Director of Government Relations

Founded in 1992, the Center for Reproductive Rights (the Center) is a non-profit organization that promotes women’s equality worldwide by securing reproductive rights in constitutional and international human rights law. Its mission is straightforward and ambitious: to advance reproductive health and rights as fundamental rights that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect and fulfill. The Center is unmatched as a reproductive rights organization in its expertise in U.S. constitutional law, comparative law, and international human rights law.

The Center works across the globe on issues including access to life-saving obstetrics care, contraception, abortion services, and comprehensive sexuality information. It has brought groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. committees, and regional human rights bodies, and has built the legal capacity of women's rights advocates in over 50 countries. The Center’s groundbreaking litigation and advocacy have transformed how reproductive rights are understood by courts, governments, and human rights bodies, and its undivided focus on reproductive rights has given it unparalleled expertise in the use of constitutional, international, and comparative human rights law to hold governments accountable for failing to ensure women’s access to critical reproductive healthcare services.

The Center is led by President and CEO, Nancy Northup, who brings a rich mix of experience in public interest law, government service, and women’s rights advocacy. Under her leadership, the Center has expanded its international work, including the launch of an international litigation campaign that has included the first abortion case decided by the U.N. Human Rights Committee and the first case to frame preventable maternal deaths as a human rights violation. She also led the integration of the human rights framework in the Center’s U.S. work and the establishment of the Law School Initiative. Before joining the Center in 2003, Ms. Northup served as the founding director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School; as a prosecutor and Deputy Chief of Appeals in the U.S.

The Director of Government Relations will advance the Center’s work and mission through the following
responsibilities:

• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Center’s U.S. federal and foreign policy advocacy plan through the effective integration of the Center’s policy, government relations, legal,
  and communications expertise.
• Strategically create, respond, and seize opportunities to influence Congress, the White House, and other federal agencies and bodies; and enlist the support of key colleagues (State Policy and
  Advocacy Director, U.S. and Global Legal Programs’ Directors, Communications Director, and others, as needed) to achieve desired policy goals.
• Lead and encourage the collaborative work with different allies and stakeholders in Washington DC, including relationships with NGOs, policymakers, private sector attorneys, and other strategic
  partners in the fields of health, human rights, medicine, and law.
• Serve as external ambassador for the Center with different stakeholders in Washington, DC and throughout the U.S. and assist development and communications objectives with fundraising, press,
  and public outreach.
• Serve on the senior management team responsible for institution-wide strategic and annual planning, implementation, and evaluation; board reporting; leading and supporting a culture of excellence,
  effectiveness, transparency, and dialogue; ensuring financial sustainability and growth; and advancing diversity as an integral part of CRR’s mission and strategies.
• Ensure through effective management and supervision that the day-to-day operations of the department are professionally and efficiently organized and administered; enable strong internal
  communication, delegation, and coordination among staff and across departments; ensure the department has high performing staff and staffing structure in place to advance institutional goals and
  effectiveness; prepare and manage departmental expense budget; and lead, inspire, and support staff development.

The Director will be a leader of exceptional commitment, vision, courage, judgment, and willingness to challenge the status quo. While no one person will possess all of the qualities listed below, the ideal
candidate would have the following professional and personal characteristics:

• Strong commitment to the Center’s mission, purpose, and values. Experience in reproductive rights specifically is not required, but should include other areas of human rights, civil rights and liberties,
  and social justice.
• A track record as an outstanding external relationship builder, experience working with a broad and diverse range of communities. Ability and strong desire to work in coalition with other reproductive
  rights, human rights, and civil rights organizations.
• A highly sophisticated understanding of and substantial experience in developing and executing legislative and policy strategies; ability to envision and implement a progressive change agenda
  encompassing and integrating legislative, policy and administrative reform, litigation, public education, advocacy campaigns, and human rights strategies. Experience working on Capitol Hill is a plus.
  
• Exceptional communication and advocacy skills, both orally and in writing; ability to communicatecomplex issues to a lay audience clearly, concisely and powerfully.
• Successful experience leading or participating in significant strategic planning processes, coupled with the drive and organizational skills necessary to ensure that strategies are implemented,
  objectives achieved, and success measured.
• Significant management experience, including a collaborative working style that motivates and inspires staff and colleagues to work hard and well together, offers a clear sense of direction, and
  holds self and staff accountable. Experience managing organizational change and building a diverse team.
• Experience working effectively and collaboratively with a CEO and senior executives, and as a member of a senior management team.
• Experience leveraging and connecting an organization with varied outside resources, pro bono and philanthropic; experience with fundraising from foundations and major donors is desirable.
• A high level of energy, self-confidence, initiative, and follow-through; ability to recognize and act on opportunities in a fast-paced environment.
• Principled, ethical, professional, and committed to exceptional work quality and standards.
• Grace and a sense of humor.
• J.D. or degree in related field strongly preferred.
• Travel required, including ability to travel three to four times a month to New York.