Hi everyone, I wanted to circulate this wonderful opportunity to lead the new Legal Empowerment Fund. The establishment of this fund is a dream come true and is the result of endless hours and efforts by so many in this community - I am deeply grateful to all who have made the case for legal empowerment, demonstrated its value and convinced donors that our field is worth investing in over the long term. Now comes the hard part of getting the right leader to take forward the mission of the Fund. Please share this Legal Empowerment Director Job Description with any rock stars you know and encourage them to apply, candidates from the “Global South” are being especially encouraged to apply. The team at the Fund for Global Human Rights are the ones hiring for the role and will house the Legal Empowerment Fund. The application deadline has been updated to Feb 28th for those interested in applying - but will remain open until filled - FGHR is hoping to get someone in post ASAP so we can get the fund up and running in Q2/3 this year. I do hope that someone amazing will take up this vital post for our movement
Director of Legal Empowerment Fund (Remote)
Programs · Washington, District of Columbia
About the Fund for Global Human Rights
The Fund for Global Human Rights is a leading supporter of on-the-ground human rights groups around the world. Dedicated to resourcing the most effective human rights organizations in regions from Latin America to Africa to Southeast Asia, the Fund for Global Human Rights offers grants and facilitates technical support to ensure the long-term effectiveness and viability of front-line groups working in challenging conditions with scant resources.
As an employer, we are deeply committed to the overall well-being of our staff. We offer 100 percent employer paid health benefits, generous paid leave, and flexible working options designed to meet the diverse needs of our globally based team members. For more information, please visit www.globalhumanrights.org.
To apply for this job, please visit globalhumanrights.org. The position does not need to be based in the Fund’s Washington or London offices, and the successful applicant may work remotely. We especially encourage applications from candidates based in the Global South.
About the Legal Empowerment Fund
According to a 2019 World Justice Project assessment, 5.1 billion people—approximately two-thirds of the global population—cannot obtain redress for civil, administrative, or criminal justice problems. These people and communities are also excluded from the opportunities the law provides and often live in conditions of extreme injustice. This gap perpetuates inequality, prevents the realization of human rights, and undermines institutions that offer people the legal protections to which they are duly entitled. Our aim in creating the Legal Empowerment Fund is to marshal the resources necessary to empower community groups—those best placed to advocate on behalf of local residents—and to build pathways by which people neglected by the law are able to secure its protection.
With seed funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the initiative will support frontline legal empowerment efforts to address the inadequate legal protections and lack of access to justice that deny people, and particularly the world’s most marginalized communities, the ability to exercise their rights and access government services. Our goal is to raise $100 million over ten years to:
- grant renewable, core funding to frontline organizations deploying legal empowerment strategies to provide the flexibility to adapt to emerging threats and opportunities;
- enable experimentation and learning and build the capacity of frontline organizations and networks; and
- build and strengthen the legal empowerment field, including by bringing in new donors and coordinating a legal empowerment alliance of bilateral donors, private foundations, and advocates.
About this Position
The Fund seeks a highly qualified, entrepreneurial applicant to develop, launch, lead and expand this initiative to fund legal empowerment efforts and build the legal empowerment field. The Director will recruit a team to implement the initiative, develop and sustain relationships with current and new funders, and collaborate with stakeholders in the legal empowerment field—including partner organizations and frontline activists—to set strategic directions and criteria for the Legal Empowerment Fund. This is a new position that will report to the Vice President for Programs.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop strategic directions and criteria of the Legal Empowerment Fund (LEF)
- Working with a steering committee comprised of donors, partners, and frontline legal empowerment organizations, develop the strategic framework for the LEF, including initial geographic and thematic priorities for grant-making and technical assistance
- Building on the Fund’s approach and processes, develop grant-making criteria and eligibility guidelines for grant recipients, in line with the strategic framework for the initiative
- Recruit a grants committee comprised of frontline activists to review and approve grant recommendations through a participatory grant-making model
Build and direct the LEF team and ensure coordination with existing program staff and other departments
- Work with Human Resources to recruit LEF-specific staff positions
- Manage and develop the LEF program staff to ensure strong performance, professional development, and collegial teamwork
- Collaborate with the Fund’s program officers and consultants to identify needs and opportunities for grant-making and technical assistance across the Fund’s five focus regions and beyond
- Ensure effective coordination and collaboration with departments across the Fund that will support the LEF, including Grants Management, Communications, Development, and IT
Lead fundraising and financial management of the LEF
- Working with the finance team, prepare and manage the LEF grant-making and expense budgets
- Identify, cultivate and secure new sources of support for the LEF, in collaboration with the Strategic Partnerships team and founding donors
- Contribute to proposals, reports, and other written development content
Develop and lead the LEF’s learning agenda, field building, and thought leadership
- With Fund for Global Human Rights Learning and Assessment staff and partner organizations, develop and implement a learning agenda and assessment methodologies to share best practices and build an evidence base for legal empowerment strategies
- Develop and build a global alliance that engages a broad set of stakeholders committed to building the field of legal empowerment, including private foundations, international organizations, frontline groups, and bilateral donors to create and implement common strategies
- Partner with the Communications team to provide thought leadership on approaches to and practices in legal empowerment among funders, bilateral donors, grantees, and other constituencies
Qualifications
Candidates should demonstrate the following range of skills, experience, and qualities:
- 10+ years of experience in human rights, legal empowerment, or related field
- Expert knowledge of legal empowerment strategies and deep familiarity with the needs of frontline organizations employing these strategies
- Demonstrated success in fundraising; experience securing resources from bilateral donors preferred
- Familiarity with nonprofit management and institutional development; experience in an international grant-making organization or donor collaborative preferred
- Strong management skills and experience
- Entrepreneurial orientation and creative thinking
- Excellent interpersonal and intercultural skills
- Proven track record of excellent relationship development and management, both in-person and remotely
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Organized and able to manage multiple priorities simultaneously while producing excellent quality work
- Clear and concise written and oral communication skills
- Fluency in English required; ability to work in one or more of the following languages highly preferred: Spanish, French, Arabic, Hindi, Burmese, or Thai
- Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience required; Master’s or other graduate degree preferred
The Fund for Global Human Rights is an EOE/M/F/Disabled/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering and nurturing mission focused, collaborative and diverse workforce. The Fund aims to provide competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
Link to this job https://globalhumanrights.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=48