Head of Humanitarian Advocacy

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Head of Humanitarian Advocacy to join our global team.

Team purpose

This team will drive a clear and coordinated holistic all context approach to our CRG, advocacy, campaign & child participation work across all country offices, promoting a synergised approach to driving impact at scale at the national level, while utilising the local to global model. We will promote a partnership model with COs. We will also have a specialised approach to our operational humanitarian advocacy work, responding to movement wide categorised and prioritised specific responses working with internal and external stakeholders to prepare, scale up and execute effecive humanitatian advocacy initiatives that protect and support children in crisis, while adhering to humanitarian principles protect . We will also have all context thematic advocacy, child rights & participation and investment in children expertise to support COs, promoting best practices, cross country and regional initiatives and partnerships to drive impact at scale.

Role purpose

To lead the operational humanitarian advocacy sub team by leveraging evidence and analysis in light of changing external contexts to influence changes that support children's rights and drive impact at scale. This role strives to achieve immediate and lasting change in humanitarian contexts, ensuring high-quality advocacy in alignment with the organisation's vision for child protection and development. In times of major emergencies, the role requires flexibility and readiness to respond promptly beyond conventional working hours, embodying Save the Children's values of integrity and accountability.

Job Title: Head of Humanitarian Advocacy

Reports To: Director, Child Rights, Advocacy and Campaign

Work Pattern: Remote with flexible working options available 

Contract Length: Permanent

Grade: M4

Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location aligned to timezone requirement. For a full list of locations that Save the Children International can hire in, please visit: SCI Careers

Time Zone (that the role holder must be available to work in): UTC +/- 3 hours

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 (additional language of French, Spanish or Arabic preferred)

International Travel Requirements: up to 40%

People Management Responsibility: manager of team; 5 direct/indirect reports

Principal Accountabilities

* Lead the development and implementation of SC’s operational humanitarian advocacy in support of COs approach across categorised and prioritised humanitarian responses and contexts ensuring alignment with Save the Children’s Global strategy and GPAC SG steer and 3 year PAC plan.
* Oversee the direct strategic and context specific support to COs on our operational humanitarian advocacy work to ensure we deliver to the highest standard, bringing innovative solutions and thought leadership to ensure we achieve our ambition. Help drive the local to global approach by connecting CO work with regional opportunities, advocacy offices and our global influencing agenda.
* Represent Save the Children in external and internal forums (including relevant TWGs/APWGs), fostering collaboration and partnership with stakeholders to promote and drive our national humanitarian advocacy priorities. Where relevant, support the preparation of guidance notes and talking points for leadership engagement in strategic external platforms.
* Manage the Community of Practice and country/context specific working group for operational Humanitarian Advocacy to leverage expertise across the movement and champion a unified approach and shared learning to humanitarian advocacy objectives.
* Support the creation of operational humanitarian advocacy strategies, materials and approaches on crisis-specific and thematic issues, supporting Save the Children’s proactive engagement in international humanitarian discourse. Where relevant directly support the mobilisation of additional resources for priority humanitarian advocacy countries and crisis.
* Lead and manage a diverse team of technical experts, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment that encourages professional development and high performance. Develop the Operational Humanitarian Advocacy sub-team plan ensuring alignment to wider organisation goal and values and GPAC steer and 3 year strategy.
* Promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within all programmes, ensuring all interventions are accessible and effective for all community members, regardless of background or identity.

Essential

Experience and Skills

* Strategic Planning and Analysis: Ability to offer strategic guidance and support by translating complex evidence and analysis into actionable advocacy messages and approaches
* Leadership and Team Management: Demonstrates strong leadership skills by fostering a collaborative and inclusive team environment. Ability to inspire and motivate team members with a shared vision aligned with the organisation's mission to protect children's rights.
* Advocacy and Diplomatic Skills: Skilled in communicating impactful messages to both internal and external audiences to galvanise support for children's welfare.
* Partnership Building: Excellent skills in developing and maintaining strategic partnerships within humanitarian and human rights sectors. Capable of mobilising resources and fostering collaborative efforts to amplify advocacy influence.
* Humanitarian and Advocacy Expertise: Significant experience in leading initiatives that protect and support children in crisis, within or in collaboration with humanitarian organisations.
* Extensive experience in executing humanitarian advocacy strategies in line with global humanitarian principles.
* Humanitarian Sector Experience: Considerable experience in navigating the complexities of the humanitarian sector, including understanding the political, social, and economic factors affecting children in crises.
* Proven track record of significant involvement in developing and implementing policies that support child protection and development.
* Resource Mobilisation: Experience in identifying opportunities to leverage funding and integrating priority areas into resource mobilisation efforts.
* Innovative Solutions: Demonstrated proficiency in driving innovation to improve outcomes for children, employing evidence-based approaches and forward-looking analysis.

Essential

Education and Qualifications

* A degree in International Development, Human Rights, Political Science, Social Sciences, or a related field. Extensive professional experience may be considered in lieu of a formal degree.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.

Application Information

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found here via the job listing. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Candidates who are successfully shortlisted should expect to hear from us within 2 weeks of the advert deadline.

Our Recruitment Process:

* Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
* Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team
* Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
* If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

* Job Identification 13718
* Job Category Advocacy, Campaigns and Policy
* Posting Date 08/04/2025, 03:36 PM
* Apply Before 08/18/2025, 11:59 PM
* Job Schedule Full time
* Locations CENTRE - London