Project Lead At Global Rights Compliance

GRC is an international human rights law and development firm based in the Hague, committed to promoting international law, particularly international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights. Our BHR team works on a number of projects globally, in collaboration with governments to strengthen the regulatory environment, with businesses to raise their standards and with civil society organisations (CSOs) and communities to build capacity, helping to ensure that where rights are violated, there is enforcement of remedy for those affected.

We are looking for a candidate to lead and manage a Pakistan-based project within the BHR team.This is a key role within an innovative team to work on an impactful project that will drive change across the garment industry in Pakistan.

Context

Across many industries in Pakistan, workers, particularly women, face abusive, bonded, or unsafe working conditions, including low pay and forced overtime. Many of these workers lack basic human rights protections and are denied freedom of association. In addition, workers in Pakistan’s informal economy typically do not have access to social insurance, paid leave, fixed remuneration, health benefits, and safe working conditions, thus finding themselves vulnerable to exploitative practices. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified these issues, causing increased economic and physical vulnerability for workers, and in some sectors, widespread layoffs, and failure to pay salaries.GRC and its partners will shortly be launching an innovative project to promote and advance international labour rights in Pakistan. The project will provide technical capacity building, legal assistance and advocacy for CSOs and workers organisations seeking accountability for labour rights violations in the garment and textile sector in the country.

Key tasks:

Report directly to the Head of Business and Human Rights

Investigation and assessment

● Cross-cutting work on responsible sourcing and labour rights violations

● Ensure a robust understanding of workers’ and workers organisations’ training needs regarding labour rights and their strategic plan and priorities

● Develop and facilitate workshops, multi-stakeholder events and training courses

Advocacy work

● Provide leadership and support for the establishment of legal aid clinics and mentoring for CSOs and workers organisations

● Support in the creation and dissemination of a bilingual investigative documentation and monitoring tool to support paralegals and CSOs when documenting workers rights violations

Team management

● Provide training and manage a team of one (1) coordinator and eight (8) paralegals working on the project

● Identify emerging talent and work with them to reach their full potential, ensuring they are developed and given new areas of responsibility

● Act as a mentor for consulting team members, offering guidance and support to enable them to perform to their full potential

Business Development

● Work within the BHR team to develop new areas of work and identify potential clients

We are looking for a candidate with

5-10 years of relevant legal and/or business and human rights experience
Pakistan nationality (including dual citizenship)
Practical experience working in Pakistan
Urdu and English speaker
Experience working on labour rights abuses (in a practical application, not just academic study/work)
Demonstrable experience leading and managing a team
Flexible, versatile and creative; able to work in an changeable & fast-moving environment, being proactive, anticipating problems, suggesting solutions etc.
Not requiring detailed guidance to get started; can be given a ‘desired outcome’ and figure out the action areas required to reach it
Practical thinker, able to break down and pursue the elements required to operationalise a strategy
Administratively competent; able to manage competing urgent demands.
Full driving licence