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:
Grants Coordinator – East & Southern Africa
Front Line Defenders are recruiting a Grants Coordinator – East & Southern Africa to join our team. This is a permanent role based remotely in Africa reporting to the Director of Protection Grants.
Overview
The purpose of the Protection Grants team is to provide fast, flexible and effective responses to the protection needs of HRDs at immediate risk who are requesting practical security measures such as legal support, medical support, emergency relocation support and other expressed needs for themselves and their families, organisations and movements. The team consists of Director of Protection Grants and regional and thematic Protection Grants Coordinators.
The Grants Coordinator role supports Front Line Defenders to deliver upon its core objective of protecting HRD's at risk and the mandate of Front Line Defenders to deliver protection grants focused on prevention and resilience for HRDs and their families, organisations and movements. The Grants Coordinators engage in assessment of applications, communication with human rights defenders, engagement with international and regional partners, making recommendations on grant approvals, documentation of applications statuses, contracting and reporting, as well as providing reports and analysis of activities undertaken and support provided, and assessing the overall impact of the grants programme.
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:
- Assessing and verifying incoming grant applications against Front Line Defenders mandate, eligibility and mentioned threats/risks.
- Thorough assessment of budgets and cost effectiveness of measures requested.
- Engaging with HRDs to understand threats/risks, justification of the proposed measures and evaluate whether additional assistance is needed, in particular with regard to psychosocial support.
- Sustaining professional objectivity and consistency whilst engaging with applicants in an empathetic and respectful manner.
- Coordinating where appropriate with colleagues from other teams to ensure a holistic lens has been applied to specific needs, as expressed or not, of the HRDs (consultations, advocacy, meeting, digital security assistance).
- Coordinating with colleagues across the organisation as well as external networks avoiding duplication of provision of supports (in line with donor compliance).
- Providing protection grants in a timely manner, putting the needs and the best interests of the HRDs at-risk to the centre of the process and ensuring policy of do no harm.
- Coordinating the full life cycle of the Front Line Defenders Protection Grant support and ensuring transparency and accountability towards our donors and use of funds.
- Managing a large volume of applications on a daily / weekly basis in a systematic manner such that all work is documented, recorded, and reported upon in line with the norms and standards set by Front Line Defenders.
- Managing the detailed documentation systems on all grant applications received (application, assessment notes, decisions taken, financial and narrative reporting etc) and relationships between Front Line Defenders, national and international partners and applicants in each case (database).
- Contributing to regional meetings to share grant data and any emerging trends as well as understanding which cases are being worked on by other teams and where complementary grant support may be relevant.
For further information, please view: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/sites/default/files/protection_grants_coordinator_-_africa_jd.pdf
Salary & Benefits
- €36,241 - €66,700 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:
- Fluency (written & oral) in English. This is essential to the post and there will be no exceptions.
- Knowledge of key human rights trends in the East and Southern regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and their impact on human rights defenders and their movements; ability to demonstrate a nuanced understanding of contexts in which local HRD communities operate;
- Ability to deliver accurate and objective written information in a high pressure environment dictated by the need to respond urgently to threats against human rights defenders;
- Ability to work well with a wide range of people from different cultures, backgrounds and experiences, with empathy and clear boundaries, including when unfavourable decisions need to be delivered to applicants;
- Proven ability to work in fast paced environment handling emergencies
- Experience with managing collaborative projects inside organisations and with external partners.
- Experience working with spreadsheets, databases and other information management tools.
- Experience working with diverse teams, especially in emergency settings.
Closing Date
Applicants must submit their applications (CV & cover letter) by 4pm (local Irish time) on Friday, 1st May 2026 via the ‘Apply Now’ button as per FLD vacancies page: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/recruitment-volunteering
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.
