consistency.

Administration, Compliance and Reporting (5%)

    • Ensure full compliance with ISLA’s administrative systems, including ASANA, performance management, document labelling, and internal communication procedures.
    • Participate in organisational reporting, planning, and monitoring activities.

Minimum Job Requirements

  1. Education
  • Bachelor’s degree in law
  • Admission to the Bar in at least one African jurisdiction.
  • Master’s degree in Human Rights, Political Science, or a related field.
  • A Doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) will be an added advantage.
  1. Experience and Competencies
  • Proven experience in developing knowledge products on women’s rights and/or sexual rights, including research publications, legal or policy analysis, and learning documentation; with demonstrated ability to design research frameworks and methodologies.
  • Demonstrated experience in human rights practice through research, litigation, or programming, with a strong understanding of relevant frameworks, jurisprudence, and advocacy strategies.
  • At least seven (7) years of relevant professional experience in human rights, feminist legal practice, strategic litigation, knowledge production, research, programme management, or organisational learning, including experience in leadership, coordination, or project management roles.
  • Proven track record in managing research projects or coordinating multi-stakeholder knowledge initiatives at the national level.
  • Experience working within African feminist, human rights, or social justice movements.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate across teams and effectively manage contributors, reviewers, and partners.
  • Experience engaging feminist issues before African human rights mechanisms.
  • Strong understanding of the socio-political and legal landscape in Africa, with a clear appreciation of feminist approaches to strategic litigation.
  • Evidence of producing high-quality, accurate work with strong attention to detail.
  • Demonstrated commitment to excellence and integrity, with the ability to maintain a courteous, professional, and collaborative approach at all times.
  1. Skills
  • Strong research, writing, and analytical skills, including feminist analysis.
  • Ability to conceptualise and lead complex knowledge production projects.
  • Strong leadership skills with an ability to manage diverse relationships and partners effectively and efficiently.
  • Excellent communication skills, including the ability to synthesise complex ideas clearly.
  • Strong organisational and project management abilities.
  • An ability to make a strategic and dynamic approach to the use of law as a tool for the promotion of human rights and can demonstrate this.
  • Strong analytical background with the ability to provide solutions in a timely manner and guide teams towards the successful delivery of projects.
  • Understanding of constitutional, regional and international human rights law.
  • Knowledge and understanding of human rights as it relates to gender, sexuality and feminist analysis.

Additional Information

4. Other role requirements

  • Commitment to the overall aims and values of ISLA’s mission, including feminism and Pan-Africanism.
  • Meticulous attention to detail and a high level of integrity.
  • Willingness and ability to travel within Africa and occasionally internationally.
  • Flexibility to work outside regular weekday hours when required.
  • Proficiency in English is required; knowledge of an additional African Union language will be an added advantage.
  1. Preference
  • Preference will be given to qualifying women applicants.
  1. Salary

This position offers a competitive total cost-to-company salary of United States Dollars Sixty Thousand (US$60,000) per annum, commensurate with experience.

Closing Date: 1 May 2026

Suitable candidates who meet the requirements for this position are invited to click here to complete an application form.

ISLA’s job application form replaces the need to submit a CV as we prefer to have standardised information provided by all candidates. Upon submission, the applications will be received by the ISLA recruitment team for selection. Only shortlisted candidates will receive feedback on their application with further requirements. Late applications will not be considered.