Sr. Staff Attorney, Civic Space

Sr. Staff Attorney, Civic Space

International Advocacy & Litigation Department

Reporting to: VP of Int’l Advocacy & Litigation

Full-Time, Exempt

Location: Washington, D.C. (Hybrid, 2-3 days a week in-office)

Salary Range: $95,000-$100,000

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights seeks a Senior Staff Attorney in the International Advocacy & Litigation program to coordinate and support the organization’s work in partnership with human rights defenders to protect civic space, especially freedom of expression, through advocacy, strategic litigation, and technical assistance. The Senior Attorney will work closely with the VP of International Advocacy and Litigation to coordinate the global portfolio on the protection of civic space.

Job Responsibilities:

• Organize and coordinate global civic space advocacy and litigation work, including coalitions, interregional litigation, and amicus efforts; work with local experts and NGOs to assist in implementing these strategies; and plan capacity-building and training events to enhance their legal and advocacy capacity;
• Lead and develop special civic space-related initiatives, including the Civic Space Case-Tracker and mobilization efforts;
• Develop original analysis, writing, and publicizing reports, legal and policy guidance, briefing papers, letters, news releases, op-eds, and submissions to regional and international bodies, as well as presenting human rights concerns and other advocacy before government officials, opinion leaders, inter-governmental agencies, and in the media;
• Support coordination and management of Staff Attorneys and legal fellows on projects, including organizing and prioritizing workload and workflow, and providing general coordination and supervision of assignments;
• Serve on various committees, ad hoc working groups, and task forces, as required, as well as promote the work of RFKHR and represent the organization at meetings, conferences, seminars, etc;
• Support with the organization’s fundraising efforts alongside our Development team, including proposal writing, donor identification and cultivation, and grant reporting;
• Travel domestically and internationally up to one or two weeks at a time, several times a year;
• Identify and execute ways to achieve shared impact across other RFKHR programs, to mobilize RFKHR stakeholders in support of the work, and to increase the visibility of RFKHR and our work before the general public;
• Working flexible hours as needed to accommodate developing and urgent events;
• Do your part in keeping our operations running smoothly - tracking your hours and submitting timecards in a timely manner; and
• Carrying out any additional duties as required.

Supervisor Responsibilities:

• Participate in the recruitment, hiring, and training of department staff.
• Advocate for and support direct reports' decision-making and innovation within the program and collaboration across the organization.
• Provide feedback and guidance to help team members successfully understand and align their individual goals with program and organizational goals and strategies.
• Provide constructive and timely performance evaluations for team members.
• Successfully align programmatic goals across the organization with RFK Human Rights’ strategic priorities.
• Advocate for additional resources, staff capacity, or training needed for team success in discussion with the VP of Int’l Advocacy & Litigation.

Qualifications:

• Completed J.D. or foreign equivalent required;
• At least 7 years of experience working in the human rights space, specifically on issues related to civic space and especially on freedom of expression (through advocacy and/or litigation);
• Authorization to work in the United States required;
• Fluency in English and Spanish is required;
• Demonstrated Advocacy experience (e.g. US foreign policy, intergovernmental bodies, and/or public-facing campaigns);
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to one or two weeks at a time, several times a year;
• Experience supporting team fundraising efforts, including proposal writing, donor identification and cultivation, and grant reporting;
• Strong field research and documentation skills;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to develop and implement realistic and effective local & international advocacy strategies;
• Strong initiative and follow-through, the capacity to think creatively to identify advocacy opportunities for increased impact beyond assigned tasks;
• Excellent writing and editing skills;
• Comfort and demonstrated experience with public speaking, speaking with the press, and holding presentations;
• Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively across cultural dynamics within Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights as well as with clients, local partners, government officials, and media partners;
• Attention to detail, you’re able to scope out errors and proactively fix mistakes;
• Time management, you have the ability to produce high-quality written material under tight deadlines;
• High level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential information;
• Innovative thinking, a willingness to voice opinions, and a strong work ethic are essential;
• Teamwork, you are able to build positive relationships with your colleagues and are willing to help others;
• Inclusive, you are excited to work with colleagues with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives from your own.

Preferred but not required qualifications:

• Human rights litigation experience before domestic courts and/or regional or universal human rights bodies;
• Demonstrated experience strategizing global and local media environments and using standard media and electronic media to further advocacy goals;
• Additional language skills other than English and Spanish.

Benefits and other Perks:

• We value your health: RFK Human Rights covers 100% of individual-only costs of our platinum medical, dental, vision benefits and subsidizes the cost for dependent coverage and alternative medical plan options;
• We understand the importance of financial planning and saving. We provide:
  • An automatic contribution of 7% of your salary after your first year of employment;
  • A College Saveup/Loan PayDown program with an automatic $200/monthly contribution for any current loans or future loans;
  • An automatic monthly cell phone & internet speed stipend of $125/monthly to offset any phone & internet expenses;
• We value your growth: RFK Human Rights provides a $1,000 annual professional development stipend to all full-time staff to use towards courses, conferences, or training that will further your professional learning and development. We also provide seven professional development days to complete these courses.
• Flexibility and independence to help manage your work and home life: We have a hybrid office model where staffers come into the office 2-3 times a week.
  • Employees receive a $1,000 benefits card each calendar year to use at your discretion towards food and home & life purchases.
  • You also receive a one-time $500 remote supplies fund that staffers can use at their discretion to have work-from-home space that is comfortable & workable when you need it.
  • We hold weekly Summer Fridays between Memorial Day to Labor Day where our offices close half day each Friday so you can enjoy some extra long weekends.
• We love to celebrate human rights advocates and our hard work! We do so by hosting award ceremonies, galas, summer outings, holiday parties, potlucks, staff retreats, and spur-of-the-moment social outings.