About PILnet

PILnet is an international, locally present non-governmental organization (NGO) that partners with legal professionals and nonprofit organizations globally to protect civic space, address global challenges, and work to build just, equitable, and sustainable societies. PILnet’s work focuses on three strategic priority areas: civic space, climate justice, and people on the move, with offices in New York, Budapest, and Hong Kong.

Position Summary

We are looking for a proactive (Junior) Program Officer: Hungarian Program to join our global team and local office in Budapest, Hungary You will play an instrumental role in PILnet’s Hungarian Program, and its Clearinghouse — the heartbeat of our organization — by strengthening the legal resilience of CSOs. We work directly with frontline organizations to pinpoint their legal hurdles and then bridge the gap by connecting them to pro bono lawyers at no cost. Beyond matching, we empower CSOs by co-creating essential resources, trainings, and guides that help them navigate complex legal landscapes safely.

The (Junior) Program Officer (Hungary Program) will be supervised and report to the Legal Program Manager and work on core PILnet programmatic tasks essential to the organization’s mission globally and particularly in Hungary. This role involves promoting the role of pro bono with pro bono lawyer volunteers, proactively work alongside local civil society organizations to understand their unmet legal needs, managing the Hungarian Clearinghouse process which matches the legal needs of civil society with the offer from pro bono legal volunteers. Maintaining vital relationships within the Hungarian legal and NGO sectors, broadly and supporting the implementation of specific local or regional projects.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

We are looking for a detail-oriented, proactive professional to support our work, manage our matching operations and Hungarian programmatic presence, and help us scale our impact through smart data management and meaningful partner engagement.

Under the technical guidance of, you will be responsible for the following programmatic activities:

  • Hungarian Clearinghouse Management, Case Coordination & Intake: Act as the first point of contact for CSOs; screen and vet incoming requests for legal assistance to ensure they meet PILnet’s criteria and are ready for pro bono matching. Support the end-to-end matching process by drafting concise case summaries and facilitating introductions between CSOs and law firm pro bono partners. Compile and send out the Hungarian list of pro bono requests and manage the general matching process under the supervision of the Legal Program Manager. 
  • Global Coordination: Take part in the Global Clearinghouse matching process in coordination with other colleagues and contribute to streamlining Clearinghouse activities across PILnet’s global team.
  • Database & Systems Management: Maintain the integrity of our CiviCRM by tracking the full lifecycle of legal matters — from initial intake to final impact — ensuring real-time data for global reporting. You will also lead the production of our bi-weekly pro bono opportunity lists for Hungary, using Mailchimp to curate and distribute a compelling digest of current legal needs to our Hungarian network of law firms and corporate partners.
  • Projects Implementation: Support the execution of projects especially in Hungary, including coordinating legal health checks for civil society organizations and organizing alternative brokerage systems, such as online legal consultations.
  • Resource Support & Learning: Assist in the production and contextualization of PILnet’s global tools and guides with specific perspective on Hungary, ensuring materials are user-friendly and relevant to the legal realities of the CSOs we serve.
  • Network & Relationship Management: Under the guidance of Legal Program Manager and Program Director: Europe cultivate relationships with existing partners and conduct research to map out new potential CSO networks and pro bono providers. Curate the network of Hungarian pro bono lawyers and maintain relationships with legal professionals, key pro bono contacts, local and national  Bar associations and civil society organisations. Cultivate relationships with local NGOs, serving as a primary point of contact on behalf of PILnet for local civil society networks such as Civilizáció and NIOK.
  • Award Coordination: Coordinate the process of the Hungarian Pro Bono Award with the Hungarian Bar Association.
  • Events Organiser and Operational Support: support the PILnet team with programmatic, technical and logistical input for PILnet’s major annual and other in-person and online events, trainings and webinars, locally in Hungary and abroad. Contribute to organizing of PILnet’s Global Forum, helping to create high-impact spaces for peer learning and solidarity. 
  • Communications: Prepare and share the Hungarian newsletter and update the PILnet Hungarian website and social media channels in coordination with the PILnet’s Communications team.
  • Additional programmatic deliverables as defined and agreed upon in the annual work plan.

 

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

  • University degree in Law, International Relations, Human Rights, or a related field. (A legal background is an asset, but not strictly required.)
  • Genuine interest in public interest law, social justice, and human rights.
  • Strong organizational skills and high attention to detail.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with legal professionals and civil society partners.
  • Fluency in both Hungarian and English (written and verbal) is required.
  • Ability to work collaboratively across teams and manage multiple tasks autonomously.
  • A high level of comfort with digital tools. While comprehensive training will be provided, you should have an aptitude for working with databases (like CiviCRM) and communication platforms (like Mailchimp).

Note: This job description outlines the key responsibilities and tasks associated with the (Junior) Program Officer: Hungarian Program  role. The responsibilities may evolve over time, and the individual in this role may be required to take on additional tasks as needed by the organization.

LOCATION

You will work alongside a small multicultural team from nonprofit management and legal backgrounds, providing you with a supportive and flexible working environment. Even if large part of your focus will be on the Hungarian Program, your work will be global in nature and you will be required to connect mainly with both internal and external stakeholders and providers around the world and in Hungary. The nature of the position mandates that the prospective candidate be based, and have a right to work in Hungary, hybrid and flexible working arrangements with minimum one day in-person presence in the Budapest office are available. PILnet will not be able to facilitate visa and work permits.

WORKING CONDITIONS 

The job holder will be based in the PILnet Europe Office in Budapest and the post will be full time 5 days (40 hours) a week. After an initial 3 months probationary period, an indefinite employment contract (under Hungarian labor law with PILnet Foundation in Hungary) is foreseen. A hybrid arrangement of a minimum 1 day per week in-person in the Budapest office is expected (currently the 1 day per week is on Monday, some colleagues are regularly coming to the office on Wednesday as well)

The job will involve some travel, essential to the implementation of PILnet’s activities; it is not expected to be more than 10 days per year cumulatively. 

SALARY

Gross 600,000-900,000 Hungarian Forint / month depending on experience. Home office contribution + fringe benefits are part of the remuneration package. 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Interested candidates should provide basic information via this form and send a cover letter and CV in English to recruitment@pilnet.org with the subject line (Junior) Program Officer: Hungarian Program, as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed after August 25 2026. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis by early-mid September. 

The application package should include:

  • The Application Form filled out
  • An updated Resume.
  • A cover letter highlighting relevant experience and motivation for the role.

The cover letter should describe your interest in working with PILnet and spell out your relevant educational and practical experience. We kindly request that applicants do not submit resumes with pictures. PILnet focuses solely on qualifications, skills, and experience relevant to the consultancy requirements.

PILnet is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at PILnet are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications and merit, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. PILnet will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. PILnet encourages applicants of all ages and backgrounds.

Personal data provided by applicants will be used strictly in accordance with PILnet’s Privacy Policy.