Head of US Projects

About Reprieve US

Reprieve US is a registered 501(c)(3) assisting victims of extreme human rights abuses carried out by governments. We are made up of lawyers, investigators, and advocates helping people facing detention without trial, execution, and extrajudicial execution. We are a small team, but we are fearless in our fight for justice.

Reprieve US has worked against the death penalty since our founding. For more than a decade, we have built a particular specialization in issues related to lethal injection, the most common execution method in the US. Lethal injection has been touted as more humane than other methods. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Lethal injection executions often result in prolonged and torturous executions, commonly known as “botched” executions. Through our work, we aim to dispel the myth of the humane execution, working with allies across healthcare, business, and other sectors to end the misuse of medicines and medical technology in executions.

Reprieve US was one of the first organisations allowed inside Guantánamo, and over the last two decades, it worked to secure release for more than 80 men illegally detained without charge or trial. Reprieve US has also investigated and sought accountability for extrajudicial executions carried out by the US in lethal strikes, and advocates for the release and repatriation of foreign nationals detained in camps and prisons in North-East Syria. Through our work, we aim to challenge and change flawed “counterterrorism” or “national security” narratives and legal and policy frameworks that give rise to extreme human rights violations and undermine the rule of law.

We work closely with our sibling organization, Reprieve, a UK charity founded in 1999. Reprieve US uses strategic interventions to end the use of the death penalty globally and to end extreme human rights violations carried out in the name of “counterterrorism” or “national security”.

About the Role

The Head of US Projects is responsible for overseeing Reprieve US’ work against the death penalty in the United States. While the position will initially focus on Reprieve’s work on the death penalty, there is also scope to play a lead role in developing work on combating other human rights violations committed by the US in the name of “national security”.

The successful candidate will lead a portfolio of work on the death penalty that includes investigation and analysis, corporate engagement, litigation, public and private advocacy, and developing and maintaining world-leading expertise on execution methods, particularly the jurisprudence and science on lethal injection. This work on the US death penalty will comprise a clear majority of the role.

The Head of US Projects will contribute significantly to the development of work on extreme “national security”-related violations by the US, building on the organization’s history of work, and be involved in overseeing subsequent casework.

About You

You are an organized and confident professional with strong project management skills, attention to detail, and investigative acumen. You have a keen interest in learning about and contributing to efforts to end the death penalty and extreme human rights violations carried out in the name of “national security”.

You will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies in which each of Reprieve’s methodologies—investigation, litigation, casework, political engagement, and advocacy with affected communities—connect with one another to achieve positive outcomes in the death penalty landscape. You will bring creativity and strategic thinking to the development of new work areas.

You are enthusiastic about working for an organization with Reprieve's mission and vision. You have substantial experience supervising high-performing and diverse teams. You also have significant experience leading investigations and/or legal research, and experience managing a complex portfolio of projects. You are effective at influencing decision-makers, with strong written and oral communication skills and an understanding of public and private advocacy. You are sensitive to risks faced by those with whom we work, and have professional maturity and a willingness to put clients and Reprieve’s mission above all else.

In addition to being knowledgeable of relevant law and policy, you ideally have experience following developments that impact on death penalty and national security issues in the US.

You can develop targeted strategies to influence policies and public conversations in different jurisdictions, working in collaboration with allies in the healthcare, business, legal, and other relevant communities.

Applicants must have the current right to live and work in the US. This role will be based in the Reprieve US Washington DC office. The role will involve travel within the US as well as to liaise with partners at Reprieve UK’s London office.

You will share our commitment to fighting against racism and advancing racial justice, and understand our responsibility to do our work in a way that does not compound racist structures.

Responsibilities

US Death Penalty Projects

Project Management and Strategy

Oversee and drive forward Reprieve US’ work against the death penalty in the US, including

by:

• Taking responsibility for all aspects of the team’s casework
• Developing the strategy and operational plan for the US death penalty work, including setting clear goals, targets, and systems for evaluation, in close collaboration with the Senior Advisor and wider team
• Monitoring and evaluating project effectiveness and shifting the team’s activities and operational plan as necessary to ensure that the work remains impactful
• Maintaining project budgets and contributing to reporting to funders
• Ensuring all actions undertaken by the team are in compliance with the organization’s legal obligations, working with the Reprieve US Deputy Director; and
• Maintaining and developing relationships with key stakeholders – both individuals and organizations – across our US death penalty work, in close liaison with the Executive Director, Deputy Director, and other key staff.

Team management

Manage a high-performing, dynamic team to work collaboratively, productively, and ethically to meet our strategic goals, including by:

• Working closely with the team’s Senior Advisor and supervising key members of the team as appropriate, including the Reprieve US Staff Attorney and US Death Penalty team caseworkers, fellows, and consultants
• Ensuring the team’s work products are of a quality and standard which do justice to our mission
• Ensuring that team members are effectively supported and trained to work professionally and sensitively with a range of stakeholders, including allies in medical and business communities, as well as US legal teams and law firms assisting pro bono; and
• Coordinating closely and collaborating with other Reprieve teams in the advancement of the team’s goals (including the media, policy, development, mass engagement, finance, operations, and senior management teams).

Investigations

Guide the team to investigate the misuse of medicines in lethal injection executions and other priority thematic issues, creating an evidentiary base for corporate engagement, litigation, and advocacy, including by:

• Building the evidentiary base for relevant thematic areas, including by maintaining a wide network of relationships with lawyers and others
• Overseeing desk research; and
• Overseeing the analysis of relevant information.

Corporate engagement

Guide the team to identify and implement corporate engagement strategies to support businesses to end the misuse of their products, including by:

• Maintaining regular communication with corporate allies
• Alerting corporate allies to relevant developments; and
• Supporting corporate allies to undertake actions to stop the misuse of their medicines.

Litigation

Monitor and contribute to litigation in the US and internationally seeking dispel the myth of the humane execution, including by:

• Managing the Reprieve US Staff Attorney to identify and develop strategic litigation opportunities
• Supporting legal teams to challenge the misuse of medicines in lethal injection executions; and
• Drafting and reviewing submissions for US courts and for international legal mechanisms.

Political engagement

Together with Reprieve’s policy and advocacy experts and other colleagues, implement political engagement strategies to dispel the myth of humane executions, including by:

• Engaging directly with politicians and decision-makers in the US to educate them on our issues and to highlight opportunities for change; and
• Drafting and reviewing persuasive briefings for political engagement.

Media and public engagement

Together with Reprieve’s media team and other colleagues, implement strategies to challenge the media narrative regarding the use of the death penalty in the US, and in particular lethal injection execution, including by:

• Dispelling the myth of the humane execution and showcasing industry opposition to misuse of medicines in executions
• Scoping potential advocacy opportunities, including through reports, briefings, documentaries, and other creative projects
• Being an ambassador by representing Reprieve US at functions. This may include speaking engagements.

US National Security-Related Violations

Strategic Scoping and Development

Together with the Reprieve US Executive Director, Deputy Director, and other key staff, scope potential areas of casework consistent with the organization’s mandate, past work, and methodology, with a view to developing an area of work, including by:

• Engaging closely with partner organizations and others leading litigation, policy work, advocacy campaigns, and other work on relevant issues, to identify strategic areas where Reprieve US’ approach would be valuable
• As and where opportunities are identified to progress such work, work with the Deputy Director to develop an appropriate strategy, operational plan, and proposed budget, including setting clear goals, targets, and systems for evaluation; and
• Contributing to fundraising activities or other development needs.

Future Casework

Following the development of a strategic approach to casework on these issues, play a role in overseeing and driving forward Reprieve US’ work, with an approach similar to the responsibilities outlined above on the US death penalty work, including by:

• Ensuring the best interests of our clients is the primary guide for our work
• Monitoring and evaluating project effectiveness and shifting the team’s activities and operational plan as necessary to ensure the work remains impactful
• Managing relevant staff and fellows, as appropriate
• Ensuring work products are of a quality and standard which do justice to our mission
• Coordinating closely and collaborating with other Reprieve teams in the advancement of the team’s goals; and
• Maintaining and developing relationships with key stakeholders – both individuals and organizations.

Criteria

Essential:

• Detail-oriented, excellent attention to detail, rigorous approach to record keeping, and strong organizational skills.
• Proven ability to juggle multiple and competing tasks in a high-pressure environment.
• Experience of forming and maintaining effective working relationships with businesspeople, lawyers, experts, or other professionals and organizations, along with the ability to work constructively and sensitively with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds.
• Ability to give clear and appropriate instructions and guidance to those under your supervision.
• Experience of managing own workload, including file management.
• Experience managing staff, including remote management.
• Significant experience leading and managing complicated research and/or investigations.
• Familiarity with legal and policy matters related to the death penalty.
• Ability to think strategically and consider both legal and non-legal avenues to benefit those we assist and to effect change on a wider level.
• An interest in and aptitude for political engagement.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• A genuine interest in human rights and a commitment to Reprieve's goals.
• Current right to live and work in the US.

Desirable:

• Juris Doctorate (JD) degree and experience leading legal work.
• Familiarity with legal and policy matters related to unlawful detention in the name of national security.
• Knowledge of international human rights law.
• Experience of working with individuals who have become vulnerable.

Key Contacts

Reporting to the RUS Deputy Director, the Head of US Projects will manage the Reprieve US Staff Attorney and other staff as appropriate, and co-ordinate closely with Reprieve’s US Death Penalty team in the UK, including the Senior Advisor and Project Officer. The Head of US Projects will also work closely with the Heads and Project Leads of: Media, Policy, Development, Mass Engagement, Finance, and Operations; staff, fellows, and others engaged by Reprieve US and Reprieve; and partner organizations and third-party service providers.

Length and Salary

The role is full-time, based on a minimum of 37.5 hours per week. Due to the global and sometimes urgent nature of Reprieve’s work, flexibility on working hours will be required. The annual salary is $99,910, and we offer a generous health, vision and dental insurance package. We also offer generous vacation time of 25 days paid leave per year, plus federal holidays.

The candidate will be based in Reprieve US’ offices in Washington, DC and will work in-office two days per week. Applicants must have the current right to live and work in the US. Reprieve US is an equal opportunity employer.