Vacancies

*The RWI [International Humanitarian Law Compliance Monitoring Database, ICMD](https://icmd.se/) initiative is looking for a skilled and committed Program Officer to help drive a complex, multi-donor program forward. This is a role for someone who thrives in a dynamic environment, enjoys coordinating across diverse teams, and is motivated by delivering high-quality results. If you see yourself keeping programmes on track, ensuring strong donor relations, and bringing structure and clarity to both day-to-day operations and major events, we would be glad to hear from you.*

**About RWI**

The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) is an independent academic institution that combines multi-disciplinary human rights research with education, support and outreach to contribute to a wider understanding of, and respect for, human rights and international humanitarian law. Our impact extends across more than 40 countries, and we have offices in Lund (HQ), Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Harare, Jakarta, Kyiv, Nairobi, Phnom Penh, and Yerevan.

**About the position**

RWI is excited to announce an opportunity for an 18-month assignment as a full-time Programme Officer to join our office in Lund, Sweden.
The Program Officer plays a central coordinating role within the ICMD initiative, ensuring that activities across the programme move forward in a structured, timely, and coherent manner. The position focuses on enabling effective collaboration between donors, consortium partners, internal teams, and external stakeholders. You will help maintain a clear operational framework, support planning processes, and contribute to strong donor relations.

The role is well suited for someone who enjoys creating order in complex environments, strengthening systems, and supporting colleagues in delivering high-quality outputs. While the portfolio spans various thematic areas, the position does not require subject-matter expertise; instead, it relies on strong project management capabilities, clear communication, and the ability to translate plans into smooth day-to-day operations. The position includes occasional travel for events.

**Duties and Responsibilities**

In this role, you ensure that grants, workflows, and events run efficiently and in line with donor and organisational standards. You oversee award progress, coordinate timelines, and support partners in meeting reporting requirements. You consolidate narrative and financial inputs into high-quality submissions, help maintain compliance, and act as the primary point of contact for programme-related coordination with donors.

A key part of the job is monitoring progress against plans, aligning tools and methodologies across partners, and securing timely data for reporting. You also lead the full operational cycle of programme events—from planning and budgeting to vendor coordination, logistics, and on-site execution—while ensuring donor visibility requirements are met.

When relevant, you may supervise team members, facilitate capacity strengthening, and contribute to documenting lessons learned to support continuous improvement.

**Qualifications**

Essential Requirements

– Relevant university degree.
– 3–5 years of documented experience in programme management. EU experience of project handling is strongly desired (especially ECHO grant management).
– Knowledge of international development cooperation methods and standards.
– Strong analytical abilities and attention to detail.
– Fluency in English, with excellent writing skills.
– Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in teams.
– Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
– Ability to take initiative, prioritise effectively, and meet tight deadlines.
– High sense of responsibility and commitment.
– Cultural sensitivity and good understanding of humanitarian principles and values.
– Work permit for Sweden.
– Knowledge of APPEL system is desirable.

Core Competencies

– Strong project management skills, including planning, scheduling, risk management, and coordination across multiple donors.
– Excellent written communication and report-writing skills.
– Financial literacy, including budget design and expenditure tracking.
– Ability to manage stakeholders and coordinate across diverse partners.
– Experience in planning and delivering events of varying complexity.
– Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
– Excellent organisational and time-management capabilities.
– Technical proficiency with project management tools and digital systems.
– Leadership skills and experience in coordinating or guiding teams.
– Adaptability, resilience, and a positive, solution-oriented mindset.

**Application**

Apply with your CV and by answering the selection questions. No cover letter is required – we believe your experience and your answers will give us a better picture of who you are and how you match the role.

We will review applications after the application deadline, last day to apply is **11 January 2026**.

For inquiries regarding the position, please contact our Director Research and Education Morten Koch Andersen at morten.koch_andersen@rwi.lu.se

Every application is reviewed with care. Our recruitment team takes the time to assess each candidate thoughtfully and thoroughly.
Once your application is submitted, you will receive system-generated confirmations and updates. These are triggered by our recruitment team to keep you informed throughout the process.
If we decide not to invite you for an interview, we unfortunately won’t be able to provide individual feedback. While we appreciate the effort behind every application, the volume of candidates makes personalised responses impossible.

The Raoul Wallenberg Institute promotes diversity and welcomes applications from all qualified persons, regardless of race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, age, disability, or other protected status under the law.

We look forward to receiving your application!

*Location: Lund, Sweden, in-person at the RWI or Sociology of Law Department, Lund University.*
If the internship is part of your academic studies, such as a course, it can be full-time. Otherwise, it will be part-time, up to 50 %. Unpaid internship.
*Duration: spring 2026 and/or fall 2026*

### Join Dr. Claudia Ituarte-Lima (RWI) , Dr. Ana Maria Vargas Falla (Lund University) and Dr. Maria Andrea Nardi (RWI) as an intern of the Defend-Bio Legal Clinic.

Defend-BIO legal clinic has as main objectives to: catalyse legal empowerment, promote active learning among university students, generate awareness training and transitional accountability. The focus being on developing legal empowerment tools for defenders in the Global South, utilising South to South and EU and Global South collaborations.

### About the Internship

After an introductory training period, you will contribute to generating fresh insights into the role of biosphere defenders as agents of change in the implementation of law and policy. You’ll explore how these defenders trigger integrated responses to biodiversity stewardship and human well-being. Additionally, you will analyse how law and policy actors from both the Global South and Europe can support biosphere defenders in nature-based solutions and human rights for just sustainability transformations.

A key part of this internship involves contributing to the DEFEND-BIO transnational research project, focused on "Biosphere Defenders Leveraging Legal and Governance Tools for Just Sustainability Transformations." For this project, RWI and Lund University are in partnership with leading institutions from Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and Denmark, and have strong collaborations with Global South partners.
See more information here: https://defendbio.eu/

**Main areas in focus will be:**

– Conduct research, reviews, and analysis on academic and policy reports related to human rights, environment and defenders
– Collect, systematise, and analyse data on case studies across various countries
– Contribute to the co-development of legal empowerment tools with civil society groups
– Participate in discussions on legal and governance innovations related to the right to a healthy environment and other human rights
– Develop outreach materials, such as news articles and blog posts, based on findings

Please note, RWI and Lund University are not responsible for visa applications or any related administrative procedures.

Upon successful completion, the intern will be asked to write a brief report, and a certificate will be issued.

### ✅ Requirements

We welcome applications from **Master’s level students** from diverse disciplines, including Human Rights, Environmental Law, Business Law, European Law, Sociology of Law, Sustainability Science, Economics and Business, Communications, Journalism, Human Geography or other related disciplines.

Candidates should have the ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively within a team. Fluency in written and spoken English is required, and knowledge of additional languages, particularly Spanish, is an asset.

### Application procedure

In your application, specify if you are interested in conducting a one or two semester internship. In case of only one semester, specify if it is Spring 2026 or Fall 2026.

To apply, please send your CV and cover letter (maximum one page) by no later than 15 Jan. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early.

For further information, please contact:
Dr Claudia Ituarte-Lima at [claudia.ituarte-lima@rwi.lu.se](https://claudia.ituarte-lima@rwi.lu.se),
Dr. Ana Maria Vargas at [ana_maria.vargas_falla@soclaw.lu.se](mailto:ana_maria.vargas_falla@soclaw.lu.se) or
Dr Maria Andrea Nardi at [maria_andrea.nardi@keg.lu.se](mailto:maria_andrea.nardi@keg.lu.se)

*The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law is a world-leading organisation dedicated to promoting human rights, humanitarian law, and sustainable development. Through research, education, and collaboration, the Institute works globally to strengthen respect for human rights and foster fair and inclusive societies.*

### Request for expression of interest – individual consultants

Please see the ad on the below links in:

[ARABIC](https://rwi.lu.se/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Arabic-Request-For-Expression-Of-Interest-For-Legal-Fellows-2025.pdf)

[ENGLISH](https://rwi.lu.se/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/English-Request-For-Expression-Of-Interest-For-Legal-Fellows-2025.pdf)

[FRENCH](https://rwi.lu.se/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/French-Request-For-Expression-Of-Interest-For-Legal-Fellows-2025.pdf)

[PORTUGUESE](https://rwi.lu.se/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Portuguese-Request-For-Expression-Of-Interest-For-Legal-Fellows-2025.pdf)

Note that your application must be completed and submitted in **English** and will be shared with the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.