Head of US Death Penalty Team

About You

You are an organized and confident lawyer with strong project management skills, attention to detail, and investigative acumen. You have a keen interest in learning about and contributing to efforts to end the death penalty.

You will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies in which each of Reprieve’s methodologies—investigation, litigation, casework political and public engagement, support for and (where possible and appropriate) advocacy with affected communities—connect with one another to achieve positive outcomes in the death penalty landscape and address structural rights violations.

You will be enthusiastic about working for an organization with Reprieve's mission and vision. You will have a minimum of five years’ experience supervising busy and diverse teams. You have significant legal and casework experience and experience managing a complex portfolio of projects. You will also have substantial advocacy experience, an understanding of campaigning, strong writing skills, and excellent attention to detail.

You will have sensitivity to the risks faced by those with whom we work and a demonstrated commitment to acting in the best interest of clients. You will have professional maturity, flexibility, and a willingness to put clients and Reprieve’s mission above all else.

In addition to being conversant in relevant legal systems, you are ideally abreast of the domestic, regional, and geopolitical developments that impact on death penalty issues in the USA and have the ability to develop targeted strategies to influence the policies and public conversations in these jurisdictions, working in collaboration with allies in the medicine and business communities.

Responsibilities

Project Management and Strategy

Oversee and drive forward Reprieve US’ work against the death penalty in the US, including by:

• Taking responsibility for all aspects of the team's casework and ensure the best interests of our clients is the primary guide for our work;
• Developing the strategy and operational plan for the US death penalty work, including setting clear goals, targets, and systems for evaluation in close collaboration with the wider team and the Senior Advisor to the US Death Penalty Projects;
• Monitoring and evaluating project effectiveness and shift the team’s activities and operational plan as necessary to ensure that the work remains impactful;
• Maintaining project budgets and contributing to reporting to funders; and,
• Maintaining and developing relationships with key stakeholders – both individuals and organizations – across our US death penalty work, in close liaison with the Joint Executive Directors, Deputy Director (RUS) and other key staff.

Team management

Manage a high-performing, dynamic team to work collaboratively, productively, and ethically to meet our strategic goals, including by:

• Working closely with the Senior Advisor to the US Death Penalty Projects. Managing the US Death Penalty Team, and supervising key members of the team as appropriate, including the Reprieve US Senior Staff Attorney, the US Death Penalty team’s project manager, caseworkers, fellows, and consultants;
• Ensuring the team’s work products are of a quality and standard which do justice to our mission;
• Ensuring that team members are effectively supported and trained to work professionally and sensitively with a range of stakeholders, including allies in the medicine and business communities, as well as US legal teams and law firms assisting pro bono; and,
• Coordinating closely and collaborating with other Reprieve teams in the advancement of the team’s goals (including the media, campaigns, policy, development and outreach, finance, operations and senior management teams).

Investigations

Guide the team to investigate the misuse of medicines in lethal injection executions, relevant contextual background, and priority thematic issues to create an evidentiary base for corporate engagement, litigation and advocacy, including by:

• Building the evidentiary base for relevant thematic areas, including by maintaing a wide network of relationships with lawyers and others;
• Overseeing desk research; and,
• Overseeing the analysis of relevant information.

Corporate engagement

Guide the team to identify and implement corporate engagement strategies to support businesses to end the misuse of their products, including by:

• Maintaining regular communication with corporate allies;
• Alerting corporate allies to relevant developments; and,
• Supporting corporate allies to undertake actions to stop the misuse of their medicines.

Litigation

Monitor and contribute to litigation in the US and internationally seeking dispel the myth of the humane execution:

• Managing the Reprieve US Staff Attorney to identify and develop strategic litigation opportunities;
• Supporting legal teams to challenge the misuse of medicines in lethal injection executions; and,
• Drafting and reviewing submissions for domestic and foreign courts, and international and UN legal mechanisms; and,

Political engagement

Together with Reprieve's policy and advocacy experts and other colleagues, implement political engagement strategies to dispel the myth of the humane executions:

• Engaging directly with politicians and decision-makers in the US to educate them on our work and issues and highlight opportunities for change; and,
• Drafting and reviewing persuasive briefings in support of political engagement.

Media and public engagement

Together with Reprieve's media team and other colleagues, implement strategies to challenge the media narrative regarding the use of the death penalty in the US, particularly lethal injection execution:

• Dispelling the myth of humane execution and showcasing industry opposition to misuse of medicines in executions; and,
• Scoping potential advocacy opportunities, including through reports, briefings, documentaries, fictionalization, and other creative projects.

Other

• Developing and taking on new areas of work led by the best interests of our clients and organizational strategy;
• Contributing to fundraising activities or other development needs; and,
• Being an ambassador by representing Reprieve US at functions. This may include speaking engagements.

Key Contacts

Reporting to the RUS Deputy Director, the Head of US Death Penalty Projects will manage the Reprieve US Senior Staff Attorney and coordinate Reprieve’s US Death Penalty team in the UK, working closely with the Senior Advisor to the US Death Penalty Projects. The Head of US Death Penalty Team will work closely with the Heads and Project Leads of: Media, Campaigns, Policy, Development and Outreach, Finance, and Operations; staff, Fellows and others engaged by Reprieve US and Reprieve; partner organizations and third-party service providers.

Length and Salary

The role is a full-time role. The annual salary is $97,000 and we offer a generous health, vision, and dental insurance package to our employees. We also offer generous vacation time of 25 days paid leave per year, plus federal holidays.

The candidate will be based in Reprieve US' offices in Washington, DC and will work in-office two days per week. This position will require domestic and international travel in the service of the casework. Applicants must have the current right to live and work in the US. Reprieve US is an equal opportunity employer.

Reprieve US and Reprieve work closely on US death penalty issues. Reprieve is also recruiting for a similar role at this time in the UK and it is not expected that both roles will be filled.