Advocacy Director

About Foxglove 

Foxglove is a litigation and campaigning nonprofit that exists to make the use of technology fair. When governments and major tech companies use technology to abuse their power, we investigate, litigate and campaign to make it right. 

Big Tech companies have become so large – gobbling up a huge slice of the global marketplace and an unprecedented treasure hoard of user data – that they’re now more powerful than many states. The harmful effects of this concentration of power is everywhere – threats to our democracy, to our privacy, decimated worker’s rights and platforms rife with disinformation and hate. Governments are ploughing ahead with the use of algorithms and mass data systems to cut costs and increase efficiency often resulting in digital tools that entrench unfairness and leave the most vulnerable in society in crisis. All these problems are only going to get worse as generative AI continues to boom.   

Foxglove works to bring the rule of law to the tech and AI giants who have upended our public square, workplaces, and social lives. We fight to reduce these anti-democratic behemoths’ overall size and power and we challenge them for abusing their workers. We also work to ensure public bodies use data and algorithms openly, fairly, and legally. 

We have a strong track record. We’ve launched landmark cases seeking structural changes to big tech’s harmful business models, supported 180+ Facebook content moderators fired in 2023 for trying to form a union to sue Facebook and their outsourcing company, Sama – winning world-first judgements. We helped launch Africa’s first content moderators’ union and are urging UK and EU regulators to halt Big Tech’s maneuvers to hoover up generative AI as it has the rest of our online world. We have forced disclosure of secret contracts between tech giants and the NHS, stopped a racist Home Office visa streaming algorithm, helped make grading fair for UK A level students, forced the government to pause the NHS Data Grab and challenged the Department of Work and Pension’s use of an algorithm unfairly flagging disabled people for benefit fraud investigations.   

We are a small but growing team of lawyers, communications experts, and campaigners. Our work is global, and we work in partnership with lawyers, civil society, unions, and impacted people. 

The role  

The Advocacy Director will play a critical role in Foxglove’s public-facing work. Together with the co-Executive Directors and Head of Communications you will set and implement an effective advocacy strategy to amplify our work. This is a senior leadership position, and you will also support critical organisational work such as fundraising and strategic development. You will line manage our Head of Communications and several consultants. 

This kind of advocacy cannot work if tech, and abuse of tech, is viewed as a side issue that only matters to specialists or experts. The core of this role is communicating these issues in ways that make sense to everyone. 

You are an expert strategist, communicator and advocate with a strong interest in holding governments and companies to account. You understand lasting social change involves making as many people as possible see they have a stake in these issues. If that’s you, and Foxglove’s mission excites you, we would love to hear from you.  

The way you think and your approach to taking on big tech is much more important to us than your ability to meet the criteria below. If you aren’t sure whether you’re eligible, but you’re interested, please get in touch. We know this is a broad role and we welcome applicants from a range of different backgrounds who bring some or all the skills and expertise listed here. 

Key responsibilities include: 

Strategy and leadership  

• Lead the development and implementation of Foxglove’s communications, policy and advocacy strategy. 

• Ensure Foxglove is active in shaping the public debate about tech and AI power and maintains a visible, distinctive presence within that debate. 

• Together with Foxglove’s co-Executive Directors spot high-level legal, campaign and political opportunities where Foxglove could intervene to further our objectives.  

• Contribute to broad organisational leadership and strategic development alongside the co-Executive Directors. 

Communications and media

• Ensure excellence across Foxglove’s external communications. 

• Be creative and unconventional in your use of content and tactics to reach, engage and influence target audiences. 

• Together with our Head of Communications ensure highly effective proactive and reactive media management. 

• Together with our Head of Communications grow Foxglove’s voice and profile and lead us in telling the most compelling stories about our work across a range of communications channels. 

• Together with our co-Executive Directors and Head of Communications progress medium-term non-news communications opportunities (documentaries, feature films, podcasts and more) to further our objectives.  

Advocacy  

• Develop and implement our advocacy strategy.  

• Where appropriate, and together with partners, develop proactive policy positions and oversee engagements with policymakers and decision makers. 

• Engage existing networks and build strong relationships with UK government, EU law makers, regulators, policymakers and others as part of achieving political change.  

• Maintain a strong knowledge of current affairs in the UK and abroad that enables you to quickly spot challenges and opportunities associated with Foxglove’s work when dealing with governments and political entities.  

• Together with the co-Executive Directors and Head of Communications prepare written materials and submissions to regulators and international bodies on Foxglove issues.  

Other  

• Help build and maintain Foxglove’s partnerships with other groups, unions, NGOs and lawyers.  

• Regularly review media, NGO and academic reports to help spot potential advocacy, legal or communications opportunities. 

• Support our co-Executive Directors to grow Foxglove sustainably, and build an inclusive, diverse, fun organisation with a culture of respectful challenge and continuous learning.  

Other information about the role  

The role is permanent. Our team works remotely, and this role can be based anywhere. We would prefer you to work within or close to UK office hours, but this is flexible. Our team travels monthly for team days and quarterly for team retreats. This role will include significant UK and international travel.  Only candidates with the right to work in their location will be considered.  

Person specification 

Essential  

• 10+ years’ experience in a senior leadership or executive position with a focus on advocacy or strategic communications. 

• Proven political judgement. 

• Proven leadership in spotting and creating opportunities, driving change and delivering results. 

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and the ability to translate complex material into coherent narratives. 

• Strong and effective networking and presentation skills. 

• Experience of leading high-performing teams.  

Desirable 

• Professional experience in one or more of Foxglove’s focus areas: antimonopoly, labour rights, government use of algorithms and mass data systems or tech justice issues. 

How to apply  

To apply please send a 2-page covering letter detailing your suitability for and interest in the role with a copy of your cv to applications@foxglove.org.uk by Monday 2 September at 9am BST.

Foxglove is growing and we are striving to build a team that is truly inclusive. We will create a diverse and adaptable environment where we support people to do their best work. We believe an effective and creative team is made up of people from different walks of life.  You can read more about how we work and what we offer our staff here.  

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates who identify as disabled and meet the essential criteria as specified in the person specification / job description. If you would like to discuss this role before you apply, please get in touch. If any part of this process causes you difficulty, please get in touch with us: applications@foxglove.org.uk. If you would like to know more about how we process your data as part of the recruitment process you can read our recruitment data use policy here.