Front Line Defenders Is Hiring a Head of Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Earn Up to €91,382 Per Year

Human rights professionals with extensive leadership experience have an exciting opportunity to join Front Line Defenders as the Head of Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This permanent position offers the chance to lead regional protection strategies, manage international teams, and strengthen support for human rights defenders working in some of the world’s most challenging environments.

Reporting to the Director of Global Protection, the successful candidate will provide strategic leadership across the MENA region while helping shape the organization’s global human rights agenda.

About Front Line Defenders

Front Line Defenders is an international human rights organization based in Ireland that works exclusively to protect human rights defenders (HRDs) who face threats because of their peaceful work promoting and defending the rights of others.

The organization supports defenders through protection grants, advocacy, emergency assistance, digital and physical security training, campaigning, and international engagement. Its mission is to ensure that human rights defenders can continue their vital work safely and effectively.

About the Role

The Head of Middle East and North Africa will lead Front Line Defenders’ Regional Protection Team, overseeing strategy, operations, and protection responses throughout the MENA region.

This senior leadership role is responsible for ensuring that the organization’s programmes remain responsive to the evolving needs of human rights defenders while aligning regional priorities with the organization’s global strategy.

The successful candidate will also oversee regional operations, manage budgets, coordinate with cross-functional teams, and lead a geographically dispersed team working across multiple countries.

Key Responsibilities

The Head of Region will play a central role in guiding Front Line Defenders’ work across the MENA region.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading the Regional Protection Team and setting strategic priorities.
• Developing and implementing regional work plans.
• Coordinating protection responses for human rights defenders.
• Identifying emerging human rights trends and risks.
• Supporting collaboration across advocacy, communications, grants, resilience, monitoring, and operations teams.
• Managing regional budgets and ensuring effective resource allocation.
• Building relationships with partners, donors, and supporters.
• Contributing to organizational risk management and operational planning.
• Promoting staff wellbeing, inclusion, learning, and professional development.
• Supporting innovation and continuous improvement across regional programmes.

Qualifications and Experience

Front Line Defenders is seeking an experienced leader with a strong background in international human rights and organizational management.

Applicants should possess:

• At least 10 years of senior-level experience in a human rights organization or a comparable international organization.
• Extensive knowledge of human rights issues and protection mechanisms.
• Strong understanding of political and human rights contexts across the Middle East and North Africa.
• Proven leadership and people management experience.
• Experience managing remote and geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong strategic planning and decision-making skills.
• Experience managing organizational budgets and fundraising activities.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
• Fluency in English and Arabic.

Candidates with direct experience supporting human rights defenders and leading regional programmes will be highly competitive.

Salary and Benefits

Front Line Defenders offers an attractive benefits package, including:

• Annual salary of €73,327–€91,382
• 26 days of annual leave
• Pension scheme
• Paid health insurance
• Income protection and life assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Monthly wellbeing provisions

These benefits reflect the organization’s commitment to supporting the wellbeing and professional development of its staff.

Why Apply?

This position provides a unique opportunity to influence human rights protection across an entire region while contributing to one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to supporting human rights defenders.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to:

• Lead regional protection strategies.
• Shape global human rights policy and programming.
• Work with international partners and donors.
• Support courageous human rights defenders.
• Manage multicultural teams across several countries.
• Drive innovation and strengthen organizational impact.

For experienced leaders passionate about protecting human rights and advancing justice, this role offers both professional growth and meaningful global impact.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit the following:

• Updated CV
• Cover letter

Applications must be submitted through the Front Line Defenders recruitment page.

Application Deadline: 3 August 2026 (5:00 p.m. Irish local time)

Conclusion

The Head of Middle East and North Africa position at Front Line Defenders is an exceptional opportunity for experienced human rights leaders seeking to make a lasting impact in one of the world’s most complex regions. With a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and the chance to lead strategic protection initiatives, this role offers the opportunity to support human rights defenders while helping shape international human rights efforts across the Middle East and North Africa.

APPLY HERE

Join Our WhatsApp Community

Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of  emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.