Senior Manager, Regional Representative - South Asia

Job Title: Regional Representative, South Asia 

Organization Unit: Programmes
Reports To: Global Director of Programmes

CAREER CATEGORY: Full-Time

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:  August 25th, 2025

LOCATION: Remote (South Asia-Based). This position is open to candidates currently residing in one of the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Residency in one of these locations is required at the time of application and must be maintained for the duration of employment.

ABOUT EQUALITY NOW

At Equality Now, we aspire to create a world in which women and men have equal rights under the law, and full enjoyment of their human rights.

Our mission is gender equality. And how we get there matters. Here are the values behind everything we do.

Founded in 1992, we are an international human rights organization that works to protect and promote the rights of all women and girls around the world. Our campaigns are centered on four program areas: Legal Equality, End Sexual Violence, End Harmful Practices, and End Sexual Exploitation, with a cross-cutting focus on the unique needs of adolescent girls.  

We are truly global and we have a team of 80+ people located all around the world. We have team members in Benin, Beirut, London, Geneva, San Jose, El Salvador, Argentina, Nairobi, Tbilisi, New York and Washington DC among others. 

We offer a great experience for talented people who are passionate about equality. To work here, you’ll need to share our core values, which are: integrity, tenaciousness, perseverance, and inclusivity. For more information, visit equalitynow.org.
 

MISSION OBJECTIVE:
To expand Equality Now’s impact across South Asia by advancing legal and systemic change through regional advocacy, strategic partnerships, litigation support, and engagement with human rights mechanisms. The South Asia Regional Representative (Regional Representative) plays a critical role in advancing the organization's work through both legal acumen and strategic activism.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

The following is a general outline of duties and responsibilities for this role. It is not an exhaustive list, and additional duties may be assigned or removed at the discretion of the Global Director of Programmes to meet organizational needs and priorities. 

Purpose: Lead

• Develops and leads regional strategies aligned with Equality Now’s mission and strategic plan and priorities to influence legal and systemic reforms for women and girls in South Asia, in close collaboration with the thematic Global Leads on Legal Equality, Ending Sexual Violence, Ending Harmful Practices, Ending Sexual Exploitation and Securing Digital Rights.
• Provides legal expertise, analytical guidance and thought leadership to shape regional campaigns and advocacy priorities.
• Learns from programming across Equality Now and contributes to organisational learning.
• Participates in organizational strategic planning and helps define future programmatic direction based on regional dynamics and partner input.
• Leads programme design and implementation in the region and in target countries (e.g., India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, etc.), including mapping actors, identifying key issues and change pathways, and fostering collaboration through coalitions and networks..
• Identifies and recommends cases of rights violations for strategic litigation or campaign action in line with Equality Now criteria.
• Ensures the quality of submissions to regional and international human rights bodies. 

Engagement: Persuade 

• Provides strategic oversight, advice and feedback to staff and consultants working in the region to ensure the delivery of thoughtful, high quality analysis, implementation and knowledge products. 
• Works closely with Programme, Communications, and Development teams to coordinate cross-functional contributions to regional strategies.
• Engages with Equality Now’s strategic planning, fundraising, and campaign design processes to ensure regional alignment and operational synergy.
• Cultivates and manages strategic partnerships across civil society, WROs, legal actors, and human rights bodies in the region, among others.
• Represents Equality Now in coalitions, conferences, and meetings with stakeholders, such as  regional bodies), UN bodies and the  World Bank.
• Networks with activists, legal experts, and donors to expand Equality Now’s reach and influence in South Asia to develop leaderful collaborative action
• Collaborates with local partners.

Delivery: Adaptive Programming

• Develops and follows work plans aligned with Equality Now’s strategic framework, ensuring timely execution of campaign activities and advocacy milestones, as well as ensuring effective responses to the need for adaptations to achieve progress towards outcomes
• Coordinates closely with partners and internal teams to ensure timely and relevant regional engagement.
• Supports the Development team in identifying and pursuing fundraising opportunities for regional initiatives.
• Supports impact monitoring  processes by ensuring data demonstrating progress towards outcomes in the region is up to date on the Program Data Base
• Leads on the development of content for funding proposals and reporting for the region, working very closely with the Development team, and the effective use of  results frameworks to track progress of  institutional grants .
• Ensures that program activities are monitored and evaluated effectively, with lessons learned applied to future strategies.
• Provides timely, accurate, and reflective reports on campaign progress, partnerships, and results.
• Ensures that campaign messaging is legally sound, contextually relevant, and strategically positioned.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS & TARGET SKILLS PROFILE
The Regional Representative will be thoroughly committed to Equality Now’s mission. The position requires proven legal expertise, regional knowledge, and advocacy skills. The ideal candidate has the analytical mind of a lawyer and the relationship-building skills of an activist. Specific requirements include:

Substantive Knowledge

• Comprehensive understanding of legal, political, and social dynamics influencing women and girls’ rights across South Asia, with deep familiarity with regional civil society ecosystems and justice barriers affecting the diversity of women and girls in the region.
• Expertise in international and regional human rights instruments and mechanisms, including the UN system, and related legal frameworks addressing gender-based violence and discrimination.
• Exceptional legal acumen, including strategic litigation assessment, legal drafting, and rights-based analysis to advance Equality Now’s mission.
• Proven ability to analyse, develop and apply technical legal frameworks and approaches to address the discrimination and violence against women and girls.
• Adaptability across diverse issue areas, as well as familiarity or demonstrable experience in working with multiple themes.
• Skilled in multilateral advocacy, with proven experience engaging global institutions such as the United Nations, World Bank, and regional bodies to influence policy and legal reform.
• Demonstrated commitment to survivors’, adolescent girls’ and marginalised women’s and girls’ rights, actively integrating their voices and lived experiences into campaigns, programming, and policy advocacy.
• Proficient in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) tools for advocacy and development, applying data-driven insights to strengthen accountability and program effectiveness.
• Strong leadership and staff development capacity, with success mentoring teams and managing remote staff across diverse geographies.
• Track record in program innovation and resource mobilization, including fundraising, donor stewardship, and strategic initiative design aligned with organizational values.

Communication Skills

• Ability to craft and deliver persuasive narratives that advance gender justice, resonate across cultural contexts, and align with global advocacy goals. 
• Skilled at navigating diverse institutional and political landscapes with respect, cultural fluency, and tact, especially in multilateral or government-facing settings.
• Demonstrated commitment to amplifying marginalized voices, including adolescent girls, through respectful, rights-based engagement and language.
• Confidence and clarity in representing the organization at senior-level forums, including with donors, government agencies, and legal institutions.
• Capacity to foster trust, alignment, and accountability across geographically dispersed teams, using transparent and adaptive communication techniques.
• Precision in translating complex legal concepts and advocacy goals into accessible, compelling documents, from legal submissions to briefing materials.
• Strong ability to communicate impact and learning through well-structured reporting that supports organizational growth, donor stewardship, and program adaptation.

Execution Skills

• Translates mission-driven objectives into detailed work plans, ensuring consistency, clarity, and measurable outcomes across regional programs, whilst demonstrating agility and adaptability in ensuring progress towards outcomes. 
• Oversees multi-country workflows with precision, ensuring alignment with legal, cultural, and organizational standards through equitable and resilient systems.
• Executes financial strategies that reflect both compliance and equity, maintaining oversight of donor-funded initiatives with accurate reporting and ethical resource management.
• Demonstrates skill in mentoring, delegating, and supporting cross-functional teams, especially across time zones and regional contexts.
• Converts legal mandates and strategic recommendations into actionable advocacy and program protocols, grounded in regional context and feminist principles.
• Leads fundraising execution with a clear link between donor priorities, mission impact, and regional sustainability.

Targeted Specialized Knowledge

• A minimum of eight (8) years’ experience in the legal, human rights, or women’s rights field or equivalent experience that directly contributes to Equality Now’s mission to protect and promote the rights of women and girls in the region is required
• A bachelor’s degree and a qualifying law degree (or equivalent legal credential required for legal practice) are required. 
• Additional graduate-level qualifications in relevant areas such as public policy, human rights, or gender studies are strongly preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in English and fluency in a relevant South Asian language is required  to support regional engagement and partnership development

At Equality Now, we offer a competitive salary aligned with global pay parity principles. Compensation is determined based on the candidate’s experience, professional background, location, and the UN Cost of Living index, which adjusts salaries to maintain an equitable standard of living across regions. The final offer will be determined based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to relevant experience, skill set, and qualifications/certifications.

HOW TO APPLY

Please visit: https://equalitynow.applytojob.com/ and submit a resume/CV, cover letter.

Deadline for applications is August 25th, 2025

Due to the volume of applicants anticipated for this role, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Equality Now is strong because it is diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Equality Now offers a competitive compensation package, including base salary, savings, health and vacation benefits, and is an Equal Opportunity employer. Equality Now employees are selected on the basis of ability without regard to race, colour, religious beliefs, sex, gender identity and expression, language, political or other opinion, nationality, ethnic or social origin, disability, pregnancy, mental status, HIV status, age, marital status, or sexual orientation. 

We welcome all kinds of diversity. Candidates are selected on the basis of ability, in accordance with all country and location specific laws.

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