US MEDIA OFFICER, DOMESTIC ISSUES - Human Rights Watch

Application Deadline: May 28, 2012

Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking a United States (“US”) Media Officeron Domestic Issues for its US Program. The US Media Officer will work to ensure more extensive media coverage of HRW’s domestic policy work (focused on immigration, criminal justice and national security issues). The US Media Officer will report to the Director of the US Program and the Communications Director.

Responsibilities:

1. Oversee and help to create all media-related output of the US Program;

2. Cultivate new and broaden current relationships with key national, regional and local media outlets (including print, broadcast and online media) in order to ensure and enhance coverage of the US Program’s work;

3. Provide communications support for advocacy efforts seeking to influence US decision makers at the federal, state, and local levels;

4. Help shape domestic public opinion on the role of human rights in US domestic policies, particularly focused on criminal justice and immigration policy;

5. Help determine the best messages, the right audiences and the most effective ways to raise awareness about serious human rights violations occurring inside the United States;

6. Develop strategies for reaching a broader stratum of US society beyond traditional advocacy targets, including opinion leaders outside Washington, DC, faith-based groups, immigrant networks, and other grassroots organizations;

7. Write, produce, and edit news releases, op-eds, articles, and blogs and work with HRW’s Multimedia team to produce audio commentaries, photographs, and video;

8. Work with Program staff to pursue strategic use of social and online media tools;

9. Work with HRW’s Web team to present the US Program’s work online in a strategic and effective manner;

10. Respond promptly to queries from the media, public, and colleagues in the human rights community and take initiative to project concerns in public debate;

11. Be prepared and willing to work flexible hours to accommodate developing and urgent events;

12. Travel domestically and overseas, as required;

13. Deliver outputs in a timely manner and be consistent with the agreed strategy and priorities of the US Program;

14. Help set priorities for the US Program’s research and advocacy efforts; and

15. Carry out any other duties as required.

Qualifications:

Education: A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, or a field related to US domestic policy is required. An advanced (graduate) degree is preferred. A law degree is a plus.

Experience: Minimum five years of experience in public relations, communications strategy development, US political campaigns, other media advocacy work, or journalism, including substantive work experience using and managing online media and social networking tools. Knowledge of criminal and/or immigration law and policy is a plus.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

1. Proven track record of working with the media and enhancing working relationships is required.

2. Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively with HRW as well as with external media partners are required.

3. Strong initiative and follow-through, the capacity to think creatively and strategically, and a dynamic public speaking ability are required.

4. Ability to articulate human rights issues effectively and persuasively, particularly with people of differing perspectives and concerns is required.

5. 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 highly desirable.

6. Experience dealing with local and regional media in the US is highly desirable.

7. Experience working on US domestic policy is desirable.

8. Experience with public interest advocacy organizations or other non-profit/non-governmental organizationsis desirable.

9. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required. Proficiency in Spanish is a plus.

10. Ability to multi-task effectively, including having good planning and organizing skills and ability to work under pressure are required.

11. Knowledge of and experience working in international human rights and familiarity with international human rights law is desirable.

12. Ability to make sound decisions consistent with functions is required.

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

Contact: Please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, salary requirements, a brief writing sample (unedited by others), and contact information for three references to usprog_jobs@hrw.org. Please use “Media Officer Ref USP-12-1024-A” as the subject of your email. Please submit all documents in a single attachment.

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.

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 influential governments and international institutions.

The US Program of Human Rights Watch works to secure increased recognition of and respect for internationally recognized human rights in the United States. While there are many human rights problems in the US, we prioritize those that arise from the exercise of the coercive, penal, or custodial powers of the government, primarily those that affect the right to liberty, and the right to be free from discrimination as well as torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; and are experienced by persons who are particularly vulnerable because of their race, ethnicity, sexual identity, national origin, immigrant status, gender, age, socioeconomic status, or alleged or actual criminal conduct, and who are likely to have difficulty vindicating their rights through the political process or in the courts.