Do you have experience working in campaigning within the NGO, charity or grassroots movement-building space and driving change? Have you got a passion for the idea that business can be used to drive positive change in the world?  Values-led ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s is recruiting an

Ben & Jerry´s Activism Specialist (d/m/f)

located in Hamburg/Germany

to lead activism campaigns on refugee and asylum rights with our team in Germany.

About Ben & Jerry’s

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., started in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, USA, founded by childhood friends and dedicated activists Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. In 2000 Ben & Jerry’s became a wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever whilst maintaining an independent Board of Directors to provide leadership focused on preserving and expanding our social mission, brand integrity, and product quality. Ben & Jerry’s first came to Europe in 1994 and is now sold across more than 35 countries worldwide.

Ben & Jerry’s has an inspiring ambition to use its position as beloved ice cream company to advance movements for social and economic justice. This translates into a fast-paced environment married with an activist spirit.

We Remain a True Progressive Values Led Organization with a Connected 3-part Mission That Are Reflected In Our KPI’s

Social mission: In Europe we initiate innovative ways to improve the quality of life locally, nationally, and internationally specifically on refugee and asylum rights.

Product mission: We make and distribute the finest quality natural ice cream and euphoric concoctions.

Economic mission: We operate our Company for sustainable, Profitable financial growth

Role & Responsibilities

The primary role of the Activism Specialist is to lead the strategy development and execution of the company’s German based issue advocacy / activism campaigns that align with Ben & Jerry’s progressive values.

The Activism Specialist is a critical part of bringing Ben & Jerry’s impactful activism campaigns to life and requires close coordination across functions internally while also collaborating with a diverse set of external stakeholders and campaign partners. In summary the role builds successful fan-facing social justice campaigns that drive progressive systemic change in partnership with movements and progressive civil society organisations. Currently that focus is on advancing the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.

The Activism Specialist role joins a global Activism team as part of the Europe region and works with local colleagues in Germany to implement their work. This role will report to the DACH (Germany, Austria & Switzerland) Business Lead of Ben & Jerry’s and will work closely with colleagues in the German, European and Global Ben & Jerry’s teams and with external partners.

Essential Responsibilities

• Work with a cross functional team and lead in developing and executing progressive, innovative, and strategic winning campaigns that support progressive social change.
• Lead strategy development, partner selection, and execution of advocacy campaigns across multiple channels that align with approved priority issue areas.
• Build impactful activism campaigns in Germany that include refugee and asylum rights under the direction of the Head of Activism for Ben & Jerry’s Europe and in partnership with the local team for Ben & Jerry’s Germany.
• Leverage the tools we have as a for-profit ice cream company including communication channels, creative messaging and marketing know-how. The campaigns will move fans and citizens from awareness and education to engagement and direct action.
• Support the development of strategies that translate Ben & Jerry’s social mission priorities into compelling and impactful campaigns. You will also identify local, regional, and national level on-ramps that that make our activism campaigns timely, relevant, and impactful.
• Play an active role in the European Activism team – six colleagues across six countries, plus the Head of Activism. Provide vision and leadership to ensure Ben & Jerry’s remains the most progressive, innovative, and impactful activist company. Help to set standards and best practices that become models for our European team. This role will capture, document, and disseminate best practices, tools, and models.
• Cultivate and collaborate with a diverse set of internal and external stakeholders and partners, including civil society / NGO’s, grassroots groups, progressive advocates, other allies in inside and outside the company. Building our relationships in the movement you will execute activism campaigns that support and help grow the work of the movement.
• Work closely with the digital, social media, PR and marketing teams and agencies to support the delivery of activism campaigns and create compelling content in Germany.
• Build our activist network, increasing knowledge, and understanding of our activism model within the team and agencies we work with in Germany.
• Influence other businesses to use their platforms and practices to help create progressive, systemic change

Skills & Experience

Given Ben & Jerry’s unique position within Unilever, the ability to build excellent relationships within both Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s will be essential. Having the right energy and attitude to connect both parts of our organization will be critical for success.

Essential:

• Three to five years of previous issue advocacy campaign experience and a proven track of campaign strategy development and implementation.
• Knowledge of public policy and the political process in Germany, ideally with experience in the field of refugee or migrant rights.
• Proven demonstration of writing and developing concise and compelling comms for a range of formats from social media to policy briefings.
• Understanding and ideally local experience of the role of activist grassroot movements in social justice issues and commitment to movement-building as a theory of change.
• Experience in collaborating with people with lived experience of an issue to create change. Ability to build relationships with external partners and allies.
• Experience and understanding of how to use a diverse set of tools and channels, including digital and social media, to inspire people to action in support of progressive social change.
• Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills. Will work independently, with limited oversight.
• Proven demonstration of working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders across a complex globally matrixed organization
• Professional level German is required

Welcomed additional experiences:

• Lived experience of migration or refugee background
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills (media experience is a plus)
• Experience working across multi-cultural and diverse communities
• Experience of working in the refugee or migrant sector
• A good network of allies and groups in the migrant/refugee movement
• Experience working within a large, multi-layered organization (business or NGO)

Our people profile

To support our 3-part mission, Ben & Jerry’s also has an outspoken people-mission. We look for people with these characteristics to strengthen our team:

• Purpose-driven: passion and drive to make a real impact through our Social Mission
• Empathy: curious to collaborate with a variety of personalities and styles and to build excellent relationships with internal & external stakeholders – this includes cross-functional relationships and striving for collaborative success
• Mastery: continuously learn, grow and develop to contribute to B&Js
• Autonomy: dare to make choices and take ownership
• Activism: interested in bringing about political or social connectivity

The role is based at the Unilever Office in Hamburg and employees are expected to be in the office 2-3 days a week.

What we offer

• Great colleagues and the greatest possible creative freedom
• Attractive remuneration and additional financial benefits
• Flexible working hours and the opportunity to work remotely
• Work location in the heart of Hamburg. Here is a movie about our office
• Discounts with our cooperation partners & lunch allowance
• A wide range of training opportunities and 24/7 access to our own learning platform
• A wide range of wellbeing offers, e.g. company medical care, company health management & a 24/7 advisory service
• A discounted “Germany” ticket & company bike

How you apply:

Please apply online only. Complete the online application form in full, upload your application documents and click on the "Confirm and apply" button. You will then receive an automatic confirmation of receipt.

If you have any questions, please contact Fabienne Maurer (hr.dach@unilever.com).

* Email & postal applications cannot be processed
* Application photos are not necessary

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