Terre des hommes Lausanne (Tdh), Switzerland's largest children's rights organization, is reorganizing its organizational model in order to get closer to children and young people in vulnerable situations in countries in which it is active.

In Tdh's new organizational model, the HQ takes on the role of a center of expertise in order to act effectively in favor of the respect, protection, and promotion of children's rights and to ensure overall steering, strategy, policies, monitoring, compliance, and informed leadership.

Tdh’s programmatic mandate includes 3 main programs, one being the Access to Justice for Children Program, along with Maternal and Child Health and Migration, and joined by 2 Transversal Sectors, Protection & WASH.

Key Responsibilities

ACCESS TO JUSTICE PROGRAMME (70%)

Program Strategy and Steering:

• Contributes to the development of the A2J program framework (theories of change, strategies, program tools) and ensures its implementation at the regional level.

• Works with the Head of Program in the division of tasks and provides technical and broader programmatic support for the Access to Justice Program within his/her areas of expertise, in line with the Foundation’s decentralized model.

• Contributes to the effective technical support of the project portfolio in the area of access to justice.

• Coordinates the measurement of programmatic results at the regional level within the program and recommends improvements:

  • identifies programmatic and performance indicators and the data collection process,

  • ensures their integration into A2J program steering, learning, and monitoring and evaluation processes,

  • ensures their use (analysis, corrective actions, or decision-making) at the global level, and advises the regional and country levels.

• Contributes under the responsibility of the Head of Program to the coordination of the program at regional and HQ levels: internal communication, regular meetings,

• Actively collaborates in the setup and work plan of the Tdh Centre of Expertise, including the Axis.

Principles, Standards, Methodologies:

• Coordinates at the level of the Regions the deployment/dissemination of Tdh's principles, approaches, methodologies, and standards within the access to justice program and project portfolio.;

• Contributes to identifying and developing the key models of action for the development of the program and technically advises on their piloting and implementation at the regional level.

• Contributes to identifying innovations in their child justice field of expertise.

Program Financing:

• Consolidates partnerships with donors under his/her responsibility in coordination with the RFD department.

• Supervise from a programmatic point of view the submission of large-scale and cross-regional proposals under his/her responsibility.

• Contributes actively to securing funding (writing communication materials, contributing to proposal writing) in line with the A2J strategy and the RDF department under the responsibility of the Head of Program.

Program Quality Assurance and Control:

• Technically advises the implementation of the quality assurance system at regional level for projects within the access to justice program.

• Provides technical support to project teams to ensure project quality in the absence of a coordinator or regional advisor.

Knowledge Management and Sharing:

• Produces or contributes to the production (research and scientific articles, etc.), management, and sharing of knowledge within the scope of the program.

• Implements the strategy for strengthening thematic skills and capacities in their field;

• Contributes to the development of A2J Knowledge Center (internal Tdh).

• Strengthens and maintains the Global Expertise Network of the Access to Justice Program (GEN A2J) and manages it in the absence of the Head of Program.

• Represents Tdh in A2J forum and participates in global and regional events.

ADVOCACY (30%)

Strategy

• Contributes to the elaboration of Tdh’s advocacy & positioning strategy.

• Ensures the implementation, dissemination, and appropriation of the strategy at HQ, regional and country levels.

• Contributes to the steering of the strategy at different levels.

• Ensures the development of regional and country advocacy and positioning strategies aligned with the global one, though focused on key context/themes as relevant.

• Contributes to the evolution of sectoral practices in programmatic areas and children's rights at the global level and supports the regions in this regard.

• Monitors, analyses, and reports on results – including key performance indicators – and issues relating to the work stream advocacy & positioning at HQ, regional, and country levels, while ensuring that regional teams and delegations conduct the same monitoring and reporting processes at their level to inform and strengthen the overall organizational work

• Contributes to the development of advocacy annual work plans and various reports in alignment with the global strategy.

Technical content development

• Develops and/or contributes to the drafting of advocacy position papers, briefings, framework/back-up documents, and legal-based notes to solidly analyze Tdh’s positions, narrative, and messaging.

• Develops and/or contributes to the definition and drafting of key advocacy messages in Tdh’s action, campaign, or initiatives, promoting coherent dissemination through Tdh’s communication channels.

• Contributes to supporting the advocacy components and approaches in project design at global, regional, and country levels.

Visibility & Positioning

• Contributes to ensuring the visibility and positioning of Tdh at the global level and supports regions in this regard..

• Actively promotes that children’s and young people’s needs are taken into consideration in global policies and strategies.

• Contributes to the evolution of sectoral practices in programmatic areas and children's rights at the global level.

• Represents Tdh in global platforms/networks as well as those in Switzerland as agreed, and participates in debates on the Tdh strategic advocacy areas prioritized.

Effective coordination & engagement

• Stimulates regular exchanges between all structures so that issues and priorities reflect a harmonized and aligned approach.

• Ensures coordination and coherence of the advocacy work stream with the work performed under the other work streams of the Center of Expertise of the Department of Operations & Children's Rights at headquarters.

• Promotes and prioritizes child & youth participation actions in the advocacy work, ensuring the highest ethical standards and methodologies, in close coordination with the required departments.

Tdh Advocacy Network

• Co-coordinates the ‘Tdh Advocacy Network’ composed by selected members from the headquarters, regional offices, and country offices. Within this Network, the Global Advocacy Expert:

  • Develops and coordinates the advocacy strategy and annual working plans of the Network.

  • Defines, proposes, and ensures a joint validation process for advocacy procedures and working methods that are harmonized and adapted to Tdh’s needs, defining the key criteria and elements in terms of advocacy and positioning at different levels.

  • Ensures efficient systems and processes, including inclusive decision-making, at all levels.

  • Bring, stimulate, capitalize on best practices, and ensure the sharing of experiences at all levels among the members.

  • Develop capacity development plans and training for Tdh members (HQ, region, countries) and local partners.

  • Develops and monitors advocacy and positioning indicators.

  • Prepares advocacy-related materials and campaign plans for the international days and advocacy initiatives launched by Tdh. Prepares the documentation for validation by the relevant COPILs and the Global SC.

  • Actively contributes to identifying and pursuing potential opportunities to support fundraising for advocacy actions and vice versa.

Alliances & Partnerships

• Builds relationships with relevant NGO and UN partners, including through NGO working groups/coalitions and interagency meetings, that enhance Tdh’s advocacy impact.

• Nurtures partnerships with youth-led rights movements, child rights defenders, and advocates.

• Is a credible and effective representative for Tdh and its key initiatives in relevant advocacy spaces and forums, including with decision-makers and donors.

• Advises, coordinates, and ensures advocacy impact and coherence according to the strategy developed in broader campaigns launched by other actors or networks in which Tdh is part of. ensure effective and efficient internal and external coordination.

Requirements & Skills

• University Degree in Law or a similar field: Masters on Human Rights, Child Rights or a similar field, relevant to and in line with the content of the position.

• 15 years of experience working in child rights, at the national, regional, and/or international levels.

• Proven experience in a similar role acquired internationally, in humanitarian aid and/or development assistance, both at headquarters and in the field.

• Confirmed experience in technical advisor or coordinator positions in the child justice area of expertise.

• At least 5 years of experience in advocacy and policy work (including legal analysis) at the national and/or international level, including proven success in developing and implementing high-quality advocacy strategies.

• Proven ability to think critically, analyze strategically, and synthesize information.

• Strong team spirit, collaborative approach, and ability to foster cohesion around a common project.

• Strong ability to work across departments and in a multidisciplinary manner.

• Excellent ability to network effectively, adopts a collaborative attitude both within and outside the department, and demonstrates a strong team spirit and collaborative approach.

• Capacity for analyzing complex policies and experience in developing policy briefs and advocacy papers.

• Experience in coordinating networks, building partnerships, and forging coalitions to ensure good information sharing, mutual accountability, and joint coherent action.

• Experience in solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward, and ensuring buy-in.

• Understanding of the international core advocacy spaces and multi-lateral systems.

• Excellent interpersonal, representation/diplomacy skills.

• Excellent communication and writing skills, both in English and French. Arabic and/or other languages will be an asset.

• Computer skills, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Canva, Slack, and similar ones.

Start date : 12.04.2026

Duration: open-ended

Work percentage : 100%

Place of work : Lausanne

Remuneration:

The annual base salary for this role ranges from CHF 83K to 102K per year at 100%, based on experience. For equity reasons, salary is non-negotiable

 Deadline for applications: 26.02.2026

Tdh General Code of Conduct and Ethical Policies  :

• Commits to promoting and complying with the Global Code of Conduct, systematically reporting any violations of the Code through Tdh's formal reporting mechanisms and dealing with any violations of procedures and processes appropriately.

• Raises awareness of the Foundation of the risks of policy non-compliance, violence and abuse, and related rights, towards children, community members and our own employees.

• Undertakes to comply with key ethical policies and guidelines, including the Safeguarding Policy, the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy, the Conflict-of-Interest Policy and other policies related to the prevention of terrorist financing and criminal activities, as well as workplace behavior.

• Commits to putting values and principles into practice through exemplary behavior, in full compliance with the Code of Conduct, and always respecting established procedures and processes.

• Commits to developing a compliant and enlightened management culture within the organization and in our work with children and the communities in which we operate.

Procedure:
Please apply online with your CV and cover letter.