Front Line Defenders seeks to recruit staff, interns and volunteers in an open and transparent manner. Front Line Defenders is an Equal Opportunities Employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to promoting cultural diversity within the Front Line Defenders staff. All positions are advertised via this website as well as through other media or networks appropriate to the position being advertised.
Unfortunately, due to the volume of requests we receive, it is not possible to keep general applications or CVs on file. During a recruitment process we do not generally review applications received until after the closing date. Shortlisting can take some time given the volume of applications we receive for some posts.
For any questions or queries, or if you require any adjustments or accommodations during the recruitment process, please contact recruitment@frontlinedefenders.org. Please note applications submitted by email cannot be accepted.
Front Line Defenders is currently recruiting for the following positions:
Head of Strategy
Front Line Defenders are recruiting a Head of Strategy to join our team. This is a permanent role based in Dublin reporting to the Deputy CEO.
Overview
The purpose of Strategy, Programme Support and Quality team is to ensure the organisation’s strategies, approaches and interventions are coherent, impactful and effective. The team will lead the development, and oversee the implementation of our organisational Strategic Plan, while also supporting the development and alignment of regional and programmatic strategies. The team will work across the organisation to strengthen the quality, coherence and effectiveness of holistic protection programming through quality assurance, learning and innovation, and staff development. It also leads the organisation's research function with the development of reports and other relevant publications.
The Head of Strategy is responsible for leading the development, implementation and oversight of the organisation's Strategic Plan, ensuring that strategic priorities are translated into organisational action and that strategic progress is tracked and that the plan is revised when required. It also supports the development and alignment of regional and programmatic strategies. The Head of Strategy leads the Strategy, Programme Quality and Support Team, providing strategic direction, line management and support to the Senior Programme Quality and Support Leads and the HRD Researcher, ensuring the team has the capacity, coordination and resources required to deliver its objectives. The role also promotes collaboration across teams to strengthen organisational coherence, programme quality, learning and innovation.
Background
Front Line Defenders is an international organisation based in Ireland that works exclusively for the protection of human rights defenders at risk. Human rights defenders are people who are persecuted because of their peaceful work for the rights of others. Front Line Defenders provides practical help through protection grants, physical and digital protection training, lobbying, advocacy and campaigning.
Role responsibilities
Key duties include:
- Nurture an inclusive, values-driven, supportive team culture with a focus on delivering impact for human rights defenders in line with the organisation’s vision, values and mission.
- Lead the Strategy, Programme Quality and Support team to develop, monitor, and implement the teams work plans and ensure the delivery of the teams objectives.
- Lead the development and oversight of the organisational Strategic Plan, including the vision, mission, short and long term goals, and organisational theory of change.
- Ensure relevant stakeholders in the Strategic Plan (HRDs, Board, staff, ELT etc.) are appropriately engaged in the design, delivery and review.
- Monitor and support the implementation of the Strategic Plan, through contributing to regular reflection/evaluations/reviews, and the development and updating of an organisational scorecard for ELT.
- Lead the development of organisational process maps to ensure the delivery of the various organisation programmes and initiatives, and clarify workflows and roles, responsibilities, and accountability.
- Lead the development and implementation of the organisation’s strategic research agenda, ensuring research priorities reflect emerging protection trends, regional priorities and organisational strategic objectives.
- Identify opportunities for global and thematic pieces together with Global protection.
- Direct the production and continued development of the annual Global Analysis, quarterly briefings and other reports with the aim of establishing FLD as the key source for up to date information on trends and responses relating to HRDs at risk.
- Coordinate closely with the MERL team in the design, review and delivery of monitoring and evaluation structures, processes and frameworks, and ensure all Strategy is coherent and aligned to the organisation MERL agenda.
For further information, please view:
https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/sites/default/files/head_of_strategy_v5_july_2026.pdf
Salary & Benefits
- €73,327 - €91,382 per annum
- 26 annual leave days
- Pension
- Paid Health Insurance
- Income Protection & Life Assurance
- Employee Assistance Scheme (EAP)
- Monthly Well-Being Provisions
Requirements
Interested applicants must have:
- Considerable knowledge and understanding of international human rights work, including the role and holistic protection needs of human rights defenders.
- Master’s degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent.
- Strong understanding of the political and human rights contexts across their specific geographic region.
- Excellent political judgment, including the ability to make strategic choices based on sound analysis of potential costs and benefits.
- Demonstrated strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify and resolve potential issues before they arise.
- High level of competence in English, along with a second language.
- Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills, including the ability to clearly and concisely communicate ideas.
- Strong drafting, editing, and proofreading skills with the ability to produce clear and accurate documents efficiently.
- Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues across the organisation, as well as with HRDs, NGOs, and government / institution officials.
- Ability to supervise, mentor, and provide guidance to a diverse team, while contributing effectively within multi-level team environments.
- Capacity to plan, prioritise and manage multiple, sometimes competing demands efficiently in a challenging, fast-paced environment.
- Flexibility in time, scheduling, travel and supporting other staff, both from the same team and on other teams.
- Basic skills for budgeting management.
- At least 10 years’ experience working at a senior level in the protection of human rights defenders, or equivalent experience in a human-rights based organisation in a leadership role.
- Experience of developing organisation strategy, including Strategic Planning.
- Experience of managing and delivering research projects.
- Experience of building and working effectively with teams of people from diverse professional and/or cultural backgrounds, including managing remote staff and working across multiple time zones.
- Experience of driving innovation and developing programming in a relevant field.
- Documented experience working with human rights defenders and/or human rights organisations.
Closing Date
Applicants must submit their applications (CV & cover letter) by 4pm (local Irish time) on Thursday, 23rd July 2026 via the ‘Apply Now’ button as per FLD vacancies page: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/recruitment-volunteering. It is anticipated first round interviews will be held on 7th August 2026.
Consultancies and tenders
None at the present time.
Fellowships and internships
Front Line Defenders annually recruits for two positions that are part of the organisation's commitment to strengthening international mechanisms supporting human rights defenders:
Internship at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (Banjul)
Front Line Defenders and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) invite applications for an Internship at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to support the work of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa. It is a 12-month position based in Banjul, under the supervision of the ACHPR Secretariat. Candidates should be able to work in both English and French. Candidates who have experience as a HumanRights Defender in Africa will be prioritised.
Frank Jennings Fellowship (Dublin & Geneva)
The Frank Jennings Fellowship was set up to give an opportunity for dedicated and talented individuals to gain experience working for the protection of human rights defenders in an international NGO and at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. It is named after Front Line Defenders former Head of Research who died after a long illness in 2005. Frank made a huge contribution to the development of human rights activism in Ireland and candidates who have some experience of human rights work in Ireland will be given priority.
The Frank Jennings Fellow spends three months at Front Line Defenders where he/she will be trained in relation to Human Rights Defenders; the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders; the Mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur; the procedures and methodology of the mandate; the role of Front Line Defenders and other national and international organisations in the support and protection of Human Rights Defenders. The Fellow will then move to Geneva for a period six months before returning to Front Line Defenders for a further three months.
Volunteering at Front Line Defenders
We greatly appreciate the valuable contribution of volunteers who support the work of Front Line Defenders.
The best way to get involved is to help Front Line Defenders raise awareness about the risks faced by human rights defenders around the world and to help raise much needed funds to increase their security and protection.
When human rights defenders visit Ireland on rest & respite, it is important to provide a network of support to them. This community of support includes volunteers interested in accompanying the human rights defender sightseeing, to music and cultural activities, sharing about Irish history and current affairs or other hobbies/activities that may be of interest. Language support is especially useful to visiting human rights defenders. The working languages of Front Line Defenders are English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Russian but sometimes we also need support with other languages.
If specific additional volunteering opportunities arise, they will be posted here.
