Secretary General

Eurochild is looking for a Secretary General

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 supporting children and young people to take a proactive role in shaping governance and management decisions, and to actively involve children in different aspects of our work.

Purpose of role

This is an exceptional opportunity for an individual that is committed to advancing children’s rights across Europe by working in collaboration with a broad membership. The successful candidate will inherit a well-regarded, values-driven international organisation that is rolling out an ambitious strategic framework and going through a period of significant change. They will need to be a strategic thinker, able to execute strategies and plans, and set clear priorities that promote children’s rights. They must be prepared to make difficult strategic choices where necessary and adapt to quickly changing environments. They will also need to effectively support governance, legal, financial, ethical and organisational compliance.

The Secretary General will be highly resilient and have the skills to promote a positive culture throughout Eurochild. They will be responsible for people management and making Eurochild one of the best places to work. They will support the involvement of children and young people in governance, management, and in campaigns. At the same time, they will strengthen the development of the Eurochild membership and its capacity to deliver change for children and young people across Europe. A strong understanding of how EU institutions work and strong influencing and fundraising skills will also be essential.

Working relationships

The Secretary General will:

• liaise regularly with the Eurochild President.

• be accountable to, report to and take direction from Eurochild’s Management Board.

• line management responsibilities for the Executive Team and Operations and Finance Coordinators.

• liaise with Eurochild members and the Eurochild Children’s Council.

Primary responsibilities

The job holder will have the following key responsibilities:

Strategic leadership

• Lead a strong international movement for children and young people by supporting, working in collaboration with, and building the capacity of the Eurochild membership.

• Lead the development, communication, and delivery of Eurochild’s strategic framework, ensuring it remains true to the organisation’s purpose and responsive to the evolving needs of children and young people.

• Work with the Board, Members and with Eurochild’s Children’s Council to develop, deliver, and evaluate Eurochild’s strategy and plans, ensuring that members’ expertise and children’s views inform priorities and decisions.

• Anticipate political, policy and funding developments affecting children’s rights and European civil society, identifying opportunities and risks and ensuring that Eurochild’s strategic priorities remain relevant, achievable and responsive to the needs and experiences of children and members.

• Cultivate a strong organisational culture rooted in Eurochild’s values (rights-based, member-driven, learning-orientated, partnership-seeking and empowering).

• Work closely with the Management Board to ensure effective governance, strategic oversight and timely reporting, upholding the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and risk management

• Be accountable for safeguarding, including effective implementation of policies, accessible reporting mechanisms, and appropriate escalation and oversight.

Organisational leadership and people

• Support the Eurochild President i out their mandate.

• Lead and manage the effective implementation of Eurochild’s strategic and business plan and associated monitoring and evaluation.

• Ensure that meaningful, inclusive and safe children’s participation is embedded across Eurochild’s work, supported by appropriate resources, accessible information and staff expertise.

• Lead a membership strategy that strengthens engagement, retention and the diversity and reach of the network, informed by members’ needs and priorities.

• Lead, develop, and hold accountable the Senior Leadership Team and managers, building a high-performing, values-aligned team.

• Foster a work environment that attracts and retains top talent.

• Champion staff wellbeing, diversity, inclusion and participation.

• 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.

• Ensure that organisational performance, learning and impact are regularly assessed to inform decision-making, improve effectiveness and demonstrate progress towards Eurochild’s Strategic Framework.

External relations

• Build and strengthen Eurochild’s reputation, representing the network externally through media, external partnerships, and in political dialogue.

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with EU institutions, government bodies, funding partners, donors, corporates and other NGOs, drawing on members’ expertise and creating opportunities for members and children to contribute directly to external advocacy.

• Lead Eurochild’s European policy and advocacy programme, anticipating emerging opportunities and risks in order to deliver impact.

• Build strategic alliances and represent the organisation in the media with authority and credibility, while at the same time, safeguarding Eurochild’s independence.

Financial management and fundraising

• Oversee and be accountable for the financial health of the organisation including budgeting, financial forecasting, effective financial management/control, grant compliance and reporting to the Board/funders.

• Lead the development of Eurochild’s funding strategy and plans to ensure it has sufficient resources to deliver its mission.

Profile

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 (essential), with experience of leading a membership organisation, network or coalition and building collective action across diverse constituencies (desirable).

• Demonstrate an ability to make sound decisions in the best interests of the 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.

• Knowledge of relevant European civil society funding sources and experience of building donor relationships.

• Strong communications skills and demonstrated experience of credibly and effectively managing teams through change.

• Experience of leading organisational change and aligning strategy, financial resources, staffing and operational capacity to ensure organisational effectiveness and long-term sustainability.

• Demonstrate strong political judgment and experience of working with EU institutions, government bodies, funding partners, donors, corporates, and other NGOs.

• Proven experience of raising the visibility and growing an organisation through successful marketing, effective communication, and partnership building.

• Strong understanding and commitment to the implementation of children’s rights.

• Experience of enabling children and young people to influence organisational or policy decisions, with an understanding of inclusive participation, safeguarding and accountability to children.

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.

• A strong and confident leader who is an accomplished networker and advocate.

• Strong strategic and political judgement, with the ability to assess opportunities and risks, make difficult decisions, prioritise competing demands and balance organisational ambition with available resources.

• Excellent organisational, 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.

• Skilled in inclusive facilitation, chairing and building consensus, with the ability to navigate differing perspectives and create accessible opportunities for children and members to influence decisions. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Empathic and confident listener, articulate and persuasive speaker, able to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.

• A sound understanding of basic financial principles, including cash flow, balance sheets, and profit and loss statements, with the ability to interpret key financial information and understand its implications for the company’s financial health and decision-making.

Languages

• English essential (level C2).

• French (level B2) desired.

Terms and conditions

Eurochild is an equal opportunity employer. We are guided by the principle of non-discrimination on any ground, and we apply this principle in our day-to-day operations and in our employment practices. Please advise if you need any adaptations or support for your application.

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 Tricia Placido at tricia@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 16th of November 2026, 9:00 am CET

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.

Job Details

• Location: Brussels, Belgium

• Location type: On site with some hybrid working

• Reporting to: President & Management Board

• Manages: Executive Team and Operational/Finance Coordinators

• Annual salary: Competitive

• Contract type: Permanent

• Working hours: Full-time

• Candidate level: C-LEVEL

• Closing date: 16/11/2026