Project Director, US Online Protection Policy

Position title: Project Director, US Online Protection Policy

Location: Washington, DC

ChildFund office: International Office

Manager/Supervisor title: Policy Director

Position type: Full time, grant-funded through December 2028

Work environment: Hybrid

About ChildFund

ChildFund is a child-focused international development organization that works in 23 countries to connect children with the people, resources and institutions they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe, no matter where they are.

ChildFund’s Values

We aspire for every person in our organization—program participants, supporters, staff, and volunteers alike—to feel free, safe, and confident to be themselves. In our culture of connection, you will have ample opportunity to grow, learn, and lead while contributing your talents and innovations to our inspiring mission.

ChildFund’s Commitment

ChildFund International has a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) and all other forms of harm by its staff, partners, and other representatives in the delivery of its mission and services for children. ChildFund is committed to creating a safe environment in the workplace as well as in the communities where it delivers programs and services. ChildFund expects every staff member, partner, and representative to adhere to this commitment and to ensure all organizational policies and standards are followed. This position is subject to a range of vetting checks, including a criminal records check and/or disclosure to ensure program participants are safeguarded.

About This Role

This is a full-time, grant-funded position through December 2028. This position is open to candidates with current residence in Washington, DC or the surrounding area and current work authorization in the United States. Candidates outside of the DC metro area will not be considered.

The Project Director, US Online Protection Policy, will be responsible for implementing ChildFund’s advocacy grant, Joint Community Action on US Policy on Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children (OSEAC). One of the Project Director’s primary responsibilities will be to serve as the chair of the End OSEAC Coalition. This will include, but is not limited to, leading the development and implementation of the coalition’s advocacy strategy to advance legislative goals; coordinating with coalition members on key activations, advocacy initiatives and other activities; collaborating with other online protection-related coalitions; engaging and building relationships with key congressional and administration offices; managing coalition dynamics and day-to-day administrative and communication needs; and conducting other activities, as needed, to achieve advocacy results. Over the grant period, the Project Director will also be expected to manage the implementation of grant activities, track budget allocations, oversee consultants and interns and draft and submit any required reports.

The Project Director will report to the Policy Director and work with the External Affairs and Partnerships team to also contribute to ChildFund’s global online protection advocacy efforts and other team objectives.

The Project Director must also remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills related to strong safeguarding practices, understand and abide by ChildFund’s Safeguarding Policy.

Required Experience and Education

• Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Public Affairs or related field required; post graduate degree preferred.
• At least 8-10 years of experience in international development, advocacy, child protection and related positions.
• At least 3 years of experience contributing to advocacy or programmatic efforts related to online protection, child trafficking, gender‐based violence or similar issues.
• Experience engaging with survivors and lived-experience experts.
• Demonstrated experience in building or executing a citizen engagement advocacy agenda preferred.

Primary Responsibilities

Serve as Chair of End OSEAC Coalition

• Lead and implement overarching advocacy strategy focused on the U.S. administration and Congress with the End OSEAC Coalition.
• Lead the coalition’s Steering Committee and facilitate coalition decision making.
• Elevate and center the perspectives of survivor, lived-experience and youth advocates within the coalition’s decision making, strategy and efforts.
• Convene and lead coalition meetings.
• Support member engagement, relationship‐building and conflict resolution.
• Lead the development of materials related to the End OSEAC Coalition (e.g., policy briefs, collateral for donor/potential donors, press releases, social media posts, etc.).
• Lead cross‐sharing and coordination between the End OSEAC Coalition, other online child protection and child-focused coalitions and global stakeholders.
• Lead US appropriations advocacy efforts for OSEAC‐related accounts.
• Coordinate key advocacy and communication activities, events and coalition-led activities.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Lead development and execution of annual coalition work plans.
• Utilize existing advocacy monitoring and evaluation tools and develop additional methods for tracking and capturing progress.
• Coordinate with relevant internal and external stakeholders to monitor progress and update workplans as necessary.

Fundraising

• Develop a fundraising plan with donor targets, a donor cultivation strategy, and outreach tactics to new donors to ensure the work is supported beyond their primary donor partner.
• As lead technical policy staff, support other business units to advance thought leadership, visibility and fundraising objectives for the organization.

Visibility Execution and Support

• Cultivate relationships with US Government officials, global stakeholders and leading global and national coalitions, networks, and alliances.
• Cultivate new partnerships with entities that advance the End OSEAC Coalition’s mission and grow its impact.
• Support ChildFund’s global programmatic and technical approach to online protection advocacy.

Grant Management

• Develop and monitor annual workplans, including deadlines for key deliverables.
• Oversee the grant budget, including tracking grant expenditure, submitting invoices, etc.
• Oversee consultants and interns, including developing terms of reference/job descriptions, leading recruitment, submitting required paperwork, etc.

Other duties as assigned

• Approximately 10% domestic and international travel expected.
• Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Child Safeguarding Policy.

Required Competencies

ChildFund’s Core Competencies

• Teamwork: the ability to work effectively and collaborate with others; values and respects individual differences.
• Communication: demonstrates empathy and tact when communicating with others and uses a storytelling approach when appropriate.
• Results orientation: gets things done; takes proactive steps to achieve organizational goals and quality standards.
• Decision making: uses good judgement, critical thinking, and non-traditional ways to evaluate problems and opportunities; reflects and innovates to improve decisions and outcomes.
• Resilience: thrives and grows in rapidly changing, demanding, and complex environments.
• Digital literacy: adopts and champions new technology to relevant contexts, stays aware of technological trends and embraces technological solutions to business challenges.

Other Required Competencies

• Strong presentation skills.
• Knowledge of survivor-centered and trauma-informed approaches.
• Outstanding coalition, partnership, and relationship‐building skills, especially with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Excellent conflict resolution skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of advocacy theories of change, advocacy strategy development and experience executing advocacy trainings.
• Knowledge of issues and actors in Washington, DC and/or the global space surrounding ending violence against children, child protection and child rights.
• Knowledge in grassroots advocacy and building compelling online and offline advocacy actions to engage constituents and build issue awareness.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to tailor messaging for advocacy audiences and social media and demonstrated ability to write blogs, policy briefs, advocacy agendas, etc.
• Proactive work style, detail-oriented and ability to multi‐task.
• Fluency in English; proficiency in French, Portuguese or Spanish preferred.