Senior Advocacy Advisor , Save the Children

Save the Children

Brussels, Belgium

Save the Children is the world's leading independent organisation for children. We work in 120 countries. We save children's lives; we fight for their rights; we help them fulfil their potential.

We work together, with our partners, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We have over two million supporters worldwide and raised 1.6 billion dollars last year to reach more children than ever before, through programmes in health, nutrition, education, protection and child rights, also in times of humanitarian crises.

Following a major transition, our international programmes are now delivered through a merged operation with c14,000 staff, managed through seven regional hubs and reporting to a relatively small, central office. We're changing to become more efficient, more aligned, a better partner, a stronger advocate, a magnet for world-class people and relevant for the 21st century.

Contract length: Open ended.

The role:

Brussels is home to the European Union, a regional institution with global impact which plays a critical role in shaping children's lives and helping to ensure their rights are fulfilled. The EU has a direct role in helping to safeguard the rights of children in Europe who are vulnerable, marginalized, socially excluded and affected by poverty.

Save the Children has a small global advocacy office in Brussels (alongside offices in Addis Ababa, Geneva and New York) that influences the EU institutions on issues that affect children's rights and wellbeing, both in Europe and internationally. The Senior Advocacy Advisor will play a crucial role in ensuring that the EU implements and renews its commitment to protect, respect and promote children's rights in the European Union.

The role holder will play a central part in ensuring that Save the Children is a credible and visible presence in Brussels, and will also have an active role in cross-organisational advocacy activities. Our advocacy on EU internal affairs builds the experience and insights of Save the Children's domestic programmes across Europe, and is carried out in close collaboration with advocacy colleagues in Save the Children members across the EU.

Required qualifications and experience:

• A Masters' degree or equivalent in international relations, economics, politics, law, or a related EU policy field is desirable;
• Substantial working experience on child protection and/or asylum and migration, including trafficking issues, ideally at the European level and for a non-governmental organisation or international organisation;
• Knowledge and understanding of the EU institutions, and their broader role in child rights issues;
• Experience of creating networks of influence, and an ability to manage diverse professional relationships, thereby securing significant new opportunities for the organisation;
• Proven ability to speak and communicate effectively, and to tailor messages to different audiences;
• Experience of successfully operating in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures;
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy in;
• A commitment to and an understanding of NGO work on a European level;
• Commitment to Save the Children's values;
• Ability to work and write in English and a good command of French;
• We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

To see a full job description and application process, please visit our website at www.savethechildren.net/jobs. 

Please apply in English using your CV and covering letter as a single document, including your salary expectations for this role.

Interviews for this role would be held on 11th and 12th December.

Closing date: Tuesday 3 December 2013.