Justice Rapid Response (JRR) is an intergovernmental initiative that partners with international, national and civil society actors by providing them with prompt, impartial and professional expertise, tailored to each context, to investigate international crimes and serious human rights violations and to promote the rights and access to justice of victims and survivors. The JRR Secretariat team carries out JRR’s activities under the direction of the JRR Executive Director and it is based in Geneva, Switzerland. JRR has been granted privileges and immunities by Switzerland in December 2025.

For further information, please visit our websitehttp http://www.justicerapidresponse.org

THE ROLE

Justice Rapid Response is seeking its next Executive Director to drive the strategic development of the organization in support of its mission. Reporting to the Executive Board, the Executive Director serves as Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for JRR’s overall leadership, strategic direction, operational performance, and financial sustainability.

The next JRR Executive Director is a gifted communicator. They carry authority based on relevant substantive expertise and experience in the field of international criminal justice and human rights. They can rely on a solid network of contacts in the international justice, human rights and diplomatic community. Thanks to their professional and personal history, they can project, represent and defend the vision of JRR of a world where all victims and survivors of international crimes and serious human rights violations have access to justice, contributing to peaceful and inclusive societies.

The Executive Director is selected by JRR’s Executive Board currently composed of representatives from 9 States, one UN agency and two people in their individual capacity. The Executive Director heads JRR’s Secretariat, currently 22 strong, headquartered in Geneva.

This role offers a unique opportunity to lead a globally recognized organization at the forefront of international criminal justice and human rights, strengthening its impact, visibility, and partnerships worldwide.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Executive Director:

• Serves as the guardian of JRR’s mission, vision and values - impartiality, respect, integrity, diversity, and ingenuity and ensures these are embedded throughout the organization’s work. The Executive Director adheres strictly to the Code of Conduct of Justice Rapid Response.

• Is the person responsible for the overall leadership of JRR, and through the Director of Operations and Director of Finance, the management of JRR operational and administrative functions. They are ultimately responsible for providing JRR’s staff with a healthy and safe working environment, conducive to their personal and professional development, in line with the values of the organization.

• Is the public face of JRR, playing a central role in the promotion of the organization and its capacity globally. In this regard, the Executive Director must secure a high level of access and recognition of JRR to ensure the broadest possible use of JRR’s capacity.

• Is the person responsible for ensuring that predictable and adequate resources are available for JRR to meet the growing demand of the international community for its services.

The Executive Director’s primary responsibilities are set out as follows:

1. Strategic Direction

The Executive Director defines the strategy of the organization – including through the development of JRR’s next strategic plan - to ensure effective, efficient and impactful delivery of its mission and vision.

Through its broad network of stakeholders, and in close association with the JRR Team and the JRR Executive Board, the Executive Director ensures that JRR remains closely connected and responsive to the needs of the international community when it comes to the provision of justice and human rights expertise.

2. Representation and Public Communication

The Executive Director represents JRR and actively engages with States, multilateral institutions, civil society organizations, public and private donors (including foundations), requesting entities, the media and general public, as well as academic and policy institutions (e.g., universities and think tanks). Through these engagements, the Executive Director promotes JRR’s mandate and capabilities, secures political and financial support, and ensures the organization is widely recognized, fully utilized, and remains responsive to the international community’s growing need for professional investigative expertise.

3. Resource mobilization

The Executive Director:

• Provides leadership and strategic guidance for resource mobilization and leads the implementation of JRR’s fundraising efforts with states and private donors as well as multilateral entities directly and through the JRR staff involved in fundraising efforts.

• Builds and diversifies JRR’s funding base, engaging with both state and non-state donors to ensure sustainable and predictable financing.

• Ensures the highest level of confidence among public and private donors in JRR’s quality of services and impact to support longer-term, predictable financing being contributed to JRR.

4. Oversight of JRR’s partnerships and outreach strategies to requesting entities.

The Executive Director:

• Provides strategic guidance to strengthen JRR’s relationships with current and prospective requesting entities, including states, multilateral bodies, and civil society organizations.

• Develops, maintains and ensures oversight over operational partnerships with entities that use JRR experts for their activities, contributes otherwise to delivering JRR’s mission or engaging in joint fundraising and outreach efforts.

5. Direction and oversight of the overall operational and financial management of JRR.

Operations

The Executive Director works closely with the Director of Operations to ensure that JRR’s organizational structure and operational policies are sound and able to effectively deliver on the strategic objectives approved by JRR’s Governance and on the provision of a safe, inclusive, healthy and conducive work environment for JRR’s staff.

Finance

The Executive Director works closely with the Director of Finance to ensure the overall transparent and effective financial and administrative functionality of JRR and its assets, in line with best practices and standards in the sector.

They present financial budgets for Board approval that link the operational plan of work along with multiyear resource projections.

6. Working with JRR’s Executive Board and Governance

The Executive Director:

• Represents JRR’s Secretariat at the Executive Board meeting and other governance meetings and reports on all operational, administrative, and financial matters.

• Ensures that the Executive Board is made aware, in a timely manner, of key strategic and other material operational challenges JRR is encountering in the course of its work.

• Guides the Executive Board, its Chairs and members in assisting JRR in having the predictable resources and high-level international recognition needed to respond to demand as well as fulfil its goals, objectives and vision.

• Leads efforts to align JRR’s governance structure with best practices and evolving organizational needs.

POSITION PROFILE

1. Qualifications and Knowledge

• At least 15 years of proven leadership roles in the field of international justice and human rights, rule of law and development, peace and security, international relations and multilateral diplomacy.

• Demonstrated experience in the management of international and/or non-governmental organizations, international justice or human rights entities, mechanisms or investigations.

• Demonstrated high-level representation and public communication experience.

• Extensive network among key national and international justice and human rights and multilateral stakeholders.

• Experience with gender-sensitive approaches, including survivor-centered responses to SGBV and violations affecting children, is an asset.

• Proven experience in resource mobilization for the non-profit sector.

• Demonstrated knowledge of or exposure to areas such as international human rights and humanitarian law, international criminal law, or transitional justice is a must.

• University degree in law, international relations, political science, development studies, or another relevant discipline.

2. Language/Requirements:

• Fluency of written and oral English and preferably competence in one or more of the other official UN languages.

• Position based in Geneva with requirements to travel abroad on a regular basis to meet with JRR’s requesting entities, donors and other stakeholders as described in these terms of reference.

• While the mandate of the Executive Director is currently approved on a yearly basis by the Board, JRR is seeking a candidate able to provide stability through a sustained, multi-year commitment, subject to satisfactory performance and renewal.

3. Skills/Competencies:

Leadership/Vision: ability to inspire, develop and communicate a vision effectively and credibly, maintain a positive work environment that facilitates collaboration and information sharing and is conducive to retaining talents, developing creative solutions and developing the organization.

Communication/inter-personal skills: ability to speak and write clearly and effectively; to listen; to interpret messages and respond appropriately; to transmit relevant information; to adapt to one’s interlocutor; to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and openness; to communicate diplomatically.

Access: ability to access high political and leadership levels to mainstream its vision and objectives into international and national policy planning and execution, as well as to secure ample, predictable resources for the organization to be able to plan forward and meet ever growing 5 requests for its services.

Collaborative and supportive leadership: ability to lead by example to maintain a collaborative working environment with colleagues in view of reaching organizational goals; to solicit input and value colleagues’ ideas and expertise; to be willing to learn from others; to place team agenda before personal agenda; to share credit for team accomplishments and to accept joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Accountability: ability to provide oversight and take responsibility for delegated assignments; to take personal responsibility for one’s own shortcomings.

Flexibility: ability to demonstrate flexibility necessary to a small and efficient organization; ability to accommodate to the needs of the organization to achieve its goals.

WHAT JRR OFFERS

A unique opportunity to observe, engage with, and positively influence the global justice and human rights ecosystem at a strategic level.

A flexible, dynamic, and mission-driven work environment, offering significant scope to adapt and shape the organization to respond effectively to the evolving needs of the international community in the areas of justice and accountability.

An organization that keeps its duty of care at heart towards its employees and promotes diversity, professional development and staff well-being.

An indicative gross annual salary (before taxes and social charges) for this position in line with JRR’s remuneration policy (indicative range from CHF 120’000 to CHF 170’000 annually), commensurate with relevant professional experience.