* Please review the minimum requirements listed here below. All candidates must meet these minimum requirements before applying for particular posts.

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

Women's Rights Advocate/Researcher for Europe and Central Asia

Brussels, Belgium or London, United Kingdom

Full Time Position Available in the Women's Rights Division

Deadline for Applications: May 31, 2008

Human Rights Watch ("HRW") seeks an experienced professional to undertake advocacy on global women's human rights issues with European institutions and countries and conduct research and advocacy on women's rights in Europe and Central Asia.

Description

The Advocate/Researcher will report to the Executive Director of the Women's Rights Division of HRW and will work closely with the Division's Advocacy Director and other HRW advocates. She or he will be based in our Brussels or London office. This is a three-year position.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• undertaking advocacy to transform HRW's women's rights reports on countries around the world into concrete improvements in policies and practices by influencing and enlisting the support of European institutions, governments in the region, the private sector and the general public
• carrying out fact-finding research to investigate and document human rights abuses against women in Europe and Central Asia
• monitoring legal and policy developments in the region applicable to women's human rights both globally and in Europe and Central Asia
• writing and publicizing reports, letters, press releases, op-eds, short articles, web materials, and submissions to regional and international bodies
• acting as a media spokesperson on global women's human rights issues with European press
• providing advice to other staff on advocacy opportunities and strategies for engaging European institutions on women's human rights globally
• building alliances with other advocacy groups based in Europe and Central Asia working to further the rights of women and ensuring that HRW's work complements and enhances theirs.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

• at least five years of directly related post-graduate experience working on women's human rights in Europe and Central Asia, both at a national and a regional level
• experience living in the region(s)
• extensive knowledge of and experience with European institutions, including the European Union and Council of Europe
• deep knowledge of international human rights law and European regional legal standards and policies
• demonstrated ability to advocate effectively at all levels with regard to a wide range of topics, including experience with face-to-face advocacy with high-level policymakers in European institutions and capitals
• ability to travel frequently and at short notice from several days to three or more weeks at a time, potentially amounting to approximately half of the successful candidate's work time
• strong field research and documentation skills
• ability to produce excellent, polished written material under tight deadlines
• dynamic oral communication skills
• experience working with the media
• keen political judgment
• ability to think analytically, creatively and strategically
• strong organizational skills, initiative and follow-through, ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure and juggle multiple tasks, and ability to be collegial and team-oriented yet able to work independently
• an advanced (graduate) degree in international relations, journalism, law, women's studies, social sciences or a related field
• fluency in written and spoken English and French is required: knowledge of Russian or other languages spoken in the region is a plus.

Salary and Benefits

HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and generous employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation expenses and will assist employees in obtaining necessary regional work authorization, if required. Citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply.

To Apply

PLEASE APPLY BY MAY 31, 2008 (no calls or e-mail inquiries please) by emailing in a single submission: a letter of interest describing your experience, your resume, names or letters of reference and a brief writing sample (unedited by others) no later than May 31, 2008 to wrd@hrw.org. Please use "Application for WRD Advocate/Researcher for ECA" as the subject of your email. Only complete applications will be reviewed. It is preferred that all materials be submitted via email.

If emailing is not possible, send materials (please do not split a submission between email and regular post) to:

Human Rights Watch

Attn: Search Committee (WRD Advocate/Researcher for Europe and Central Asia)

350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor

New York, NY 10118-3299 USA

Fax: (212) 736-1300

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 governments and international institutions.