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:
Seek
Expressions of Interest:
Lighthouse Finance Coordinator
Front Line Defenders is seeking expressions of interest from exceptional candidates for the post of Lighthouse Finance Coordinator. This is a two-year fixed term contract to be made permanent if funding is secured. The role will be based in Dublin and will report to the Lighthouse Program Manager.
Overview
The Lighthouse, the Global Protection Fund, team manages the functioning of the Lighthouse programme and is housed at Front Line Defenders. The team leads on all aspects of managing the fund, including donor relationships and reporting as well as with consortium partners. As the Fund is new, the team is currently small and agile. It comprises a Program Manager and this role.
The Lighthouse Finance Coordinator will work collaboratively to ensure that procedures and policies of the new fund meet requirements from Front Line Defenders, donors, and consortium members. They are responsible for dealing with donor reports and donor audits by working collaboratively with the finance team, development team and grants team.
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:
- Maintain accurate grant set-up in our accounting system (SAGE), including budgets, coding, and reporting dates.
- Manage salary allocations across multiple donors, preventing double-funding or over-allocation, and maintaining 100% accuracy.
- Monitor grant income and expenditure against approved budgets and flag variances or compliance risks to the Finance Manager and Lighthouse Program Manager
- Lead on compliance with donor financial rules, eligibility criteria, cost allocations, and reporting requirements
- Lead on Donors budget proposals with accurate financial data, forecasts, and risk analysis to strengthen donor submissions.
- Lead in ensuring timely submission of donor financial reports tailored to their specific requirements
For further information, please view: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/sites/default/files/lighthouse_finance_coordinator_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:
- Experience working in the NGO / not-for-profit sector
- Familiarity with institutional donors and their financial rules and requirements (e.g. EU, FCDO, Global Affairs Canada, foundations)
- Strong numerical and analytical skills
- Ability to manage deadlines and multiple priorities
- Clear written and verbal communications skills
- Ability to work collaboratively with non-finance colleagues
- Professional judgment and discretion when handling sensitive information
- Strong understanding of donor-funded grant accounting and restricted fund management
- Knowledge of donor financial rules, eligibility criteria, and audit requirements (e.g. EU, bilateral donors, foundations)
- Experience reconciling donor reports to the general ledger and supporting schedules
- Strong Excel skills for reconciliations, reporting, and financial analysis
- Experience working with accounting systems (e.g. Sage Intacct or similar ERP systems)
- High level of attention to detail and ability to maintain audit-ready documentation
- Ability to interpret financial policies and donor agreements and apply them consistently
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in a finance, grants finance, or donor reporting role
- Demonstrated experience preparing donor financial reports and reconciliations for institutional donors
- Experience supporting donor audits or compliance reviews
- Experience working to multiple reporting deadlines across different funding streams
Closing Date
Applicants must submit their applications (CV & cover letter) by 4pm on Friday, 27th March 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.
