Call for Applications – Advocacy expert to provide mentoring for CSOs (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia)
ERA is announcing a call for applications to recruit one or two advocacy expert(s) to provide mentoring for one CSO in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one in Serbia.
CONTEXT
The present call for application is organised by ERA within the framework of the FIER·ES programme.
The FIER·ES programme (Fostering the Inclusion, Equality and Resilience of LGBTQIA+ people) aims to support LGBTQIA+ CSOs and initiatives so that they are better able to carry out their mandate and mission and promote respect, inclusion, dignity and equality for LGBTQIA+ people in the Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans. The programme is co-funded by Agence française de développement, coordinated by ERIM and led with its partners ERA and Genderdoc – M (Moldova).
ERA is a regional non-profit organization of LGBTIQ+ organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Türkiye. The organization is based in Belgrade, Serbia. Our mission is to inspire positive change in the society, promote and advocate for human rights of people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, by facilitating cooperation and providing resources and capacity development for the LGBTIQ+ movement across the Balkans and Turkey. ERA’s approach combines advocacy at national, regional and European levels with capacity-building, research and knowledge production, strategic networking, sub-granting, and cross-sector partnerships—raising awareness, strengthening LGBTIQ+ CSOs, mainstreaming LGBTIQ+ priorities within EU integration processes, and advancing a resilient, financially sustainable movement grounded in evidence and collaboration.
OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF THE CONSULTANCY
A call for proposal for grants for LGBTIQ+ Advocacy and Awareness-Raising Campaigns and Initiatives has been launched. Beneficiary organisations have been awarded grants up to 9 000 EUR to implement advocacy or awareness raising initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia.
Additionally to the financial support for CSOs, the project will provide mentoring support to selected organisations who expressed the need for such support.
The recruited advocacy expert(s) will have the mission to provide mentoring to one or two of the selected organisation(s), based in Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia, throughout an estimated 9-month implementation period.
Candidates are invited to apply either to mentor one or the two CSOs.
The selected expert(s) will:
- Assess the needs of the organisation(s) in terms of mentoring on advocacy. Assessing primarily the needs directly related to the campaign for which a grant was awarded and secondly assessing more broadly organisational capacities and needs in terms of advocacy;
- Draft a 2-pager mentoring plan based on above mentioned assessment. Plan should include number of days needed for mentoring of the CSO and be validated by beneficiary CSO and ERA;
- Provide mentoring to the organisation to support their efforts of preparation and implementation of the campaign. Organisations will particularly need mentoring when preparing effective strategy adapted to local context and challenges, mapping of advocacy targets, drafting of advocacy objectives and messages, preparing advocacy documents, running digital campaign & media outreach, planning sustainability of campaign, planning risk mitigation, etc.
- Provide overall advocacy mentoring to strengthen organisational capacities in terms of advocacy.
DURATION AND LEVEL OF EFFORT
The consultancy is expected to start end November 2026 with 5 to 10 working days per supported CSO over a 9-month period. The consultant(s) will be contracted by ERA as independent expert(s) under a consultancy agreement. Payments will be made upon the submission and approval of the agreed deliverables.
EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
- 2-pager mentoring plan
- Report on mentoring
ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA
Education and Experience
- University degree in a relevant field (political science, law, human rights, development, project management, social sciences, international relations, etc.);
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience in advocacy and/or mentoring of CSOs;
- Proven experience working for LGBTQI+ rights in the Western Balkans;
Skills and Competencies
- Fluency in English and BCMS;
- Strong advocacy skills;
- Excellent understanding of LGBTQI+ rights and challenges in the Western Balkans region, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina and/or Serbia;
- Skills in advocacy in health or mental health field (only for mentoring the CSO in Bosnia and Herzegovina);
- Strong local network and familiarity with civil society organizations and relevant institutions in Serbia and/or Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- Strong mentoring skills.
* Administrative request: The expert should be able to issue an invoice in line with local regulations for consultancy work
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested candidates are invited to submit the following documents:
- CV (up to 2 pages)
- Cover letter outlining relevant experience, interest in this role. Mention clearly whether you apply to support 1 or the 2 CSOs. (up to 2 pages)
- Financial Proposal in EUROS indicating daily rate and total cost for conducting the mission.
If you have collaborated with ERA in the past, please mention it in the application.
Please send applications by email to procurement@lgbti-era.org with the subject line:
“Application – Mentoring & advocacy Expert – [Your Surname]
The project team encourages applications from women, LGBTQIA+ and members of marginalised communities. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Deadline: November 17, 2026 at 18:00 CET
