The Better Care Network (BCN) is an interagency initiative that facilitates global information exchange and collaboration among the growing number of organizations, governments, community groups, and individuals working to strengthen children’s care. BCN’s core purpose is to inform and influence global action for children without adequate family care and, as a dynamic interdisciplinary global network of organizations and individuals, share learning from the global to the local level to generate momentum and drive systemic change.
Today BCN is recognized as the preeminent global information hub and convener to influence action for children without adequate family care. The BCN website (bettercarenetwork.org) is the largest global collection of key research, tools, events and other documentation on issues related to strengthening family care and alternative care, designed to support academics, policymakers and practitioners alike. BCN convenes the Transforming Children’s Care collaborative (TCC), established as the primary convening mechanism to facilitate sector wide and cross sectoral collaboration to advance children’s care.
Role purpose:
The BCN Senior Advisor, Evidence and Learning, plays a lead role in supporting BCN’s work to identify, capture, and share learning and evidence on children’s care and care reform globally. The Senior Advisor works with members of the network and the Transform Children’s Care collaborative (TCC) to support data collection, learning, and collaboration on system level change, to facilitate shared learning through BCN’s knowledge platforms, and to ensure that BCN’s work is supported by a strong organizational learning strategy and monitoring framework that underpin its approaches and impact.
This position requires maintaining a strategic understanding of key global, regional, and country-level factors that support or impede the appropriate care and protection of children who are at risk of losing family care or are outside of family care, as well as identifying potential points of intervention. It also requires contributing to continuous learning and collaboration to support the generation and application of evidence to improve care systems, and to strengthen BCN’s capacity to deliver on its role as the global hub of knowledge and convenor for the care sector. As part of this role, the Senior Advisor takes a leading role on specific projects and representational and liaison activities, including inter-agency working groups, advisory panels and joint initiatives.
The Senior Advisor, Evidence and Learning works under the supervision of the BCN Executive Director and in close coordination with the BCN Senior Technical Adviser and the BCN Knowledge and Community Manager.
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Qualifications and Experience
Required
- Master’s degree or equivalent in social work, child development, international development, public policy, or a related field.
- At least 8–10 years of experience providing technical advice, monitoring, evaluation, research, or learning roles, with a strong focus on children’s care and child protection.
- Deep knowledge of children’s care systems, including family strengthening, alternative care, and deinstitutionalization,
- A track record of conducting or overseeing research, evaluations and documentation of programmatic work in child protection and children’s care.
- Demonstrated ability to turn evidence into practical guidance for programming and policy.
- Experience working with UN bodies, governments, NGOs, and other complex organizations
- Experience in proposal development and fundraising.
Desired:
- Extensive experience in developing, middle and low income countries on child protection and care reform for children, coupled with regional or global experience in advocacy, policy development, and research development.
- Experience collaborating with technical networks or professional communities of practice.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Required:
- Strong understanding of key issues in child rights, alternative care, and child protection at national, regional, or global levels.
- Experience working with governments, NGOs, and community organizations in care reform contexts.
- Proven ability to foster collaboration and coordination across organizations, networks, and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
- Strong communication, facilitation, and capacity-building skills.
- Proficiency with MEL tools and platforms, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and ethical research with children.
- Capacity to work independently and within a small team, demonstrating strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively across diverse audiences and sectors.
- Competence in strategic planning and organizational development.
- Good skills in budgeting and financial management including the preparation of annual budgets and financial reports.
- Proven English writing and editing skills.
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 10-15% of the time (domestically and internationally).
- Ability to work remotely and outside of standard office hours, including evenings and weekends when required, to accommodate global collaboration.
Desired:
- Additional language skills; French or Spanish would be a particularly stong asset.
- Proficiency with data visualization, statistical analysis software, or knowledge management platforms.
Contract: Full time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Target base salary: $85,000-$95,000 (Dependent on experience and qualifications)
Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage, along with paid time off and retirement plans.
Location: This position is based in the United States and requires the candidate to currently reside in the U.S. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and must not require current or future sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B visa).
Work Environment: The Better Care Network (BCN) currently operates remotely. The post holder is expected to work from home with appropriate internet connectivity
Application Process
To apply, please send your CV and cover letter as a single document, including your salary expectations for this role, to: florence.martin@bettercarenetwork.org
Closing Date for Application: 6th June 2025 COB EDT
Better Care Network, a project of Tides Center, is an “at-will” and equal opportunity employer.
We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, veteran status, or medical condition including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions.
Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.
Due to the nature of this role, the selected candidate will be required to complete a background check after receiving a conditional offer of employment. Please note if the selected candidate has an arrest or conviction record, they will still be considered.
