Investigations Lead

ABOUT VIDERE

Videre 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 ROLE

Videre 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 RESPONSIBILITIES

Investigation 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 EXPERIENCE

Essential

• 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 French

Preferred

• 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 TERMS

Location: 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 days