Open Rights Group

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Head of Policy and Litigation

Title: Head of Policy and Litigation

Salary: £37-42k (incl. London weighting of approx. £3.5k) for a 1.0 FTE position. We are open to receiving applications from part-time (4 days per week pro-rata) applicants.

Benefits: Flexible working; parental leave; 7% pension contribution; generous training and development budget; 25 days paid annual leave plus public and bank holidays and additional time off in December when office is closed; company-provided Macbook.

Location: Nationwide (home-based/remote though regular travel into London will be required)

Duration: Permanent

Deadline for Applications: 9am on 30 November 2021

Interview Dates: 2nd and 3rd December 2021

Start Date: ASAP

Role

Are you an expert on using policy advocacy and strategic litigation to achieve systemic change to laws and policies that impact people’s lives across the UK?

Do you have knowledge of and experience working with issues of technology, data protection and human rights? Are you passionate about addressing the ways in which these issues affect vulnerable, marginalised and minority communities across the UK?

Open Rights Group is looking to recruit an exceptional leader to develop and deliver an innovative and impactful programme of policy and litigation activities that will help grow our Sector Support programme and strengthen our fight against Government efforts to undermine data protection. This is an exciting time to join the team. The Head of Policy and Litigation will play a crucial role in shaping the future direction of major ORG programmes, whilst supporting the growth of our team and the expansion of our work with civil society sectors from outside of the digital rights community.

ORG is an equal opportunity employer, but we strongly welcome applications from disadvantaged and under-represented groups.

About the Open Rights Group

ORG is the UK’s premier data and digital rights campaigning organisation. Founded in 2005, we have over 20,000 members and supporters and 10 local groups across the UK. Our remote team is spread across the UK with a small office in Scotland.

We uphold human rights like free expression and privacy. We condemn and work against repressive laws or systems that deny people these rights.

  • We DEFINE emerging harms and abuses through our research and investigation
  • We MOBILISE our members and supporters across the UK through our public campaigns
  • We PERSUADE allies and adversaries through our policy advocacy
  • We CONFRONT threats to our fundamental rights through our litigation

We campaign, lobby, go to court – whatever it takes to build and support a movement for freedom in the digital age. We work across three main areas:

  1. Combating Big Tech and Platform Power
  2. Combating State Intrusion into Rights Online
  3. Promoting the Rights of Vulnerable, Marginalised and Minority Communities against Digital Threats

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter (no longer than 2 sides of A4) setting out how you are suited to the role by emailing recruitment@openrightsgroup.org by 9am on 30 November 2021.

Please ensure that your email has the subject heading ‘Head of Policy and Litigation’ and that all attachments are sent in PDF format.

Interviews for short-listed candidates will be held online.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and lead ORG’s policy and litigation strategies

  • Devise, implement and manage cross-cutting policy advocacy and litigation strategies designed to achieve ORG’s strategic goals.
  • Lead our engagement with targeted stakeholders, including government and industry, as well as with the legal sector and our network of partners.
  • Supervise investigation, research and evidence-gathering activities to identify emerging harms and abuses, and directly inform our policy and litigation activities.
  • Lead the growth of our Sector Support strand through identifying new civil society sectors with whom to devise and pursue collaborative policy interventions and strategic litigation.
  • Devise and deliver innovative advocacy and litigation strategies in defence of data protection standards in the UK.
  • Lead on coordinating, reviewing and delivering external work products including reports, submissions and other substantive external-facing documents in the course of work on individual cases and strategic projects.
  • Ensure that external work products are rigorously researched and evidenced, and are produced to the highest standards.

Team Management

  • Line manage the work of our advocacy and litigation team and ensure that they receive the training and support they need to develop in their role.
  • Ensure that the teams you are line managing are meeting their operational plans, and that these plans are in line with ORG’s strategic plan.
  • Ensure that the teams you are line managing have regular brainstorms and other strategy sessions.

Strategic and Operational Leadership

Sitting within the ORG Management Team, the Head of Policy and Litigation will:

  • Join Management Team meetings and contribute to organisational strategy discussions
  • Be an ambassador for ORG, including by speaking at events and with media
  • Work to ensure that ORG meets its strategic goals and complies with its legal responsibilities
  • Work with the Management Team to ensure that proper processes and structures are in place to enable teams to work effectively
  • Work with the Executive Director and Fundraising and Projects Manager to support fundraising efforts and grant applications.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL

Experience

  • Degree or equivalent experience in law, human rights, political science or international relations.
  • Extensive experience in policy development and legal advocacy related to technology and human rights.
  • Knowledge of and experience working with legal and policy issues related to data and privacy, including data protection.
  • Experience of conceptualising and leading innovative approaches to strategic litigation in combination with policy advocacy or campaigning to hold government and companies to account and to achieve change.
  • Detailed knowledge of UK policy and advocacy processes relating to technology and human rights.
  • Experience working within a small team, ideally at a management level.
  • Proven track record of communicating complex issues to diverse and non-expert audiences.

Skills

  • Ability to work with stakeholders including from within the legal community and with partner organisations and coalitions.
  • Ability to manage projects and resources, and monitor their impact
  • Ability to manage and motivate teams and practice collaborative working and consultative management
  • Strong interpersonal skills that can be applied to communicating with colleagues and external audiences from culturally diverse backgrounds
  • Proactive and self-motivated
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the highest level of attention to detail

DESIRABLE

  • Experience working with and coordinating NGO coalitions
  • Experience working to support vulnerable, marginalised and minority groups
  • Experience supporting fundraising activities and knowledge of the human rights funding landscape
  • Experience working with a range of social justice sectors
  • Budget management experience
  • Experience delivering training and active support to partners

Key Contacts

The Head of Policy and Litigation will be directly managed by the Executive Director. They will be a member of the Management Team working closely with the Chief Operating Officer and Fundraising and Projects Manager.

They will line manage four members of ORG’s advocacy and litigation team.

Length and Salary

The Head of Policy and Litigation will be employed on a permanent basis following successful completion of a six-month probation period.

The annual salary is £37 – 42k (incl. London weightings of approx £3.5k) less any required deductions for income tax and national insurance. The position will be home-based, though regular travel into London will be required.

We will consider applications from part-time (4 days per week pro rata) applicants.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK. Candidates from the EEA will be considered.

ORG is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that a diverse and inclusive team working in a supportive environment is vital to the success of our work. We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as well as from LGB, Trans and non binary candidates.