Human Rights Watch is an American-founded international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.

Responsibilities:

Develop and implement a research and advocacy agenda that focuses on improving respect for the human rights of LGBT people in Africa;
Monitor and document human rights practices by conducting fact-finding missions and collecting and analyzing information from a wide variety of sources including governments, local media, NGOs, journalists, diplomats, security forces and others in the field;
Write and publicize reports, briefing papers, letters, news releases, op-eds, dispatches, and submissions to international bodies based on the findings of your research;
Develop and implement local, regional, and international strategies to change abusive laws, policies, and practices;
Present human rights concerns to government officials, opinion leaders, inter-governmental agencies, and the media;
Respond promptly to queries from the media, public, and colleagues in the human rights community;
Work closely with colleague non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local and regional human rights organizations to ensure that HRW’s work complements and enhances their own work;
Liaise effectively with HRW staff located in multiple locations throughout the world to ensure effective coordination and delivery of activities;
Deliver outputs in a timely manner and being consistent with the agreed strategy and priorities of the LGBT rights program and the Africa Division;
Assist the LGBT Rights Program and the Development and Outreach Department in conducting fundraising;
Travel domestically and internationally, as required, in order to carry out research and advocacy;
Work flexible hours as needed to accommodate developing and urgent events; and
Carry out any other duties as required.

Requirements

Qualifications:

Education: An advanced (graduate) degree in international relations, journalism, law, African studies or social sciences, or equivalent experience in human rights or related work, is required.
Experience: A minimum of three (3) years of directly-related experience working on human rights, with a demonstrable knowledge of LGBT rights, is required.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English is required. Fluency in French is highly desirable.
Ability to identify, prioritize, research, analyze and effectively communicate important human rights developments on LGBT rights issues in a timely and sophisticated fashion is required.
Ability and sensitivity to conduct interviews with a wide range of people, including victims of abuse, witnesses, and government officials, are required.
Ability to develop and implement realistic and effective local and international advocacy strategies and tactics in order to identify and seize advocacy opportunities is required.
Strong initiative and follow-through, the capacity to think creatively and strategically, and the ability to work quickly and effectively under pressure with a broad range of people and as a part of a team are all required.
Ability to produce high-quality written material under tight deadlines, excellent editing skills, and a dynamic public speaking ability are all 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.
Knowledge of and experience working in international human rights and familiarity with international human rights law is highly desirable.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically about the global and local media environments and how to use the media and electronic media to further advocacy goals is strongly preferred.
Solid field research and documentation skills are highly desirable.