Job opportunity at the Human Rights Lawyers’ Association

2 February 2011 by Adam Wagner

Updated | The Human Rights Lawyers’ Association, of which I am a committee member, is recruiting a part-time administrator.

Full details of the post, which is for up to 10 hours per week and offers remuneration of £10,000 inclusive of VAT, can be found after the page break.

Administrator

Human Rights Lawyers’ Association

Tender for a Contract for Services

The Human Rights Lawyers’ Association (HRLA) is seeking to appoint an administrator.

The HRLA (www.hrla.org.uk) is a vibrant and growing lawyers’ membership organisation with approximately 2,000 members, the majority of whom are students. Additionally, the HRLA has both a corporate and NGO membership scheme.

The HRLA’s primary purpose is to provide a forum for discussion, debate and dissemination of knowledge about human rights for lawyers and those connected with the legal professions working across the UK. Additionally, the HRLA seeks to enhance awareness of human rights among students, as well as solicitors and barristers in their early years of practice.

The HRLA is a relatively new organisation. Over the past five years the HRLA’s administrative functions have been provided by the Bar Council.

The HRLA is now looking to appoint an independent consultant to carry out its administrative functions (the administrator). The administrator will be directly accountable to the HRLA executive committee and the chair of the committee in particular.

The HRLA is hoping to expand its functions and the administrator will be expected to assist the committee in developing the work of the organisation.

Servicing the HRLA will require up to ten hours’ each week. However, flexibility is required. At some points in the year the HRLA will demand more hours each week and at other times, fewer. The administrator will be requested to take holidays at those times when the HRLA is less busy. These tend to reflect school holidays.

The administrator will be independent of the HRLA and will not be employed by the Association. The administrator will be expected to provide the administrative functions from their own premises, with all the necessary IT facilities all ready in place. The HRLA will not be in a position to purchase IT equipment. The administrator will be responsible for their own tax, national insurance and pension obligations and contributions.

The contract for services between the HRLA and the administrator will be for one year in the first instance. It is expected that this will be renewed.

If either party wishes to terminate the agreement, a notice period of two months will be required.

The HRLA will pay £10,000 (inc. VAT if applicable) per annum for the provision of its administrative functions and services

Essential Qualifications for the Administrator

The administrator will have:

• proven administrative skills;
• ability to manage finances, as well as budgets;
• good oral and written communication skills;
• a high level of IT competence and experience of managing websites;
• experience of running events;
• familiarity with managing a membership organisation; and
• ability to work independently..

The administrator will be encouraged to use his/her initiative and to assist the HRLA committee in expanding the work and reach of the Association.

The administrator’s duties will include the following tasks:

Membership:

• processing membership applications and payments;
• responding to all membership emails;
• completing membership details on website;
• updating membership details so that people are paying the correct amounts for their seniority;
• developing & servicing the corporate and NGO membership scheme;
• updating the treasurer on membership figures and payments.

Promotion and Events:

• liasing with the event director(s) (normally committee members) and agreeing with them a budget and strategy for each event;
• organising events, including booking rooms, arranging CPD points and organising refreshments and audio visual equipment if necessary;
• being present at the start of events, signing people in and taking payments/membership forms on the door;
• publicising events including by email, post and posters, to HRLA’s membership, database and to other interested groups, including relevant newspapers/journals.  Liasing with Committee as to what those interested groups might be for each event;
• organising HRLA’s annual student days;
• arranging events outside of London;
• co-ordinating the Peter Duffy Memorial debate.

Bursary Scheme

• co-ordinating the bursary scheme with the HRLA’s Bursary Scheme Officer;
• advertising the scheme nationwide;
• processing applications;
• liaising with applicants.

Website

• updating website with HRLA and other events including links to papers from previous events etc;
• liasing with relevant committee members on content for the website;
• spotting (insofar as possible) events and other matters of interest for the website;
• seeking to expand and develop the website.

Finances

• liaising with the Treasurer re HRLA finances;
• updating the Treasurer on HRLA’s finances;
• paying bills, banking cash and cheques, and maintaining the HRLA bank account in consultation with the Treasurer.

Administration

• notifying committee members of meetings, preparing and sending out agenda and papers;
• attending committee meetings, taking minutes and reporting back to the committee on HRLA developments. Committee meetings take place at 6pm once a month;
• arranging for CPD authorisation for both barristers and solicitors;
• organising the HRLA’s AGM.
• performing any other duties it would be reasonable to expect the administrator to carry out.

The Application Process

To tender for this position, please send a CV with a covering letter. In that letter please include one paragraph which explains your understanding of the role of HRLA’s administrator.

The deadline for tenders is 6pm, 2^nd March 2011.

Interviews will take place on either 10^th or 11^th March 2011 and they will take place in central London.

The successful applicant will be notified on or about 14^th March 2011.

The contract with the successful applicant will be expected to start on 1^st May 2011.

All applications should be sent to the chair of the HRLA’s executive committee, Jonathan Cooper: j.cooper@doughtystreet.co.uk.