The Disability Rights Division (DRD) of Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeking highly qualified applicants for the position of Associate Director. This position will be responsible for developing and implementing research and advocacy strategies on the human rights of persons with disabilities. This position will report to the Director of the Disability Rights Division, and will ideally be based in HRW’s New York office. This is a fixed-term, full-time position for one year.
Areas of Responsibility:
- Oversee a new initiative on positive examples of implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, including supervising the work of researchers, managing multi-media productions, editing reports and other materials, and accompanying them on fact-finding missions to the field;
- Monitor key trends and emerging issues in the disability rights field and identify avenues for effective advocacy;
- Develop and implement advocacy and multimedia strategies, including innovative multimedia and social media campaigns, for advancing HRW’s key findings and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities;
- Respond promptly to queries from the media, public, and colleagues in the human rights and disability rights community and take initiative to project concerns in public debate;
- Represent HRW to external stakeholders, such as all forms of news media, civil society organizations and political, economic, and other actors, to communicate HRW’s concerns and positions on disability rights;
- Work collaboratively with local, regional and international organizations of persons with disabilities to ensure that HRW’s work on disability rights complements and enhances their own work;
- Liaise effectively with relevant HRW staff located in multiple locations throughout the world to ensure effective coordination and delivery of activities; review HRW documents to ensure that they conform to relevant international standards;
- 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;
- Write and publicize reports, briefing papers, letters, news releases, op-eds, and submissions to international bodies based on the findings;
- Assist the Division and HRW’s Development and Outreach Department to conduct fundraising;
- Lead, motivate, and mentor direct-reports, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely constructive feedback, ensuring balanced workload, providing guidance on professional growth, and monitoring staff well-being as it pertains to stress and resilience issues and self-care;
- Promote inclusive work environment including by soliciting diverse points of views, encouraging staff to participate in DE&I efforts, and proactively addressing bias, discrimination, microaggressions, etc.;
- Model inclusive behavior and consistently adhere to HRW’s internal values;
- Travel domestically and internationally, as required, in order to carry out research and advocacy; and
- Perform other duties as required.
Educational Background:
An advanced (graduate) degree in international relations, journalism, law, history or social sciences is required.
Skills/Experience:
- A minimum of 10 years of experience working on human rights issues, including disability rights, is required.
- Relevant experience may include, among other things, work as an investigative reporter or attorney; research and advocacy for nonprofit organizations or universities; or work in government and international organizations on policies relating to human rights.
- Experience in documenting human rights abuses by carrying out fact-finding missions, conducting interviews and analyzing information from a wide variety of sources including governments, local media, NGOs (particularly organizations of persons with disabilities), victims, witnesses, journalists, diplomats, and others in the field is required.
- Experience in designing and implementing successful advocacy and multimedia initiatives is required.
- Demonstrated commitment to disability rights and the ability to identify, research, analyze and effectively communicate important developments in disability rights is required.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; fluency in other languages, especially Arabic, is a plus.
- Proven experience in producing high-quality written and audio-visual material under tight deadlines is required.
- Sound knowledge of all international law applicable to monitoring and defending the rights of persons with disabilities, including but not limited to international human rights law, familiarity with the policies, operating procedures, and standards applicable to international, intergovernmental, and non-governmental agencies is desirable.
- Ability and sensitivity to conduct interviews with people with diverse disabilities are required.
- Strong initiative and follow-through, capacity to think creatively and strategically, excellent editing skills, and dynamic public speaking skills is required.
- Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within HRW, as well as with local and international partners and governments officials are required.
- Ability to multi-task effectively, including having strong planning and organizing skills, and ability to work well under pressure are required.
- Ability to think strategically about the global and local media environments and how to use the media and electronic media to further goals is required.
Compensation/Benefits:
HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits. HRW offers a relocation assistance package and will assist employees in obtaining necessary work authorization, if required; citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply.
Job Function:
Organization Info
Listing Stats
Post Date:
Jun 8 2019
Active Until:
Jul 8 2019
Hiring Organization:
Human Rights Watch
industry:
Nonprofit