Job Title: Humanitarian Advocacy Adviser (FTC Until Dec 2025)
Team: EU International Advocacy and Partnerships
Reports To: Senior Humanitarian Advocacy Advisor
Contract Length: Fixed Term Contract until December 2025
Grade: P3
Location: Belgium/UK/Any approved SCI office location in similar timezone
Time Zone (GMT -/+ 3h)
Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment.
Language Requirements: English (French desirable)
International Travel Requirements: if required, 5%
Team and Job Purpose
Team purpose
The EU international advocacy and partnerships team is responsible for Save the Children’s partnership with European Institutions to advance our joint advocacy and increase income, through colleagues in European members and Global teams.
Role purpose
We are Save the Children. Together, we fight for children every single day so that they can make their mark on the world and build a better future.
This role will be located in the International Advocacy and Partnerships Team of Save the Children Europe, covering the EU’s humanitarian advocacy portfolio towards the EU institutions.
It contributes significantly to Save the Children’s country-specific EU humanitarian advocacy and, together with the Senior Humanitarian Advocacy Adviser, will bring together Save the Children’s thematic policy, advocacy and research expertise to influence decision-makers to uphold the rights of the most deprived and marginalised children.
You will hold responsibility for driving work on specific parts of the Save the Children strategy, performing with minimal supervision reflecting your level of responsibilities, including representing the organisation regularly with external experts and decision-makers. You will produce high-quality policy analysis and research and/or planning and delivery of advocacy to influence duty-bearers to uphold the rights of children.
Principal Accountabilities
- Lead on complex policy, advocacy or research strategies – with minimal supervision - for your specific area of responsibility
- Maintain and develop high-level knowledge and expertise in your specific area and to produce regular policy analysis and recommendations
- Develop relationships with strategic external experts and stakeholders and build strong working relationships with partners and advocacy targets
- Build strong relationships with our country programmes and other colleagues across our global movement to ensure that national-level advocacy work is delivered and informs international debates and decision-makers.
- Contribute to the success of Save the Children global policy and advocacy agenda, by providing resource and policy, advocacy and/or research expertise as required.
- Represent the organisation externally including in high-level meetings and events.
- The role and responsibilities will be carried out in a way which reflects:
- Save the Children’s commitment to safeguarding children in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy;
- A commitment to Save the Children’s vision, mission, values and approach
- A commitment to effective management of risk, by operating within the Charity’s code of conduct, policies, procedures and controls and by carrying out the risk management and assurance responsibilities of the role as set out in the Risk Policy and Procedures.
Experience and Skills
Essential
- Significant experience in humanitarian and development advocacy and policy either within an NGO, UN agency, donor or policy think tank.
- Significant experience of influencing and advancing policy change at EU (or international) level, with key institutions to Save the Children’s work (e.g., DG ECHO, INTPA, EEAS, EP and Council).
- A good understanding of key and current influencing processes
- In-depth knowledge of humanitarian principles and standards
- Demonstrable experience of contributing to inter-agency processes/coordinating different agencies in joint processes
- A proven ability to network and build relationships with external partners
Personal Skills:
- Excellent relationship building skills with the ability to network with, and influence, senior people both internally and externally to achieve a pre-defined outcome;
- Insightful and analytic, with the ability to communicate and thinking clearly to both internal and external audiences;
- Commitment to Save the Children’s mission, values and approach (includes child focus and equal opportunities);
- Self-driven, with the ability to take a pro-active approach, work on own initiative, solve problems and think creatively in fluid or less structured environments;
- A proven team player - someone who is open, ambitious, and who is able and willing to deliver beyond his or her personal brief;
Desirable
Prior field level humanitarian experience within a humanitarian organisation, ideally in complex crises
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Education to Master’s level, or equivalent by experience, with a qualification in international development, international relations, economics, politics, law, or a related field is desirable. Education to Bachelor’s degree level is essential.
- 5 years of relevant professional experience in international advocacy;
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills in English are essential. A good working level of French will be a strong advantage.
Internal (excluding direct team and manager)
- SC Europe Partnership Team and Senior Advocacy Advisers
- Close working relationship with relevant CO teams
- Save the Children international Advocacy and thematic teams
- Connect with other staff where they are part of relevant HRDN/VOICE/ CONCORD working groups
External
- European Commission/EEAS
- Policy/geographic Units at Desks level
- Policy/geographic Heads of Units
- European Parliament
- Council of the European Union (Member States)
- Peer NGOs
Competencies
Cluster: Leading
Competency: Leading and inspiring others
Level: Skilled
Behavioural Indicator: Presents a positive “can do” attitude
Cluster: Leading
Competency: Delivering results
Level: Skilled
Behavioural Indicator: Delivers timely and appropriate results using available resources
Cluster: Thinking
Competency: Problem solving and decision making
Level: Skilled
Behavioural Indicator: Gathers the rights information and uses critical thinking to make effective and timely decisions.
Cluster: Thinking
Competency: Innovating and adapting
Level: Accomplished
Behavioural Indicator: Demonstrates flexibility in following processes and procedures while remaining true to the organisation’s values .
Cluster: Engaging
Competency: Communicating with impact
Level: Accomplished
Behavioural Indicator: Conveys complex issues with clarity, brevity, and confidence .
Cluster: Engaging
Competency: Working effectively with others
Level: Skilled
Behavioural Indicator: Demonstrates understanding of their skills and how they complement those of others within diverse teams and groups.
