Reprieve US is seeking to recruit a Deputy Director who will be responsible for carrying out legal work across the full range of Reprieve US’s cases and projects, while also conducting public and private advocacy work with audiences including policymakers, politicians, partner organizations, and the press.
The Deputy Director will report to a Director based in the Reprieve UK office, as agreed by the US Board, and will work closely with Reprieve’s Executive Director and Reprieve US and UK Project Leads, lawyers, and caseworkers. As Reprieve US’s team expands, the Deputy Director will be expected to supervise the work of Reprieve US attorneys and fellows.
The Deputy Director will work with Reprieve’s casework and project teams to develop and implement innovative legal strategies which advance Reprieve’s strategic goals, as well as pursuing advocacy activities in service of these goals.
The Deputy Director will support Reprieve’s work to restrict and eliminate the US of the death penalty by progressing innovative litigation around US death penalty issues in state and federal courts, including working with local partners to support First Amendment, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and 28 U.S.C. § 1983 method-of-execution challenges.
The Deputy Director will also oversee the assistance Reprieve provides on death penalty cases across the US, working closely with local legal counsel and third-party allies such as partner organizations, business representatives, journalists, diplomats, and funders, and assist with Reprieve’s challenges to use of extrajudicial killing, indefinite detention without trial at Guantánamo Bay and related abuses stemming from the US’ ‘war on terror’.
The Deputy Director will also engage in advocacy related to the death penalty, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, and torture, including preparing and disseminating educational materials for key stakeholders.
The successful candidate will be based in our Washington, DC office. This role will involve occasional travel within the US and some international travel to liaise with partners at Reprieve UK’s London office.
Responsibilities:
1. Conducting legal and factual research to support Reprieve’s goals
o Draw on public sources and private networks to closely monitor state and national political developments which may impact our work;
o Support the planning and implementation of key research projects including on lethal injection and method of execution work;
o Compile and analyze data related to Reprieve US’s work.
2. Supporting innovative litigation in state and federal courts in the service of Reprieve’s objectives
o Work with Reprieve’s casework and project teams to develop and implement creative legal strategies in service of Reprieve US objectives;
o Support litigation and advocacy around specific death penalty cases. This may involve preparing written materials, engaging with lawyers, experts and family members, and engaging with third parties who may be willing to make public or private interventions on behalf of death row prisoners;
o Conduct legal research and write legal memoranda on specific state/federal law issues relating to various aspects of the work, including on lethal injection and method of execution issues;
o Track case developments at the state and federal level that are relevant to Reprieve US’s strategic priorities;
o Support capital defense teams in cases where Reprieve US is engaged. This may involve identifying and working with experts, conducting research, drafting materials, liaising with counsel, and conducting interviews;
o Analyze legislation or potential litigation and proactively identify opportunities for strategic litigation.
3. Overseeing ongoing US casework and projects, including case management and organization
o Guide and oversee the planning and conducting of factual investigation and research on Reprieve US cases, including record collection, conducting interviews and family visits, and maintaining ongoing contact with those whom we assist and their family members where strategic and appropriate;
o Engage domestic and international mechanisms where appropriate to facilitate access to justice and remedies for human rights violations in the context of the death penalty or counterterrorism policy;
o Oversee or conduct legal research and the drafting of legal submissions;
o Liaise with government contacts;
o Coordinate input from experts, pro bono lawyers, and other supportive organizations and individuals;
o Create and maintain up-to-date casework databases and data sets.
4. Conducting legal and factual research to support Reprieve’s goals
o Draw on public sources and private networks to closely monitor state and national political developments which may impact our work;
o Support the planning and implementation of key research projects including on lethal injection and method of execution work;
o Compile and analyze data related to Reprieve US’s work.
5. Supporting public and political advocacy on Reprieve US cases and issues
o Prepare internal- and external-facing advocacy briefings, public education materials, formal correspondence, presentations, and other documents in service of Reprieve US’s strategic goals and policy work;
o Develop advocacy materials on individual cases, including briefings, opinion pieces, media pitches, and letters on behalf of interested third parties;
o Collaborate closely with other members of the organization and at Reprieve UK, including policy, press, and Digital and Campaigns, in order to advance advocacy objectives for the US casework team.
6. Establishing, maintaining, and developing relationships with key stakeholders
o Create and cultivate allies and partnerships with lawyers, experts and other professionals, agencies, and organizations, and provide technical assistance and expert legal advice to these contacts;
o Establish and maintain contact with leading activists and abolition groups in executing states;
o Proactively identify opportunities for Reprieve US to support state-level death penalty groups, and coordinate with Reprieve's Director and strategic project lead to determine the level of support we can provide;
o Maintain relationships with foreign governments’ diplomatic representatives in Washington, DC and in relevant consulates, keeping missions up to date with Reprieve US’s work and ensuring Reprieve US remains plugged in to their activities;
o Maintain and develop relationships with capital defense attorneys, legislative bodies, international organizations, and other NGOs;
o Identify potential new allies across the public, private and third sectors, and coordinate outreach to expand Reprieve US’s networks;
o Conduct engagement with other stakeholders including business representatives, potential claimants in strategic litigation, family members or associates of prisoners, healthcare professionals, and medical associations, among others.
7. Other
o Management of staff, fellows, and interns as needed;
o In collaboration with the Director and the Development and Outreach team, maintain relationships with Reprieve US’s funders and take opportunities to keep them up to date with Reprieve US’s work, while also understanding the wider funding landscape and spotting opportunities to engage new potential funders;
o Undertake special projects that further the charitable objects of Reprieve US from time to time, particularly where such projects have an overall organizational focus.
Visit https://reprieve.org/contact/work-with-us/ for more details.
Person Specification
Essential (E)
Desirable (D)
A genuine interest in human rights and a commitment to Reprieve’s goals (E)
Eligible to live and work in the US (E)
At least 2 years of experience in litigation, ideally working at a capital defense office or in a law firm (E)
At least 3 years of experience in human rights advocacy or policy work (E)
Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree (E)
Ability to think creatively and problem-solve using both litigation and non-litigation strategies (E)
Substantive knowledge of constitutional law and civil liberties (E)
Exceptional written and oral communication skills (E)
Demonstrated skills in legal analysis and research (E)
Highly organized with attention to detail (E)
Ability to progress multiple streams of work independently (E)
Ability to own, maintain, and develop stakeholder relationships (E)
Proven ability to juggle multiple tasks and exercise good judgment in a high-pressured environment (E)
Sound judgment and discretion with respect to highly confidential and sensitive information (E)
Ability to work harmoniously and collaboratively in a small team (E)
Ability to manage a remote working arrangement efficiently by taking responsibility for effective communication systems and showing respect for colleagues’ time (E)
Experience line managing staff (E)
Proficiency with MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Outlook (E)
Experience and knowledge of First Amendment cases and / or FOIA challenges (D)
Prior experience in capital defense litigation (D)
Experience working with legislative processes and / or policy experience (D)
Experience and knowledge of national security cases (D)
To apply, please submit a resumé and covering letter detailing how you are suited to the role to [email protected] by the date above. Please ensure your email has the subject heading ‘Deputy Director – Reprieve US’, and that all attachments are sent in PDF format.