Effective date : August 1, 2026
Duration : Fixed-term contract of 6 months, under local Senegalese, Kenyan or Burkinabe law with the Terre des Hommes Foundation.
Contract type: Fixed-term contract, renewable subject to funding secured
Activity rate : 100%
Work location : Senegal, Kenya or Burkina Faso
Status : Active
Application deadline : Terre des hommes does not set an application deadline for this position; recruitment is open until the position is filled.
Land of Men (Tdh):
Terre des hommes (Tdh), headquartered in Lausanne with an office in Zurich, is the largest Swiss children’s rights organization, with over 2,000 staff members worldwide. We are committed to working alongside children to guarantee their rights, protect their lives, and improve their well-being. We achieve this through our innovative programs in the areas of health, migration, and access to justice, designed to have a positive and lasting impact.
Context :
Terre des hommes Lausanne (Tdh), the largest Swiss organization for the defense of children’s rights, is reorganizing its organizational model in order to get closer to vulnerable children and young people in the thirty or so countries where it is active.
Regional offices play a central strategic role in Tdh’s new organizational model. Their primary mission is to strengthen the relevance, quality, and impact of child protection interventions, as well as their role in representation and strategic partnership at the regional level. Within this framework, Tdh is recruiting a Regional Protection Advisor.
In sub-Saharan Africa, Tdh intervenes directly in 8 countries (Burkina Faso, Burundi, Guinea-Conakry, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria and Senegal,) and through partnerships in 6 other countries (Benin, Cameroon, Madagascar, Niger, Togo and Uganda).
In the Africa region, Tdh addresses child protection issues in both emergency and stable development contexts. The cross-cutting child protection sector contributes its expertise to Tdh’s programs on migration, access to justice, and health in the areas of child and youth health and social services (CHS), case management, participation and empowerment of children and young people, safeguarding and child rights, and business, through a community-based and systems-strengthening approach.
By addressing the unique challenges children face in these diverse contexts, Tdh provides comprehensive and integrated support. This approach not only meets immediate protection needs but also contributes to the long-term resilience and well-being of children and their families.
Main responsibilities :
• Under the supervision of the Regional Protection Coordinator for Africa and in conjunction with the global Protection team, he/she ensures the development of thematic approaches and methodologies specific to him/her sector and adopted in the strategy of his/her sector, as well as their adaptation, deployment and monitoring at the regional level.
• He/She participates in programmatic steering by ensuring the implementation and monitoring of indicators concerning cross-cutting themes of Protection in the region and by validating the indicators and their analysis.
• It provides technical support and guidance to interventions/projects in the areas of Protection at the regional level.
• He/She manages and shares knowledge of the Protection expertise to Tdh teams in the region (training, coaching) by contributing, among other things, to the digitalization of methods and procedures arising from its activities.
• It ensures the quality and alignment of Protection interventions / approaches and projects at the regional level.
• He/She provides technical support and quality control of programs in the region for all Protection themes.
• It develops strategic partnerships in the field of Protection at the regional level.
• She/He is in charge of structuring a professional sector in Protection at the regional level.
• He/She is responsible and accountable to the beneficiaries, collaborators and donors.
• Under the guidance and delegation of the Regional Protection Coordinator, he/she represents Tdh in his/her area of ​​expertise by participating in external and internal conferences, forums, working groups, etc. and actively contributes to thematic advocacy related to his/her area in the region.
Specific responsibilities:
More specifically, she/he assumes the following responsibilities:
Strategy and management:
• Contributes to the thematic analysis of issues and major trends in the thematic areas of Protection at national and regional levels;
• Participates in defining the implementation of the organization’s overall strategy in the areas of Protection at the regional level;
• Participates in and provides technical support for pilot/cross-cutting/thematic Protection projects at the regional level.
• In conjunction with delegation representatives, ensures the collection and analysis of programmatic Protection indicators for programs in his region.
Principles, standards, methodologies:
• Acts as thematic Protection expert at the regional level in conjunction with the Regional Protection Coordinator;
• In this capacity, he/she promotes, facilitates and ensures the integration and implementation of child protection approaches, methodologies and standards (including minimum child protection standards) in collaboration with the various programmes and other cross-cutting expertise of Tdh (Children and Youth on the Move, Access to Justice, Health, WASH and ICT4D), and within Protection projects in the countries of the region, including Safeguarding components.
• Contributes to the deployment of Protection principles, approaches, methodologies and standards at the regional level.
• Supports the deployment of our programmatic Protection priorities on the ground within the Region
• Leads the development of technical products in the areas of expertise of child protection integrated into regional projects and strategic delegation projects.
Innovation :
• Contributes to the development and implementation of innovations in the various areas of Protection for the programs in his region.
• Utilizes the ecosystem created by the disruptive innovation unit to generate, incubate, and accelerate innovations. Integrates this dimension into team training.
Funding:
• Identifies donors and funding opportunities favorable to Protection in the region;
• Contributes to obtaining funding (writing communication documents, contributing to the writing of proposals led by the delegations or the regional office).
Quality assurance and control:
• Provides technical support for programs related to Protection in the region;
• Coordinates quality control of Protection interventions, in particular by promoting the use of Tdh’s programmatic Protection indicators.
• Leads, conducts or facilitates capacity needs assessments related to child protection, capitalization reports and related capacity-building activities in the region, including through blended approaches of face-to-face training and coaching, online learning and exchange, etc.
• Ensures that child protection interventions are based on Tdh’s frameworks, approaches and methodologies.
Knowledge management and sharing:
• Ensures the strengthening of skills and technical capacities in Protection (within the framework of Learning & Development for employees) at the regional level;
• Facilitates exchanges of practices related to all Protection themes for the region.
• Promotes knowledge management and capitalization.
Plea:
• Contributes to campaigns and advocacy related to Protection expertise according to regional and global priorities.
Practices and networks:
• Animates and consolidates strategic partnerships in the field of Protection at the regional level in close coordination with the Protection Coordinator and all PREX;
• Shares Tdh’s knowledge, results and experiences within professional networks in the field of Protection.
Organizational structures:
• Participates in identifying needs and defining skills in his/her specialty;
• Participates in the recruitment of experts in the delegations;
• Works in a matrix structure with other areas of the organization.
** The full job description will be shared with shortlisted candidates.**
Profile : This role requires mastery of fundamental Personal, Social and Leadership (PSL) skills, Technical and Methodological (TM) skills, and Managerial and Strategic (MS) skills.
Including, in particular:
• Welcomes and produces creative thinking and innovative initiatives;
• Ensures the production of knowledge, technical expertise, and implementation tools;
• Proven ability to think, analyze strategically and synthesize information;
• Develops implementation strategies and policies;
• Enhances and strengthens the capacities of targeted actors (internal and external);
• Develops partnership leadership (internal and external);
• Acts as an advisor in his/her area of ​​specialization in a spirit of partnership.
As well as the following specific “Job” skills:
• Proven experience in technical advisor or coordinator roles in the field of Protection
• Excellent interpersonal communication and high emotional intelligence (active listening skills and a sense of diplomacy);
• Flexibility, responsiveness, adaptability, pragmatism;
• Rigor, organization; qualities of a trainer.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills in French and English;
• Proficiency in standard office software.
Formation / Qualifications :
1. Advanced university education (Master’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant field such as Child Protection, Social Work, Psychology, Social Sciences or a related field or an equivalent combination of professional training and proven experience in the fields of Protection.
2. In-depth expertise required (technical reference role, recognized senior expertise, ability to analyze protection issues in complex contexts, to formulate informed and contextualized strategic recommendations, and to provide technical support at different levels – projects, country and regional – internally and to local and national partners) in at least one of the following areas:
• Child Protection in Emergency Situations (PESU)
and/or
• Strengthening of protection systems, particularly in relation to case management systems
3. Strong cross-cutting expertise required (contribution to project development / integration of Protection into Programs, alignment of interventions with international Protection standards, ongoing technical support to country teams) on the following themes and approaches:
• Child Protection Case Management
• Child Protection in Emergency Situations (PESU)
• Community-based child protection and strengthening of protection systems
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
• Backup
• All of these approaches integrate the participation and empowerment of children and young people in a cross-cutting manner.
Experience / Skills :
• At least 5 years of proven experience in Child Protection, acquired in humanitarian and development contexts, and within diverse cultural contexts.
• Solid professional experience in Child Protection, including:
– Regional and/or international technical support to country teams and partners,
– The implementation, supervision and analysis of Child Protection programs,
– Working in humanitarian, fragile and development contexts.
• Proven experience in capacity building, including:
– the design and delivery of train-the-trainer programs and training for frontline workers,
– Coaching, supervision and technical support, including adapting content to different cultural and operational contexts.
• Proven experience in project design and management, including:
– Project design,
– Drafting and compiling proposals,
– Technical dialogue with the lenders.
• Experience in knowledge management and capitalization, including the development, structuring and sharing of knowledge and best practices.
• Prior experience in an international NGO or an organization operating at a regional or international level is an asset.
Key skills and professional demeanor:
• Excellent analytical and synthesis skills, with the ability to transform complex analyses into operational recommendations.
• Non-hierarchical leadership, with the ability to influence, unite and guide multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to arbitrate, prioritize and direct, in complex and constrained environments.
• High degree of autonomy and sense of responsibility, with the ability to support and advise other professionals.
• Ability to manage a heavy workload
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships at all levels of the organization and within external networks and partnerships.
• Excellent communication skills, enabling effective interaction with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven skills in institutional representation and contribution to coordination and advocacy spaces.
• Good knowledge of the region and experience working in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments.
LANGUAGES :
French and English at a professional level
IT skills:
Proficiency and professional practice of Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.).
Tdh’s Global Code of Conduct and Ethical Policies :
- Is committed to promoting and respecting the Global Code of Conduct, to systematically reporting any violations of the Code through Tdh’s formal reporting mechanisms and to addressing any violations of procedures and processes appropriately.
- Raise awareness within the Foundation about the risks of policy non-compliance, violence and abuse, and the resulting rights, with regard to children, community members and our own employees.
- Is committed to complying 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 conduct.
- Commits to putting values ​​and principles into practice by adopting exemplary behavior, in perfect accordance with the code of conduct, and by always respecting established procedures and processes.
- We are committed to developing a compliant and enlightened management culture within the organization and in our work with children and the communities in which we operate.
References:
Please note that all job offers will be subject to satisfactory references and background checks (criminal record check and counter-terrorism financing verification). Terre des hommes will request references from the Human Resources departments of previous organizations regarding any discoveries of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and/or sexual harassment, as well as fraud and corruption, during employment, or regarding incidents under investigation at the time the candidate left their position.
How to apply
Procedure :
Only complete applications (CV + cover letter) submitted through our official website will be considered. Additional documents (diplomas, work certificates, etc.) will be requested later. We will only contact shortlisted candidates for the next stage of the recruitment process.
https://jobs.tdh.org/jobs/internal/979e07d7-8531-4b91-9578-abda357aa5fe