International Justice Associate

Information about the organization:

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a federally chartered, nonpartisan institution that was created by the US Congress to serve as America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust and an educational institution dedicated to the history and lessons of the Holocaust. The Museum seeks to educate Americans from all 50 states and all walks of life as well as international audiences. The Museum has three areas of expertise: Holocaust remembrance, Holocaust scholarship and education, and genocide prevention. 

In carrying out its important memorial and educational mission, the Museum is guided by its institutional values for our workplace: Honor the memory of the victims; carry out our work with dignity, humility, integrity and respect for others; and strive for excellence through teamwork, rigor, and a culture of continuous learning. Consistent respect for others is the foundation for trust, collegiality and inclusion.

Information about the office and the role:

The Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide (Simon-Skjodt Center) at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) is seeking to hire an International Justice Associate. The person who fills this position will be responsible for helping to advance the work of the Simon-Skjodt Center’s Ferencz International Justice Initiative (Ferencz Initiative). The Ferencz Initiative aims to 1) promote justice and accountability in countries where mass atrocity crimes have been committed; 2) foster policy, research, and educational efforts to use justice to deter, prevent, and respond to mass atrocities; 3) ensure that governments, multilateral organizations, civil society, and victim groups strengthen and utilize the rule of law for atrocity prevention and response. The International Justice Associate will conceptualize, coordinate, and implement the mission of the Ferencz Initiative. 

This is a full-time donated position (non-Federal) paid with the Museum’s private funds. Salary is commensurate with experience.

This position is located in Washington, DC and is hybrid telework eligible, within the local commuting area of the Museum worksite.

Duties, and Responsibilities for the role:

• Design programs in collaboration with civil society partners to advance victim-centered justice and accountability efforts in specific countries, including in South Sudan and Ethiopia. Work with Center leadership to identify and develop new areas of work to pursue justice for mass atrocities in additional countries. Connect programmatic justice-related efforts in focus countries with policy outreach in Washington. 
• Develop and maintain relationships with local, regional, and international justice and civil society organizations; as well as other institutions and experts relevant to the Ferencz Initiative’s work on justice and accountability. Maintain fluency in current policy and legal developments regarding international justice efforts and how they relate to the Center’s work on atrocity prevention.
• In coordination with other Center staff, design and implement research projects that relate to international justice and the prevention of mass atrocities. 
• Conduct training and outreach efforts to civil society groups regarding Ferencz Initiative materials.
• Conduct research and draft written material - including blog posts, policy briefs, reports, video scripts, website language, and related items - regarding relevant trends in the international justice field and developments regarding the Center’s countries of focus.
• Serve as Center’s point person on the Museum’s international criminal justice leadership project, and work with staff across the Museum on related outreach and training efforts.
• Engage with policymakers and other officials regarding international justice matters as they relate to atrocity prevention or the Center’s countries of focus. 
• Conceive, design, and implement virtual and in-person panel discussions and other events geared to targeted and public audiences.   
• Represent the Center at meetings with policymakers and civil society organizations, and speak publicly on behalf of the Center with the media, at public events, and with other audiences.
• Work with offices across the Museum to share information about and advance the Center in general and the Ferencz International Justice Initiative in particular, including representing the Center on Museum working groups, as appropriate.
• Manage the implementation of specific strategies as part of the Center’s strategic plan, including tracking progress toward designated milestones and sharing relevant updates with the Center’s leadership team.
• Support the broader policy and research work of the Center as needed. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications for the role:

• At least 3 years of experience in the international justice field.
• Expertise in issues relating to genocide and mass atrocity prevention with special knowledge of transitional justice matters.
• Strong understanding of international justice mechanisms and civil society approaches to advancing justice and accountability for mass atrocity crimes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience in designing and implementing outreach efforts to build coalitions, including efforts that require coordinating diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to develop relationships and build trust with diverse individuals, communities, and organizations, including members of communities at risk of, or experiencing, mass atrocities.
• Ability to travel domestically and abroad, up to 10% of the time.

Preferred Qualifications for the role:

• Law degree or graduate degree in relevant field strongly preferred.
• Experience working alongside survivors of mass atrocity crimes.

Interested applicants must provide a resume, and a cover letter.  Applications without these requirements will not be considered. 

The application deadline for this position is January 3, 2025 

The Museum is committed to cultivating and maintaining a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion (DEAI). Please click here to view the Museum Statement on Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion (PDF).

Benefits Highlights:

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum values employee wellness, work-life balance and the diversity of what this means for individual employees in life and work. We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package for benefits-eligible employees that includes generous paid leave benefits, health, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, a health savings account with an employer contribution, 403(b) retirement plan with a generous employer match and contribution, group term and supplemental life insurance, short and long-term disability, commuter subsidy, access to two employee assistance programs, as well as voluntary critical illness and accident insurance coverage, long-term care and pet insurance options. Our policies also support telework and other flexible schedule options based on the job, work and team collaboration requirements.