The Director will develop and implement strategies for engaging HRW’s key constituents in the organization’s programmatic work. Working closely with our Board of Directors, high-level donors, and the Human Rights Watch Council (an elite membership group that conducts advocacy, outreach and fundraising in some 20 cities in North America, Europe and Asia), the director will mobilize and leverage the influence of these interlocutors in advocacy initiatives that help HRW achieve policy change.
The position reports jointly to the Deputy Director of Development & Outreach. The Director will work closely with the Program Director, the Global Advocacy Director and the Communications department to translate HRW advocacy priorities into opportunities for our constituents to engage in local, national and global advocacy campaigns. The director will collaborate with Development staff in conceptualizing and executing these strategies.
The Director's responsibilities will include:
- Translating selected HRW advocacy priorities into coherent, effective campaigns that leverage donor influence and result in significant policy impact. Recent campaigns have focused on child soldiers, cluster munitions and the China Olympics.
- Providing strategic direction and liaising with Development staff on programmatic priorities, advocacy objectives and outreach opportunities.
- Conveying programmatic content in a digestible format to Development staff and donors.
- Working with Advocacy staff to develop materials for HRW's new online advocacy site and collaborating with Development staff to promote the site with key constituents.
- Creating and leading substantive donor travel to conferences, international board meetings and advocacy meetings in selected countries, including a biennial donor delegation trip to Washington, D.C.
- Coordinating and reviewing partnerships, co-sponsorships and outreach opportunities in cities where HRW has a formal public presence.
Applicants should have at least 5 to 7 years of fundraising, advocacy or campaigning experience. Candidates should also have direct experience working with donors, the media and/or public constituents. Substantial knowledge of human rights issues and policymaking at the domestic and international level is strongly desired. In addition, the successful applicant must be an effective public speaker and possess excellent writing and editing skills in English.
The ideal candidate will have good judgment and superb diplomatic, analytical and strategic-thinking capabilities; the ability to work quickly and effectively under pressure; the capacity to pay close attention to detail while working in a fast-paced environment and juggling multiple tasks; and the ability to work effectively independently, as part of a team, and in partnership with multiple parts of an organization. He or she will have excellent leadership, management and organizational skills, including the demonstrated ability to coordinate a team of talented professionals in multiple global locations. The candidate must have a commitment to human rights and/or international issues and the capacity to master, advocate for, and represent the mission and program of Human Rights Watch.
Salary and Benefits:
HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and generous employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation expenses and will assist employees in obtaining necessary work authorization, if required; citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply.
PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY by emailing in a single submission: a letter of interest describing your experience, your resume, names of references, and a brief writing sample (unedited by others) to huangl@hrw.org. Please use “Outreach & Public Advocacy Director” as the subject of your email. Only complete applications will be reviewed.
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