Opposition and Narratives Advisor - Maternity cover (8 months) (hybrid)

Brussels

Full-time

Fixed-term

Application Closing Date

Wednesday 25th November 2026

Role Purpose

To advise and guide IPPF’s European Network’s regional office, Member Associations and key partners, on the implementation of countering anti-rights and winning narratives approaches, with the aim of driving a progressive SRHR agenda regionally and nationally and proactively responding to the attacks of the anti-rights movement.

Deliverables

Deliver / facilitate the provision of technical assistance, coaching and capacity enhancement to IPPF EN, Member Associations, partners and activists in selected locations across Europe and Central Asia to understand and implement strategic winning narratives and countering anti-rights work.
Collate and disseminate learnings, challenges and best practice from IPPF EN’s regional winning narratives and countering anti-rights work. Remotely via mechanisms such as the coordination of peer-to-peer support calls and our Community of Practice model, and (where possible) in person sessions at key engagement moments e.g. IPPF EN’s regional membership forum and annual EU engagement workshop.
Deliver the grant and project management of relevant funding streams (including budget and reporting,) related to the implementation of winning narratives and countering anti-rights work in Europe and Central Asia. Ensure committed work is achieved to a high standard. Example donor funded priorities for 2027 include the coordination of a framing positive masculinities project supporting test and trial initiatives in a minimum of 2 contexts, oversight to the expansion of a winning narratives and crisis communications workshop in Central Asia, coordination of regular anti-rights and intelligence alerts to the movement.
Together with IPPF EN External Relations colleagues, ensure expertise and learning from winning narrative and countering anti-rights work is mainstreamed into our external political voice targeting key regional stakeholders and audiences, including European institutions (thereby supporting and enhancing IPPF EN’s work towards building a progressive European front on issues related to SRHR, gender equality and LGBTIQ+ rights).
Maintain strong working relationships with IPPF EN’s Membership Support & Development team, and Community Engagement and Partnerships lead to ensure streamlined connection and technical outreach to Member Associations and relevant community groups.
Continued horizon scanning of emerging regional and international best practice and innovations, related to progressive new narrative and anti-rights trends to inform IPPF EN strategies and research. In 2027, this work will have an explicit focus on defending civic space, fertility rights, masculinities, and other emergent topics that are increasingly scrutinised by the anti-rights movement.
Ensure synergies, collaboration and sharing of IPPF EN’s experience with relevant staff from across the global Federation, via key engagement moments and established monthly and quarterly global connection calls, with a particular emphasis on those working in the fields of opposition and narratives, external relations, communications, voice and media, youth leadership. In addition, ensure continued connection and streamlined approaches with IPPF’s emerging innovation and resilience hub.
Provide inputs to fundraising strategies, materials and proposal writing to ensure that learnings from narrative and countering anti-rights work are taken into account / enhanced through further funding to Europe and Central Asia.
Take collective responsibility for safeguarding.

Essential Skills

Advanced interpersonal and verbal communication skills, in particular to work within a network of multi-cultural staff and stakeholders, including the ability to inspire, educate and motivate with or without direct authority;
Enjoys working collaboratively;
Open minded, emphatic, flexible and creative;
Project and people management skills;
Training/facilitation skills;
Able to speak articulately in meetings and conferences;
Fluency in English (oral and written skills) is essential (C1)
Commitment to gender equality, sexual and reproductive rights, diversity and non-discrimination and youth participation are a must.;
Willing and able to travel .
Have the right to work in Belgium

Desirable Skills

knowledge of Russian language, French, Spanish an asset;

About us

IPPF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers, contractors and partners to share this commitment. Anyone employed with IPPF agrees to sign and adhere to IPPF’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding (Children and Vulnerable Adults) Policy.
IPPF is a global movement delivering sexual and reproductive health services and rights. We are a diverse, feminist, and values-driven workplace - multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-lingual, and intergenerational.
We are an equal opportunities employer and appoint on merit through open competition. We actively encourage applications from people with lived experience and from the communities we serve, especially those from marginalised groups.

WHY JOIN IPPF?

IPPF offers meaningful work, an inspiring environment, professional growth, and the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and communities around the world. Working for IPPF offers a compelling value proposition:
Mission-Driven Organization: IPPF is a globally recognized leader. By joining IPPF, you become part of a mission-driven organization dedicated to empowering individuals and communities, advancing gender equality, and improving access to comprehensive healthcare services.
Bringing Positive Change: IPPF brings positive change to the lives of millions of people worldwide. Reducing maternal mortality, preventing unintended pregnancies, combating gender-based violence, promoting comprehensive sexuality education, and advocating for the realization of sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice for all, and especially marginalized people.
Global Reach and Influence: IPPF works across all continents, providing a unique opportunity to work on a global scale to shape change and implement innovative approaches to combat racism.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: IPPF is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of its work. You will play a crucial role in building an inclusive and equitable organization that respects and values individuals’ backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

At IPPF, our values guide how we work, how we lead and how we partner. We:

Uphold dignity by championing bodily autonomy and the full realisation of sexual and reproductive rights for all. 
Champion equality through feminist, anti-racist, anti-ableist and intersectional practice. 
Demand justice for all by challenging structural inequalities and standing alongside social movements for change. 
Celebrate pleasure, recognising sexual and reproductive health as a positive state of wellbeing, joy and fulfilment. 
Build global and local community, led by those most affected and powered by youth, volunteers and partners. 
Act with integrity, holding ourselves accountable to people, partners, donors and each other. 
Foster resilience by learning, adapting and persevering in complex and changing contexts.

YOUR ETHOS

Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in a local and international context.
Demonstrates ability and willingness to work in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual and intergenerational environment that is anti-racist and respectful of others.
An intersectional (pro) feminist passionate about sexual reproductive health care rights + justice, including safe abortion.
Supportive of people’s rights regardless of sexuality or gender identity/expression and supportive of workers’ rights and access to health care in sex work.