Country:
Estonia
Workload:
1.0
Contract type:
Employment contract
Description:
Estonian Refugee Council (ERC) is looking for a visionary Protection and Empowerment Advisor to shape and lead our global protection strategy. This role is about mainstreaming rights-based, inclusive, and advocacy-informed approaches that empower refugees or vulnerable target groups. You’ll provide strategic and technical guidance to ERC country offices, shape global standards and tools, strengthen protection capacities of staff and partners, and advance inclusive, rights-based programming that empowers communities and sets sector-wide benchmarks. You’ll represent ERC in high-level advocacy and coordination platforms, influence global policy discussions, and ensure our protection work sets new standards for quality, accountability, and systemic change in humanitarian action.
Main tasks:
- Lead the development and implementation of ERC’s rights-based and inclusive protection programming, ensuring strategic alignment and advocacy-informed approaches across all country operations.
- Provide technical guidance to Country Offices in programme design, protection analysis, safe referral systems, and psychosocial support models, while promoting community participation and accountability to affected populations.
- Champion participatory, trauma-informed, and empowerment-focused service design; develop and adapt global standards, tools, and SOPs; and facilitate cross-country learning and knowledge exchange.
- Lead global capacity building for ERC’s protection staff and partners, develop training and mentorship resources, and support onboarding and recruitment of key protection roles to embed protection principles across the organisation.
- Oversee research and learning initiatives on access, exclusion, and policy impact; produce guidance materials and advocacy tools; and promote ethical data use, including protection-sensitive assessments and feedback systems.
- Build and nurture strategic partnerships, represent ERC in global coordination and advocacy platforms, influence policy and practice at high-level meetings, and position ERC as a leading actor in integrated protection and social inclusion.
Expectations towards the candidate:
- Master degree in Human Rights, Humanitarian Assistance, Protection, or Social Work similar.
- Demonstrated expertise in protection programme design, implementation, and evaluation across diverse humanitarian and refugee response contexts.
- Expert-level experience in a leadership or advisory role managing cross-border or multi-country programmes in humanitarian settings.
- Experience working with international donors, multilateral organizations, civil society organizations, and private sector partners to establish partnerships or mobilize resources.
- Experience representing organizations in high-level working groups, international conferences, or policy forums.
- Working experience in ERC`s area of operations is an asset.
- High-level language skills in English language skills of languages of countries where ERC is working (such as Estonian, Ukrainian, Russian, Arabic) are an asset.
- Strong interpersonal skills: must be able to work collaboratively, manage professional relationships, manage in multicultural settings, provide and receive feedback constructively, be solution-oriented, meet and communicate deadlines effectively.
- Ability to deal with stressful situations and environments in accordance with ERC's Code of Conduct and other internal policies.
What we offer:
- Innovative projects: Estonian Refugee Council is internationally known and recognised for its innovative humanitarian assistance initiatives.
- Collaborative culture: we foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment where every team member is valued.
- Everyone is welcome—regardless of gender, religion, skin colour, national or ethnic origin, language, marital status, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, (dis)ability, political beliefs, or any other protected characteristic.
- Cosy office in Tallinn or Tartu, and 32 annual leave days.
Deadline:
15.08.2025 - 23:59
Contact person:
Kristi Juurik
Documents necessary for applying:
CV