ALDIJANA SISIC
Bicester,United Kingdom
Overview
42
42
years of professional experience
Work History
Campaign Manager, Stop Violence against Women Campaign (SVAW)
Amnesty International
London, UK
03.1998 - Current
- Lead the development of strategies for campaigning, communications and mobilisation (growth of resources, activism and AI membership) for this global, long-term campaign.
- Responsible for identifying campaigning and communications priority themes and projects while ensuring a synergy between AI’s international work and messages with those of AI’s national sections in more than 70 countries worldwide.
- Have overall responsibility for approving external communications materials on the issue of violence against women in the context of this campaign.
- Responsible for effective planning, implementation and evaluation of the campaign, including the design, development and production of campaigning and communications materials that are distributed globally.
- Provide advice on how to use and mobilise AI’s resources and combine its international and national campaigning and communications efforts to achieve the overall goals of the campaign and all of its projects.
- Work closely with AI’s global fundraisers in the International Secretariat (IS) and at national sections to develop mobilisation strategies, proposals and relevant materials for approaching funders, organisations and major individual donors.
- Provide conceptual leadership and oversee the production of new and less ‘AI traditional’ communication tools for the SVAW campaign and have reached new target audiences successfully including youth audiences.
- New approaches introduced include virals, web games with an action component, ‘virtual marches’ for youth participation, using USBs instead of printed reports and action-oriented comics instead of traditional reports.
- Responsible for re-branding of the Campaign, the complete revision of internal and external communication tools including the intranet space and full redesign of the SVAW web-site.
- As a global spokesperson for the Campaign am responsible for all campaign communications to external and internal stakeholders ensuring consistency, accuracy and coherence of key messages.
- Frequently represent AI’s work on VAW at regional and international fora, including the UN.
- Lead responsibility for outreach by building good working relationships with individuals, human rights or women’s organisations, representatives of governments as relevant to the SVAW Campaign and to the work of AI more generally.
- Responsible for initiating and leading AI’s more proactive involvement with the women’s movement at the international level in order to improve working relationships, build stronger partnerships and to create collective strategies for tackling VAW at the global level.
- Provide advice and guidance on the relationship between AI’s SVAW campaign to the work and achievements of the women’s movement and the impact of AI’s campaign on women’s organisations particularly in the area of fundraising.
- Manage an annual budget of circa £500,000 (not including staff), provide daily management and leadership of the campaign and managerial support and direction to 5 staff.
- Regularly provide advice, support and progress updates on the Campaign to the organisation’s governing body (the International Executive Committee), the Secretary General and Senior Directors.
Campaign Manager
Amnesty International New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand
01.2004 - 12.2006
- Led the overall campaigning and communications programs of AINZ and developed policies, strategies, methods and tools within the resources and strategic opportunities nationally while ensuring that national strategies were aligned with the broader framework of AI’s international strategies.
- Advised the Executive Director and governance bodies on strategic issues affecting campaigning policy, direction and activities; developed new communications approaches ranging from broad-based public awareness campaigns to those targeting more specific groups such as representatives of government, experts and opinion makers.
- Broadened and diversified membership, networks and alliances of AINZ and broke open new territory through campaigning activities to reach more diverse constituencies including migrant, refugee, Indigenous and Pacific communities.
- As media spokesperson for the organisation in New Zealand, was responsible for communicating organisational messages widely, developing media contacts and media and communication strategies.
- Developed and implemented a number of resource mobilisation initiatives in order to broaden our donor base and initiated a change from primarily membership based funding approaches to mobilising resources through partnerships with banks, direct approaches to major individual donors and the government for funding projects on human rights education.
- Developed relationships with key organisations, individuals and colleagues in the private sector, NGOs and community groups in New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region as relevant to our resource mobilisation strategies to raise the visibility of AI’s work in the region and mobilise resources.
- Represented AI at government meetings on a range of issues and provided internationally focused briefings about violence against women to high level officials ahead of significant international meetings such as the Commission on Status of Women in New York and Beijing +10.
- Contributed to the development and collective management of the overall program of work and acted for the Executive Director in his absence, taking full responsibility for political direction.
Regional Campaign Coordinator, Europe and Central Asia
Amnesty International
London, UK
01.2001 - 12.2004
- Had lead responsibility for coordination, project management, development, implementation and evaluation of dozens of country and thematic campaigning strategies and projects in the region and internationally, including AI’s one year long global country campaign on Russia where the entire movement focused on human rights in Russia.
- Reviewed strategies and made recommendations to the Program Director on the overall regional campaigning strategy and use of specific campaigning and communications techniques and tools.
- Worked closely with some twenty teams at the IS and AI movement worldwide in order to deliver on all of these projects and regularly advised on analytical tools fundamental to determining how to set a strategy on any theme or country.
- Was the main contact point between the Europe and Central Asia Regional Program and other programs within the IS, AI offices worldwide, other NGOs and AI’s external partners.
- Worked closely with the research, campaign, communications specialists and teams in designing and developing various external publications and materials and organising events that involved celebrities and high profile individuals.
- Contributed campaigning and communication expertise to organization-wide consultations aimed at revitalizing the campaigning and activism work of AI in general and provided advice on the campaigning capacity and strengths of different parts of the AI movement and on the use of effective campaigning and communication techniques.
- Monitored the campaigning activities of other human rights organisations and community groups based in the region, maintained a high level of knowledge of sources of social, political and economic influence in the region and worked regularly with partner organizations.
- Mobilised the AI movement to use its strengths to influence human rights in the region, build its capacity and delivered trainings in strategic campaigning and communications for AI membership and NGOs across East and Central Europe.
- Advised AI’s Senior Management and International Executive Council on developments in AI campaigning and activism in Europe and Central Asia.
- Managed resources allocated to regional and international campaigning projects and was accountable for delivery within budget and on time.
Coordinator for the UN World Conference Against Racism (WCAR)
Amnesty International
London, UK
01.2000 - 12.2001
- Developed and implemented campaigning, communications and outreach strategies for AI’s participation at the WCAR.
- Coordinated the research, action, communications and organisational lobbying strategy on issues of racism and racial discrimination.
- Had a lead responsibility for AI’s relations and communications with governments and a large number of non-governmental organizations participating in the WCAR including negotiating around some extremely sensitive and contentious issues.
- Facilitated movement-wide communications relating to the WCAR and was the first port of call for enquires relating to AI and the WCAR for AI membership, NGOs and the public at large.
- Was a lobbyist and spokesperson for the organisation on the issues of refugees, asylum seekers, migrant workers, Dalits, death penalty, women and LGBT issues at a number of the international preparatory meetings at the UN in New York and Geneva and at the conference itself in Durban.
- Coordinated a high-level AI delegation, including the Secretary General, attending the Durban conference and kept them abreast of substantive discussions, emerging strategies and other developments, often dealing with extremely sensitive issues and constituencies.
Coordinator
Amnesty International
London, UK
01.1998 - 12.2001
- In the period between 1998 and 2001 I worked as the Research and Action Coordinator for AI’s global Torture Campaign, Evaluation Officer for AI’s global USA campaign and as Program Coordinator in AI’s Legal and International Organisations and Europe and Central Asia departments.
- Carried out research and analysis of data collected for the production of documents for a year-long global campaign on torture.
- Completed general research on the abolition of torture for inclusion in AI’s Manual on Torture.
- Coordinated research and action between a number of AI’s teams to develop national campaigning, communications and outreach strategies for addressing torture in 21 countries.
- Evaluated the impact and effectiveness of a year-long AI international campaign on human rights abuses in the USA, wrote a report with recommendations that was distributed internationally and established new approaches to campaigning, communications and evaluation for future AI international campaigns.
- Developed, maintained and regularly reviewed the systems of communication in various programs to ensure efficient and productive communications between the Program Director, staff based in London, NY and Geneva AI UN outposts, and other programs based in London.
- Worked with Program Director to set program priorities, develop an operational plan and made recommendations on how to improve work plans, budget plans and monitoring.
Lecturer
SSEES, University of London
London, UK
01.1997 - 12.1998
- Taught the languages of the former Yugoslavia and took an active part in educational and training programs at the University of London.
Tutor
St. Clare’s College
Oxford, UK
01.1996 - 12.1997
- Tutored and prepared students for the International Baccalaureate examination.
General Manager
Teleshop
Sarajevo, BH
01.1989 - 12.1992
- Responsible for overseeing budgets, marketing, salaries, recruiting and managing 20 staff, setting financial plans and budgets and reporting to the Executive Director.
Journalist
"Vecernje novine"
Sarajevo, BH
01.1984 - 12.1989
- Wrote articles and contributed photographs for general news, politics, arts and culture columns in this national newspaper with the largest circulation in the country.
Education
PhD - Literature of former Yugoslavia
School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES), University of London
London, UK01.1997
B.A. - History of Literature of Yugoslav Nations and Nationalities and Serbo-Croat Language
University of Sarajevo
BH01.1985
Skills
- Campaign strategy
- Communication development
- Resource mobilization
- Project management
- Public relations
- Stakeholder engagement
Languages
- English, fluent
- Bosnian, fluent
- Croatian, fluent
- Serbian, fluent
- Russian, basic reading
Publications
- Various AI campaigning and communications materials, 01/01/98, 12/31/08
- Course book on Serbian and Croatian Language for the University of London, 01/01/99
- Dictionary of the Literary Biography, Ivan Aralica, 01/01/97
- Dictionary of the Literary Biography, Slobodan Novak, 01/01/97
- Unpublished PhD: A portrayal of female characters in the work of three contemporary male authors of the former Yugoslavia through the lenses of feminist literary theory, 01/01/97
- Various articles and essays for Yugoslav national newspapers, 01/01/89, 12/31/92
Volunteer Experience
- Member of the Management Board, Bosnian Association, UK, 01/01/97, 12/31/00
- Member of the Board, Academic Life Line for Bosnia, UK, 01/01/94, 12/31/00
- Speaker for AI Global Campaign, Amnesty International, UK, 01/01/95, 12/31/95
References
- Irene Khan, Secretary General, Amnesty International, 1 Easton Street, London, WC1X, 0DW, UK, +44 207 413 5500, ikhan@amnesty.org
- Sarah Burton, Director of Campaigns Program, Amnesty International, 1 Easton Street, London, WC1X, 0DW, UK, +44 207 413 5500, sburton@amnesty.org
- Sara Wilbourne, Director of Publications and Productions Program, Amnesty International, 1 Easton Street, London, WC1X, 0DW, UK, +44 207 413 5500, swilbourn@amnesty.org
Lectures And Workshops
- Columbia University, New York City, USA, 01/01/08, AI’s approach to work on issue of VAW
- Oxford Brooks University, UK, 01/01/04, Campaigning and communications in human rights activism
- European Social Forum, Paris, France, 01/01/03, Relevance of youth activism in creating change
- European Universite des Homosexualite, Marseille, France, 01/01/02, Activism and communications about LGBT issues
Personal Information
- Age: 46
- Gender: Female
- Nationality: British
Timeline
Campaign Manager
Amnesty International New Zealand
01.2004 - 12.2006
Regional Campaign Coordinator, Europe and Central Asia
Amnesty International
01.2001 - 12.2004
Coordinator for the UN World Conference Against Racism (WCAR)
Amnesty International
01.2000 - 12.2001
Campaign Manager, Stop Violence against Women Campaign (SVAW)
Amnesty International
03.1998 - Current
Coordinator
Amnesty International
01.1998 - 12.2001
Lecturer
SSEES, University of London
01.1997 - 12.1998
Tutor
St. Clare’s College
01.1996 - 12.1997
General Manager
Teleshop
01.1989 - 12.1992
Journalist
"Vecernje novine"
01.1984 - 12.1989
PhD - Literature of former Yugoslavia
School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES), University of London
B.A. - History of Literature of Yugoslav Nations and Nationalities and Serbo-Croat Language
University of Sarajevo