Join us in our mission to power the potential of young people

Global Fund for Children (GFC) works to build a world where all children and youth are safe, strong, and valued. We partner with innovative, locally-led organisations and individuals, helping them deepen their impact and mobilize their capacity for social change. By pairing flexible funding with targeted capacity development support, we help our partners grow stronger and more responsive to challenges on the ground.

Since 1997, we have invested more than $44 million in over 700 organisations. Our work advances the rights of children and youth across these focus areas: education, gender justice, youth power, safety and wellbeing and climate resilience.

We value courage, excellence, learning, partnership, and inclusion, as well as kindness and passion. Our partners’ visions for change inspire all we do. Feedback and learning drive us to do better, and we strive to be youth-centered.

Background to the role

We are looking for a Programme Officer to join our growing Europe and Central Asia team and support the implementation of a survivor-led, advocacy-focused fund aimed at preventing child sexual abuse in Europe. We are seeking a dedicated team member skilled at building relationships with partners with a participatory, trauma-informed approach, and excited to lead on developing strategies for wellbeing support, MEL and peer learning for partners.

The Survivor-led Activism Fund – Ending Child Sexual Abuse (name TBC) is a newly launched initiative in partnership with the Oak Foundation. It is designed to shift power to those most affected by child sexual abuse, ensuring they have access to flexible funding, resources, and opportunities to shape policy and advocacy in their countries. The fund operates through participatory grantmaking, centering survivor leadership and grassroots movements. Initially, the fund will be piloted in 3 countries in Europe.

The role will focus on:

As the Programme Officer, you will lead on designing and implementing key initiatives, including wellbeing support, and monitoring, evaluation learning (MEL) support for partners. You will deliver the fund’s work at the country level, overseeing participatory grantmaking processes, building relationships with partners, and ensuring they have access to the resources and support they need. You will be responsible for engaging new partners, managing key grantmaking tasks, identifying safeguarding risks, and supporting capacity-building efforts for those working to end child sexual abuse.

Your work will help create meaningful change by ensuring that survivor-led initiatives receive the support they need to thrive. While some details of the Fund are still to be designed, key responsibilities of the role will include:

Developing regional strategies

• Lead on wellbeing support for partners across the three pilot countries, designing and guiding the fund’s strategy.
• Develop the fund’s strategy to support partners in developing their own Monitoring Evaluation and Learning capacity.
• Support the implementation of a capacity building strategy and networking opportunities for partners.
• Support partners in identifying meaningful regional and/or national opportunities to amplify their advocacy campaigns and activism.

Participatory grantmaking

• Support and co-facilitate the participatory design of the fund with the team.
• Coordinate the participatory grantmaking at a country level, ensuring survivor participation.
• Perform key grantmaking tasks including application review, due diligence, applicant communication, grant processing, and reporting.
• Reach out to potential partners and activists to promote the fund and encourage applications.

Partner accompaniment

• Support partners throughout their engagement with GFC, including onboarding, fund disbursement, and ongoing assistance.
• Build strong, supportive relationships with partners, serving as their primary point of contact for guidance and support.
• Serve as the key point of contact for country-level developments, including news on child sexual abuse, advocacy efforts, policy changes, and emerging opportunities.
• Identify and manage safeguarding and security risks at the country level, working closely with the wider team.
• Organize convenings and in-person meetings for partners, including logistics of event coordination.
• Develop materials in the country’s local language (Romanian).

Are you the right person?

Our ideal Programme Officer is a values-driven professional who thrives on building strong relationships with partners, activists, and team members. You excel in collaborative environments, enjoy building networks, and are skilled at facilitating meaningful participation while managing group dynamics with a trauma-informed approach.

You are excited by the opportunity to provide thoughtful support to survivors who are working to end child sexual abuse through activism. Also have the desire to ensure that partners receive the guidance and resources they need. You are proactive, organized, and able to balance multiple responsibilities. You understand the importance of safety, safeguarding, and trauma-sensitive practices, even if you do not use those exact terms.

Strong communication skills are essential, as is proficiency in English and Romanian. You bring a deep understanding of the local context in which you will be working.

Essential

• Experience working with survivors of violence, trauma-informed approaches, or delivering psychosocial support.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding and risk management.
• Experience in participatory facilitation skills, particularly in decision-making processes and consensus building.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to connect with diverse groups and build trust.
• Ability to learn and manage administrative tasks and grantmaking, recognizing their importance and ensuring they are prioritized effectively.
• Familiarity with MEL methodologies or a desire to learn about them.
• Professional proficiency in English and Romanian.
• Commitment to implementing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility practices.
• Willingness to travel regularly within the country and/or region, including regular overnight stays.
• Strong commitment to GFC’s mission, values, and vision.

Desirable

• Experience having worked with survivors of child sexual violence.
• Background in activism, advocacy, or campaigning.
• Experience designing and implementing wellbeing initiatives for activists, frontline workers, or community organizations.
• Knowledge or experience of community MEL approaches.

What we offer you

Our team dreams big.

We work together to build a world where all children and youth are safe, strong and valued.

Global Fund for Children (GFC) fosters a caring and flexible work environment that promotes collaboration, team wellbeing, respect, and professional development. We set standards of excellence and quality in our work, firmly believing that children and youth deserve the best we can offer.

We believe that every person has equal rights, and we affirm the diversity that enriches our globalized world. In line with these core values, it is our policy to actively seek diverse candidates from a variety of backgrounds who are committed to Global Fund for Children’s mission.

Our values shape our vision, guide our daily decision making, and signal to the world what to expect when you encounter Global Fund for Children. We hold ourselves to these values to best serve our local partners and the children and youth they support. We attract talented people from all over the world because we believe deeply in living our values.

Gross Annual Salary – RON 248,271.00 (monthly salary RON 20,689.00)

Weekly hours – 35 hours per week. This position will run until 30 October 2027.

Holidays – 20 days annual leave and up to 15 public holidays. GFC offers an additional 10 paid sick days to mirror global organisational leave.

Flexible Working Location – GFC is open to applications from candidates across Romania that are willing to travel regularly across the region, including visiting the London office, supporting in person decision making and grantee partner visits.

Other members of the team will be based in Spain and France, where there will be regular meetings and events.

The wider Europe & Central Asia team currently has team members based in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Germany, Spain and Poland and utilises a flexible, remote model with regular travel to our office for those living outside London.

Learning – GFC encourages professional development as a part of our culture and values. GFC provides regular opportunities for training, collaboration, and mentorship. Employees may access professional development funds to support continued learning.

Benefits – We strive to build a culture that embraces care and wellbeing. Our global employee benefits include:

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans
• Generous paid time off (annual leave, enhanced sickness leave, wellbeing days, sabbatical leave, family friendly leave)
• Flexible work arrangements – remote/hybrid/compressed work schedules
• Pension plan and other local statutory social benefits contributions
• Employee Assistance Services
• Team Building and Social Committees

*Other benefits may apply, depending on the location of the employee.

How to Apply:

How do I apply?

Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Romania. The deadline for applications is midnight GMT on 4 May 2025.
Instead of a traditional cover letter, please apply at the following link: https://global-fund-for-children.breezy.hr/p/24afadee259c by sharing your CV and answers to the following questions:

1) What excites you most about this role and how is it directly connected to your skills or experience?

2) What experience do you have facilitating groups and/or working with people who have experienced harm and adversity?

3) What are a few strategies you have implemented in previous experiences for collective decision making, participatory design or consensus building?

4) Which one of our values resonates with you the most and why?

Global Fund for Children is committed to safeguarding everyone we work with.

We have a zero-tolerance policy towards any abuse, neglect, and exploitation of all people. Everyone that works with us is required to share and uphold this commitment through signing and complying with our Global Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct. We will conduct the most appropriate pre-employment checks to ensure high standards are maintained, including a criminal history check or equivalent, where appropriate, and references.

GFC is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We particularly encourage applications from communities that have historically been excluded from philanthropy and from under-represented groups including candidates who are LGBT+, from Black and racially-minoritised communities, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions, and from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.

If you are an applicant with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply, please send an email to careers@globalfundforchildren.org with your request.

Learn more about us at www.globalfundforchildren.org.