Regional Coordinator for European Union (EU) – Parental Leave Cover

Job title: Regional Coordinator for European Union (EU)

Duty station: Brussels, Belgium

Remuneration: €55,000 to €60,000 per annum

Contract Period: January 2025 to October 2025 (to cover parental leave)

Reports to: Director of Network Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

ABOUT ECPAT INTERNATIONAL

ECPAT International (ECPAT) is a global network of civil society organisations working collectively for the elimination of all forms of child sexual exploitation. We seek to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental rights free and secure from all forms of sexual exploitation. The ECPAT network currently consists of 129 member organisations in 108 countries. The ECPAT Secretariat coordinates the global work of ECPAT and has a central office in Bangkok, Thailand.

ABOUT THE ROLE

ECPAT’s work always needs to be accountable to children and thoroughly linked to the needs and expertise of our membership, that is in close contact with children in their communities. Therefore, ECPAT’s Regional Coordinators play a crucial role in facilitating the Secretariat’s work and in enriching ECPAT’s efforts with expertise and perspectives from the region. The Regional Coordinator is the key focal point of the Secretariat for the region, is from the region and based in the region. They are involved in all of ECPAT’s activities, be this in a leadership or supporting role, as implementer, facilitator or enabler.

ABOUT PROJECT BEACON

Since 2021, ECPAT International through Project Beacon, has been working with our members across the EU to advocate for a comprehensive EU strategy to address online child sexual abuse. In May 2022, the European Commission published a proposal for a regulation to both prevent and combat child sexual abuse online. The regulation aims to clarify and standardise the process that technology companies must take to detect, remove, and report online child sexual abuse material and exploitative behaviours.

The Regional Coordinator (EU) will be a significant member of ECPAT’s Project Beacon team and will be required to establish a strong reputation for ECPAT as a go-to civil society partner for policymakers, the media and the private sector in Brussels. This will be achieved by building close relationships with our members in the EU as well as other strategic civil society organisation partners to build capacity and a collaborative environment to advocate in relation to children’s rights, child online protection and technology. In addition, this role will be central in knowledge exchange between EU focused activities and the global ECPAT network on technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Knowledge, innovation and learning

• Play a central role in information and knowledge exchange between EU focused activities and the global ECPAT network on technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children.
• Maintain an overview of issues relating to child sexual exploitation, monitoring trends in the external environment and inputting to organizational strategy and planning processes.
• Promote ECPAT perspectives in the region to ensure an aligned strategic approach within the membership
• Generate knowledge on SEC and membership in the region to inform Secretariat’s actions
• Facilitate transfer of knowledge from countries in the region for the benefit of the secretariat and other members within and across regions.
• Ensure mapping and assessment of the composition and functioning of the regional membership
• Organise regional network consultations with members and partners for knowledge transfer and joint planning; support the implementation of follow-up actions and commitments.

Advocacy and External Representation

• Establish a strong reputation for ECPAT International as a go-to civil society partner for policymakers, the media and the private sector in Brussels.
• Coordinate and inform the development of an engagement strategy for ECPAT with the relevant regional intergovernmental organisations and other regional advocacy targets and partners.
• Develop and maintain relationships and facilitate ECPAT’s strategic engagement with the relevant regional platforms and international advocacy targets identified in the region.
• With the approval and in consultation with the Secretariat, represent ECPAT externally and in collaboration with the Communications team, liaise with media on behalf of ECPAT as needed.
• Ensure the regional membership is aware of and strategically engaged in regional advocacy efforts.
• Contribute to the development of evidence based, high quality and effective advocacy tools.

Network development, coordination and support

• Build close relationships with all ECPAT members in the EU as well as other strategic civil society organisation partners to build capacity and a collaborative environment to advocate in relation to children’s rights, child online protection and technology.
• Engage with the region through reaching out and being available and responsive to the regional membership.
• Inform the Secretariat’s work with the Credentials Committee of the ECPAT Board of Trustees on membership affiliations and disaffiliations in the region.
• Support capacity building of member organisations, including by providing technical support and facilitating training to ECPAT member organizations.
• Coordinate network communication within and across the region and the Secretariat.
• Facilitate member engagement in ECPAT research initiatives.
• Ensure ECPAT’s internal membership database of contacts is kept up to date on regular basis.
• Promote, and as needed facilitate, child participation in regional actions

Project Management and Delivery

• Take a leading role in project managing Project Beacon, providing the necessary support and progress reporting, to ensure successful delivery is achieved.
• Proactive assessment of fundraising opportunities and inform and contribute to the development of project proposals.

Donor relations, proposal development, fundraising

• Involved in donor relation management and grant management, including report writing and submission.
• Proactive assessment of fundraising opportunities and inform and contribute to the development of project proposals.

Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• Significant knowledge of child rights and sexual exploitation of children, including in the digital environment.
• Minimum of five years’ experience in advocacy and programme management.
• Proven ability to engage and manage external contacts and network effectively to have influence on policy and practice agendas.
• Ability to create and maintain effective working relationships, dealing decisively and positively with differences of opinions.
• Experience of leading or contributing to fundraising initiatives.
• Sound strategic thinking and planning skills, including the ability to think creatively, to innovate and to set priorities, create management work plans and evaluate progress.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously while staying connected to a bigger team remotely based in different time zones.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in law, human rights, international relations, or another related field.

Additional Information

• This position is ideally based in Brussels which the applicant should have the necessary requirements to be legally able to do so. However, for exceptional candidates we may be able to accommodate this role to be based in another city in Belgium or internationally home-based in neighbouring countries.
• Where a candidate is based outside of Belgium, an assessment of the advertised salary will be done to identify the suitability for that country.
• The job holder is required to show a degree of flexibility in their working hours to accommodate meetings or other occasions when their attendance is required in other time zones.
• International travel will also feature in this role.
• Fluency in English and French is required
• An employment contract will be offered through our Employer of Record partner.

OUR COMMITMENTS

ECPAT is committed to ensuring children and adults engaged with our organisations are safeguarded from any form of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. The candidate is required to always act according to ECPAT’s values and principles and in compliance with our policies and procedures, including Child Safeguarding and our Code of Conduct. A submission of a criminal record and 2 references (one from your most recent employer) will be required.

As ECPAT’s International Secretariat we recognise that our strength lies in the diversity of the people who make up our global network, staff, volunteers, and consultants. We are committed to being an inclusive workplace where people of all backgrounds and cultures can strive and be themselves. This means we will challenge ourselves to do better and to continue learning, to create and maintain a working environment steeped in respect, tolerance, safety, and where all parties are valued equally. For this role we particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented, these include people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and people with disability.