Job Title: Associate Director for Global Advocacy (Geneva)

Department: Global Advocacy

Center Background:  The Center for Reproductive Rights (the Center) is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights around the world. With offices in New York City, New York; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; Geneva, Switzerland; and Washington, D.C., the Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization changing law and policy throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States. Our 230+ diverse professionals are committed to advancing the Center’s human rights mission through game-changing litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work. This has powered the Center’s exceptional growth to an operating budget of over $50 million and won the respect of law firms in countries around the world, with an additional $29 million annually of donated legal services, representing the work of countless lawyers from more than 46 countries. 

The Center’s Strategic Plan sets a high mark for impact: By 2030, half of the world’s population will be living under stronger protections for reproductive rights than they are today. The Center has a track record of success to back up this ambitious goal. Since our founding in 1992, the Center has transformed how reproductive rights are understood and applied by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide on issues including maternal health, abortion, assisted reproduction, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies. Additionally, the Center has led the development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights and has built the legal capacity of women’s rights advocates in more than 65 countries and counting.

The Role: In consultation with the Vice President (VP) for Global Advocacy, the Associate Director for Global Advocacy (Geneva) will support progress towards the Center’s strategic goals by translating and ensuring proper application of the organization’s mission, vision, strategic plan, and program strategies at the United Nations and on UN-related issues in Geneva; providing oversight and strategic input to our UN advocacy and government and external relations work; and supporting the strong and integrated functioning of the Global Advocacy Team.

The Associate Director role is for a seasoned professional with expertise on advocacy, coalition-building, and multilateral political negotiation with extensive people and organizational management experience. The position reports directly to the VP for Global Advocacy and will supervise two Senior Global Advocacy Advisers, with the potential for more as the team grows, and work closely with staff across the organization in Government & External Relations, Programs, Communications, and Development. The position will be based within the Global Advocacy Team, which sits within the Government & External Relations Division. The position is based in the Center’s Geneva office.

The role will be based in the Center’s Geneva office, with international travel required. This role is in a hybrid model, working 3 days in the office and 2 days from home, and the AD will be required to be in person at the UN in Geneva, on a regular basis and as needed. 

Primary Responsibilities:

Supervision, Management, and Leadership

• Serve as part of the Global Advocacy department leadership team, including serving as an internal resource and thought partner to the VP;
• Represent the Global Advocacy Team in internal cross-organization processes as requested, and liaise with other departments in the Center as needed, including Government & External Relations, Programs, Communications, and Development;
• Supervise and provide guidance to Geneva-based Global Advocacy staff, including two Senior Global Advocacy Advisers, and identify and implement individual workplans, professional development, and performance plans;
• Assist with the supervision of fellows, interns, volunteers, and pro bono lawyers, as requested;
• Ensure that the VP is fully informed of all relevant projects and ensure alignment on institutional priorities and positions;
• Oversee recruitment and onboarding of Global Advocacy staff, as needed;
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as requested.

Advocacy and Strategy

• Lead and oversee the implementation of Geneva-focused aspects of the Center’s UN strategy;
• Support the VP with the implementation of the Center’s Strategic Plan and report effectively on opportunities and challenges;
• Develop overarching strategy for the Center’s engagement at the UN in Geneva, which raises the visibility and profile of the Center’s work with key policymakers, and provide strategic oversight of its implementation and evaluation at a high level of quality;
• Provide strategic input and support implementation of key departmental advocacy projects across New York and Geneva and in capitals;
• In collaboration with the VP, work with the Center’s Programs Division to identify opportunities for advocacy in collaboration with partner organizations and lead on development and implementation of annual joint workplans;
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders at the UN in Geneva, including permanent missions and other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), in order to promote collaboration on reproductive rights and related issues;
• Develop and oversee the development of advocacy strategies for defensive and proactive positioning of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) at the UN and on UN-related issues in Geneva, including monitoring the Anti-Gender Movement and devising counter and defense strategies; and
• Contribute to the development of, and provide review of, written materials on key and emerging reproductive rights issues, including publications and advocacy and communications materials, as well as internal and donor reporting.

Government and External Relations 

• Develop and strengthen the Center’s relationships with key governmental delegations in Geneva and in capitals and advocate for the inclusion of SRHR within initiatives at the international level;
• Support Center’s overarching bilateral engagement strategy, including via meetings in Capital;
• Position the Center, including the CEO, CPO, CGERO, VP for Global Advocacy and Regional VPs, with key policymakers and processes in Geneva;
• Assist with the oversight, planning, logistics, and implementation of events and gatherings in Geneva organized by the Center;
• Work closely with the VP and the Associate Director (New York) to strengthen relationships with key UN agencies, including by supporting the development and implementation of institutional memoranda of understanding (MOUs);
• Represent the Center at meetings and events as requested, including those requiring international travel;
• In consultation with the VP, represent the Center externally, including through participation in meetings and events, public speaking engagements, and serving as a spokesperson to the media, as required;
• Support the VP in fundraising efforts, as needed.

Qualifications: The successful candidate will be a seasoned professional with extensive work experience in advocacy, government, and external relations, complimented by extensive people and organizational management experience and exceptional networking and collaboration skills. They will be open-minded, possess strong listening skills, and communicate openly and effectively with staff and external stakeholders.

• 12+ years of related experience.
• 5+ years’ experience directly managing staff.
• 5+ years’ experience leading advocacy efforts at the UN or other multilateral bodies.
• Advanced degree in law, international relations, or related field.
• Strong commitment to the Center’s mission, purpose, and values. 
• Sophisticated understanding and direct experience working on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• Demonstrated experience working in strong collaboration with partners and in coalition with other organizations, across issues and geographies.
• Effective and persuasive communications and presentation skills, both written and verbal. 
• Ability to think strategically, to establish meaningful goals and strategic pathways grounded in an evidence-based practice model, to adjust course as needed, and to learn from failure as well as success.
• Sound judgment and strong analytical skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain close, collegial, effective working relationships with colleagues and partners of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Ability to work independently and manage own time with limited supervision.
• Outstanding coordination, with an ability to plan and manage multiple priorities on different timelines.
• Ability to learn quickly when confronting new issues and priorities.
• Ability to travel (20%).
• English fluency required; French proficiency preferred.

Don’t meet every single requirement? At the Center, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.  You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Leadership Competencies:

• Leading the Work (Strategy & Implementation): Generates new ideas, develops long-term objectives and strategies that align with institutional priorities, and translates them into actionable plans.
• Leading Others: Inspires commitment; develops and empowers staff; identifies and mentors the next generation of organization leaders; establishes results-oriented culture in teams.
• Leading by Personal Example: Models organizational values; takes action and is courageous; projects confidence and steadiness; learns from experience and is self-aware.
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Attracts, develops and retains a diverse team; recognizes the many dimensions of diversity and the particular harms of anti-Black racism and colonialism; considers equity in decisions and processes internally and externally; demonstrates inclusive leadership behaviors.

Compensation: This position’s annual salary is CHF 174,000.

Benefits:

• Flexibility: The Center currently operates in a hybrid model, allowing staff to work 3 days in the office and work 2 days from home
• Well-being: The Center offers resources to help prevent and recover from burnout through different programs that enable mental, physical and community well-being.  The Center offers generous leave including paid parental leave, personal days, vacation, and sick leave. We are also closed the last week of December to allow staff to spend time with their loved ones.
• Growth: You will be working with and learning from some of the top legal and operational minds, all passionate about the mission of advancing reproductive rights around the world. You will also be eligible for a stipend to use towards professional growth.
• Global: You will get a front-row seat to update on the fight for reproductive rights in the global space. You will also have access to Employee Resource Groups to connect to colleagues that share similar interests/backgrounds/views.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Center is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage people from all communities to apply. If you are excited about this role and unsure about whether your past experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Our hiring processes and our work culture offer support and flexibility for staff with a variety of needs. Should you face an accessibility barrier in the application and interview process please let us know by contacting [email protected]. We will work with you to provide the accommodation that works best for you. 

To learn more about the Center’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), please visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Center for Reproductive Rights

Learn more about the Center for Reproductive Rights, go to  www.reproductiverights.org

How to Apply: Please complete the application below to apply. A cover letter and resume must be included in your application. Please include these application materials as attachments.

Please note that all genuine Center openings must be applied through the Center website. The Center does not charge a fee at any stage in the recruitment process (application, interviews, or selection). Nor does it request any medical examinations or bank account information as part of this process. If someone contacts, you on behalf of the Center requesting payment for your application please notify [email protected] before taking any further action.

Our hiring processes and our work culture offer support and flexibility for staff with a variety of needs. Should you face an accessibility barrier in the application and interview process please let us know by contacting [email protected]. We will work with you to provide the accommodation that works best for you.

Deadline for applications: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. 

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