Head of Programme - Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL) Terre des Hommes Netherlands

Duty Station: Nairobi, Phnom Penh or the Hague

Deadline for Applications: Rolling until position is filled

Starting Date: As soon as possible

Contract Type: Full time one year contract with a possibility of extension.

Job Level: 13

Salary Range: Euro 4.682 - 5.700 (based on Netherlands rates, location adjustment will apply)

International Travel: Approximately 30%

Permits required: candidates are required to have the right work and residence permits in one of the countries where the role is advertised. 

About Terre des Hommes Netherlands

Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) is part of the International Federation of Terre des Hommes organisations, a strategic partnership of member organisations sharing the same brand name and core values for joint lobby and advocacy around children’s rights. TdH NL protects children by preventing and stopping child exploitation, and by empowering children to make their voices count. Our work is grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and seeks to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Under our new Global Strategy (2023 - 2030), TdH NL is redefining and refining our role as a child rights organisation, with the strategic ambition that “by 2030, Terre des Hommes Netherlands is a catalyst for systemic change to stop child exploitation. We do this by empowering children and their communities, connecting them with those who have power to enact change, and utilising our knowledge and expertise to co-create sustainable, evidence-based solutions.”

The values of TdH NL are: Responsible, Bold, Human-Centred and Playful.

The organisation's core principles are: (1) Children at the Centre, (2) Intersectionality and Power Awareness, (3) Safety and Wellbeing, (4) Sustainability, and (5) Meaningful and Strategic Partnerships.

In line with our new strategy, TdH NL is in the process of establishing three thematic technical programmes under which our portfolio of humanitarian and development projects and programmes will be managed. These are: 1. Worst Forms of Child Labour, 2. Sexual Exploitation of Children, and 3. Humanitarian Action. Our programmatic work is supported by two cross-programmatic units: Programme Development and Quality (PDQ), and Research, Expertise and Influencing (REI). Aligned to our new strategy, and based on many years of experience as a child rights organisation, we aim to consolidate our expertise and programme management, informed by research, to bring about sustainable and systemic change in the lives of children, and to hold duty bearers accountable.

Position Summary

TdH NL is looking for an experienced Head of Programme - Worst Forms of Child Labour prevention and response (HoP - WFCL), full time, to be based in one of TdH NL’s global support offices (Nairobi, Phnom Penh, or The Hague). This role will provide critical thought leadership, strategic direction and technical support to the portfolio of WFCL-related projects and programmes of TdH NL, in alignment with the Global Strategy 2023 - 2030. The position holder reports to the Director of Programmes and directly manages a small team.

The HoP - WFCL has a key role in leading the technical programmatic work of the organisation on the prevention and response to WFCL through systemic change. The HoP - WFCL will, with the support of REI and PDQ teams, work to build knowledge on how to best address WFCL, share resources and knowledge among the projects and programmes, and ultimately, through research, seek to develop a model of intervention (combination of activities) that is shown to be effective in preventing and ending child exploitation. The role is global in nature and international travel will be required (approx 30%), this will include a wide range of contexts including fragile environments.

This is a new role within the organisation: in their first year, the position holder will lead the creation and set-up of the thematic  programme. This will include the development of a programme framework and advocacy, research and learning agendas, in coordination with other senior leaders within the Programmes Department. The HoP - WFCL will also oversee the consolidation of the organisation’s existing WFCL-related projects and programmes under the global programme, in close coordination with Regional and Country Directors, Programme Managers, Coordinators and Officers. 

It is important to note that the organisation is currently in a phase of change as part of the transition to the Global Strategy 2023 - 2030. Some flexibility and willingness to navigate within a changing environment at the outset is therefore required.

Core Responsibilities

Strategic, technical and programmatic responsibilities

• Provide technical and strategic steer to their global programme in alignment with TdH NL’s core documents (ToC, global strategy and core principles), and provide technical input on WFCL-related issues to other teams/departments as needed.
• Ensure the global programme’s portfolio of programmes and projects contribute to progress on the overall global programme’s ToC and goals (model development, L&A agenda, research and learning agenda, etc.).
• Deliver thought leadership on their programmatic theme (WFCL); stay on top of global developments in the relevant field and bring ideas and knowledge to the work of TdH NL.
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities to further the work of the global programme, with support from the Resource Mobilisation team.
• Support development of tools, processes and guidelines for the successful implementation of the global programme.
• Contribute to knowledge building and knowledge sharing both internally and externally, including through sharing of key developments and lessons learned within the global programme.
• Represent TdH NL and the WFCL global programme in relevant thematic alliances, conferences and other events.
• Develop and manage direct reports to ensure the implementation of their projects and programmes in alignment with the global programme framework.Collaboration and relationship management responsibilities.

Operational and staff management responsibilities

• Translate the organisation’s priorities and the global programme outlook into an actionable plan for the global programme to enhance effectiveness and ensure goals are met.
• Support cross-departmental and cross-organisational best practice sharing, calibration of strategy, planning and programme management, and give input to a community of practice for staff in strategic and programmatic roles.
• Provide effective leadership to the Programme Managers/Coordinators in your team through timely performance management, encouragement, professional development and collaboration.

Core Knowledge & Skills

The HoP is a knowledgeable, thoughtful and curious leader who has strong technical and programmatic knowledge and experience  in the field of WFCL prevention and response. You should be prepared and excited to take a leading role in the organisation’s programmatic work, bringing together stakeholders from within and outside the organisation to deliver programmes that are proven (through research and evidence) to produce impact and drive systemic change.

Additionally, we seek:

• Experience in research and evidence-based programme management and programmatic work geared towards systemic change - this is a key component of our new strategic approach.
• Ability to work well with a varied range of stakeholders to incorporate new information and reach appropriate decisions with and for the team.
• Ability and willingness to work in a networked organisation, promoting collaborative initiatives across teams and beyond formal reporting lines.
• Fluency in strategy-driven implementation, programme performance management systems for goals and targets, and monitoring processes.
• Ability to frame complex, multi-faceted issues in different ways for different audiences to get to insights and actionable results.
• Comfortable in a wide range of cultural, geographic, and operational situations, demonstrating culturally sensitive behaviour with a diverse range of people
• A highly organised and efficient individual, who possesses excellent judgement with a demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks, complex issues, and competing priorities with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to represent the organisation effectively and accurately to a variety of audiences as well as draft and proof-read written documents
• An innovative and forward-thinking approach to all aspects of work.
• The highest personal and professional integrity along with an optimistic outlook.
• Strong people management skills, with demonstrated experience in leading and developing talent of staff that are highly qualified, independent and diverse.
• Demonstrated strength in cultivating trust and relationship management, with ability to handle confidential information and guide situations with flexibility and diplomacy.

Required Education & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in relevant roles of expanding scope and responsibility, and with demonstrable results. At least 3 years of experience in the specific field of Child Labour / WFCL prevention and response is essential. 
• Master’s degree in a relevant field of studies such as International Development, Child Rights, Social Work, Law, Economics, Public Policy, or a combination of academic training and experience to an equivalent level.
• You will bring a combination of experience in the field of WFCL prevention and response, programme operations, resource mobilisation, performance management and impact measurement, as well as deep exposure to global child rights and humanitarian issues, in low-resource settings.
• Global experience, preferably in Africa and/or Asia.
• Experience with staff management.
• Experience in systemic change strategies for NGOs is highly preferred.
• Strong preference for individuals with an interest in cross-discipline and cross-sectoral collaboration and a background combining strategy, business development and evidence-based programme implementation.

How to Apply

Please upload your motivation letter and curriculum vitae clearly demonstrating how you meet the qualifications for this position.

You can apply here

For more information about this position, you can contact us at vacature@tdh.nl.

The application process is expected to involve two formal interviews and an assignment, and check of recent professional references. Please note that candidates must have the right to live and work in the country where the role is advertised.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Integrity and Child Safeguarding

We are not looking for just one type of person - we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and challenge our thinking. We are especially interested in people whose lived experiences help us to see things we might otherwise miss, and enable us to do better work with and for children. Whether or not you meet 100% of the criteria, we want to hear from you, because we know that different voices, ideas, perspectives and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of children around the world.

TdH NL is committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation. We continue to learn about intersectional considerations and power distribution within our organisation and our work. We are dedicated to preventing and eradicating any type of misconduct including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, any other type of misuse of power, lack of integrity or financial misconduct.

Note: We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us, this includes a commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels of our work. All offers of employment will therefore be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which include a valid criminal record check, terrorism finance checks, and/or integrity screenings/references relating to misconduct and disciplinary actions in prior employment. TdH NL is particularly committed to keeping children and vulnerable individuals safe, and has zero tolerance on (child) abuse. Every TdH NL employee is bound by the Child Safeguarding Policy and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy, part of our Code of Conduct. Child safeguarding measures are part of our selection and recruitment process. By submitting your application you accept that TdH NL will conduct such pre-employment screening for successful candidates. TdH NL participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.