Protection Specialist – Ukraine

Project HOPE is an international NGO of more than 900 engaged employees and hundreds of volunteers who work in more than 25 countries, responding to the world’s most pressing global health challenges. Throughout our 60-year legacy, Project HOPE has treated millions of patients and provided more than $3 billion worth of medicines to local health care organizations around the world. We have helped build hundreds of health programs from the ground up and responded to humanitarian crises worldwide.

Code of Conduct

It is our shared responsibility and obligation to treat each other with respect, take affirmative steps to prevent matters involving Sexual Exploitation & Abuse and Trafficking in Persons, and to disclose all potential and actual violations of our Code of Conduct, which may include Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption, Discrimination or Harassment.  Together we can reinforce a culture of respect, integrity, accountability, and transparency.

Program Summary

Project HOPE is mobilizing to provide health and humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons in Ukraine as well as refugees in neighboring countries fleeing the ongoing conflict. Project HOPE is in contact with the WHO led Health Cluster in Ukraine, which has noted critical needs in primary health care.

Position Summary

In close coordination with the Technical Coordinator, the Protection Specialist contributes to the development and implementation of Project HOPE’s sector strategy, the creation, harmonization and roll-out of SOPs, tools, and systems, and capacity building of the general protection and mixed migration teams, as well as Project HOPE’s (PH) protection local partners.

Technical support to Program Implementation

• In close collaboration with the Protection Coordinator, the Protection Specialist strengthens PH’s protection service delivery to conflict affected host communities, returnees, IDPs, children, mixed migrants and Ukraine’s marginalized communities in surrounding countries, and provide technical support to protection managers, protection teams, and PH’s local partners for the planning, implementation and follow up of the protection projects;
• In close coordination with the Protection Coordinator, the National Protection Specialist contributes to the development and implementation of PH’s sector strategy, and the creation, harmonization, roll-out, and updating of SOPs, tools, and systems, including light case management with referrals and cash for protection, community centers and non-specialized psychosocial support, legal aid, Victims Assistance, Mixed Migration and other protection programs;
• Assess training and development needs within the protection teams, develop a capacity building plan and implement the plan with support from the Protection Coordinator and Project Managers; develop training material based on SOPs and tools, and roll-out trainings to the general protection and mixed migration teams, and PH’s protection local partners;
• Support the Partnership Specialist and Protection teams with the development of capacity building plans for PH’s protection local partners and partnerships tools;
• Support the Partnerships and Localization unit in developing plans for the local partners including protection technical support in terms of assessment, plans, tools and development of strategies;
• In close collaboration with the HQ teams, develop/update systems, tracking tools, and analysis tools;
• In collaboration with the Team Lead and in-country teams, update when necessary and roll-out updates on protection teams’ data protection protocol.
• In collaboration with the PH M&E team, continuously review and update Post Service monitoring assessments and processes to ensure adherence to Protection principles and beneficiary accountability.

General support to Program Implementation

• In coordination with the Medical Director contribute to the area level program strategies and to the establishment of sector-based log frames and targets;
• When needed, support with protection teams’ management in coordination with the Medical Director;
• Coverage of Protection Coordinator position when needed.
• Undertake field/onsite visits to monitor the quality of implementation and provide technical advice, and customized and need based capacity building to field protection staff as necessary;
• Support the Protection teams with the establishment and regular update of the MEAL plan, including (a) ensuring appropriate indicator and quality tracking (both quantitative and qualitative) and (b) working closely with MEAL to put in place accountability;
• Stay abreast of developments that have an impact on the protection environment in Ukraine and provide ongoing analysis on key issues on a regular basis.

Program Design and Reporting

• Support integration of Protection interventions with other core sectors, ensuring close collaboration between field teams;
• Work closely with the Protection Coordinator and Protection Project Managers on identification of needs of communities and gaps in Protection services within PH’s areas of intervention;
• Participate in the proposal development process by providing field specific context analysis, technical sector specific analysis, beneficiary information, feedback on the concept including proposing the activities and costing at field level in line with Area Log frames;
• Participate in the protection working groups under the different consortiums in which PH leads or is a member.
• Support the Protection Managers and Coordinator with the preparation of high quality and timely narrative reporting for donors.

Coordination and Representation

• When needed, support with conducting donor visits in close coordination with the country office donor focal points, provide briefing to Donors;
• Active participation in, contribution to and representation of PH in the Protection Cluster and Sub-Clusters and other relevant bodies, including working groups and other meetings related to protection;
• Ensure that PH’s work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies, ensuring the specific needs of vulnerable communities are being addressed;
• Feed into national clusters through the Protection Coordinator, in particular regarding context, needs and possibilities for coordination.

Other

• Ensure the respect of PH Code of Conduct and PH’s zero tolerance policy of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA), humanitarian principles and contribute to the integration of Protection and Age, Gender, Diversity (AGD) mainstreaming into PH programming;
• Undertake any other duties that may be assigned by the Line and Technical Managers.

Required Experience And Competencies

Experience and technical competencies

• Proven experience of at least 3 years in international programs, including in Child Protection, Mixed Migration and Protection of IDPs in conflict affected countries;
• Significant knowledge of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Laws, particularly Refugee Law and International standards relating to the protection of IDPs;
• Experience working and living in a challenging security environment and under strict safety rules and willingness to travel to conflict affected areas;
• Prior experience in protection assessments, case management, referrals, cash for protection, PSS, and legal programs;
• Strong demonstrated experience providing technical guidance to large teams, as well as designing and rolling-out trainings;
• Proven strong analytical and communication, representation, negotiation, advocacy and diplomacy skills;
• Strategic thinker with the ability to quickly develop good insight and understanding of the conflict, the human rights situation and the political environment of the program country;
• Knowledge of Gender and Protection mainstreaming, AGD, PwSN and AAP approaches;
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability;
• Prior experience working in a volatile complex environment Preferred
• Extensive experience in reporting and project development, excellent writing skills in English.

Education

• University or Master’s degree relevant to humanitarian work: preferably in law, social work, gender studies, social sciences or humanitarian aid

Languages

• Full proficiency in spoken and written English
• Ukrainian/Russian/Polish a very strong advantage

Physical Demands And Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be mobile in an office environment and able to use standard office equipment and must be able to communicate in verbal and written form.
• Typical office environment with exposure to a minimal noise level.

Work Environment

• Typical office environment with exposure to a minimal noise level.
• Emergency deployments may be in resource-deprived environments with austere living conditions.
• Travel for extended periods may be by air and/or other modes of transportation.
• While international travel is not a regular part of every job, programmatic needs may require it intermittently.
• Project HOPE employees may be required to travel or work in countries where working conditions are classified as “hardship.”

Due to the considerable number of inquiries, we receive, only candidates who have met the required experience & qualifications for this position will be considered. No phone calls please.