About this role
Department: International Board on Books for Young People Secretariat Location: Basel, Switzerland (100%, In-Office) Strategic Mandate To increase IBBY’s global advocacy and operational capabilities by leveraging deep institutional and academic expertise in the organization’s core mission and programmes, in order to advance IBBY’s Mission and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This role serves as the primary support, under the Executive Director, Executive Committee, Regional Liaisons, and Sub-Committees, for managing the execution of international prizes, IBBY’s international book collections, and traveling exhibitions, while overseeing the Biennial Report to ensure accurate global impact assessment. As a key representative of IBBY’s Mission, the position drives inclusive membership growth in underrepresented regions, secures mission-aligned sponsorship from partners, and supports reading development initiatives to ensure children’s access to books in underserved areas and in situations of crisis. Furthermore, the role strengthens IBBY’s standing within the international human rights community by fostering strategic partnerships with UN bodies, ensuring that children’s literature is recognized as a fundamental component of the Right to Education (SDG 4) and cultural rights globally. Professional Qualifications Education: Required: Master’s Degree, or higher, in International Studies/Affairs (with a field of expertise in: Education/Literacy Policy; Children’s Literature; Languages; Human Rights; International Organizations). Language Proficiency: Required: English, C2/Native proficiency (Required for board-level strategy, reporting, mission advocacy, internal/external communications, editing of publications, etc.), and knowledge of at least one other major language represented in the IBBY global network, such as Arabic, French, Portuguese, and/or Spanish. Preferred (alongside above): East-Asian Languages (incl. Japanese, Mandarin, or Korean) C1/Business Fluency (Preferred for direct liaison and interpretation tasks with: sponsors and partners in the region, which currently include: Asahi Shimbun, Yamada Bee Farm, Shenzhen iRead Foundation, China Children’s Press and Publication Group, Nami Island Inc.); NGOs; government bodies, and IBBY members without interpretation. Experience: Required: Minimum 3 years of specialized experience in international advocacy, human rights, children’s rights, and/or educational policy. Proven track record of working in an international and multicultural context, including representing organizations at international forums (e.g. UN bodies/agencies) and managing global partnerships. Preferred: Proven expertise and/or deep knowledge of IBBY international programmes and operational frameworks, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award, IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award, the IBBY-iRead Outstanding Reading Promoter Award, the IBBY Yamada Fund, the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund, the IBBY Collections, global exhibition logistics, and report collation. Personal Qualifications & Commitments ● A deep, authentic commitment to the core mission, with a genuine desire to drive positive social change for children globally. ● A demonstrated readiness and availability for working flexible hours and frequent/lengthy travel due to the international nature of our work. ● Exceptional cultural intelligence and open-minded approach to diverse political, social, and linguistic contexts, enabling the building of respectful partnerships with international stakeholders, government bodies, and NGOs across the globe. ● A strong orientation towards teamwork and inclusivity, capable of uniting diverse national sections, working seamlessly with global juries, committees, and secretariat staff ● Emotional resilience and proactive mindset required to maintain focus and effectiveness in high-pressure humanitarian situations ● The ability to articulate complex human rights concepts in an engaging and accessible manner, inspiring colleagues, partners, and stakeholders to champion the transformative power of children’s literature and the Right to Read. Core Responsibilities A. Strategic Advocacy for IBBY’s Mission & UNCRC Implementation (25%) Support IBBY’s global advocacy efforts to align national policies with IBBY’s Mission and the UNCRC, specifically advocating for Articles 14, 17, 28, and 29 (Right to Education, Access to Information, Cultural Rights). Serve as a special point of contact for IBBY’s national sections, supporting high-level negotiations with sponsors, cultural ministries, partners, and publisher associations in their native languages, with a particular need of Asian languages for engagement with current Sponsors. Serve as a point of contact for IBBY’s national sections in initiating reading development and/or rapid-response projects, such as through the IBBY Yamada Fund or the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund, where children’s access to books is underserved and/or threatened by conflict or natural disasters, including analyzing local frameworks and coordinating with local reading promoters. B. Management of Core IBBY Global Programmes (25%) International Prize Coordination: Manage the end-to-end submission and evaluation process of correct materials for major IBBY international awards (e.g., Hans Christian Andersen Award, IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award, IBBY-iRead Outstanding Reading Promoter Award). This includes vetting entries from sections, ensuring compliance with complex IBBY Statutes and alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and coordinating with jury members globally. IBBY Collections Management: Manage the submissions/nominations of to IBBY’s multilingual book collections (e.g. IBBY Selection of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities, the IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young People in Indigenous and Endangered Languages, the IBBY Honour List), ensuring international representa