Investigations Lead

ABOUT VIDEREVidere is an award-winning, UK-registered NGO that exposes human rights abuses and holds perpetrators to account. We work directly with communities in stressed environments, equipping networks of activists and community leaders with the technology and training necessary to safely capture visual documentation of political violence, human rights violations, and other systemic abuses. Our aim is to ensure that the concerns and knowledge of affected communities drive advocacy, policy, and legal action. We currently have teams and partners in six countries and support staff in three further countries.ABOUT THE ROLEVidere is seeking an Investigations Lead, responsible for leading the delivery of impactful, high quality human rights investigations across the organisation.The role combines substantive leadership on investigative content with operational oversight, ensuring that investigations are methodologically sound, ethically robust, and safely implemented.Listening to project staff and community investigators, and working in close partnership with other technical leads (including programming, legal, impact and security management colleagues), the Investigation Lead shapes investigative priorities and approaches while ensuring that investigation teams—both project staff and community-based investigators—have the tools, skills, guidance, and support required to carry out complex human rights investigations in high-risk contexts.The Investigations Lead line-manages an OSINT Researcher and four project staff who, in turn, manage and support community investigators.KEY RESPONSIBILITIESInvestigation Strategy and Leadership* Listen to project staff and community investigators, and alongside Videre’s Knowledge Management Team, lead the design and oversight of Videre’s investigations. * Lead the delivery of human rights investigations in line with organisational priorities and ethical standards. * Shape investigative content, scope, and methodology in collaboration with internal technical experts. * Ensure investigations are grounded in robust legal, factual, and contextual analysis. * Contribute to organisational strategy by identifying emerging investigative priorities and risks.Methodology, Quality, and Ethics* Develop, adapt, and oversee investigative methodologies, tools, and protocols. * Ensure compliance with ethical standards, including do no harm, impartiality, and inclusivity. * Oversee quality assurance processes to ensure accuracy, consistency, and credibility of findings; this includes leading on Videre’s verification processes to ensure they remain robust. * Support teams to navigate complex ethical and methodological dilemmas.Operational Oversight and Safety* Ensure investigation teams are equipped to operate safely in conflict-affected and high-risk environments. * Work with Videre’s Security Manager to integrate risk assessment and mitigation into investigation planning. * Ensure appropriate data protection, information security, and documentation practices are in place. * Support decision-making around when to adapt, pause, or stop investigations due to risk.Capacity Building and Support* Ensure investigation teams have access to appropriate training, guidance, and ongoing technical support; you will be expected to deliver training to our project teams and, as needed, to our CSO partners. * Strengthen the capacity of project staff to manage and support community investigators effectively. * Promote reflective practice, learning, and continuous improvement within investigation teams.Line Management and Leadership* Line-manage the OSINT Researcher and project staff executing investigations, providing clear direction, support, and accountability. * Support project staff to supervise community investigators in a way that prioritises safety, wellbeing, and ethical practice. * Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and learning-oriented team culture.Impact* Work closely with programming, impact, media and legal colleagues to ensure investigations are ‘distribution ready’ and data collected generates maximum impact.SKILLS AND EXPERIENCEEssential* Demonstrated commitment to survivor-centred, ethical, and inclusive approaches, leading with care, humility, and respect for affected communities. * Significant experience leading or contributing to human rights investigations or related fact-finding in complex or conflict-affected contexts. * Strong understanding of human rights documentation methodologies and ethical standards. * Demonstrated experience supporting and managing teams in high-risk environments. * Experience line-managing staff and supporting layered management structures. * Strong experience in security risk management, including digital and physical security, from risk assessment through to incident response. * Excellent analytical, judgment, and decision-making skills. * Strong communication skills, including the ability to explain complex issues clearly and sensitively. * Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment under pressure and respond effectively in crisis situations. * Fluency in both English and FrenchPreferred* Accredited legal or investigative training relevant to human rights or international humanitarian law. * Experience working with community-based investigators or local partners. * Experience designing training or capacity-building programmes. * Experience working across multidisciplinary teams.APPOINTMENT TERMSLocation: Nairobi, Kampala or Bangkok preferred. Remote applicants will be considered. Approximately 20 days travel per year expected.Compensation: Salary is dependent on location. The equivalent of a UK salary of £63,000, plus pension contribution, will be converted according to location using ICSC scales and paid in local currency.All staff receive:* A minimum of 28 days leave * Counselling and mental health support * Annual wellbeing daysHOW TO APPLYHOW TO APPLYClosing date: 12th AprilPlease click on the link here to be redirected to the Red Sea site.Candidates are kindly asked to submit a CV of no more than three (03) pages and a cover letter, preferably in MS Word. All application documents (cover letter and CV) should be submitted in English.Should you require access to information in a different format to facilitate your application please contact us via [email protected] name your files as follows:FirstName_Surname_CV_VIC_ILFirstName_Surname_CL_VIC_ILRed Sea takes our responsibility towards protecting your personal data very seriously. The data you provide is processed in line with relevant data protection legislation. For the purposes of this recruitment, and as defined under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Red Sea is defined as the Data Controller.Red Sea is committed to meeting the standards set out in our Equality and Diversity statement, acting in line with the UK Equalities Act 2010 and building an accurate picture of the make-up of the workforce in encouraging equality and diversity.Videre is committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone regardless of their background. We acknowledge that people from certain backgrounds are under-represented in the human rights sector and we are committed to doing what we can to correct this. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the communities that we serve. Therefore, we are particularly keen to receive applications from people who identify with minority and/or underrepresented groups (whether on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other protected characteristic). We also value diversity in terms of personal and professional experience; believing that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create stronger and more creative working environments. We encourage applications even if you do not meet all of the requirements listed above.