Center Background:

The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights worldwide. With offices in New York City, and Washington, D.C.; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; and Geneva, Switzerland, the Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization changing law and policy throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States. Our 230+ diverse professionals are committed to advancing the Center’s human rights mission through game-changing litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work. This has fueled the Center’s exceptional growth to an operating budget of more than $50 million and won the respect of law firms worldwide. Our global pro bono network includes over 2,100 lawyers across 6 continents, 88 countries, and 125 law firms, contributing over $30 million USD in pro bono legal services annually. The Center’s Strategic Plan sets a high mark for impact: By 2030, half of the world’s population will be living under stronger protections for reproductive rights than they were in 2020. The Center has a record of success to back up this ambitious goal. Since our founding in 1992, the Center has transformed how reproductive rights are understood and applied by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide on issues including maternal health, abortion, assisted reproduction, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights. We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies. The Center has also led development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights. It has built the legal capacity of women’s rights advocates in more than 65 countries and counting.

The Job:

The Senior Adviser for Europe, Pro Bono Services is a new role at the Center and will report directly to the Global Director for Pro Bono Services and the Associate Director for Europe. The individual in this role will deepen and lead the development and expansion of the Center’s network of pro bono resources in Europe, raising the Center’s profile in the legal community, and collaboratively work with Center staff, regional NGOs, qualified lawyers in European countries and bar associations, and the private law firm sector to institutionalize pro bono in the Europe region.

This position will be based in Geneva or Brussels. This is a two-year fixed term position.

Primary Responsibilities:

Drive the development of a robust regional pro bono strategy for Europe to integrate locally trained attorneys with jurisdiction-specific expertise, subject-matter knowledge, and language capabilities, strengthening advocacy, external relations and litigation opportunities, strategic partnerships, and local expertise. Support strategy implementation in partnership with the regional team in Europe.
Partner with the regional team in Europe to leverage law firm expertise and networks in government relations and political strategy, shaping approaches to political engagement, relationship building, and law reform in alignment with regional priorities.
Expand and strengthen the Center’s network of law firms and attorneys in Europe, leveraging pro bono support for the Center’s work and operations across Europe, and also globally.
Develop and deepen relationships with law firms in priority European jurisdictions and with specialized EU law and policy expertise. Jurisdictions include Belgium, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Switzerland.
Partner with the regional team in Europe to explore how pro-bono resources can be leveraged to support the capacity and needs of the Center’s regional partners and lead on the establishment of potential new initiatives in this direction. Explore the development of clearinghouses for legal representation and assess the feasibility of an internal pro bono model to leverage law firm networks, enhancing support for partner organizations.
In collaboration with the pro bono team, manage the referral of pro bono projects, facilitating relationships between pro bono attorneys and Center liaisons for each project.
Secure pro bono expertise to address regional compliance and operational needs in Europe, particularly in highly regulated contexts. Drive the development of clearinghouses for legal representation and assess the feasibility of an internal pro bono model to leverage law firm networks, enhancing support for partner organizations.
Assist in developing onboarding and capacity-building programs for new pro bono partners.
In collaboration with the regional team in Europe, participate in regional, national, and local pro bono working groups, clearinghouses, committees, professional associations, coalitions, and networks to ensure the Center’s visibility and solidify its leadership in advancing a pro bono culture in Europe.
In collaboration with pro bono and regional teams, develop proposals for strategic events and roundtables on the role of pro bono in advancing Center goals, including at national and international pro bono conferences.
Develop externally facing materials and publications to highlight the Center’s pro bono work across regions.
Serve as a leader within the global pro bono team to share best practices and build and strengthen processes for the management of pro bono relationships and placement of pro bono matters.

Compensation:

The Center offers competitive compensation commensurate with years of experience and a generous PTO package.

Activity Rate:

100%

Duration:

2 years fixed term

Anticipated start date:

July 1st, 2025.

Benefits:

Flexibility: The Center currently operates in a hybrid model, requiring staff to work 3 days per week in the office and allowing work 2 days per week from home.
Well-being: The Center offers resources to help prevent and recover from burnout through different programs that enable mental, physical, and community well-being. The Center provides generous leave, including paid parental leave, personal days, vacation, and sick leave. We are closed the last week of December to allow staff to spend winter holiday time with their loved ones.
Growth: You will be working with and learning from some of the top legal and operational minds, all passionate about advancing reproductive rights worldwide. You will also be eligible for a stipend to use towards professional growth.
Global: You will get a front-row seat to the fight for reproductive rights globally. You will have access to Employee Resource Groups to connect to colleagues with similar interests/backgrounds/views.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Center is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage people from all communities to apply. If you are excited about this role but unsure about whether your experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required. An advanced degree is an asset.
Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience with a law firm or NGO or related organization. Experience of working with pro bono practice at a human rights or social justice NGO, law firm, professional association or related organization highly desirable;
Strong commitment to the Center’s mission, purpose, and values;
Fluency in English and ability to work professionally in French required.
Experience in successfully cultivating relationships with members of the legal profession, convening meetings and events, and building partnerships;
Experience working with the legal profession and cultivating professional relationships in the Center´s priority countries in Central and Eastern Europe highly desired.
Experience in working with advocacy organizations or other NGOs towards legal and policy change;
Highly innovative, creative, and collaborative; self-motivated and ability to thrive in a dynamic environment;
Strong writing skills, including an ability to convey complicated matters to broad audiences; strong public speaking and presentation skills
Ability to develop and implement strategic, multi-pronged pro bono strategies in support of broader advocacy strategies with short and long-term objectives;
Strong inter-personal skills and ability to build relationships with stakeholders from a variety of sectors;
Project management experience, including experience in planning and executing a variety of events and of leading projects or specific efforts;
Ability to travel regularly within the region and occasionally intercontinentally, including to the United States.
Ability to work well with competing priorities, meet deadlines, and manage workflow processes involving multiple people;
Demonstrated experience and judgment working both collaboratively and independently;
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and SharePoint; experience with webinar management, Salesforce, and project management software desirable.

Senior Adviser for Europe, Pro Bono Services (French-speaking)