Senior Advocacy Adviser For Latin America & The Caribbean

Title: Senior Advocacy Adviser for Latin America and the CarribeanDepartment: Programs, LACCenter Background: The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights worldwide.
With offices in New York City, and Washington, D.C.; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; and Geneva, Switzerland, the Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization changing law and policy throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States.
Our 230+ diverse professionals are committed to advancing the Center's human rights mission through game-changing litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work.
This has fueled the Center's exceptional growth to an operating budget of more than $50 million and won the respect of law firms worldwide.
Our global pro bono network includes over 2,100 lawyers across 6 continents, 88 countries, and 125 law firms, contributing over $30 million USD in pro bono legal services annually.
The Center's Strategic Plan sets a high mark for impact:By 2030, half of the world's population will be living under stronger protections for reproductive rights than they were in 2020.
The Center has a record of success to back up this ambitious goal.
Since our founding in 1992, the Center has transformed how reproductive rights are understood and applied by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide on issues including maternal health, abortion, assisted reproduction, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights.
We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N.
Committees, and regional human rights bodies.
The Center has also led development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights.
It has built the legal capacity of women's rights advocates in more than 65 countries and counting.
To learn more about the Center, please go to The Job: The Senior Advocacy Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) will work under the supervision of the Associate Director of Advocacy and External Relations for Latin America and the Caribbean in close collaboration with other program staff to support and build the work of the program.In LAC, increasing levels of sexual and gender-based violence, discrimination and unwanted pregnancies are putting women and girls lives at severe risk, as well as keeping them from making their own life choices, to exercise their autonomy and enjoy their basic human rights.
Maternal mortality due to unsafe abortions remains a challenge due to restrictive laws which impede access and result in most abortion services being provided under clandestine and unsafe conditions.
At the same time there has been unprecedented strengthening of feminist and human rights movements who are leading the most important fight seen in a century.
The ripples of these victories are spreading to neighboring and foreign countries alike and are being reverberated by new voices all over the world.
Behind the scenes there has been notable progress in SRH access in the Africa and LAC regions.CRR's approach to fostering change implies an integral strategy of litigation, external relations, communications, advocacy and partners support.
The advocacy work led by the Center aims at supporting our strategic litigation, supporting partners across the region and conducting technical work to further protect SRHR.As such, this position is expected to work at national, regional and universal level to build stronger legal standards, obtain critical decisions and secure policy changes across the region.
This implies advocacy work before the Inter-American System of Human Rights (Court and Commission), before the Universal System of Human rights mechanisms (Treaty-monitoring bodies, Special Procedures, Universal Periodic Reviews) and before Congress, Senates and national high courts.
As a thoughtful partner, this position will require close work and relationship with regional and local organizations across Latin America, to showcase their work and support their fight for SRHR.
Guided by excellency and quality-led work, this position will also be in charge of producing major advocacy documents and research (shadow letters, reports, inputs, technical advice), as a critical tool to advance SRHR standards.Additionally, the Center aims at fostering and nourishing an expert positioning on SRHR, including building and maintaining networks with human rights experts across the region, and to leverage key moments to profile the Center and its partners work (IACHR Period of Sessions, closed door consultations, side events and others).
This position is also expected to serve as an external representative of the Center, including representation events, taking on speaking opportunities and serving as spokesperson before press and media.This position will work closely with other departments across the organization, including Global Advocacy, External Relations, Communications, Program Management Department, Pro Bono, and others.
The Senior Advocacy Adviser will have a key role in the implementation of the Center's specific regional projects and strategies, particularly its ground-breaking litigation to advance reproductive rights at the Interamerican Human Rights System and the Universal System as well as key communications campaigns to achieve the Program's goals.The position will be based in the Center's Regional office in Bogotá (Colombia).
International travel required.Primary Responsibilities: Under the supervision of LAC's Associate Director for Advocacy and External Relations (ADA), the primary job responsibilities for LAC's Senior Advocacy Adviser (SAA) include, but are not limited to: LAC Advocacy strategy Contribute to the design and implementation of an integral LAC Advocacy Strategy to support the program's strategic goals, under the guidance of ADA and in close collaboration with Advocacy team;Design and implement comprehensive advocacy country strategies to promote higher protections to SRHR across the region, under the guidance of ADA, in close collaboration with Senior Gender Equality and Advocacy Adviser.In collaboration with LAC Legal Strategies team, design advocacy roadmaps in key cases to integrally support strategic litigation.In collaboration with LAC Communications team, identify and leverage communication tools to support advocacy goals.In collaboration with Pro Bono team, leverage Pro Bono services to nourish advocacy activities and support partners.
Support the Center strategy in cultivating Pro Bono partnerships and develop projects with law firms, law associations, and law schools in the region to leverage the Center's work.
Advocacy before Human Rights Mechanisms Promote the relationship of the Center with the Inter American Human Rights System, including requesting hearings, meetings, providing information and any other duty related to keep the Center topics at the main table of discussion at the IACHR and the Inter-American Court.In collaboration with Global Advocacy team, promote the relationship of the Center with the Universal Human Rights rights System, (TMB´s and SP) including sending shadow letters, thematic submissions, meetings, providing information and any other duty related to keep the Center topics at the main table of discussion at the IACHR and the Inter-American Court.Lead the engagement of the Center before OAS technical and political bodies, including MESECVI, OAS General Assembly and OAS CSOs coalitions (participating in coalitions meetings, influencing resolutions, leading side events)Identify opportunities to position the Center as a leading SRHR organization in the region.
Work with partners and external stakeholders Support local partners in advocacy campaigns before Congress, Senates and high courts (meeting with partners, drafting supporting documents, providing technical input, traveling to conduct activities).In coordination with LAC Program Management team, lead the design and implementation of partnership agreements (meetings to identify partners' needs and priorities, follow up partnership agreements drafting, reporting activities and supporting partners).Maintain and nourish a network of experts and relevant stakeholders by convoking and participating in meetings, sharing information and providing input.Catalizing movements across the regions (joining open letters and calls, supporting movement needs).
External Representation and Communications Represent the Center at events and public spaces indicated by VP and ADs (preparing interventions, participating in events, preparing event reports).Representing LAC Advocacy team in integral missions and travels (contributing to the agenda, preparing supporting documents, conducting meetings, preparing reports).Answer to media and press inquiries, as requested by AD and Communications teams (inputs to talking points, preparing interviews, giving interviews, participating in spokespersons training sessions).Participate in institutional content creation, as directed by AD and Communications teams (providing inputs to scripts, taping interviews, reels and other content on behalf of the Center).Contribute to the creation and delivery of communication campaigns, in collaboration with movement and local partners.Contribute to the dissemination campaigns of key cases being led by the LAC program.
Project and People Management Contribute to design, follow up and implementation of the Program Annual Workplan, as requested by AD, in collaboration with LAC Project Management team.Contribute to the design, follow up, implementation and reporting of key grants and projects of the LAC program, as requested by AD, in collaboration with LAC Project Management team.According to program needs, undertake people management responsibilities (set and keep track of goals, conduct 1:1 meetings, supervise work, provide guidance and mentorship, provide approvals when applicable).
Currently, this position supervises 1 staff position and 1 intern.
Institutional Alignment Support Senior and Executive staff to engage with key UN, OAS and other key events through the development of background materials including briefings, speeches, talking points, stakeholder analysis and capacity development sessions, as needed.Prepare internal and external updates and other written analyses, as needed.Contribute timely and effectively to internal Center processes such as financial reporting, programmatic updates and others, as requested.Provide other administrative and operational support to help ensure the smooth functioning of the team as needed.
Qualifications: Professional in Law, International Relations, Political Sciences or similar Social Sciences degree.At least 8 years of significant working experience in Human Rights, advocacy, external relations or similar fields.
Experience at the Inter-American System and/or Universal System highly appreciated.Knowledge of international human rights systems, women's rights and gender equality, knowledge or experience in sexual and reproductive rights and health, would be greatly valued.Working experience in the LAC region would be a plus.Working experience with international organizations, State officials and/or international non-governmental organizations.Experience in conducting high-level advocacy and external relations, nourishing networks and partner coalitions.Experience in drafting technical and legal documents, conducting policy briefs and technical briefs, highly appreciated.Capability of analyzing complex legal work, political context and current trends and thinking creatively and strategically to address them.Capacity to identify key opportunities and advise Senior staff, providing background information and decision-making support.Strong commitment to the Center's mission, purpose, and values.
Native fluency in Spanish and strong working knowledge of English are required.
Portugese appreciated.Excellent writing, editing, research, and oral advocacy skills (Spanish and English).
Detail-oriented, with strong organizational and coordination skills.
Ability to work collaboratively, multi-tasking, and under pressure.
Compensation: The Center offers a competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with years of experience.Benefits: Flexibility: The Center currently operates in a hybrid model, requiring staff to work 3 days per week in the office and allowing work 2 days per week from home.Well-being: The Center offers resources to help prevent and recover from burnout through different programs that enable mental, physical, and community well-being.
The Center provides generous leave, including paid parental leave, personal days, vacation, and sick leave.
We are closed the last week of December to allow staff to spend winter holiday time with their loved ones.Growth: You will be working with and learning from some of the top legal and operational minds, all passionate about advancing reproductive rights worldwide.
You will also be eligible for a stipend to use towards professional growth.Global: You will get a front-row seat to the fight for reproductive rights globally.
You will have access to Employee Resource Groups to connect to colleagues with similar interests/backgrounds/views.