We are looking for a Senior Advocacy Adviser to drive impactful policy and advocacy work that influences decision-makers and global leaders, ensuring accountability for rights violations, protection for children from conflict, and essential recovery support. You will focus on engaging with key human rights, child rights, and accountability institutions and engage with EU institutions in Brussels.

As a member of the Advocacy Team within War Child Alliance’s Programme Quality, Scaling, and Advocacy Department, you will report to the Head of Advocacy. You will be responsible for significant external engagement, building and nurturing extensive relationships with decision-makers, experts, and high-level influencers across the sector to amplify War Child’s advocacy impact. Working closely with Advocacy Team members, funding partners, technical teams, Regional Advocacy Advisers, and Youth Advocacy & Participation colleagues, you will connect War Child’s regional and youth-focused efforts to global accountability processes and collaborate with the Head of Advocacy to align within other international platforms.

What you will do:

• Build War Child’s presence: Strengthen War Child’s engagement with European-based accountability mechanisms, processes, and EU institutions.
• Build high-level relationships: Develop relationships at multiple levels with decision-makers and influencers across human rights institutions and the EU, establishing War Child as an expert advocate for change on behalf of children in conflict.
• Assess accountability mechanisms: Conduct a comprehensive assessment of accountability processes related to children’s rights, including trial participation to define optimal areas of focus for War Child’s engagement.
• Develop evidence-based policies: Create credible policy positions, commissioning and conducting policy analysis to support War Child’s advocacy priorities.
• Develop advocacy strategies: Identify individuals and institutions with the power to implement War Child’s policy recommendations, designing targeted strategies and tactics to influence these decision-makers.
• Collaborate with regional teams: Work closely with Regional Advocacy Advisers to integrate evidence-based insights into policy recommendations and facilitate the participation of program staff and stakeholders.
• Engage communications team: Coordinate with the communications team to develop impactful media that supports War Child’s policy and advocacy objectives.
• Represent War Child: Provide high-level representation at key meetings, events, and roundtables in Geneva, Brussels, and within country programs.

Key Result Areas

• Accountability assessment: Conduct a comprehensive review of accountability mechanisms on children in armed conflict, shaping War Child’s unique contributions to this agenda.
• EU influence strategy: Perform an assessment of influencing opportunities within EU institutions, aligning with War Child’s corporate relationship with the EU and engaging closely with IFAD for a unified advocacy and funding approach.
• Build expert networks: Develop a network of key human rights institutions, academics, and experts in Europe, working collaboratively with Regional Advocacy Leads.
• Accessible advocacy for partners: Ensure that advocacy opportunities are accessible to country staff, stakeholders, and partners through direct, virtual, and multimedia engagement.

What You Will Bring:

• Extensive Experience: 8+ years in human rights, conflict, accountability, and policy work within development and humanitarian sectors.
• International Law, human rights and IHL expertise: In-depth knowledge of international law relevant in armed conflict and its application within advocacy and policy frameworks.
• EU Institutions Experience: Proven experience working with or within EU institutions, leveraging insights to drive impactful advocacy.
• Advanced Degree: Advanced degree in Political Science, International Law, or a related field.
• Policy Development: Skilled in developing robust, impactful policy recommendations aligned with War Child’s advocacy priorities.
• Strategic Advocacy: Adept at crafting targeted advocacy strategies that respond to shifting political and public dynamics, influencing decision-makers effectively.
• Adaptability: Able to swiftly adapt to international changes, proactively seizing opportunities to advance War Child’s profile and strategic goals.
• Collaborative Mindset: Demonstrated ability to build productive, positive relationships across departments (e.g., communications, PR, programs) and with external influencers and decision-makers.
• Analytical & Communication Skills: Experienced in distilling complex information into concise, evidence-based policy recommendations that drive change.
• Confident Advocate: Skilled at advocating authoritatively with high-level stakeholders, including parliamentarians and senior officials.

This role is suited to a strategic, adaptable leader with a passion for driving policy change for children affected by conflict.

What we offer:

• Location: Based in Amsterdam (Only candidates with permission to work in Amsterdam may apply).
• Contract Type and duration : one year employment contract.
• Salary range from € 4180 – € 5197 gross per month, based on 40 hours per week (the exact step determined by the years of relevant working experience);
• An employment contact with War Child for 40 hours per week;
• Start date approximately January 2025 (exact dates in discussion);
• 28 vacation days on full time basis (consisting of 26 vacation days plus 2 additional fixed free days, based on 40 hours work week);
• A pension scheme fully paid by War Child;
• Compensation for travel and work from home costs;
• Laptop to work from any location and monthly mobile phone contribution of € 25;
• Learning & Development : Possibility to follow training and/or courses where relevant;
• Pleasant working conditions, good atmosphere, great colleagues and of course the meaningful purpose of our work!

About War Child:

The War Child Alliance is an international non-governmental organization committed to providing psychosocial support, child protection, youth empowerment programming and quality education to the children affected by armed conflict. We implement evidence-based interventions to empower key stakeholders—including governments, educators, caregivers, and communities—to foster children’s wellbeing, education, and self-determination. War Child has a presence in 19 countries: Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Colombia, Burundi, DR Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Ukraine, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Learn more about War Child and our programmes https://www.warchild.net/