Sr. Staff Attorney, Civic Space

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 107,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Professional development

Gen & legal resources

Travel opportunities

Job summary

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights in Washington, DC, seeks a Senior Staff Attorney for the International Advocacy & Litigation program.

The role coordinates global civic space advocacy and litigation, working with defenders to protect rights to expression, association and assembly. The Senior Staff Attorney collaborates with the VP to manage international portfolios, develop legal analyses, and contribute to policy guidance and reports.

Qualifications

• Completed J.D. or foreign equivalent required.
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in human rights, with civic space focus.
• Authorization to work in the United States required.
• Fluency in English and Spanish required.
• Experience in advocacy or litigation at national/international level.
• Strategic litigation and/or advocacy experience with communities and partners.
• Strong writing, editing, and public speaking skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Commitment to inclusive workplace and collaboration across diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Organize and coordinate global civic space advocacy and litigation work with coalitions and NGOs.
• Lead civic space initiatives like the Civic Space Case-Tracker and mobilization efforts.
• Develop reports, policy guidance, briefing papers, and submissions to international bodies.
• Coordinate staff attorneys and fellows, prioritizing workload and supervision.
• Support fundraising, including proposal writing and donor cultivation.
• Travel domestically and internationally up to 1–2 weeks several times a year.
• Represent KHRC at meetings, conferences, and in media when needed.
• Align program goals with organizational strategy and secure necessary resources.

Skills

Advocacy strategy

Public speaking

Legal research

Writing & editing

Fundraising experience

Collaboration

Time management

Attention to detail

Diversity & inclusion

Independent worker

Education

JD or foreign equivalent

Job description

International Advocacy & Litigation Department
Reporting to: VP of Int’l Advocacy & Litigation
Full-Time, Exempt
Location: Washington, D.C. (Hybrid, 2-3 days a week in-office)
Salary Range: $100,000 – $107,000

Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center (KHRC) seeks a Senior Staff Attorney in the International Advocacy & Litigation program to coordinate and support the organization’s work in partnership with human rights defenders to protect civic space, including the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, through advocacy, strategic litigation, and technical assistance. The Senior Staff Attorney will work closely with the VP of International Advocacy and Litigation to coordinate the global portfolio on the protection of civic space.

Department:

Our team of lawyers and issue experts collaborate with partners worldwide to create lasting legal change. Through legal advocacy, we have freed political prisoners, defended the rule of law, strengthened international legal standards, and amplified the voices of human rights defenders in the United States and abroad. We present the annual RFK Human Rights Award, which recognizes a courageous individual whose activism embodies Robert F. Kennedy’s belief that every individual can make a difference.

Job Responsibilities:

• Organize and coordinate global civic space advocacy and litigation work, including coalitions, interregional litigation, and amicus efforts; work with local experts and NGOs to assist in implementing these strategies; and plan capacity-building and training events to enhance their legal and advocacy capacity;
• Lead and develop special civic space-related initiatives, including the Civic Space Case-Tracker and other mobilization efforts;
• Develop original analysis, writing, and publicizing reports, legal and policy guidance, briefing papers, letters, news releases, op-eds, and submissions to regional and international bodies, as well as presenting human rights concerns and other advocacy before government officials, opinion leaders, inter-governmental agencies, and in the media;
• Support coordination and management of Staff Attorneys and legal fellows on projects, including organizing and prioritizing workload and workflow, and providing general coordination and supervision of assignments;
• Serve on various committees, ad hoc working groups, and task forces, as required, as well as promote the work of KHRC and represent the organization at meetings, conferences, seminars, etc.;
• Support the organization’s fundraising efforts alongside our Development team, including proposal writing, donor identification and cultivation, and grant reporting;
• Travel domestically and internationally up to one or two weeks at a time, several times a year;
• Identify and execute ways to achieve shared impact across other KHRC programs, to mobilize stakeholders in support of the work, and to increase the visibility of KHRC and our work before the general public;
• Working flexible hours as needed to accommodate developing and urgent events;
• Do your part in keeping our operations running smoothly – tracking your hours and submitting timecards in a timely manner; and
• Carrying out any additional duties as required.
• Participate in recruiting, hiring, and training department staff.
• Advocate for and support direct reports’ decision-making and innovation within the program and collaboration across the organization.
• Provide feedback and guidance to help team members successfully understand and align their individual goals with program and organizational goals and strategies.
• Provide constructive and timely performance evaluations for team members.
• Successfully align programmatic goals across the organization with RFK Human Rights’ strategic priorities.
• Advocate for additional resources, staff capacity, or training needed for team success in discussion with the VP of Int’l Advocacy & Litigation.

Qualifications:

• Completed J.D. or foreign equivalent required.
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in the human rights field, with substantial experience working on civic space issues, specifically on issues, including through advocacy and/or litigation).
• Authorization to work in the United States required.
• Fluency in English and Spanish is required.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing advocacy initiatives at the national and/or international level, including engagement with government officials, intergovernmental bodies, and/or public-facing campaigns.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic litigation and/or advocacy initiatives in collaboration with affected communities, clients, and local partners.
• Strong field research, fact-finding, legal research and documentation skills.
• Excellent legal and analytical writing and editing skills, including the ability to produce high-quality written materials under tight deadlines.
• Demonstrated experience with public speaking, presentations, media engagement, and communicating complex human rights issues to diverse audiences.
• Experience supporting fundraising efforts, including proposal writing, donor identification and cultivation, and grant reporting.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to develop and implement realistic and effective local & international advocacy strategies; .
• Innovative and strategic thinking, strong follow-through, intellectual curiosity, willingness to contribute ideas and perspectives, and a strong work ethic.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to identify and proactively address errors, gaps, and potential challenges.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace and working effectively with colleagues and partners from diverse backgrounds, experiences, cultures, and perspectives.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to one or two weeks at a time, several times a year.

Preferred but not required qualifications:

• Direct human rights litigation experience before domestic courts and/or regional or universal human rights bodies;
• Demonstrated experience strategizing global and local media environments and using standard media and electronic media to further advocacy goals;
• Additional language skills other than English and Spanish.

Benefits and other Perks:

• We value your health: KHRC covers 100% of individual-only costs of our platinum medical, dental, vision benefits and subsidizes the cost for dependent coverage and alternative medical plan options;
• We understand the importance of financial planning and saving. We provide:
  • An automatic contribution of 7% of your salary after your first year of employment;
  • A College Saveup/Loan PayDown program with an automatic $200/monthly contribution for any current loans or future loans;
  • An automatic monthly cell phone & internet speed stipend of $125/monthly to offset any phone & internet expenses;
• We value your growth: KHRC provides a $1,000 annual professional development stipend to all full-time staff to use towards courses, conferences, or training that will further your professional learning and development. We also provide seven professional development days to complete these courses.
• Flexibility and independence to help manage your work and home life: We have a hybrid office model where staffers come into the office 2-3 times a week.
  • Employees receive a $1,000 benefits card each calendar year to use at your discretion toward food and home & life purchases.
  • You also receive a one-time $500 remote supplies fund that staffers can use at their discretion to have a work-from-home space that is comfortable & workable when you need it.
  • We hold weekly Summer Fridays between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when our offices close for a half day each Friday so you can enjoy some extra long weekends.
• We love to celebrate human rights advocates and our hard work! We do so by hosting award ceremonies, galas, summer outings, holiday parties, potlucks, staff retreats, and spur-of-the-moment social outings.

Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center is an equal opportunity employer and believes we are stronger and more effective by working internally and externally with people of all abilities, diverse backgrounds, and a range of perspectives, particularly those who have historically been marginalized or underrepresented. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We do not discriminate in our hiring practices. To build the strongest possible workforce, we actively seek a diverse applicant pool. If you need an accommodation at any time during the application and hiring process, please email your request to [e-mail] with the subject line "Accommodation Request". Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Having documents in alternate formats or read aloud
• Having interviews in a more accessible location/format