Regional Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA) Adviser, Central and Eastern Europe (Warsaw, Poland)

The Norwegian Refugee Council has been present in Ukraine since 2014, helping more than 700,000 people with food, shelter, water, sanitation, and legal assistance. Following the escalation of the conflict from 24 February 2022, NRC has scaled up humanitarian assistance inside Ukraine and in neighbouring countries to provide aid to people forced to flee, and others affected by the conflict.

NRC is currently implementing its humanitarian response plan to support 800,000 people inside Ukraine and neighbouring countries by the end of this year, with a view to put in place a longer term strategy for the region in the coming months. NRC is responding, through direct implementation and through local partners, by applying an integrated approach combining our sectoral areas of expertise such as legal aid (ICLA), protection from violence, education, livelihoods and food security, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as multi-purpose cash assistance. NRC is currently operational in Ukraine, Poland, Romania and Moldova. To support the regional response in the best way, NRC has established the Central and Eastern Europe Regional Office (CEERO), based in Warsaw, Poland. This will ensure a centralised structure in proximity to the crisis and will provide coordinated support, management, advice and oversight to the country operations.

Duties & Responsiblities

The ICLA Regional Adviser is the organisation’s regional expert within the core competence (CC), working across the region and with a matrix professional relationship to the core competency specialists and programme development managers in country offices.

Below is a summary responsibilities, please download Job Description for further details.

1. Technical CC support: Responsible for the provision of strategic advice and guidance to the Country Offices in relation to the core competency to ensure that NRC delivers high quality, effective and relevant programming.
2. Capacity development: Accountable for the capacity development along the technical reporting lines (to COs and RO) within the ICLA core competency including the mentoring and development of key staff in the country offices. Responsible for the recruitment of in-country ICLA CC specialists together with Heads of Programme and contribute to the recruitment and induction of appropriately qualified core competency staff.
3. Technical CC development: Responsible for the further development of NRC’s country office ICLA programmes through innovation and adaptation ensuring that NRC remains a relevant actor.
4. Programme integration: Contribute to the identification and utilization of programmatic synergies between ICLA and the other core competencies as well as the development areas through the integrated programme approach.
5. Learning and information sharing: Responsible for the documentation, analysing and dissemination of ICLA learningfrom the country programs including the sharing of best practices, resources and tools ensuring coherence, efficiency and effectiveness of the operation.
6. Networking and representation: Responsible for the networking and representation of NRC in regional policy debates in relation to ICLA. Contribute to the participation of the core competency in country clusters and representation in various fora when requested and relevant. Contribute to the identification, development and maintenance of relationships with relevant stakeholders (e.g. donors, UN agencies, NGOs) related to ICLA in the region and the related countries.
7. Resource mobilization: Contribute to the resource mobilisation and fundraising for regional programme development related to ICLA.
8. Monitoring and Evaluation: Contribute to the development and facilitate the use of effective assessment and M&E systems ensuring compliance with NRC program policy, quality standards and technical guidance. Contribute to the overall analysis, strategic use and dissemination of relevant data for ICLA.
9. Advocacy: Contribute to the identification, prioritization, development and documentation of advocacy issues related to ICLA.
10. Programme Policy compliance: Responsible for the monitoring of country programme compliance with the Programme Policy and to activate procedures to obtain approval/rejection of context specific deviations from the programme policy in country offices.

Skills & Experience

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience as a manager within the humanitarian field, including (ideally) experience of working as an adviser
• Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts, and ability to work independently in a result oriented, multi-cultural environment and manage conflicting priorities.
• High level of professional expertise in an area relevant to the core competence of ICLA, in particular relevant knowledge and expertise of national and international legal frameworks impacting on displaced people
• Experience in drafting and encouraging implementation of policy/strategic guidance, and developing practical tools and resources
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities
• Able to represent organisation at a strategic level
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal
• Prior knowledge and experience in Central and Eastern Europe region will be an asset
• Fluency in any of the languages spoken in Central and Eastern Europe region an asset

Your passion, skills, and experience can make a big difference. This mission would be a start-up in a challenging, emergency context in Europe.

What We Offer

• Duty Station: Warsaw (Poland).
• Contract: 12 months, 40% travel across region.
• NRC’s Salary Scale: NRC offers a competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Start date: Immediately.

NRC is very grateful to those who have responded thus far and continue to heed to our calls for support. This is going a long way in addressing the diverse needs, priorities, and concerns currently affecting the people of Ukraine.

Applications will be reviewed on ongoing basis. Due to large response, NRC will not provide feedback to those candidates who do not meet criteria and/or not follow the application process.