ABOUT OUTRIGHT INTERNATIONAL
Founded in 1990, Outright International strives to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) people live safer, healthier, and more empowered lives worldwide. Working from its offices in 12 countries and global headquarters in New York City, Outright documents human rights violations, helps resource LGBTIQ movements and allies, and advocates for the rights of LGBTIQ people.
Outright is currently seeking an advocacy-focused, LGBTIQ expert to lead a new program, Queer Legal Futures. This position can be based anywhere else in the world. The selected candidate will report to Outright’s Senior Director of Law, Policy & Research.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director, Queer Legal Futures will develop Outright’s inaugural Queer Legal Futures program. This program focuses on what the law should look like for LGBTIQ people, in order to support safety, identity, dignity, access to resources, family, and all other aspects of life, and how to move toward that future through progressive legal reform, in partnership with LGBTIQ civil society and states. It will focus primarily on Outright’s main programmatic regions: the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.
Primary responsibilities include:
- In collaboration with the Senior Director for Law, Policy, and Research, develop the Queer Legal Futures program, with a focus on research, advocacy, and civil society partnership in order to achieve LGBTIQ-affirming legal reforms and advance the protection of LGBTIQ people’s human rights under existing laws.
- Oversee the development and maintenance of a database on relevant national laws.
- Map areas with potential for reform, through tracking existing legal and constitutional reform processes and engaging with national legal experts, UN agencies, Ministries of Justice, members of parliament, LGBTIQ civil society organizations, OutRight country and regional experts, and other sources.
- Map implementation of legal reform-related obligations under regional international human rights systems, and commitments under the Universal Periodic Review and in other fora.
- Develop and implement multi-year advocacy plans in pursuit of legal reform.
- Manage partnerships with LGBTIQ civil society organizations in pursuit of legal reform, including through supporting advocacy, public messaging, and strategic litigation.
- Mobilize funding in support of the program.
- Serve as an organizational spokesperson, including in engagements with government officials, media, and the public.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of national regional and international legal systems and their relation to LGBTIQ peoples’ human rights.
- Knowledge of and experience working on or supporting legal reform in at least one country or region in the Global South or East
- Experience managing and leading experienced staff and creating, stewarding, and refining organizational processes.
- Knowledge of and experience working with LGBTIQ civil society organizations.
- Knowledge of and experience with high-level advocacy.
- Experienced writer and editor.
- Willingness and ability to travel.
- An ability to communicate fluently in written and oral English
- The ability to communicate fluently in a written and oral language other than English is strongly desired.
- Strong initiative and experience in developing new programs.
- At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in law or human rights advocacy.
- A JD or other advanced degree in a related field is strongly preferred, but not required for candidates with substantial related experience.
- Commitment to the ongoing study of political change, cultural norms, and movement building.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates can apply via BambooHR. Alternatively, candidates can also e-mail a cover letter explaining how their skills and background fit this position, a resume/CV, and a relevant writing/editing sample relevant to the position to jobs@outrightinternational.org. Please refer to “Director, Queer Legal Futures” in the subject line.
Outright International is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. People of color, transgender/gender-variant individuals, and individuals from the Global South are encouraged to apply.
Qualified candidates will be contacted. Please do not call.