Press Officer

About Save the Children

Every child has the right to a happy childhood. That is why Save the Children does everything in its power to improve the lives of children—and, in doing so, the future of our society. As the world’s largest independent children’s rights organization, we give children a healthy start in life and the opportunity to learn. And we protect children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. For more than 100 years, Save the Children has been working to support children in these (and other) most vulnerable situations.

What will you be doing?

You’ll work alongside your fellow press officer as a single team. You’ll share on-call duties and stand side by side when news breaks. Within that framework, you also bring your own focus: PR for campaigns, activations, and events. You know how to generate media buzz for a campaign launch, how to increase the visibility of the Red Line through the right channels, and how to put a youth lobby day on the map. Not always through traditional press, but sometimes through trade publications, local media, niche online media, or human-interest platforms. And you ensure that stories that get lost in the daily news cycle still receive the attention they deserve.

You:

• Work with your fellow press officer to develop a shared media calendar, strategy, and on-call schedule.
• Handle PR for campaigns, activations, or events, and support your fellow press officer when the situation calls for it.
• Builds and maintains relationships with journalists and editorial staff in human-interest publications, local media, social platforms, and trade journals.
• Coordinates media contacts and public appearances.
• You will serve as an advisor and sounding board for our spokespersons.
• Writes news articles for the website based on press releases and posts them to the CMS.
• Track how our media coverage is received using tools such as Media Info Group and PR Dashboard.
• Thinks in terms of objectives: chooses the channel that works best, not the one that seems most obvious.
• Safeguards and strengthens Save the Children’s reputation as a credible voice on the issues that matter to us.

And you’ll also need to bring

• Experience in PR, media relations, or communications. A background in journalism is a plus, but not required.
• You can identify newsworthy stories and know how to bring them to the public's attention
• Overview and adaptability: you know that a press trip involves logistics, and you take care of those as well
• Experience with PR related to campaigns, events, or activations
• You have a network within, or easily build relationships with, human-interest, local, social, and thematic media outlets
• You have an eye for reputation and weigh which publicity contributes to our mission
• Experience with, or a willingness to quickly learn how to use, CMS systems
• You are flexible when current events require it
• Sensitivity to the issues and target groups we work with, and the ability to handle them with care

Do you recognize yourself in most of this profile, even if you don't check off every item? If so, we invite you to respond.

We'd also appreciate it if you

• Thinks strategically and can adapt quickly
• Creative Writing: You choose the right tone and angle for each channel
• Understands how to turn complex topics into newsworthy angles
• Works just as well independently as in a team

What do we have to offer you?

• What you do helps millions of children around the world—directly or indirectly. Together with colleagues in the Netherlands and around the world;
• Salary, of course. We follow the Dutch government’s pay scales, based on a 36-hour workweek. This position is classified under pay scale 10 (minimum €3,496.30 and maximum €5,535.40);
• Your travel expenses for public transportation will be fully reimbursed; you will receive an NS business card for this purpose. We are deeply committed to protecting the environment and do not offer a mileage allowance for motorized commuting;
• 5 weeks of vacation per year based on a 36-hour workweek;
• Option to accrue additional leave;
• The option to work from home for up to 50% of your workweek;
• A favorable pension plan with the Healthcare & Welfare Pension Fund;
• A people-oriented employer that is constantly evolving. That means a place where you can be yourself, help shape change, and continue to grow.
• Good to know: If you're hired, you'll initially receive a one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal.

Offers are subject to positive references and the submission of a recent Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG).

Why do we ask for references and a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG)?

Save the Children participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

As a children’s rights organization that combats abuse—in any form—we want, first and foremost, to ensure that our own employees are not, and have not been, guilty of such conduct. That is why we participate in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We also conduct standardized background checks when you apply for a position with us. By applying, you agree to this.

What kind of employer is Save the Children?

In the Netherlands, you’ll work alongside about 160 colleagues, but you’ll also be part of an international network of more than 25,000 colleagues in over 100 countries. We are the world’s largest children’s rights organization, but that doesn’t mean our organization is impersonal. Quite the opposite! We ensure that everyone’s voice—just like that of the children we advocate for—is heard. We make sure every colleague can be themselves and continue to grow.

At Save the Children, we are proud of our diversity. That is why we invite everyone to apply for a job with us, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religious and/or cultural background, personality, and/or other visible and invisible characteristics. We celebrate our differences, because they enable us to grow together.

Application Process

Interested? Please submit your application (resume and cover letter) by July 24 using the application form on our website. If we receive enough applications, the position may be filled earlier, so please apply right away.

Unfortunately, we cannot consider applications that are submitted to us through other channels. We aim to respond to your application within two weeks of the application deadline.

Do you have questions about the application process? Please contact personeelszaken@savethechildren.nl.

Do you have questions about the job itself? Email Joost Rentema (Head of Communications, Netherlands): joost.rentema@savethechildren.nl.