Country Manager – Ukraine
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Contract: Fixed-term (24 months)
Salary: £60,726 – £63,000 per annum plus an additional £1,368.34 monthly per diem and £500 monthly in-country hardship allowance

Are you a strategic leader who can drive the development and delivery of the British Red Cross’s country strategy and programme outcomes in Ukraine? In this critical role, you will be responsible for representing BRC, building partnerships, and ensuring effective use of resources to support the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) and align with both BRC and URCS strategic priorities.

About the team

The British Red Cross (BRC) as part of its wider response to the conflict escalation on 24th February 2022 is supporting Ukraine Red Cross Society (URCS) to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need. BRC prioritises supporting URCS to help people directly impacted by the conflict to recover through effective, direct and inclusive local assistance. BRC also funds work to support access to physical and psychosocial rehabilitation while ensuring implementing partners are sustainable, accountable and transparent with safeguarding embedded through their organisations. The BRC office in Ukraine is managed by a Country Manager with four programme managers and a Finance, Risk and Compliance Manager.

As a member of the International Directorate you will be part of a directorate responsible for BRC’s international humanitarian response and disaster management, support to resilience programmes and organisational development of our partner Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world. The work of the International Directorate also includes humanitarian policy and advocacy activities and upholding and promoting International Humanitarian Law. British Red Cross’ international work is carried out in coordination and partnership with the International Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement.

About the Role

The Country Manager in Ukraine will:

• Develop and maintain high-level relationships with URCS leadership, IFRC, ICRC, other Partner National Societies, FCDO, and key external stakeholders through diplomatic representation and active participation in coordination forums.
• Demonstrate a localisation approach to partnership by prioritizing relationships with URCS and Movement partners to understand and contribute to the National Society’s organisational development needs.
• Act as the key in-country relationship holder for BRC’s interactions with FCDO and other high-level representatives, representing current funding portfolios and identifying new opportunities aligned with the country strategy.
  Support the development of URCS’s humanitarian diplomacy strategy and related structures, in collaboration with BRC’s International Law and Policy team.
• Lead the implementation of a clear strategy for BRC programmes in Ukraine, focusing on humanitarian cash assistance, national society development, humanitarian diplomacy, migration, and other areas.
• Build and lead the BRC Ukraine team, ensuring a working environment that promotes safeguarding, inclusion, and belonging. Manage, support, and develop staff in matrix working environments with URCS and BRC’s bilateral programme.
• Maintain accountability to donors and BRC leadership for all BRC-supported activities, ensuring effective use of resources and maximum impact.
• Provide regular reporting to the Ukraine Major Programme Board.
• Oversee the work of technical advisors and specialists to ensure the quality of programme delivery and support to partners. Ensure community engagement, accountability, and adherence to due diligence and compliance requirements.
• Manage security for staff in Ukraine, leading country security plans, designing security rules and regulations, developing contingency plans, and monitoring changes in the security context.

What we are looking for
You will have significant experience leading a country office with substantial budgets and bilateral programmes, as well as working in hardship locations. Proven expertise in strategic management, representation, and negotiation with high-level humanitarian and development stakeholders is essential.
Strong skills in programme development, team leadership, budget management, and capacity building of local partners are crucial. Familiarity with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and experience working with institutional donors like FCDO is highly desirable.

Please note: Due to legal contracting restraints, we are unfortunately unable to consider applications from Ukrainian nationals.

***Please see Role Profile for more information***

Closing date for applications is 23:59 UK time on 7 July 2024.

Should you have any questions on this role please email us at [email protected] quoting the job title.

We offer a wide range of staff benefits, these include:

• Accommodation while on deployment
• Subsistence allowances while overseas
• Travel to and from the country of posting, plus long service flights
• Comprehensive insurance, including medical, personal effects and life insurance
• Pre and post assignment medicals and access to excellent health and wellbeing benefits
• Access to a pension, which you can join at any time during your contract
• Generous leave entitlement (36 days incl. public holidays)

Click here to learn more about British Red Cross’ work internationally

A little bit more about us…

The British Red Cross help anyone, anywhere in the UK and overseas; get the support they need if crisis strikes.

Our organisation was born out of a desire to bring help without discrimination.
Impartiality and neutrality have been central values for the Red Cross since we started.

At the British Red Cross, we are looking for the best people to help us provide support to millions of people affected by crisis in the UK. We want our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, offering equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of; age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Diversity is something we celebrate, and we want you to be able to bring your authentic-self to the Red Cross. We want you to feel that you are in an inclusive environment, and a great position to help us spread the power of kindness.

In the British Red Cross we will not tolerate any form of misconduct, including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse. We have a code of conduct in place, and are committed to creating a culture of integrity in the organisation where misconduct is not tolerated, situations of abuse are quickly investigated and perpetrators are dealt with effectively.

British Red Cross also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme for roles within the International Directorate. In line with the scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

If you are appointed to a role within BRC you will be subject to the organisation’s Code of Conduct, a copy of which you can find on our website.

As part of its recruitment and selection process the British Red Cross undertakes DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checking of all individuals who regularly work with or have access to children and vulnerable adults.

If driving is an essential requirement of the role, appropriate driver checks will be completed in line with current policy.

The British Red Cross, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738).

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Connecting human kindness with human crisis