Programme Officer – Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Regional office: ARTICLE 19 Europe

Responsible to: Senior Programme Officer

Key Relationships: ARTICLE 19 Europe team, Law and Policy Team, Finance Team, Projects Team, Communications Team, Business Development Team (BDT), and external partners across the region.

Contract: Fixed Term (one-year contract with a possibility of extension subject to performance and availability of funding)

Working Hours: Full time, 40 hours a week, if based in the Netherlands

Salary: Circa EUR 51,000 gross per annum, supplemented by 8% holiday pay (this salary is applicable to the Netherlands as a work location).

Location: The Netherlands, ideally; Belgium and the UK can be considered as alternative options. Please note that salaries and benefits will be applied according to the work location. ARTICLE19 Europe is a flexible employer and encourages a hybrid working environment. The frequency of time in attending the office and working from home is to be agreed with the successful candidate.

At ARTICLE 19

ARTICLE 19 is an international think–do organisation that propels the freedom of expression movement locally and globally to ensure all people realise the power of their voices.

Together with our partners, we:

• THINK: We develop cutting-edge research and legal and policy analysis to drive change worldwide.
• DO: We lead work on the frontlines of expression through our 9 regional hubs across the globe.
• PROPEL: We propel change by sparking innovation in the global freedom of expression movement.

We do this by working on 5 key themes:

• promoting media independence;
• increasing access to information;
• protecting journalists;
• expanding civic space; and
• placing human rights at the heart of developing digital spaces.

For over 35 years, ARTICLE 19 has worked for a world where all people everywhere can freely express themselves and actively engage in public life without fear of discrimination. We do this by combining research, campaigning, and cutting-edge legal analysis.

ARTICLE 19 Europe, our regional office, plays a critical role in implementing ARTICLE 19’s strategies and projects in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, strengthening the organisation’s impact on freedom of expression and access to information across the region. As Programme Officer, you will contribute to ARTICLE 19 Europe’s mission through strategic project management, advocacy, and relationship building with partners and funders in the region.

Your contribution to the team

The ARTICLE 19 Europe regional office is a dynamic team implementing programs with partners to support journalist protections, freedom of expression, digital rights, transparency, and civic space across wider Europe and Centra Asia region. Reporting to the Senior Programme Officer, the Programme Officer (PO) will oversee project management and implementation, with a focus on countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, while building strategic relations with partners and funders. The PO will lead projects related to freedom of expression and access to information and contribute to strategic development and fundraising for ARTICLE 19’s work in Europe and Central Asia.

Our Values

Integrity

• We hold ourselves to the high standard we set for others.
• We are coherent on matters of law and policy wherever we work in the world.
• We value visibility, objectivity and the accuracy of our work.

Transparency

• We know good information can enable powerful action.
• We are clear, open and honest in our dealings with each other and the outside world.

Collaboration

• Our network of supporters and partners is the lifeblood of our organisation.
• We seek to build productive and inspiring relationships based on the trust our partners, supporters and donors place in us.

Diversity

• We respect each other and we listen to each other.
• We actively defend those whose voices are marginalised.

Accountability

• We say what we mean and we do what we say, speaking with once voice wherever possible.
• We work hard to make sure our learning and reporting is the best it can be.

Tenacity

• We never give up
• We are tenacious and will find every possible avenue to seek changes in law and practice to secure the freedoms associated with our mission.

Innovation

• We are proud of our expertise and are always ready to share what we know.
• We seek to explore the boundaries of our field for benefits of the freedom we protect.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy Development (5%)

• Identify growth areas for ARTICLE 19 in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Project Management (40%)

• Plan and coordinate project activities with regional partner organizations, ensuring high-quality delivery aligned with ARTICLE 19’s policies and values.
• Implement and monitor project deliverables, developing monitoring and evaluation systems with partners and producing narrative reports.
• Ensure ARTICLE 19 Europe and partner expenditures align with donor budgets, coordinating with finance for timely reporting.

Fundraising and Donor Management (30%)

• Identify and develop funding opportunities within the target region.
• Establish relationships with current and potential donors, developing funding proposals with support from the ARTICLE 19 Europe and BDT.

Advocacy and Communications (20%)

• Represent ARTICLE 19 Europe in the region, participating in external meetings and speaking engagements aligned with organizational priorities.
• Monitor trends in human rights and freedom of expression in the region.
• Identify and lead advocacy efforts with international mechanisms, social media platforms, and regional authorities, with support from ARTICLE 19 Europe, Communications, and UN teams.

Other Responsibilities (5%)

• Contribute to ARTICLE 19’s global strategies, campaigns, and policy discussions.
• Support cross-team collaboration, knowledge sharing, and learning within ARTICLE 19.

What you will bring to the Role

Knowledge and Skills

• Degree in a relevant field (e.g., human rights, politics, journalism, law, program/project management) or equivalent experience in these areas.
• Knowledge of human rights issues, particularly freedom of expression in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
• Project development and management skills, including coordination with varied partners.
• Understanding of international human rights law and protection mechanisms.
• Fluency in English required, with additional regional language skills (e.g. Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Romanian) preferred.
• Awareness of digital security and secure communication methods.
• Strong interpersonal skills for working in diverse cultural contexts and remote collaborations.
• Willingness to support colleagues to grow and work together as a team.
• An eye for detail, excellent administrative and organisational skills.
• Hands-on mentality, ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment and switch between tasks.
• Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and operate under tight deadlines.
• Willingness to travel as travel within the region will be required.

Experience

• At least four years of experience in a relevant field of work, including two years of experience coordinating projects.
• Proven experience in human rights, specifically freedom of expression in the region.
• Budget management experience in line with donor budgets.
• Proven experience in donor reporting with a focus on US and EU-funded projects.
• Experience with advocacy at both national and international levels, including public communications.
• Experience drafting publications and/or advocacy materials.

Other

• Commitment to work with our vision, mission, core values and objectives.
• Right to work in country of location, ARTICLE 19 is not able to sponsor visa or work permit for this position.