Advocacy Officer

REDRESS is looking to appoint an Advocacy Officer to deliver our work on policy advocacy with a focus on the United Kingdom, including on Magnitsky Sanctions, and work with survivors and survivor communities on our policy advocacy campaigns. We are seeking applications from intermediate professionals with some previous experience in human rights advocacy to contribute to this work.  

We are committed to amplifying the voice of survivors of torture or ill-treatment within REDRESS and the wider sector and working to ensure that people with lived experience are partners in bringing the change needed. We strongly encourage applications from candidates with lived experience, which may mean that they or their families are survivors of torture, or that they have escaped persecution.  

REDRESS has a diverse team from different backgrounds and with different experiences, including those with lived experience of torture. Under our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, we encourage applications from people of colour, LGBTQI+ people, and disabled people, who are currently under-represented. We will use positive action under the Equality Act 2010 to appoint from these groups if two candidates are equally qualified.

Who we are

REDRESS is an international human rights organisation based in London and The Hague that pursues legal claims on behalf of survivors of torture in the UK and around the world to obtain justice and reparation for violations against their human rights. Our approach to legal claims is strategic, so that as well as representing an individual we target the policy reasons that enabled the torture to take place, by building campaigns that uses advocacy, survivor participation, and communications to influence change.

Our 2030 Strategy sets out our priorities for 2026–2030 in response to the challenges facing the anti-torture movement and our areas of expertise.

You can find information about the organisation in the latest Trustees Annual Report. We continue to strengthen our processes to further enhance our diversity, build our survivor-centred approach, and ensure people with lived experience are part of REDRESS. 

Position Profile

The main responsibilities of the role are:

UK Advocacy. Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders relevant to REDRESS’ UK policy objectives, including government departments, parliamentarians, parliamentary committees, NGOs and academics. Draft written materials and briefing papers for policymakers, and respond to government enquiries and consultations, and undertake direct advocacy.

Sanctions Advocacy and APPG. Deliver REDRESS’s UK advocacy on Magnitsky sanctions and asset recovery for reparation. This includes supporting REDRESS’s role as secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Magnitsky Sanctions and Reparation and conducting advocacy to key stakeholders: the FCDO, Treasury, Home Office, parliamentarians and others.

Survivor Advisory Group. Work collaboratively with the Survivor Advisory Group to support our work with survivors and survivor communities on our policy advocacy campaigns.

Upholding the Absolute Prohibition of Torture. Support and deliver our policy advocacy work in the UK relating to other issues, such as an effective system for universal jurisdiction prosecutions, responding to threats to the absolute prohibition of torture, and responses to UK torture overseas. Conduct advocacy work related to the legal right to consular assistance and State hostage-taking.

Project Management. Manage and deliver specific project activities which include administrative tasks, budget management, planning and participating in the delivery of meetings and events, as well as other tasks related to project management.

Teamwork/Collaboration. Work collaboratively with REDRESS team members and external stakeholders, always exercising professional integrity. Supervise fellows and interns.

Representing REDRESS. Contribute to the wider needs of the organisation, including communicating REDRESS’ work to a wide array of audiences.

The position is also expected to carry out such further duties as may reasonably be required from time to time by REDRESS.  

Person Specification

Essential Competencies

The successful candidate will need to have the following essential competencies:

·       At least three years relevant post-qualification professional experience. 

·       Strong knowledge of how the UK Parliament and government works.

·       Undergraduate degree specialised in international law, human rights, politics, international relations, or a related field.

·       A solid understanding of international human rights policy issues.

·       Demonstrated proficiency in policy analysis and policy writing and editing; demonstrated competence in writing for a broader public audience. 

·       Experience at delivering projects and managing project budgets.

·       Experience working with victims of human rights violations, survivor groups, or grassroots campaigns.

·       Experience working with NGOs and other stakeholders.

·       Experience in public speaking to a variety of audiences.

·       Experience managing interns and volunteers.

·       Fluency in written and oral English.

·       Literacy in social media in a professional environment (primarily Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook).

·       Willing to undertake travel within the UK. 

·       An ability to work with a range of political parties.

Personal Attributes

To work for Redress, the candidate should have the following personal attributes: 

·       Happy to work collaboratively as part of a small and energetic team with a wide range of personalities. 

·       Highly efficient and organised, with an ability to multi-task, show initiative, solve problems, and take a hands-on role when necessary.

·       Able to think and work strategically, creatively, and under pressure.  

·       Able to understand and support the aims, objectives and values of REDRESS and reflect them in all aspects of work. 

·       Able to work with survivors of human rights abuse with a range of specific needs. 

Terms

Reporting. The position will report to a Senior Legal Advisor.

Hours. This is a part-time position at 21 hours a week. Evening and weekend work may be required from time to time.

Location. The position is based at the REDRESS office in London.

Flexible Working. REDRESS is an “in-person” organisation and we value teamwork, but we have a flexible working policy which allows for working from home. This role is currently required to be in the office one-two days a week.

Duration. The contract is for a fixed term of 12 months (maternity cover).

Start date. The position would start in September 2026.

Probation. There is a four-month probationary period. 

Pension. REDRESS offers a pension contribution of 10% of salary.

Holiday.  There are 25 days of holiday per year, in addition to UK public holidays. The office is also closed between Christmas and New Year.  

Status. The candidate must have the right to live and work in the UK. Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor a UK immigration process for this role.

Interview process. We expect to do two rounds of interviews. We may ask candidates to complete a brief written test as part of the process but will provide information on that nearer the time.

·       First round Interviews will take place on 7 August and will be on-line.

·       Final round interview will take place on 13 August and will be in-person at our office in London.

How to Apply

Please upload to our recruitment portal a single PDF file including both: 

·       A cover letter of no more than one page explaining (a) why you would like to work for REDRESS, (b) how you fulfil the personal specification for the role, and (c) how you will contribute to the diversity of REDRESS, and

·       Your CV or resume.

Please also complete the anonymous Diversity Monitoring Form. We use the information from the form to tell us about the diversity of the applicant pool for each of the positions that we advertise. We keep the conclusions of the analysis for our records, and the underlying data is deleted three months after the recruitment closes.

Deadline: 31 July 2026