Director, Middle East and North Africa

FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA DIRECTOR

Program Department
Multiple Office Locations Considered
Application Deadline: 23 April, 2026

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is looking for an outstanding human rights professional for the role of Middle East and North Africa Director, one of six regional research programs in the Program Department.

The MENA Director should be a strategic thinker, strong manager, and a persuasive communicator and advocate in the field of international human rights. They should have proven dedication to the defense and advancement of human rights and deep knowledge of research methodologies and human rights issues in the MENA region.

The MENA Director is responsible for leading the division and overseeing research, communications, and advocacy to promote and defend human rights in the MENA region by generating domestic and international pressure to curb human rights violations. Along with other members of the MENA management team they are responsible for the day-to-day management and supervision of MENA’s staff, setting strategic goals and priorities, overseeing and guiding research plans, editing research products, ensuring security of staff, information and partners, managing risk, and responding to opportunities for impact. 

The MENA Director must lead and motivate the MENA division’s 24 staff, most of them based in the region, many working in challenging environments, in different time zones, and with different work weeks. They must demonstrate the ability and commitment to foster the safety and resilience of staff, to promote diversity and inclusion, to build consensus with staff around confronting key challenges and taking on new research and advocacy approaches, and to ensure the highest research standards in a culture of learning, trust, teamwork, and collaboration.

The MENA Director reports to the program office and leads a MENA management team consisting of three deputies. The position will preferably be based in an HRW office in the MENA region (Beirut, Amman, or Tunis), but may also be based in New York, Washington DC, or one of HRW’s European offices (Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, London or Stockholm).

Responsibilities 

1. Provide leadership and vision and set priorities for the MENA division.

1. In collaboration with relevant internal and external partners, oversee and develop research, advocacy, and communications plans on human rights issues in MENA countries and across the region. Ensure that plans include clear goals and benchmarks and that they align with the organization’s strategic goals and programmatic priorities;
2. Oversee and manage the production of research products and other advocacy materials and ensure they generate domestic and international pressure to curb human rights violations, help ensure that all materials adhere to the organization’s standards and are appropriately vetted,and work collaboratively with MENA staff in addressing the challenges and opportunities in the region;
3. In collaboration with the Program Office and Operations Department, support the management of MENA-based staff and operations, spread across several countries and time zones. 
4. Manage budget setting and spending priorities, in co-operation with the Finance Department, and regularly monitor the MENA budget to ensure resources are allocated to maximize impact;
5. Collaborate with the Development Department on fundraising, providing requested information and drafting reports to donors in a timely manner, promoting the work of HRW as a whole, and actively soliciting and following up with potential new donors to achieve program-specific fundraising goals;
6. Respond to and/or anticipate relevant news events in order to frame developing news stories through a human rights prism, advise senior management on effective responses and advocacy, and project a human rights perspective into coverage of developing news events globally, regionally, and nationally;
7. Represent the organization regularly in the international media on MENA issues and advocate with high-level officials from governments, the UN, and other relevant international and regional organizations;
8. Foster and strengthen partnerships with other human rights actors and lead our collaboration in the human rights movement at the international, regional, and national levels;
9. Keep the physical and information security of staff at the forefront of management by ensuring that staff receive appropriate training in security policies and procedures, holding staff accountable to following security policies and procedures, and proactively identifying and partnering with the security team on potential risks and modeling responsible risk taking in the division, ensure that this security mindset is extended to consultants, interlocutors, and partners in their work with HRW,
10. Maintain the security of offices in the MENA region in partnership with the physical and information security teams, and support incident responses as needed, and foster a culture of resilience and well-being for MENA staff in line with HRW's values; Lead, motivate, and mentor direct reports. Communicate clear expectations, set performance objectives, provide regular and timely constructive feedback, ensure balanced workloads, and provide guidance on professional growth.
11. Promote an inclusive and positive work environment including by soliciting diverse points of views, encouraging staff to participate in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and proactively addressing bias, discrimination, and microaggressions;
12. Work collaboratively with all departments and divisions to ensure operational effectiveness, efficiency, and impact;
13. Perform other responsibilities as required.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a thoughtful, collaborative, and strategic leader with deep knowledge and experience of the MENA region and at least 10 years of relevant experience in international human rights or related work, including investigations, reporting, and advocacy, and with at least five years in a senior management position, preferably one that involved both managing down and up within an organization or institution. Candidates who are traditionally underrepresented in the human rights sector are enthusiastically encouraged to apply if they feel they have the ability to succeed in this role, even if they do not have all of the skills and qualifications listed.

Education: An advanced Degree in international relations, law, journalism, social sciences, or a related field is required.  

Experience: A minimum of ten years of relevant work experience is required, with at least five years in a management position.

Required Qualifications / Skills

1. Extensive knowledge of human rights issues in the MENA region, excellent political judgment, and ability to identify trends.

1. Relevant international field experience and familiarity with human rights research methodologies.
2. Recognized management experience, including supervising a team of talented professionals in multiple global locations.
3. Ability to identify critical human rights challenges and opportunities and formulate strategy.
4. Track record of dealing with the media and cultivating relationships with journalists.
5. Ability to defend and explain complex issues and positions to intergovernmental bodies as well as staff, including senior officials
6. Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within HRW as well as with local partners, government officials and external media partners.
7. Track record of identifiable and measurable successes in managing and advising on complex projects, implementing operational change, conducting monitoring and evaluation, and ensuring high-quality deliverables.
8. Demonstrated awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.

  Desirable Qualifications / Skills

1. Track record of, and passion for, being a collaborative team player who can empathetically engage with staff across levels and jurisdictions.
2. Ability to coach colleagues to understand stakeholders’ perspectives and to handle high-level stakeholder challenges.
3. Fluency in Arabic or another major MENA language is strongly preferred.

Salary and Benefits:  HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits. HRW offers a relocation assistance package and will assist employees in obtaining necessary work authorization, if required; citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply. The salary range for this position if based in the US is USD $150,000 – 165,000. Salary ranges outside of the United States vary based on location and are not a direct translation from USD.

How to Apply: Please apply immediately or by 23 April, 2026 by visiting our online job portal at https://careers.hrw.org/ and submitting a CV and cover letter, preferably as PDF files.  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.