Vacancies

The Blue Shield is an international advisory body to UNESCO on the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict. It currently has 34 national committees (with more under construction).

It was envisioned in 1953 by the then Director General of UNESCO as the “Red Cross for Cultural Property” a name modified by the drafters of what was to become the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, to the “Blue and White Shield” reflecting the emblem they had chosen for the Convention. However, it was not until 1996 that the major international organisations responsible for cultural heritage (the International Council of Museums [ICOM], the International Council on Monuments and Sites [ICOMOS], the International Council on Archives [ICA], and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions [IFLA], now known as “the founding four” or FF) finally established the organisation.

The Blue Shield is governed by a nine-strong Board made up of four representatives of the FF, four members elected by the national committees, and a President directly elected by the national committees and FF. Between meetings of the Board, day-to-day activity is overseen by a small sub-committee of the Board known as the Bureau. The Board, National Committees, and Secretariat meet once a year as a General Assembly. It has an increasing number of national committees, organised and supported by the Blue Shield Board and a small Secretariat (known as Blue Shield International, or BSI) partly supported through the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Property Protection & Peace at Newcastle University (UK).

The Blue Shield is “committed to the protection of the world’s cultural property and is concerned with the protection of cultural and natural heritage, tangible and intangible, in the event of armed conflict, natural- or human-made disaster”. It works to bring together the heritage, humanitarian, and uniformed sectors (e.g., armed forces, emergency responders) for the common goal of heritage protection in crisis to support affect communities worldwide.

Blue Shield International is responsible for global projects protecting heritage in crisis zones and supporting the implementation on international humanitarian law. Together with the national committees, it is a unique and highly specialised network. No other national or international organisation has this expertise. 

The Financial Controller, working with the Secretariat, will play a pivotal role that is core to the operations of the Blue Shield at the international level. The Controller will be managed by the Bureau, and will work closely with the Head of Operations (Interim) and Technical Directors on each Project.

As the ideal candidate, you will be a qualified accountant with a strong experience as a Financial Controller, using multi-ledger QuickBooks accounting, with the ability to work independently and cover many tasks simultaneously. You can work remotely but will be required to travel from time to time.

You will have a commitment to Blue Shield’s mission of cultural heritage protection in crisis as a vehicle for the implementation of international law, the promotion of peace, and the protection of communities worldwide.

You will be joining the team in a busy and diverse role during a time of exciting changes. The contract will Initially be for one year; this will then be reviewed annually against commitments in light of donor requirements which may result in the possibility of further extension Ideally you would be available to join the team immediately.

• The post will be remunerated at 250 € per day for a maximum of 80 days between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. An additional 25 days may be required dependent on grant allocation.
• There is no fixed pattern of working hours.
• The post holder can work remotely but will have to travel for training and for the annual financial audit (travel and subsistence covered).

Please submit a CV with cover letter outlining relevant experience and how you meet the job description to

• Dr Emma Cunliffe, Head of Operations (Interim) at the email in the downloadable Job Description and Role Profile

Application deadline: Midnight (UTC+1), Wednesday 14 May 2025.
Shortlisting will take place that week.
Interviews will take place on Tuesday 20th May (AM UTC+1) and Wednesday 21 May (UTC+1) on Zoom.

• Ability to meet the criteria will be determined from CV and covering letter, and during interview.

The successful candidate should be able to start shortly after.

Please contact Emma Cunliffe to discuss alternative arrangements if required.