Human Rights Watch Careers

The Opportunity

• Human Rights Watch is seeking a human rights professional to lead its Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Rights Program, one of HRW’s eight thematic research and advocacy programs, made up of 6 staff. The LGBT Rights Program defends and promotes the rights of LGBT people globally. Focal areas include violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, criminalization of same-sex conduct, restrictions on freedoms of expression and association, abuses in medical settings, and socio-economic rights including access to education, healthcare, and employment.
• The successful candidate will be a thoughtful, collaborative, and strategic leader with deep knowledge and experience working on a diverse range of human rights issues related to LGBT rights. The Director will be a persuasive advocate in the field, and have an impressive track record of driving change, a deep commitment to coalition building and equitable partnerships, and a strategic vision for HRW’s contribution to the global LGBT rights movement.
• The Director will be an experienced manager and demonstrate the ability and commitment to foster the safety and resilience of staff, to promote diversity and inclusion, to support sustainability of the organization, to be an effective communicator, to provide appropriate and timely feedback on staff performance, to build consensus with staff around key challenges and new research and advocacy approaches, and to ensure the highest research standards in a culture of learning, trust, teamwork, and collaboration
• The Director will represent the organization in national, regional, and international media on LGBT human rights issues; will advocate with high-level officials from governments, companies, the United Nations, and other regional and international bodies; will foster and strengthen partnerships with other human rights and civil society organizations, particularly local partners; and will lead our LGBT-related collaborations in the human rights movement. 
• The position will be based in any of HRW’s global offices. The Director will report to a Deputy Program Director in the Program Office and will lead a team of researchers based in various locations. We aim to be as flexible and supportive as possible in both the recruitment for and onboarding of this position. 

Responsibilities

• Develop strategies, set programmatic priorities, and plan and execute research and advocacy to best defend and advance LGBT rights as human rights globally;
• Ensure high research standards, including thorough vetting of research and media products, developing innovative research methods, and ensuring that the division’s work meets a high ethical standard;
• Collaborate with HRW staff in other program areas, including by reviewing products produced across the organization;
• Provide final editing of reports and other written interventions and take part in research and writing;
• Oversee the collection of detailed, contextualized information on human rights violations affecting LGBT people around the world, ensure the publication of accurate, comprehensive, insightful, strategic, and timely reports on those policies and practices, and ensure the use of those reports to generate effective and appropriate pressure to curb abuses;
• Collaborate with HRW’s security teams and others to ensure the safety and resilience of staff, information security, and security of interlocutors and partners;
• Work closely with the Development and Outreach Department to fundraise, identify and recruit donors, and prepare funding proposals;
• Maintain an extensive network of informed, supportive, individual donors based all over the world, and support, maintain and grow the network;
• Ensure that individual donors are kept updated and informed about the work of the program and work with Development colleagues in arranging events and briefing sessions for donors. This includes managing staff time and travel related to fundraising efforts and spending a significant amount of time meeting with donors and prospective donors;
• Manage budget setting and spending priorities, in co-operation with the Finance Department, and ensure that resources are allocated to maximize impact;
• Undertake extensive domestic and international travel; and
• Perform other responsibilities, as required.

Managerial Responsibilities:

• Lead, motivate, and mentor a thriving nine-person team, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely constructive feedback, ensuring balanced workload, and providing guidance on professional growth;
• Supervise the team’s use of traditional media, multimedia, new technology, and other innovative tools to advance advocacy goals;
• Monitor staff well-being to help manage stress, and boost resilience;
• Promote an inclusive and positive work environment including by soliciting diverse points of views, encouraging staff to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and proactively addressing any bias, or discrimination; and
• Model inclusive behavior and consistently adhere to HRW’s internal values;

Qualifications

• Education: An advanced (graduate) degree or equivalent work experience in law, social science, public policy, or a related field is required.
• Experience: A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant work experience with at least five years in a management role.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

• Self-motivated, creative, strategic thinker with senior-level experience working on LGBT human rights issues globally is required.
• Knowledge of LGBT rights movements worldwide and experience negotiating the political and ethical challenges such work poses is required.
• Excellent leadership skills and a depth and breadth of management and organizational skills, including the demonstrated ability to lead a team of talented professionals in multiple global locations is required.
• Fundraising and development experience is highly desirable.
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and work collegially in a demanding, diverse, and fast-paced professional environment is required.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills in English are required. Fluency in one or more languages other than English is highly desirable.
• Keen political judgment, proven initiative and follow-through, the ability to work quickly and well under pressure, and a commitment to human rights is required.
• Experience with LGBT research and advocacy in a transnational context and with groups relatively marginalized within larger LGBT communities is required.

• With an established research, advocacy and communications platform to draw from, we are launching a mid-career opportunity open to human rights practitioners from around the world. The aim is to support emerging or established national leaders in the human rights movement and work together to advance ambitious human rights change.
• The Practitioner-in-Residence will have the option to be placed in either our Program (research and investigations) or Advocacy departments. The Practitioner-in-Residence will work closely on a project around a priority area of work depending on the experience that the practitioner brings.
• The residency is intended to be a full-time arrangement for one year. The Chief Programs Officer will oversee the Practitioner-in-Residence with additional management dependent on the placement of the successful candidate.
• The successful candidate may have the option to work remotely and will preferably be based in one of HRW’s offices in Africa, Asia or Latin America, but other locations will be considered. We aim to be as flexible and supportive as possible in both the recruitment for and onboarding of this position.

Responsibilities:

• Research, monitor and document human rights abuses by collecting and analyzing information from a wide variety of sources including governments, local media, NGOs, journalists, diplomats, security forces and others in the field;
• Assist in the development and implementation of local, regional, and international strategies to change abusive laws, policies, and practices;
• Write and publicize reports, briefing papers, letters, news releases, op-eds, and submissions to international bodies based on the findings;
• Collect and analyze supporting documents and materials such as photographs, videos, police reports, medical reports, legal/court documents, among others;
• Collaborate with HRW´s media team in the production of audiovisual products;
• Respond promptly to queries from the media, public, and colleagues in the human rights community and take initiative to project concerns in public debate;
• Place abuses within the broader political, social and economic contexts and present human rights concerns to government officials, opinion leaders, partner organizations, inter-governmental agencies, donors and the media;  
• Present human rights concerns to government officials, opinion leaders, inter-governmental agencies, and the media;
• Work closely with colleagues, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other partners to ensure that the agreed-upon project/approach to human rights change complements and enhances their own work;
• Liaise effectively with HRW staff located in multiple locations throughout the world to ensure effective coordination and delivery of activities;
• Travel domestically and overseas, as required, to conduct and lead fact-finding missions or advocacy initiatives;
• Deliver outputs in a timely manner and maintain consistency with the agreed strategy and priorities; and
• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications:

• Education: A level of education that when combined with your professional experience as an emerging or established human rights leader will adequately show you have the capability, in this role, to work with HRW and contribute meaningfully to the human rights change identified.
• Experience: A minimum of three years of human rights research or advocacy experience and a track record of delivering human rights impact are required. The successful candidate should be a recognized expert in their country or thematic area who is consulted by policymakers, journalists, academics, activists, and others.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

• Ability to identify and advise on strategies to conduct research or advocacy is required.
• Ability and sensitivity to effectively communicate with a wide range of people, including victims and witnesses is required.
• Ability to identify, research, analyze and effectively communicate important human rights developments in the area of specialty is required.
• Ability to efficiently distil information about the country or thematic issue so as to focus time and effort on issues of greatest importance or issues that are most capable of being influenced is required.
• Knowledge of and experience working in international human rights and familiarity with international human rights law is required.
• Proficiency in another language in addition to English is strongly desired, as is familiarity with countries or regions where serious human rights violations occur. 
• Self-motivation, ability to multi-task effectively, including having good planning and organizing skills and ability to work under pressure are required. 
• Strong initiative and follow-through, the capacity to think creatively and strategically, excellent writing and editing skills, and a dynamic public speaking ability is desirable.
• Strong interpersonal skills to work collaboratively within and outside of HRW are required.
• Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations are required. 
• Ability to make sound decisions consistent with functions is required.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically about the global and local media environments and how to use the media and electronic media to further advocacy goals is required.
• Ability to multi-task effectively required, including having good planning and organizing skills and ability to work under pressure is desirable.
• Knowledge of and experience working in international human rights and familiarity with international human rights law is required.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required.

•  Ideally, the candidate should be available to intern part-time 18-35 hours per week for the duration of the internship. The internship will primarily focus on ongoing projects and research in Uganda and Tanzania and support those teams as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Conducting desk research including small research assignments;
• Monitoring media and compiling reports on news relating to Uganda and Tanzania;
• Assisting in translating documents in Swahili when necessary;
• Conducting data analysis;
• Identifying and understanding key issues
• Drafting documents regarding issues in Uganda and Tanzania;
• Attending and supporting in the planning of substantive meetings; and
• Other projects may be assigned as they arise and match the intern’s interests and abilities.

Students may also have opportunities to attend lectures, trainings, professional development workshops, and/or special events relating to human rights, as well as network with other HRW interns, volunteers, and employees. As an HRW intern, students will take skills acquired in school and apply them in a professional setting.

Qualifications:

• Enrollment in an accredited undergraduate/graduate program for the duration of the internship term is required;
• A strong interest in human rights is essential;
• Applicants should be well-organized, self-motivated, and reliable;
• Computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Office, internet applications) and experience completing internet research are essential.
• Proficient reading and writing skills in Swahili are required;
• Proficient reading and writing skills in any Ugandan language is beneficial.

Responsibilities:

1. Develop overall strategy in getting HRW coverage for Africa-related work in the international, regional, and local media, as well as getting other HRW work placed in the African media;
2. Identify opportunities for advocacy and media outreach in Africa based on local programmatic interest and increase HRW’s advocacy;
3. Draft and edit press releases, op-eds and other materials;
4. Pitch HRW’s reports, op-eds, and other materials to key outlets in East Africa, West Africa and Horn of Africa media as well as to foreign correspondents covering the region, in order to maximize coverage of HRW research on the African continent and in foreign media covering the continent;
5. Maintain a calendar of key advocacy and news pegs in Africa;
6. Draft social media language to promote Africa-related work;
7. Plan and host social media discussions on platforms such as IG Live, Twitter Spaces and others as needed;
8. Ensure the outputs are delivered in a timely manner and are consistent with the agreed strategy and priorities of HRW;
9. Expand and strengthen HRW’s media networks in East Africa, West Africa, and the Horn of Africa, through regular meetings with journalists, outreach trips, and regular phone and email contact;
10. Serve as thought partner and work with researchers to cultivate relationships with journalists and develop media strategy;
11. Organize news conferences, media interviews, and briefings for HRW staff;
12. Arrange media training opportunities for HRW staff;
13. Assist with media response during crises;
14. Operate in compliance with organizational regulations and rules, including the policies of applicable employee agreements; and
15. Carry out any other tasks as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: 

• A degree in journalism, English, communications, marketing, or a related field or equivalent training is required.
• An advanced degree is highly desirable.

Experience: A minimum of five to seven years of relevant experience working as a journalist or in close relation to the media is required.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

1. Exceptional oral and written communication skills in English and French are required. Proficiency in Swahili or another language is desirable.
2. Knowledge of media landscape in East Africa, the Horn, Sudan and Ethiopia is required.
3. Ability to identify and advise the Communications Director/Communications Department in developing and implementing advocacy strategies in order to seize advocacy opportunities is required.
4. Ability to effectively communicate important human rights developments and the work of HRW is required.
5. Strong initiative and follow through, the capacity to think creatively and strategically, excellent writing and editing skills, and a dynamic public speaking ability are required.
6. Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within HRW, as well as with external partners, are required.
7. Ability to multi-task effectively, including having good planning and organizing skills and ability to work pressure are required.
8. Ability to make sound decisions consistent with functions is required.
9. Knowledge of and experience working in international human rights and familiarity with international human rights law is highly desirable.