Officer, Board and Council Relations

FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY
OFFICER, BOARD AND COUNCIL RELATIONS
Development and Outreach Department
Location: New York
Application Deadline: September 3, 2025

The Development and Outreach Department of Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeking candidates for the position of Officer to support the governance of the HRW Board of Directors and provide administrative and project management assistance to the Board and Council Relations Office.

The Board of Directors is the highest governing body responsible for overseeing HRW and advancing the human rights cause around the world. The Human Rights Watch Council serves as a primary vehicle to connect HRW supporters to the human rights cause and consists of approximately 20 active city committees and over 30 cities engaged in Council activities.

The Board and Council Relations Officer will report to the Associate Director, Board Engagement within the Board and Council Relations Office and will be based in New York. Some occasional evening and weekend work will be required for events.

This is a hybrid role. The successful candidate is expected to work from the office 2-3 times a week.

Responsibilities:

      1. Serve as the main point of contact for Board member inquiries, including contact information, calendar, events and travel inquiries, and program materials;

      2. Manage day-to-day logistics for Board meetings, Board committee meetings, and other Board events:

   a) Set Board calendar in consultation with the Board Relations team, executive staff, and Board leadership;

   b) Conduct venue and accommodation research for Board meetings, trips and events;

   c) Draft invitation letters and liaise with external guests;

   d) Attend all Board meetings and selected committee meetings; record minutes at relevant meetings and track action items;

   e) Serve as the contact person with vendors and venues for Board meetings, Board and Council events including matters related to AV, catering, security, and transportation; and

   f) Troubleshoot issues ranging from venue, A/V and online Board portal problems.

      3. In collaboration with staff across various departments, prepare Board and committee meeting materials and briefing packets for circulation;

      4. Maintain Board and Council Steering Committee (CSC) contacts and up-to-date lists, meeting calendars and documents, and organize Board and CSC materials on internal databases, Salesforce as well as the online Board platform;

      5. Manage the Board pipeline process and lists and maintain up-to-date information on all Board prospects in collaboration with staff and the leadership of the Nominating Committee;

      6. Draft routine correspondence to the Board including organizational updates, event invitations, meeting and event details and notes from the Board leadership;

      7. Support the production of Board and Council Steering Committee online and in-person meetings, trainings and events including overseeing the registration process, tracking guest lists and RSVPs, assisting with the event production on the day of and managing follow-up;

      8. Lead and manage board governance projects, including the planning, execution, and evaluation of initiatives;

      9. Support the Council Engagement Manager with preparation of Council communications and materials, as well as Council initiatives undertaken by the Council Steering Committee;

      10. Provide administrative support to the Managing Director of Board Relations, including scheduling meetings, preparing for and taking minutes at meetings, identifying and tracking priorities, and responding to inquiries and requests for information;

      11. Process invoices for Board and Council projects, contracts, events, and consultants; and

      12. Carry out other duties as required.

Qualifications:

Education: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in a related field is required.

Experience: A minimum of three (3) years of relevant work experience, specifically supporting the administrative work of a team is required. Experience working with a wide range of people, including board of directors, prominent officials, donors, or the public is required. Experience with event planning or fundraising is preferable.

Related skills:

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

      2. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required.

      3. Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within Human Rights Watch as well as external partners are required.

      4. Ability to work well under deadlines while juggling multiple tasks simultaneously is required.

      5. Interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with a variety of audiences including Board members, donors and external partners are required.

      6. Self-motivation and the ability to prioritize with minimal supervision and work independently as well as function as a member of a team with staff in locations globally is required.

      7. High degree of reliability, solid judgment, discretion, problem solving, and critical thinking skills are required. Ability to maintain confidentiality and to think proactively is required.

      8. Commitment to and experience working with staff, vendors, and partners in collaborative, diverse, and inclusive team environment is required.

      9. Proficiency in computer applications including MS Office and Zoom is required. Experience with Salesforce, virtual event platforms and Marketing Cloud is desirable.

Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers comprehensive compensation and benefits. The salary range for this position is USD 66,000-68,000 plus benefits.

How to Apply: Please apply immediately or by September 3, 2025 by visiting our online job portal at https://careers.hrw.org and attaching a letter of interest and a CV or resume. No calls or email inquiries, please. Only complete applications will be reviewed and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application submission or if you require accommodations during the application process, please email recruitment@hrw.org. Due to the large response, application submissions via email will not be accepted and inquiries regarding the status of applications will go unanswered.

Human Rights Watch is strong because it is diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Human Rights Watch does not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of socio-economic backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer.

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.