LEGAL COORDINATOR , Human Rights Watch

COORDINATOR
Legal Department
(New York Office)
Application Deadline: May 18, 2012

Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking a Coordinator to provide administrative assistance to its Legal Department. The Legal department at HRW, consisting of the Legal & Policy Office and the General Counsel’s (GC) Office, oversees all matters relating to law and policy in the organization's work. The Coordinator supports a team of lawyers who review reports and media releases, formulate policy, and supervise all other legal needs of the organization.This position reports to the Legal and Policy Director and the General Counsel and also supports other members of the Legal Department.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Managing the flow of materials reviewed by the Legal & Policy Office involving daily back-and-forth with HRW staff members to address timing, delays, rerouting, and status;

2. Soliciting information and coordinating with divisions on HRW reports (vetting schedule, release date, etc.);

3. Acting as the first point of contact and managing the flow of assignments for GC staff, ensuring they are handled in a timely fashion;

4. Acting as a liaison with a network of external and pro-bono counsel;

5. Managing recruitment and onboarding of new staff and interns;

6. Acting as paralegal and pro-bono counsel liaison for all litigation matters;

7. Compiling and submitting necessary documentation to establish HRW, Inc. subsidiaries and affiliates, including HRW’s world-wide trademark applications, and managing a central repository for corporate documentation;

8. Coordinating work with the part-time GC Associate;

9. Maintaining a legal library and a filing system;

10. Scheduling, making travel arrangements and preparing for and taking minutes at meetings and training sessions;

11. Editing, formatting and proofreading documents and assisting with research;

12. Recording departmental finances;

13. Word processing; photocopying; filing; faxing; answering phones; processing incoming mail; and

14. Carrying out other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in international relations, social sciences or a related field is required.

Experience: Minimum 2 to 3 years of relevant work experience.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

1. Prior office/administration experience, attention to detail, and strong organizational skills are required.

2. Ability to prioritize tasks with minimal supervision and work independently are required, as is ability to show tact, diplomacy, and maturity in dealing with colleagues at all levels of the organization.

3. Ability to work well under pressure while juggling multiple tasks simultaneously is required.

4. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required; proficiency in another language is desirable.

5. Strong interest in human rights and international law is preferred.

6. Proficiency in computer packages including MS Office applications in required.

Other: Applicants for this position must possess current US work authorization valid for a minimum of two years from start date.

Salary and Benefits: Salary range starts at $42,267. Human Rights Watch offers comprehensive employer-paid benefits, including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, an outstanding retirement savings plan and twenty (20) days vacation per year.

Contact: Please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a brief writing sample (unedited by others), and contact information for three references to legaljobs@hrw.org. Please use “Coordinator REF LGL-12-1020-A” as the subject of your email.

Only complete applications will be reviewed and only qualified candidates will be contacted.

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.