Background

With 234 members in 41 countries, Eurochild is the largest network of organisations and individuals working with and for children in Europe.

We are striving for a society where all children and young people grow up happy, healthy, confident and respected as individuals in their own right. We aim to bring about positive changes in the lives of children, in particular those affected by poverty and disadvantage.

We reach our goal by influencing policies, building civil society capacity, facilitating mutual learning and exchanging practice and research. We are committed to child participation and to actively involve children in different aspects of our work.

Purpose of role

Eurochild is seeking an energetic and visionary Interim Secretary General to coordinate and provide strategic support to our dynamic member-led network. The Interim Secretary General we are seeking is passionate about advancing the rights of children and will use her or his skills and knowledge to help us achieve our network’s goals and support the collaborative efforts of our diverse membership.

The Interim Secretary General will be responsible for leadership and management of the network under the strategic guidance of the Management Board and President and will oversee governance and legal compliance, including effective financial management. In addition, the Interim Secretary General will oversee HR policies of the Secretariat, including talent management, and will be responsible for income generation, membership and partnership development whilst ensuring the overarching day-to-day operations are aligned with Eurochild’s strategic vision.

Working relationships

Regular liaison with the Eurochild President.
Reports to, and takes guidance from, Eurochild’s Management Board.
Line management responsibilities for Executive Team consisting of three Directors.

Primary responsibilities

The job holder will have the following key responsibilities:

Strategic, organisational, and team leadership.
Develop, implement, and monitor business plans that translate Eurochild’s strategic vision into allocation of HR and financial resources, impact measures, and fundraising targets.
Provide effective supervision of Eurochild employees and support for their learning and professional development, including the development and implementation of systems and processes to support productive teamwork and to ensure staff wellbeing, motivation, and productivity.
Lead and manage the effective implementation of Eurochild’s strategic and business plan and associated monitoring and evaluation.
Conduct regular reviews of the Secretariat’s structure, roles, and responsibilities to ensure alignment with purpose and impact.
Provide opportunities for review and evaluation.
Delegate and oversee responsibilities across Eurochild’s Executive Team to ensure smooth functioning of the team and alignment of vision and values to deliver organisational goals.
Be the interlocutor between the Board and staff to foster a healthy and productive working environment.

External relations & reputation

Build and strengthen Eurochild’s reputation, representing the network externally through media, external partnerships, and in political dialogue.
Develop thought leadership around specific topics relevant to strengthen Eurochild’s impact.
Establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders including membership, government bodies, funding partners, donors, corporates, and other NGOs.
Identify grant, sponsorship and fundraising opportunities and develop associated proposals and applications; maintain excellent working relationships with donors and ensure appropriate, accurate and timely reporting/communication.
Oversee impact assessment and external communications.

Governance, internal operations & HR management

Oversee risk management; compliance with all regulatory, accountability and contractual obligations; review and implementation of Eurochild’s governing rules and code of ethics.
Support the Eurochild President to chair and lead the Management Board.
Oversee the optimisation of internal procedures, tools, and infrastructure to maximise efficiency in relation to membership, grants management, internal communications, work organisation, planning and reporting.
Oversee HR policies and management, including recruitment, onboarding, mentoring, performance monitoring and career progression.

Fundraising & financial management

Oversee budget planning and financial management for the organisation and specific grants.
Oversee the development and implementation and help deliver Eurochild’s fundraising strategy.

Profile

The following offers an aspirational view of our ideal candidate profile; however, we encourage applications from candidates with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds, especially those from underrepresented groups.

Experience

Strong track record of successful organisational leadership in a management position, ideally with working experience in a membership organisation.
Demonstrated experience of setting objectives, developing strategies, budgeting, developing policies and procedures, and organising functions as necessary to accomplish the activities.
Consolidated experience across the fundraising cycle from identification, through to proposal writing and reporting.
Experience of leading donor relations with knowledge of Eurochild´s funding ecosystem.
Demonstrated experience of credibly and effectively managing teams through change.
Experience of working with EU institutions, government bodies, funding partners, donors, corporates, and other NGOs.
Proven experience of working to raise the visibility and grow an organisation through successful marketing, effective communication, and partnership building.
Deep understanding and experience of children´s/human rights or adjacent areas.

Skills & knowledge

Strategic vision to guide and achieve long-term goals with the ability to take the initiative, work independently and seek out new opportunities.
Strong interpersonal skills that include the ability to inspire and motivate staff, to foster a healthy organisational culture that encourages teamwork and collaboration, the ability to effectively manage conflict.
Ability to recognise problems, identify pertinent issues and propose effective solutions.
In-depth knowledge of the management process, effective leadership, and organisational skills.
A strong and confident leader who is an accomplished networker and advocate.
Excellent time-management, multi-tasking, and prioritization skills with the ability to work on multiple projects to deliver to agreed timelines whilst remaining calm under pressure and resilient to change.
A good facilitator and chair.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Empathic listener and confident, articulate, and persuasive speaker, able to communicate with diverse audiences.

Languages

English essential (level C2).
French (level B2/C1) desired.

To apply for the post

To apply for this role, please submit a copy of your CV/resume and a cover letter outlining your interest in the role and how you fulfil the requirements set out in the job announcement. Please ensure you send your CV and Cover letter in the following format: full_name_CV_org_name_role and full_name_role_CL.

If you have any questions about the role or organisation and would like an informal chat ahead of submitting a formal application, please reach out to Zoe Oldham at zoe@upsallinternational.com. Please note: to ensure the security of your application and to ensure that your data complies with GDPR, applications via email will not be accepted.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with adherence to the deadline.

The deadline for applications is Monday 28^th September 2026, 9:00 am CET

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Upsall International actively promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. In recruiting candidates, we seek candidates with the proven skills required, irrespective of race, gender, religion or belief, age, disability, or sexual orientation.