Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs working in 40 countries worldwide, is currently looking for a highly qualified Protection Manager for Chernihiv Office

DRC has been operating in Ukraine for more than 10 years with emergency and durable solution interventions for assisting IDPs, returnees, host communities, and conflict-affected populations. With the outbreak of the conflict in February 2022, DRC has shifted its programming to emergency response to meet the urgent needs of conflict-affected population in the country. Current DRC programming is focusing on protection activities such as protection monitoring, information dissemination, Individual protection assistance, and legal aid. DRC is also planning to add to the ongoing emergency protection response activities such as GBV prevention and response, Psychosocial support (PSS), and community-based protection. In addition to protection programming, DRC is currently implementing Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA), NFI and Food distributions, Shelter & WASH interventions, Economic Recovery, Humanitarian Demining and Explosive Ordnance Risk Education. The organization counts with 8 offices in the country.

About the job

DRC is managing its operations in Ukraine through its country office in Kyiv, and it has established offices in L´viv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Mykolaiv. The protection manager will be in charge of managing protection activities in the field offices of Chernihiv. The protection program will be coordinated and technically managed at country level by DRC Country Protection Coordinator.

The position will include the management of 8 national staff.

Main responsibilities

• Project Management and implementation – protection activities.
• Coordinate, plan and monitor all protection related project activities, including protection monitoring, individual protection assistance, information dissemination, community-based protection, psychosocial support and legal aid.
• Liaise and coordinate permantently with DRC’s partner organizations if present, UNHCR and other protection humanitarian actors in teh intervention area.
• Ensure the highest quality of the sectoral interventions, and the coherence between all projects, ongoing and proposed, according to the overall strategy.
• Take leadership of the programs in terms of high quality and timely deliveries, narrative reporting and financial overviews, close cooperation with donors, Government counterparts and coordination mechanisms on site and in synergy with other DRC interventions in the area.
• Formalize and develop project related operational tools and training modules.
• Provide inputs for monthly, quarterly, and annual donor reports.
• Provide overall budget monitoring, financial management and expenses control for the program activities, including compliance with minimum DRC and donor requirements.

Program development and strategy

• Representation of DRC and active participation in sectoral and relevant sub sectors/working groups.
• Oversee knowledge sharing across teams and ensure that monitoring and evaluation results are understood and used to improve programs.
• Drive the development and growth of the relevant programs within the DRC program objectives and feed into country-wide strategy development.

Accountability and reporting

• Guided by the DRC Programme Handbook, continuously monitor and develop relevant accountability initiatives within relevant project program as well as strengthening the effort to document the impact of activities.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements including procurement.

People Management.

• Recruit and line manage protection project staff;
• Provide regular constructive feedback to direct reports, and support direct reports in performance management of their team members;
• Assess training and development needs within the Protection team, develop and implement capacity-building plans

Coordination:

• Ensure the coordination with relevant protection actors in the area of intervention.

As Manager the post-holder is responsible for the following:

• Accountable for achieving DRC’s strategic goals and objectives within the area of responsibility.
• Accountable for making significant decisions on what the unit does: its purpose, functions, and role, and for making commitments and decisions that require the expenditure of significant unit resources.
• Accountable for people management of direct reports, generally at least 3 employees. This includes hiring & firing, objective setting, probation, performance appraisal, development of staff, managing performance, including poor performance, etc.
• Accountable for making sound decisions based on DRC policies, MOPs, standards, and the advice of technical experts in DRC.

Required experience and competencies.

• Minimum 3-5 years of proven protection international experience in NGO projects.

• Proven experience in implementing protection programs in complex emergency contexts.
• At least 3 years’ experience with people management.
• Experience in carrying out humanitarian interventions through and in coordination with implementing partner organizations is an asset.
• Vast experience with protection monitoring including protection analysis and reports.
• Proficiency in English is compulsory.
• Fluency in Ukrainian or Russian is an asset.
• Excellent writing and editing skills for external audiences (including governments and donors).
• Experience in producing high-quality technical material (training material, program tools, proposals, strategic documents, etc.).
• Experience in working with Monitoring, Evaluation and learning in protection programs.
• Excellent reporting and protection analysis skills.

Desirable

• Calm and diplomatic in nature.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and to meet deadlines.
• Effective team-player – problem solver.
• Previous experience with DRC in emergency context.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Acting in line with DRC’s vision and values.

Required education.

• Master’s degree in Human Rights, Political Science, Refugee Law, or any other relevant field.
• Or Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields with at least 8 years’ working experience in similar protection positions.

We offer.

Contract length: 12-months renewable depending on performance and funding.

Level: F2

Designation of Duty Stations: Chernihiv Non-Family duty station – Unaccompanied

Start date: As soon as possible.

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.ngo under Vacancies.

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: July 2, 2023