Associate, Advocacy and Program

FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY

ASSOCIATE

Advocacy and Program Departments

Toronto Office

Application Deadline: 6 September 2022

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeking an Associate to provide administrative, research and organizational assistance to the Advocacy and Program Departments. This is a full-time based in the Toronto office or working remotely in Ottawa. Approximately 75% (30 hours per week) of the Associate’s time will be devoted to the Advocacy Department, and 25% (10 hours per week) will support the Program Department’s Health team, which currently consists of a Special Health Advisor and two part-time researchers. This position reports to the Canada Director in the Advocacy Department and the Special Health Advisor in the Program Department. HRW anticipates that the successful candidate will begin in October 2022.

Due to COVID-19, many of our global offices are operating in reduced capacities. The successful candidate may be required to work remotely as local mandates necessitate. We recognize that this moment, during the pandemic, is a uniquely difficult time for most people, particularly those with caregiving responsibilities, and we aim to be as flexible and supportive as possible in both the recruitment for and onboarding of this position.

Responsibilities:

1. Provide day-to-day administrative support to the Canada Director and Health team, including taking meeting minutes; proofreading and formatting advocacy documents and publications; and coding materials for the website;

2. Schedule meetings, make travel arrangements and process expenses for the Canada Director and the Special Health Advisor;

3. Conduct background research to support country or issue specific advocacy and research efforts by HRW, as identified by the Canada Director and the Health team. This may involve technical, legal, and historical research relying mainly on online sources;

4. Monitor and track key developments in Ottawa, official statements and events as well as relevant targeted developments in a few select areas at the United Nations; identify relevant advocacy opportunities; and relay information back to staff across the organization;

5. Maintain, update, and expand Canadian government and media contact database and support outreach to officials and relevant entities, as needed;

6. Assist with preparing, drafting, proofreading, editing, formatting, and/or distributing materials such as news releases, reports, tables, charts, briefing papers, op‑eds, publications and text and image web content and managing translations;

7. Maintain communication among HRW offices, global staff, and external partners to ensure effective coordination, handover and completion of time-sensitive tasks across time-zones;

8. Assist with recruiting division staff, as needed; and

9. Carry out other duties as required.

Qualifications:

Education: A bachelor’s degree in international studies, social science, political science, or a related field, or equivalent work experience, is required.

Experience: A minimum of one year of relevant work/research experience is required.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

1. Ability to find and extract relevant information from multiple sources and present it in a clear and logical manner is required. Experience doing online desk research on human rights issues is an asset.

2. Good analytical skills and the ability to solve problems creatively are required.

3. Strong interpersonal and organizational skills and the ability to work well under pressure while juggling multiple tasks simultaneously are required.

4. Ability to function as a member of a team with staff in multiple locations.

5. Ability to maintain confidentiality is required.

6. Great oral and written communications skills in English are required. Proficiency in oral and written French is an asset.

Other: Applicants for this role must possess valid Canadian work authorization.

Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits.

How to Apply: Please apply immediately or by 6 September 2022, by visiting our online job portal at careers.hrw.org and attaching a letter of interest and resume/CV. No calls or email inquiries, please. Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application submission, or if you require a disability-related accommodation to submit your application or participate in our interview process, please email [email protected]. Due to the large response, application submissions via email will not be accepted and inquiries regarding the status of applications will go unanswered.

Human Rights Watch is strong because it is diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Human Rights Watch does not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of socio-economic backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer.

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.