About

We are building a team to launch the new Trade Union Competence Centre for Human Rights Due Diligence, starting with three key positions: Head of the Centre, Strategic Legal & Policy Advisor, and Programme Manager. All positions are listed here: https://uniglobalunion.org/jobs/ The Competence Centre’s mission is to ensure that human rights due diligence strengthens respect for workers’ rights throughout value chains, especially the enabling rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining. With the shift from voluntary to mandatory human rights due diligence (HRDD) in Europe and beyond, there is a crucial opportunity for trade unions to utilize HRDD laws to hold companies accountable for respecting workers' rights. Trade unions need to strengthen their capacity and strategies to fully leverage new legal frameworks, including deepening their knowledge of the laws and promoting awareness of best practices, as well as integrating HRDD strategies into their global networks. UNI Global Union, IndustriALL Global Union, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and the German trade union confederation DGB have joined forces to establish the Competence Centre, which will develop this capacity across the global trade union movement. The Competence Centre will be set up as a non-profit Foundation in the Netherlands. There will be no physical office, so the team will work remotely or potentially from the office of a partner trade union. The priorities for 2025-27 include establishing an HRDD Helpdesk to provide guidance, support, and training for trade unions worldwide, and implementing pilot programs in two priority value chains (garments and critical minerals) to test and refine HRDD strategies in collaboration with global union networks. The Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS) has been supporting the establishment of the Competence Centre since July 2024. IGS is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ.

The role

The Programme Manager will lead the design and implementation of the Centre’s pilot programmes in the Center's priority value chains in partnership with global, national, and local trade unions. These pilots aim to develop and test effective, worker-led human rights due diligence (HRDD) strategies for engagement, enforcement, and remedy. The Programme Manager will coordinate programme delivery across countries, facilitate union capacity building, and contribute to shaping the Centre’s future services and strategic direction.

• Coordinate and implement pilot programmes to strengthen workers’ rights through HRDD in targeted value chains.
• Develop and deliver training tools tailored to sector and regional needs, and support trade unions in applying HRDD strategies.
• Track programme progress, gather data, and contribute to the Centre’s monitoring and learning systems.
• Document and share lessons learned to inform best practices and support the Centre’s communications strategy.
• Represent the Centre in engagement with unions, companies, and partners to build support for worker-led HRDD.
• Contribute to shaping the Centre’s future services and tools, including a scalable service delivery model.
• Work closely with legal and Helpdesk colleagues to ensure coherence between legal advice, training, and programme design.

Skills & Experience

The Programme Manager will bring practical experience in managing labour rights or human rights programmes, ideally within global value chains. They will have a strong understanding of the trade union movement, a working knowledge of human rights due diligence (HRDD), and a demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-stakeholder initiatives. As part of a small, dynamic team building a new organisation, the ideal candidate will be hands-on, adaptable, and committed to advancing worker-led HRDD in complex supply chains.

Key Criteria

The recruitment panel will assess candidates based on the following criteria:

• Professional Experience: At least 5–7 years of relevant experience in programme management within labour rights, human rights, or supply chain initiatives, preferably with international or multi-country scope.
• Education: A university degree in a relevant field such as labour studies, law, human rights, international development, or political science is required. A postgraduate degree is desirable.
• Trade Union Engagement: Demonstrated understanding of the trade union movement, with experience working with or supporting trade unions at the global, regional, or national level.
• HRDD Knowledge: Working knowledge of human rights due diligence laws, frameworks, and practices, including experience supporting engagement or enforcement strategies in supply chains.
• Training & Facilitation: Experience in developing and delivering training—online and in person—for trade unions, workers, or civil society organisations.
• Corporate Engagement: Experience engaging with companies on labour or human rights issues, including constructive dialogue, advocacy, or compliance strategies.
• Initiative & Adaptability: Proven ability to contribute to new initiatives, work in uncertain contexts, and co-create programme tools and approaches.
• Programme Operations: Experience managing programme budgets, workplans, and monitoring processes. Familiarity with business model development is an asset.
• Languages: Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in additional languages—especially German, Spanish, or French—is a strong advantage.

Hiring process

To apply for this role, please submit a CV (maximum of three pages) and a cover letter (maximum of two pages) in English, describing your motivation, skills, and experience, to hr@uniglobalunion.org.