Officer, General Counsel and Administration

FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY
OFFICER
General Counsel’s Office and Administration
Location: Washington, DC 
Application Deadline: September 9, 2025

The General Counsel’s Office at Human Rights Watch (HRW) is responsible for legal oversight of the organization's policies, compliance, risk management, and governance, as well as a wide range of corporate matters including media law, intellectual property, U.S. and foreign operations, tax, insurance and contract review, worldwide litigation and international and domestic employment matters including labor relations. The Associate will assist the General Counsel’s office across all areas of work, as part of a growing legal team and a diverse and collegial staff on a variety of projects. This position focuses on organizational legal and compliance matters, and not advocacy, policy or legal work related to programmatic positions and activities. This is solely an administrative – not an attorney – position.

This is a full-time position that will be based in Washington, DC and will report to the General Counsel, based in Washington, D.C.  Because some responsibilities of this role are supporting the Finance and Administration teams, there will be a dual reporting line to those departments.

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

Responsibilities

General Counsel’s Office (60%)

1.       Provide administrative and paralegal assistance to the GC office and support the office’s professional positions. Administrative responsibilities include, but are not limited to, coordinating meetings, managing calendars, assisting with travel arrangements and follow-up, recording and processing divisional finances, monitoring tasks and timelines, taking minutes at meetings, and processing mail;

2.      Create and maintain filing and knowledge management systems to organize and track legal information, including for international and domestic litigation;

3.      Support GC attorneys in fielding legal questions from HRW staff;

4.      Assist HRW staff with legal compliance and policy requirements, including sanctions and lobbying reporting, copyrights, and other matters;

5.      Provide support on the legal registration of HRW’s international offices and affiliates;

6.      Contribute to the monitoring and protection of HRW’s trademarks and other intellectual property;

7.      Assist with research into a variety of legal and programmatic topics, such as intellectual property law, and federal and state statutes, regulations and case law;

8.      Draft and edit legal correspondence, legal applications, contracts, memoranda, and other documents, and prepare presentations;

9.      Support HRW’s compliance efforts with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and global privacy laws;

10.  Assist with developing and maintaining HRW’s pro bono legal counsel network and liaise with outside counsel;

11.   Coordinate key legal services for HRW’s global staff, including training programs;

12.  Assist HRW management in collective bargaining matters;

13.   Recruit and coordinate services from legal volunteers and interns; and

14.  Carry out special projects and other duties as required.

Washington Office Administration (20%)

1.      Ensure the smooth and effective functioning of the Washington DC office; handle all office maintenance and facilities issues; liaise with the landlord on issues relating to the premises;

2.      Maintain and ensure staff compliance with office security protocols and staff training; ensure office safety standards are in compliance with HRW policies, landlord requirements and local regulations; administer local instance of the office access control system and video surveillance system;

3.      Provide administrative and operational support to the office, including processing visitors, supporting events held in the office, and maintaining records;

4.      Conduct the onboarding, orientation and departure of local staff, fellows, consultants and interns related to DC office protocols;

5.      Occasionally help set up for events at the DC office during after work hours; and

6.      Carry out other duties as required.

Chief Financial Officer (20%)

1.       Provide administrative support including scheduling, preparing for and taking minutes at meetings, preparing agendas and background materials and processing mail;

2.       Process and track expenses;

3.       Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion, adhering to company policies and data protection regulations; and

4.       Carry out other duties as required.

Qualifications:

Education: A bachelor’s degree, or equivalent working experience, is required.

Experience: A minimum of three (3) years of relevant work experience is required. Prior experience in a legal office setting, including paralegal and administrative experience, is highly desirable.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

1.       Outstanding organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail are required.

2.      Ability to maintain confidentiality, handle sensitive information and security matters is required.

3.      Research and analytical skills are required.

4.      Sound judgment, and an ability to problem-solve are required.

5.      Intellectual curiosity, an eagerness to take on responsibilities, and an ability to self-teach new topics are required.

6.      Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required; proficiency in other language is a plus.

7.      Interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively with HRW’s talented, multi-national and diverse staff, as well as with external partners, are required.

8.      Self-motivation and an ability to prioritize tasks with minimal supervision, work well under pressure, and manage multiple priorities while working effectively toward deadlines are required.

9.      Ability to work well independently as well as function as a member of a team is required.

10.  Proficiency in various computer packages, including MS Office applications, and ability to quickly learn other applications are required.

Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance. The salary range for this position is USD 66,000 – 68,000.

How to Apply: Please apply immediately or by September 9, 2025, by visiting our online job portal at careers.hrw.org and attaching a cover letter and 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 a disability-related accommodation to submit your application, 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.