RFSL is seeking an International Program Manager with a strong focus on advocacy, alongside responsibility for capacity strengthening and programme support, to support LGBTQI partner organisations and activists in Ukraine. You will play a key role in ensuring quality, relevance, and long-term impact in RFSL’s international work, in close collaboration with local partners and internal colleagues.

About RFSL and the International Unit

RFSL (the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Rights), founded in 1950, is one of the world's oldest non-profit organizations working on advancing LGBTQI rights. RFSL’s mission is to ensure LGBTQI individuals’ human rights are respected both nationally and internationally. Our international work focuses on supporting partner organizations in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa through regranting and partnerships, capacity-strengthening and facilitating access to international advocacy platforms.

Your role with us

As an International Program Manager, you will work closely with partner organisations and activists primarily in Ukraine. The role combines advocacy and capacity strengthening and programme support work.

The advocacy component includes contributing to RFSL’s advocacy efforts towards institutions such as the EU, UN, Council of Europe, and other relevant human rights mechanisms, in close coordination with RFSL’s advocacy team. You will help assess advocacy needs together with partners and match them with relevant advocacy opportunities, training, mentoring, and strategic guidance. The role also focuses on enabling and supporting LGBTQI activists’ participation in international and regional advocacy spaces. This role will also provide vital operational support by coordinating project planning activities, maintaining accurate documentation and data, and supporting timely, high-quality reporting to ensure projects stay on track, meet internal and external requirements, and achieve their intended outcomes.

Capacity strengthening includes planning, implementing, and following up on initiatives that strengthen organisational capacity, leadership, professional skills, financial routines, governance, and activist wellbeing. This includes managing scholarship grants, facilitating access to international events, supporting individual activists’ professional development, and organising training, workshops, peer-learning processes, and gatherings.

You will be responsible for monitoring and adapting activities to rapidly changing political and security contexts. Building trusted, long-term relationships with partners is central to the role, as is ensuring that support is delivered in safe, compliant, and partner-led ways.

Through your work, you will help ensure that resources are used efficiently, responsibly, and strategically to achieve programme objectives and strengthen LGBTQI movements over time.

You will be part of the International Unit, based in Stockholm, and report to the Head of Program. Collaboration with our Advocacy team and Head of Advocacy will occur.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain close dialogue with partner organisations and activists to identify needs, strengths, and opportunities for capacity strengthening and advocacy

• Facilitate access to relevant international and regional events and platforms

• Support and enable participation of LGBTQI activists in advocacy spaces through tailored training, mentoring, preparation, and strategic guidance

• Contribute to and coordinate advocacy efforts in collaboration with RFSL’s advocacy team, including engagement with international and regional human rights mechanisms

• Monitor political, legal, and security developments relevant to LGBTQI activism in Ukraine and adapt support accordingly

• Plan, implement, and follow up on capacity-strengthening initiatives, including trainings, workshops, peer-learning processes, scholarships, and professional development support

• Assess and manage requests for scholarships and capacity-strengthening support, including preparing agreements, decision memos, and disbursements in accordance with internal and donor-specific requirements

• Organise and implement capacity-strengthening activities such as online and in-person workshops, training, courses, and gatherings

• Support partners operating in complex or politically sensitive environments, including identifying safe, viable, and compliant ways to channel support

• Carry out procurement of services and goods in accordance with internal and donor-specific requirements

• Work closely with the Head of Program, Controller, and Finance Team on financial follow-up and compliance

• Contribute to donor reporting processes, including narrative reports, financial follow-up, and audit processes

• Contribute to planning, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (PMEL), documenting impact and change related to both capacity strengthening and advocacy work

• Support the drafting of new programme applications and funding proposals

• Coordinate with other funders and donors in the region where relevant

• Contribute to unit-wide processes, internal meetings, and cross-organisational collaboration within RFSL

• Participate in and contribute to RFSL’s federation-wide activities and events

Who are you?

We are looking for a structured, solution-oriented, and collaborative professional with a deep commitment to strengthening LGBTQI movements in Ukraine. You are motivated by long-term, partner-led capacity strengthening and understand that sustainable movement-building relies not only on funding, but also on organisational health, leadership, governance, financial routines, security considerations, and activist wellbeing.

You are comfortable working closely with individual activists, informal grassroots groups, and more established organisations, and you bring the curiosity, patience, and interpersonal awareness needed to meet partners where they are. You are able to work effectively in complex and politically sensitive environments, where a nuanced and cautious approach to partnership support is essential. You can identify safe, compliant, and effective ways to provide support in such contexts, and you approach this work with humility, respect, and a strong commitment to safeguarding and non-stigmatising partnership practices.

You balance strong administrative capacity and attention to detail with trust-based relationship building. You are comfortable managing structured processes, documentation, and follow-up, while maintaining flexibility and responsiveness to partners’ realities. You value co-creation, shared learning, and long-term engagement that enables partners to lead their own change processes.

You are proactive, self-driven, and reflective, with high personal integrity and a strong sense of accountability. You thrive in international and multicultural environments, collaborate well across cultures, languages, and teams, and communicate clearly and transparently. You are motivated by purpose-driven work and enjoy contributing to the continuous development of programmes, partnerships, and organisational practices together with your colleagues.

You share RFSL’s values of anti-racism, feminism, accessibility, and intersectionality.

To succeed in this role, you need:

• A strong commitment to strengthening LGBTQI movements and advancing human rights, justice, and equality through long-term, partner-led development and advocacy

• Strong knowledge of the human rights situation and the civil society landscape in Ukraine, combined with experience working with LGBTQI movements, including small, grassroots organizations in the region.

• At least three years of relevant experience within national or international NGOs, development cooperation, civil society support, advocacy and/or capacity strengthening

• Understanding of security and safeguarding considerations related to LGBTQI activism in different contexts

• Experience with international or regional advocacy work and human rights mechanisms (e.g. EU, UN, Council of Europe)

• Experience of working with capacity-strengthening activities and advocacy;

• Strong analytical and administrative skills, including the ability to assess organisational capacity, budgets and financial routines, programme reports, and risk analyses

• Solid IT skills, including good knowledge of Google Suite

• Proficiency in English and Ukrainian, both spoken and written

• Willingness and ability to travel internationally

• Ability to work from Stockholm, Sweden

Desirable qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in political sciences, international development, human rights, public administration, or equivalent qualifications gained through relevant work experience

• Experience working directly with LGBTQI movements and organisations in Ukraine, including grassroots initiatives

• Experience working in politically sensitive or shrinking civic spaces

• Experience with civil society organisations, human rights work, or LGBTQI movements in Ukraine or in a comparable regional or socio-political context

• Proficiency in Swedish

Employment terms

• Employment type: This is a permanent position, starting with a six-month probationary period. The position is subject to continued funding.

• Location: RFSL office in Stockholm, with some hybrid work possible. Occasional travel is expected

• Start date: As agreed

• Contract terms: Covered by the Collective Agreement for Nonprofit Organizations

Our offer

RFSL offers a dynamic and inclusive workplace that values professionalism, learning, and social impact. We provide competitive conditions, including occupational pensions and parental benefits, and an opportunity to work closely with committed colleagues and partners in a value-driven organisation.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted by February 15, 2026. We use anonymous, competency-based recruitment and require a background check and a work-related assignment as part of the recruitment process. This recruitment process will be conducted in English.

For inquiries about the position, please contact the hiring manager Christian Hellqvist at christian.hellqvist@rfsl.se. For questions about the recruitment process, contact HR Partner Tobias Jensen at tobias.jensen@rfsl.se.

As a feminist and anti-racist organisation, RFSL strives to be an inclusive workplace for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, sex characteristics, religion, race, ethnicity, country of origin, disability status, age, or other grounds of discrimination. Candidates with diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.