FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY
ASSOCIATE
Children’s Rights Division
New York Office
Application Deadline: October 16, 2026

The Children’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeking an Associate to provide administrative assistance and programmatic support to the team. The Children’s Rights Division focuses on issues affecting children around the world including education, sexual and reproductive rights, right to a healthy environment, technology, armed conflict, migration, and youth justice.

This is a full-time position based in New York and will report to the executive director of the Children’s Rights Division and will support other Children’s Rights Division staff, located in multiple locations including outside the US. The successful candidate must be based within commuting distance of the New York office and will be expected to work from the office 2-3 days per week or on an as needed basis.

Responsibilities:

1. Providing day-to-day administrative support to Children’s Rights Division staff, such as scheduling, making travel arrangements, preparing for and taking minutes at meetings, processing incoming mail, and responding to requests for information;

2. Maintaining communication between Human Rights Watch offices, global staff, and external partners;

3. Proofreading, formatting, and/or distributing materials such as reports, news releases, briefing papers, letters, op-eds, web content, and coordinating the publication process and translations of the different products;

4. Coding and updating of online documents;

5. Recording, tracking, and processing divisional finances and divisional donations; 

6. Assisting with desk research, news monitoring, press clippings, and wires;

7. Assisting with events such as advisory committee meetings, advocacy meetings, staff meetings, and other special events virtually and in-person in New York;

8. Assisting with the recruitment and coordination of interns and other divisional staff; and

9. Carrying out other duties as required.

Qualifications:

Education: A bachelor’s degree is required. Candidates with equivalent training/experience, extensive relevant administrative experience, and a passion for human rights work are also encouraged to apply.

Experience: A minimum of one (1) year of full-time relevant work experience is required.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

1. Prior office/administration experience, meticulous attention to detail, flexibility and strong organizational skills are required.

2. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required; fluency in other languages (particularly Spanish, French, or Arabic) is highly desirable.

3. Commitment to children’s rights and human rights is required.

4. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well under pressure while juggling multiple tasks simultaneously are required.

5. Ability to make sound decisions consistent with job responsibilities is required.

6. Ability to prioritize with minimal supervision and work independently as well as function as a member of a team with staff in multiple locations globally is required.

7. Proficiency in computer packages including MS Office applications is required.

Other: Candidates must possess valid work authorization in the US. HRW is unable to sponsor work authorization for this role.

Salary and Benefits: The salary range for this position is USD 60,601 - 64,928. Human Rights Watch offers comprehensive employer-paid benefits, including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, an outstanding retirement savings plan and twenty (20) days of vacation per year.

How to Apply: Please apply immediately or by October 16, 2026, by visiting our online job portal at careers.hrw.org and attaching a letter of interest, resume/CV, and a brief writing sample (unedited by others, including artificial intelligence), preferably in PDF format. No calls or email inquiries, please. Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application submission, or if you require a disability-related accommodation, please email [email protected]. Due to the large response, application submissions via email will not be accepted and inquiries regarding the status of applications will go unanswered.

Human Rights Watch is strong because it is diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds based anywhere to apply. Human Rights Watch does not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of socio-economic backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer.

Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.