Thematic Advisor (Parental Leave Cover)

At Plan International Sweden, we believe in a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We have a particular focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, child protection, gender equality, and on strengthening the local civil society.

We are currently looking for a Thematic Advisor for a 1-year parental leave cover who wants to drive real, sustainable change – with a focus on child protection including child protection in emergencies. This is your chance to influence decision-makers, build powerful partnerships, and shape programmes that create long-term impact for children and youth globally.

About the Role

As a Thematic Advisor, you will have a central role in strengthening and expanding Plan International Sweden’s work on child protection.

• Lead and develop thematic policies and strategies on child protection and gender-based violence. This will involve developing positions and tools with regard to protection to the broader human rights agenda and contextualise both programme and advocacy support to various contexts.
• Provide demand-driven support and guide programme development, implementation and monitoring to ensure real results for children and youth with regard to child protection, including child protection in emergencies.
• Drive high-quality proposal development and resource mobilization, identifying strategic funding opportunities, and cultivating donor relationships in the area of child protection including child protection in emergencies.
• Build partnerships and represent Plan International in Sweden and globally.
• Contribute to our advocacy efforts on child protection and related thematic areas with your expertise and experience from programme work.
• Contribute to capacity sharing, learning and innovation with regards to child protection in countries where we work, globally and in Sweden.

What You Bring

• An advanced degree in political science, social sciences, gender or development studies.
• Several years of experience working with and providing technical advice to international child protection programmes and interventions in both development contexts and humanitarian settings as well as a solid background in international development and humanitarian work.
• A strong understanding of, and commitment to, applying a human rights-based and child rights approach is essential. Proven experience in advancing the rights of girls and women, and a strong strategic understanding of how to promote gender equality in diverse contexts.
• Experience with resource mobilization including proposal development and proposal writing, for various donors, such as Sida, EU, UN, and private foundations.
• Experience of working internationally in countries across diverse cultures and contexts, and in building partnerships.
• Experience in advocacy and communication is essential and experience of being a spokesperson is a merit.
• Excellent communication skills in English are essential, while proficiency in Swedish, French, Spanish or other languages is considered an asset.

To thrive in this role, you are structured, analytical, and driven by a genuine curiosity to explore and deepen your knowledge in the thematic area and to share your insights with others. You enjoy immersing yourself in complex topics, translating them into clear messages that inspire action. You are an excellent communicator who can adapt your message to different audiences, and you enjoy working in close collaboration with colleagues and external partners.

About the position

The position is a fixed-term employment of one year (parental leave cover), starting as soon as possible. The employment rate is 100%, which corresponds to 37.5 h/w. Plan International Sweden's office is located in Stockholm; however, remote work from another country where Plan International operates can be considered. Working in Sweden requires a valid work permit.

Application and contact

Welcome with your application as soon as possible as selection and interviews are ongoing. Application deadline is 4 January 2026. In the recruitment process, we use a competency-based interview technique that promotes inclusion, open-minded recruitment, and increased diversity.

If you want to know more about the position, you are welcome to contact Head of Policy and Thematic Unit, Malin Hansson, [email protected]. If you have questions about your application, you can contact HR Partner Johanna Jennel at [email protected]. Trade union representatives (Unionen and Akademikerförbundet) can be reached on 08-587 755 00.

Plan International Sweden was established in 1997 and today has around 100 employees. We are an independent part of the global child rights organization Plan International, operating in 75 countries. Plan International is politically and religiously independent and all our work is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We work to ensure that all children have the right to education, access to healthcare, protection from violence, abuse, and neglect, and the opportunity to participate in society and develop their potential.

With us, long-term commitment and action are important; through our drive and engagement, we create conditions for children and youth to influence their future. We respect all people, value diversity, and challenge inequality. We strive for a just world that strengthens children’s rights and girls’ equal opportunities – do you want to help?