Human Rights Watch Job Vacancies

1. Full-Time Job Vacancy: Researcher on Women and LandWomen’s Rights Division
(Africa or Asia base preferred)
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
The Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking highly-qualified applicants for the position of Researcher on Women and Land.
This position will be responsible for developing and implementing a research and advocacy agenda focusing on the impacts of large-scale international land acquisitions on women’s human rights in Africa and Asia.
This position reports to the Deputy Director of the Women’s Rights Division.
The position will ideally be based in Africa or Asia.
Responsibilities:

Develop and implement a research and advocacy agenda on how women’s human rights are impacted by large-scale international land deals, i.e., acquisitions of land and related resources (including water) by foreign investors in developing countries for commercial purposes (such as plantation agriculture and extractive industries);

Carry out in-depth research into the impacts of large-scale land deals on women’s human rights in Africa and Asia; collect and analyze information from a wide variety of sources, including governments, journalists, NGOs, members of impacted communities, survivors, witnesses, corporate representatives, financial institution representatives, diplomats, security forces and others;

Write and publicize reports, briefing papers, letters, news releases, op-eds, and submissions to governments, international bodies, the media, and others based on the findings;

Respond promptly to queries from the media, public, and colleagues in the human rights community and take initiative to project concerns in public debate;

Develop and implement local, regional, and international strategies to change abusive laws, policies, and practices;

Keep abreast of policy developments relevant to international land deals and advise colleagues on emerging advocacy opportunities;

Work closely with other organizations and experts to ensure that HRW’s work complements and enhances their work; collaborate with other organizations on research, media work, and advocacy;

Liaise effectively with HRW staff in multiple locations to ensure effective coordination and collaboration; support other HRW staff to include a gender analysis in their work on land, natural resources and human rights;

Assist the Director of the Division and HRW’s Development and Global Initiative Department in conducting fundraising;

Be prepared to work flexible hours to accommodate developing and urgent events;

Travel within Africa and Asia on a regular basis and for substantial periods (at times for more than a month) to carry out research and advocacy; travel to other regions for advocacy;

Deliver outputs in a timely manner; and

Carry out other duties as required.Qualifications:

Education: An advanced (graduate) degree in international relations, journalism, law, social science, development, agriculture, environmental studies, natural resources management, or related fields is required.Experience:

A minimum of 3 years of professional level experience working in governmental, nongovernmental, or intergovernmental organizations on research, policy and advocacy related to land, natural resources, and human rights (including women’s rights) is essential.

Extensive work experience in Africa and/or Asia is required.Required Skills and Knowledge:

Ability to identify, research, analyze and effectively communicate human rights issues related to land deals and women’s human rights is required.

Extensive experience with conducting interviews with a wide range of people, including survivors, witnesses, corporate representatives, and government officials, is required.

Ability to work flexible hours and make frequent trips for extended periods is required.

Ability to produce concise, accurate, high-quality written materials under tight deadlines is required.

Ability to develop and implement effective advocacy strategies, including strategies targeting multi-national corporations and international financial institutions, is required.

Knowledge of international human rights law and voluntary guidelines relevant to international land deals is required.

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and at least one widely spoken language of Africa or Asia are required; excellent public speaking skills are required.

Ability to communicate effectively with the media is required; ability to use social media to further advocacy and outreach goals is desirable.

Ability to multi-task effectively and work under time pressure is required.

Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within HRW and with external partners are required.Duration: Fixed-term contract for a three-year period.
Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and 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 use “Land Researcher Ref: WRD-15-1037” as the subject of your email.
2. Full-Time Job Vacancy: Advocacy Director
Africa Division (Nairobi Office)
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
The Africa Division of Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking an experienced and highly qualified Africa Advocacy Director.
S/he is responsible for developing and implementing an effective advocacy strategy for HRW’s work in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The position serves as a spokesperson and advocate for HRW on human rights issues pertaining to the region and establishes and maintains effective advocacy relationships with key interlocutors and representatives of governments, regional bodies including the African Union, African civil society organizations and other international organizations.
This position reports to the Executive Director of the Africa Division.
Responsibilities:

Develop recommendations for achieving human rights improvements in the region, including through research of relevant advocacy targets such as the African Union, other regional institutions, and relevant government offices;

Prepare and implement advocacy strategies in consultation with divisional staff, others in HRW and with relevant external partners;

Serve as Head of HRW’s Nairobi office and coordinate advocacy and outreach activities;

Prepare a range of written materials, including news releases, opinion pieces, blog postings, policy analyses and other documents and review such documents, including HRW reports, prepared by others;

Work collaboratively with other human rights organizations including through coalitions and develop contacts with journalists in a variety of media;

Keep abreast of pertinent legislative and policy developments and advise relevant Africa staff and others, as appropriate, of important changes;

Ensure organization-wide coordination of Africa advocacy, including through close collaboration with other advocates and relevant staff in other HRW divisions and offices;

Operate in compliance with organizational regulations and rules, including the policies of applicable employee agreements;

In consultation with staff, deliver outputs in a timely manner and be consistent with the agreed strategy and priorities of the division;

Monitor progress against milestones and deadlines of all outputs that are within the purview of responsibility; and

Perform other tasks as required and assigned by the Executive Director of the Africa Division.Qualifications:

Education: An advanced (graduate) degree in international relations, journalism, law, social science or related subjects is required.

Experience: A minimum of 7-8 years of direct experience in nongovernmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations or governments working to influence policy on human rights is required.Related Skills and Knowledge:

Significant advocacy experience is required, including at the African Union.

Experience with other African regional institutions is desirable.

Extensive knowledge of human rights issues in all or part of Sub-Saharan Africa region is required.

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French are required; proficiency in additional African or AU working languages is highly desirable.

Demonstrated commitment to human rights and/or international issues and the capacity to master and represent the mission and programs of HRW are required.

Ability to defend and explain complex issues and positions to intergovernmental and governmental bodies is required.

Demonstrated ability to think creatively and strategically is required.

Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within HRW as well as with local partners, government officials and external media partners are required.

Capacity to appropriately plan and prioritize and to manage multiple, sometimes competing demands efficiently in a challenging, fast-paced environment are required.

Knowledge and advocacy experience with other regional bodies such as the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the UN are desirable.

A track record of successful media outreach and cultivating relationships with journalists is desirable.Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits.
Please use “Africa Advocacy Director Ref AFR-15-1045” as the subject of your email.
3. Full-Time Job Vacancy: Assistant Researcher
Africa Division (Kigali Office)
Application Deadline: 24 July 2015
The Africa Division of Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking highly qualified applicants for the position of Assistant Researcher on Rwanda.
The Africa Division works to advance human rights in Africa and conducts a wide range of work, including investigation, report writing, advocacy and media work.
The Assistant Researcher will be based in Kigali, Rwanda and will be part of the Great Lakes team.
The position reports to a Senior Researcher in the Africa Division.
Responsibilities:

Researching and documenting the human rights situation in Rwanda, including interviewing victims and witnesses of abuses, and collecting and analyzing information from a range of sources including the Rwandan government, media, NGOs, journalists, diplomats, and others in the country;

Drafting reports, briefing papers, letters, news releases, and other documents on the human rights situation in Rwanda, as needed, in a concise and accurate manner, with a quick turnaround time;

Contributing to the development and implementation of local, regional, and international strategies to protect human rights in laws, policies, and practices in Rwanda;

Analyzing the human rights situation within the broader political, social and economic context of Rwanda and presenting human rights concerns to government officials, diplomats, and NGOs, in consultation with the Senior Researcher;

Working closely with local and international human rights groups to ensure that HRW’s work complements and enhances their work;

Responding promptly to queries from HRW colleagues, human rights NGOs and others;

Coordinating and supporting the work of local staff in Rwanda, in conjunction with the Senior Researcher;

Liaising effectively with HRW staff located in different countries to ensure effective coordination and delivery of activities;

Assisting with research by other members of HRW’s Great Lakes team, as needed, in particular in Burundi;

Being prepared and willing to work flexible hours to accommodate developing and urgent events;

Traveling domestically and internationally, as required, to conduct research and advocacy or attend meetings with colleagues;

Delivering outputs in a timely manner and maintaining consistency with the agreed strategy and priorities of the Africa Division; and

Carrying out any other duties, including administrative tasks, as required.Qualifications:

Education: A bachelor’s degree in international relations, law, journalism, social sciences or studies relating to the country relevant to the function is required.

Experience: A minimum of three years of experience working in an office environment or assisting in field research is required.

Experience working or volunteering for a non-governmental organization and experience traveling to Rwanda or the Great Lakes region are required.Related Skills and Knowledge:

Knowledge of political and human rights developments in Rwanda and the Great Lakes region is required.

Ability to multi-task effectively and work under pressure with strong planning and organizing skills are required.

Strong interpersonal and team-building skills in order to work collaboratively with local HRW staff, other HRW colleagues and external partners are required.

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French are required.

Strong initiative and the capacity to think creatively and strategically are required.

Ability to make sound decisions consistent with functions is required.Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits.
Please use “Assistant Researcher Ref: AFR-15-1048” as the subject of your email.
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.
Contact:
Please apply immediately by emailing a letter of interest describing your experience, curriculum vitae, contact details for three references, and a brief writing sample (unedited by others) to wrd@hrw.org., 15th July 2015
Only complete applications will be reviewed and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and, in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.
Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.