Position Overview
The International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School seeks an experienced practitioner for a consultancy to support an exciting new women’s leadership initiative. The purpose of this new initiative is to innovate and experiment with programming and training that: (1) better prepares women graduates of our Clinic to become successful leaders in human rights, thereby increasing the share of leadership positions in human rights that are occupied by women, and (2) better prepares all graduates of our Clinic to engage with tough questions and conversations around gender, equity, and leadership in the workplace.
Although the Clinic has historically worked on numerous women’s rights issues, we have not grappled with how to best develop our own students into leaders who can advance workplace equity and improve workplace culture. This initiative will examine the role of women as leaders in the human rights movement to date—both their successes and challenges—and will also seek to build students’ leadership skills, support the Clinic as an environment that nurtures women’s achievement, and engage human rights organizations and institutions to better enable women to fulfill their potential.
Working in collaboration with one of the Clinic’s directors, the consultant will help develop, facilitate, and manage a project with three initial goals:
To better understand the roles that women, as leaders, have played in the human rights movement and in human rights organizations and institutions, identifying key successes, obstacles, and opportunities to promote more women leaders.
To develop teaching and training materials that can be used within our Clinic to better prepare women students to become leaders within human rights, and to better prepare all students to engage with tough questions and conversations around equality, gender, culture, and leadership within the workplace.
To prepare for a Spring 2020 conference that will bring together a diverse group of women leaders in human rights to discuss leadership styles and approaches, successes and challenges as leaders, goals and strategies for raising up more women leaders, and approaches to achieving change going forward. The conference is intended to produce a vision and concrete agenda for cultivating more women leaders in the human rights arena, and may result in additional projects to be implemented by the Clinic and its partners, and/or in an edited volume that collects perspectives and insights on women’s leadership in human rights.
Experience, Skills & Qualifications
At least three years of work experience related to women’s leadership, equality, and gender, ideally with a link to human rights and/or legal education. Exceptional junior candidates will be considered if they have a proven track record.
Excellent organizational and project management skills, with experience planning, managing, and coordinating complex projects, and working independently to advance agendas.
Outstanding interpersonal skills, experience developing and building networks, and the ability to interact with different stakeholders and audiences, including law students and human rights professionals.
Exceptional research abilities, as well as oral and written communication skills, including drafting memoranda and briefing papers.
An advanced degree in a relevant field is strongly preferred. However, relevant lived and work experience is highly valued.
Application Process
Submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of at least three references to Kelsey Ryan at [email protected]. The application deadline is April 15, 2019, although applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. References will only be contacted after seeking the permission of short-listed candidates.
The International Human Rights Clinic does not discriminate in its hiring practices. We seek a diverse applicant pool and strongly encourage people of color, women, and LGBTQ people to apply.