Policy Director
Accountability Counsel, United States
Job Description
Accountability Counsel amplifies the voices of communities around the world to protect their human rights and environment. As advocates for people harmed by internationally-financed projects, we employ community driven and policy level strategies to access justice. We seek a world where communities harmed by abuses can secure remedy to realize rights. We are creating a system where effective and robust accountability systems deter abuses.
We specialize in non-judicial accountability offices established to receive community grievances. We accomplish our mission through our work in three program areas: (1) Policy Advocacy, ensuring that accountability offices are accessible, transparent, and fair tools for justice; (2) Communities, providing grassroots legal support and assisting communities to use accountability offices effectively; and (3) our Research program, providing concrete research and tools for the movement for accountability more broadly. We work closely with civil society partners and community members to help voice their complaints. Our work is guided internally and externally by a respect-based approach. We pay particular attention to women, girls, and other marginalized groups, who are often the most deeply harmed by abuses.
Founded in 2009, Accountability Counsel is an award-winning non-profit organization with team members in Kenya, Indonesia, Thailand, the United States, and other locations.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Accountability Counsel is seeking a dynamic, experienced leader to join us as a full-time Policy Director,to support our our Policy program, ideally based in our Washington, D.C. office. This is a rare opportunity to be part of a growing, fast-paced, leading organization that works to achieve accountability for human rights and environmental abuses caused by international finance.
The Policy Director is a senior member of Accountability Counsel’s leadership team and is also responsible for implementation of the organization’s Policy Advocacy strategy, which is focused on non-judicial accountability systems. In particular, we are seeking a leader to advance our work focused on the improvement and creation of accountability offices tied to international finance and development. The position reports to Accountability Counsel’s Director of Programs amp; Strategy.
The Policy Director is responsible for:
- Policy Advocacy (80% of time)
- Review and Evaluation: The Policy Director participates in the periodic review and evaluation of Accountability Counsel’s Policy Advocacy strategy.
- Implementation: The Policy Director serves as the primary person responsible for implementation of the Policy Advocacy program strategy.
The Policy Director will be responsible for managing a group of skilled policy advocates. They will guide the team as Accountability Counsel enters its 15th year, which promises to be an exciting time of growth and transformation.
A main responsibility includes management of relationships with key stakeholders (including policy-makers, staff and leaders of global institutions, accountability office professionals, the business and human rights community, and civil society advocates) in order to advance the Policy Advocacy program goals of:
- strengthening existing accountability offices to ensure independence, fairness, transparency, professionalism, accessibility, and effectiveness of accountability offices;
- advocating for creation of new accountability offices; and
- translating lessons from cases into advocacy for systemic change and prevention of harm.
Much of the Policy team’s work advancing these three goals requires intensive collaboration with Accountability Counsel’s Communities and Research program teams, as well as a broader civil society community.
This programmatic work also includes ensuring that communications regularly reflect Policy team learning, advocacy work, and thought leadership.
- Organizational Leadership and Management (15% of time):
- The Policy Director will work closely with the Executive Director, Director of Programs amp; Strategy, and other Program Directors to ensure that Accountability Counsel is mission-driven, operates in accordance with the highest levels of professionalism, and in accordance with the organization’s values and strategy.As part of the leadership team, the Policy Director will support the wellness, training, professionalism, and impact of our team.
- Other (5% of time), additional duties include:
- Supporting organizational-level communications goals.
- Administrative duties, including a key role in hiring new team members and the management of Accountability Counsel’s Washington, D.C. office.
- Occasional assistance with fundraising, including review of grant reports and participat