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About Amnesty International

The International Secretariat (IS) of Amnesty International, which operates from a number of locations around the world, gathers and communicates accurate and action-oriented human rights information globally, in close cooperation with AI’s national entities.  Together, we enable effective human rights activism, campaign for meaningful human rights change and work to persuade governments and other actors to uphold universal human rights standards.  The IS provides strategic leadership, support, and advice to the global Amnesty International movement, fostering public accountability and human rights protection throughout the world.

About the Role

The Senior Director reports to the Secretary-General and manages eight Regional Directors: for the Americas; Europe; Eastern Europe and Central Asia; East and Southern Africa; West and Central Africa; the Middle East and Northern Africa; South Asia; and East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific; as well as support staff.

Purpose of the Role

The key functions for this role will include: 

• Support the International Secretariat (IS) decentralised operating model, providing strategic leadership and guidance to IS Regional Offices, strengthening the integration of regional work and perspectives across the work of the IS and with the Amnesty International (AI) movement at large.
• As a member of the Coalition Leadership Team, support the development, implementation and monitoring of coherent IS operational planning to implement the AI global strategic framework at regional levels, across the IS and for the entire AI movement.  Take joint accountability for our success and future.
• Lead from the front, setting a positive and engaging tone for the culture at the IS and across AI with strategic direction clearly defined, priorities well set and a unified CLT delivering human rights impact in an environment where staff, managers and leaders thrive and perform. 
• Provide leadership, direction and contribution that support the human rights impact of the AI movement, focusing on regional impact and enabling organisational culture and performance delivered through highly engaged, motivated and healthy colleagues.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support IS regional directors in implementing AI’s human rights agenda at regional and country levels, ensuring and strengthening the quality, capacity, relevance, and impact of AI’s human rights work regionally.
• Ensure the vision of regional offices is well-represented at the CLT level.
• Ensure the strategic integration of regional visions, issues, priorities, specificities, and impacts in Amnesty’s overall human rights agenda and across all aspects of the IS and CLT work.
• Support the decentralised operating model by ensuring that Regional Offices have appropriate resourcing, ways of working and support from services based in London.
• Support development of strategic vision and operational plans for and with Regional Offices to maximise the use of available resources for a positive impact on human rights concerns.
•  Ensure the integration of those plans with those of the wider IS and as part of the AI-wide strategic framework; help monitor and assess the delivery of AI strategic priorities at regional levels.
• In partnership with other Senior Directors, foster and support collaboration across global programmes and regional offices; enable effective integration of regional and thematic priorities in close consultation with Senior Director Research, Advocacy and Policy (RAP).
• Provide a final review of key Regional Office outputs where escalation is required. 
• Drive tailored provision of support, training, and mission-craft initiatives (including for safe and secure operations) to enhance regional human rights work and impact. In particular, support IS Regional Directors in delivering initiatives to ensure colleagues’ health, safety and security.
• Support IS Regional Offices’ contribution to delivering the IS well-being, anti-racist and anti-sexist Action Plans.
• Ensure and maintain close working relationships with all other Senior Directors to enable effective and timely management, including matrix management, of operational matters and support high-quality human rights outputs by IS Regional Offices.
• Ensure that all IS Regional Offices are managed and operate in accordance with local legislation.
• Deputise as required for the SG 

Skills and Experience

• Proven knowledge of human rights law and standards, themes and issues with regional expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with and review complex human rights written work and think strategically about human rights interventions.
• Relevant and demonstrable experience in a senior operational role in a complex international organisation, preferably with an INGO.
• Proven ability to work under pressure, including the ability to cope with deadlines, multiple challenges and competing demands.
• Experience in fostering the integration of diverse and competing professional disciplines and creating a respectful and productive working environment in which all staff and managers can thrive. 
• Previous experience working in the Global South and decentralised organisations, or demonstrable understanding and appreciation of such work and organisation dynamics.
• Previous experience working in an international environment that involves security and critical incident management.
• A track record of successful management of organisational resources, including people, finances, assets, and managing associated risks and issues in compliance with the overall governance framework of a global organisation.
• Verbal and written fluency in English and one or more languages.

Personal Style and Attributes

• Personally and professionally credible; able to generate the trust and confidence of colleagues
• Responds to disagreements and internal conflict in a manner that promotes understanding of and respect for different perspectives, leading to increased connectivity between colleagues.
• Leads by example and possesses a high degree of integrity, taking personal responsibility as appropriate and promoting commitment to the IS’ and AI’s priorities, consistently delivering in compliance with the governance standards of the organisation.
• Sets challenging and achievable targets for self and others; holds people accountable for their performance, conduct and delivery.
• Emotionally intelligent and able to lead with compassion and empathy – recognising the importance of people engagement and empowerment