Associate Director: Ethics, Technology, and Human Rights (US or Europe)

~ Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) is a global nonprofit organization that works with its network of more than 250 member companies and other partners to build a just and sustainable world. ~

From its offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, BSR develops sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting, research, and cross-sector collaboration. Visit www.bsr.org for more information about BSR’s 25 years of leadership in sustainability.

We are proud to say that we have a team of some of the most talented and motivated people in the industry working in our global offices in Copenhagen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Tokyo.

Position Overview

Rapid developments in new technologies—including artificial intelligence, big data analytics, blockchain, and the internet of things—are causing fundamental changes in business and society. These powerful new technologies are raising new philosophical questions about humanity, creating new human rights risks and opportunities for business, and introducing new challenges for how companies will meet their responsibility to respect human rights.

BSR has been at the forefront of the business and human rights agenda for 25 years, ever since our founding in 1992. As the speed, complexity, and extensive reach of new and disruptive technologies are profoundly altering the nature and profile of human rights impacts and risks at global companies, this will require fundamentally different methods and approaches by business in all sectors of the economy. For this reason, the Associate Director, Ethics, Technology, and Human Rights will lead the integration of these developments into BSR’s human rights work across all industry sectors.

Note: This position is full-time, based in San Francisco, New York, Paris, or Copenhagen! 

Responsibilities

• Thought Leadership and External Representation: The Associate Director will develop a BSR point of view on ethics, technology, and human rights, and lead the creation of new human rights tools, methodologies, and approaches that are suited to the emerging digital age. This thought leadership is expected to include a combination of project deliverables (both consulting engagements with companies and projects funded by foundations), public reports, blogs, conference participation, and external speaking engagements.
• Consulting and Member Services: The Associate Director will play a leading role in delivering consulting services on ethics, technology, and human rights to member and non-member companies in all industry sectors. Areas of project focus may include human rights impact assessments, human rights strategies, rightsholder and stakeholder engagement, workshops, research reports, transparency and reporting, scenario planning, and strategic foresight.
• Grant-Funded Work: The Associate Director also will play a leading role in delivering grant-funded projects relevant to ethics, technology, and human rights.
• Business Development: The Associate Director will have responsibility for deepening relationships and developing new business opportunities in the areas of ethics, technology, and human rights with leaders in companies, foundations, and other funding organizations.
• Other: The Associate Director may also be required to provide services to companies in other areas according to business needs.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have the following mix of qualifications, many of which are preferred rather than required:

• Significant business and human rights experience (at least 8-10 years) obtained inside a company, in consulting, in public policy, in academia, and/or at a civil society organization.
• Significant experience working with or in the technology sector, with a high level of understanding of trends in the technology industry and their relevance to sustainability and the BSR mission.
• Master’s degree in business, law, public policy, engineering, or other relevant discipline.
• Knowledge and experience in key business and human rights content areas, such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; human rights impact assessments; trends in transparency and reporting; rights holder/stakeholder engagement; and/or laws and regulations.
• Experience or proven interest in business ethics and/or ethics issues raised by technology, innovation, and rapid change.
• Knowledge and experience related to business processes such as strategic planning, organizational development, training programs, performance management, change management, etc.
• Proven leadership and people skills, including a demonstrated ability to mentor the skills and effectiveness of other team members.
• Outstanding verbal, written, and facilitation skills.
• Willingness to undertake business travel (up to 20 percent time).
• Language skills: Fluent in English, with an additional language from a region in which BSR is based is an advantage.
• Capacity to work and thrive in a growing, fast-paced entrepreneurial organization with a collaborative environment.
• High ethical standards and commitment to BSR core values of leadership, respect, and integrity.

Diversity

As part of our dedication to Diversity, BSR is an Equal Opportunity Employer: 

Individuals seeking employment at BSR are considered without regards to race, ethnicity, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, registered domestic partner status, caregiver status, marital status, veteran or military status, citizenship status, or any other legally protected category.