Job Description

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales is recruiting for a new Executive Officer to lead and coordinate all aspects of BHRC’s work.

About BHRC 

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC) is the international human rights arm of the Bar of England and Wales. It is independent of the Bar Council, and dedicated to promoting justice and respect for human rights through the rule of law. BHRC’s work includes the protection of advocates, judges, human rights defenders and the marginalised and vulnerable.

BHRC believes that the existence of an effective legal profession and infrastructure is a crucial pre-condition for the protection of civil liberties, democracy and justice.

BHRC’s membership comprises barristers called to the Bar of England and Wales, legal academics and law students.

It has an Executive Committee of eighteen members and an Advisory Board. The Executive Committee and membership offer their services pro bono.

Areas of responsibility 

Under the supervision of the BHRC Chairperson and Executive, the Executive Officer will be responsible for coordinating and managing all aspects of BHRC’s work. 

The role’s responsibilities cover communications, fundraising, event promotion, membership management, project management, financial management and administration:

Communications

• Contributing to, drafting and/or editing a variety of publications, including public statements, letters of concern, submissions and briefings

• Website management, including writing, uploading and editing content

• Coordinating the participation and contribution of individual BHRC members and/or supporters in various BHRC projects, publications and submissions

• Ensuring effective dissemination of BHRC’s publications, including to the media

• Producing regular newsletters

• Writing/editing short articles for trade and other magazines and newspapers

  to profile BHRC’s work

• Maintaining BHRC’s social media presence in collaboration with the BHRC Chairperson.

Fundraising

• Identifying potential public or institutional funding sources, drafting funding applications, and / or preparing fundraising packages to target potential donors (usually with the oversight of one or more members of the Executive Committee).

Event promotion & management

• Organising and managing BHRC’s regular public meetings and international seminars on relevant human rights themes.

Membership management

• Updating and managing BHRC’s membership system, and dealing with queries from members.

Project management

• Coordinating BHRC’s international initiatives in relation to access to justice, the rule of law and international human rights in collaboration with partner organisations.

• Maintaining and developing relations with project partners in the UK and abroad

• Managing grants and project reporting, including the preparation of financial, narrative and monitoring and evaluation reports when appropriate

• Managing any BHRC subcommittees such as its Drafting Committee

Financial management

• Working with BHRC’s Treasurer to manage budgets and financial accounting, control and record keeping

• Managing payments and banking duties

Administration

• Acting as the first point of contact for BHRC

• Dealing with routine queries and correspondence

• General office management, including filing and record keeping, setting up meetings for BHRC Chair and Executive Committee members

• Organising BHRC’s monthly Executive Committee meetings, including preparing the agenda and taking minutes

• Assisting with travel arrangements and coordination of all international visits