The General Counsel’s (GC) Office of Human Rights Watch (HRW) is looking to hire a one-year position for the management of a new workplace accountability process, including complaints systems, investigations, dispute resolution, and workplace culture meetings. This Workplace Accountability Manager will work closely with the General Counsel’s office and Global Human Resources to train staff, manage and investigate complaints under the direction of the General Counsel, and build understanding, transparency, and trust across the organization.
The Workplace Accountability Manager is the focal point for various accountability processes that straddle the legal and human resources functions at Human Rights Watch. As such, this professional will need to enable management to swiftly respond to personal conduct issues and encourage an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect across a very globally dispersed and diverse organization. In particular, the Manager will be responsible for intake and tracking of queries on personal conduct complaints, facilitating investigation and mediation of problems, coordinating training of staff positions such as ombudsperson, advisors and investigators, and identifying broader institutional needs and resources for dialogue and coaching on workplace conduct and culture. The position is intended to jumpstart new processes and provide a new corps of facilitators proper training and orientation, as well as troubleshoot problems as they appear. The Manager will also work with various internal groups on issues of stress and resilience, diversity and inclusion, and other workplace culture and professional conduct issues that arise in a fast-paced, high-risk non-profit that draws staff and volunteers from around the globe. Travel is anticipated. This is a fixed-term term, full-time position for one-year, renewable dependent upon availability of continued funding.
- Facilitating effective and approachable communications with all persons involved in complaints processes, including staff, management, mediators, lawyers, investigators, union representatives, staff working groups, trainers and other third parties;
- Conducting intake and dialogue with persons raising concerns, questions or complaints and recommending avenues towards solution;
- Managing a caseload of issues and investigations, including organizing weekly inter-departmental meetings and reporting on caseload progress, organizing responses and maintaining associated records and documents;
- Investigating a wide variety of personal conduct issues and producing actionable findings for various internal departments and committees at Human Rights Watch in close consultation with the General Counsel, Human Resources, and, as appropriate, with outside counsel;
- Supporting and promoting continuous improvement to both internal policies and management response;
- Organizing external training for various functions in Human Rights Watch, including for specialized mediators and advisors, investigators, and for staff and managers more generally;
- Learning and benchmarking against external best practices and recommending appropriate changes to internal practices;
- Developing a deep understanding of HRW’s unique culture and values and helping to facilitate internal organizational dialogue on appropriate standards of conduct in an activist and multi-cultural work environment;
- Traveling to other HRW offices, as required, for investigations, meetings, trainings, etc.;
- Carrying out other duties as required.
- A minimum of five years of relevant work experience, preferably with experience in human resources, personnel investigations, employment law, and/or employee relations, is required.
- Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to listen, interact and communicate effectively and emphatically with all levels of diverse staff and other key stakeholders throughout the course of problem-solving and complaints resolution are required.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English is required; fluency in French or other languages is a plus.
- Demonstrated excellence in critical thinking and analytical ability is required.
- Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage demanding caseload and meet deadlines are required.
- Enthusiasm for research and ability to develop best practices and resources are preferred.
- Facility in using and adapting technology and systems to assist in managing the considerable and sensitive records generated by caseload is required.
- Commitment to diversity, multi-cultural experience, and sensitivity to issues of inclusion, marginalization, discrimination, harassment is required.
HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, an outstanding retirement savings plan and twenty (20) days of vacation per year.