Ukraine Country Director

Title: Ukraine Country Director

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Line Manager: Programme Director, Executive Director (interim)

Supervisees: Ukraine Programme Manager and Finance & Admin Officer

This position is open to applications from Ukrainian nationals based in or willing to be based in Kyiv, Ukraine. Candidates are required to speak fluent Ukrainian and English.

About Us

The Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation is an international rights-based, survivor-centred organisation working to change the global response to conflict-related sexual violence.

We support survivors’ demands for a world where sexual violence as a weapon of war is no longer tolerated and bears consequences for individual perpetrators and states. We work for a future where survivors receive the holistic care and compensation they need to rebuild their lives. We create opportunities for survivors to speak out and be heard, and where they can organise to create change, influence policies, and demand justice and accountability.

We are working towards a future where sexual violence in conflict is no longer seen as inevitable, but is recognised for what it is: a crime that should have consequences. We want the international community to draw a line against wartime sexual violence and to hold states and individuals accountable. See also www.mukwegefoundation.org.

Job Overview

The Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation (MF) seeks a dynamic and experienced Country Director to lead its Country Programme team in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Country Director will play a pivotal role in shaping and advancing the foundation’s strategy and programme in Ukraine. You are a proactive leader with a proven track record in planning, executing, and overseeing programmes efficiently. You have the ability to lead and manage teams effectively, ensuring they are motivated and productive and built and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, donors, and partners.

Mukwege Foundation Ukraine Programme

Since 2018, MF has been engaged in Ukraine, working closely with its partner, the Eastern Ukrainian Centre for Civic Initiatives (EUCCI) and the Ukrainian arm of the Global Network of Survivors of Conflict Related Sexual Violence (SEMA Ukraine).

In April 2022, under the invitation of Ukraine’s Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, a joint scoping mission was conducted by the Global Survivors Fund (GSF) and the Mukwege Foundation (MF) to assess how best to support Ukraine in strengthening a holistic approach to the prevention and response of CRSV. In July 2022, a joint memorandum of understanding was signed among MF, GSF, the Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy and the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration to for reinforcing a holistic response to conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine, including access to justice and reparations.

Mukwege Foundation’s Ukraine programme has 4 objectives:

1. Continue raising awareness about CRSV in Ukraine and the need for a survivor-centred and holistic response to CRSV.
2. Contribute to strengthening knowledge on, and capacities for, quality survivor-centred holistic care for CRSV survivors.
3. Support in the development of a strong survivors’ movement, ii. enhance survivor knowledge about services, and iii. support effective communication between survivors and stakeholders involved in CRSV prevention and response.
4. Contribute to strengthening access to quality, holistic care for CRSV survivors, based on the Panzi one-stop-centre holistic care model, in Lviv and Kyiv, and in those regions most affected by conflict.

Main Responsibilities and Duties

Strategy and Programmes

• Lead the development of MF’s Country Strategy in Ukraine, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and the needs of survivors.
• Ensure the alignment of the overall programme activities with the MF-Ukraine memorandum of understanding, the mission statement of MF and the principles and guidelines of the Panzi survivor-centred and holistic One Stop Centre care model.
• Conduct ongoing analysis of the humanitarian and security landscape to identify areas for MF intervention.
• Ensure high quality programme delivery, management, monitoring and evaluation.
• Support MF’s Programme Manager in Ukraine with developing partner relationships, partner agreements and in the implementation of programme-related activities.
• Provide final authorisation/review on proposals, budgets and reports submitted by framework (technical) and implementation partners participating in the programme
• Support MF’s Programme Manager in Ukraine with the preparation and timely submission of high-quality reports to the Mukwege Foundation head quarter team in the Hague

Representation and advocacy

• Represent MF to relevant national Ukrainian government authorities responsible for international assistance cooperation efforts and to relevant city and regional government authorities, in identified priority areas.
• Collaborate with SEMA Ukraine and other survivors and community members for the successful development and implementation of activities in a survivor-centred manner.
• Ensure the respect of all relevant guidelines for international assistance partners in Ukraine.
• Represent MF in different working group and coordination meetings on the national and regional levels.
• Represent MF during different advocacy events and meetings in-country.
• Identify advocacy opportunities and prepare advocacy briefs and other tools for international awareness-raising and advocacy work together with MF Communication Specialist.
• Responsible for organising and supporting visits and missions from MF staff and experts and the missions of other partners involved in the programme’s implementation.

Management and Coordination

• Manage and support the Ukraine country team members, including providing guidance, support and performance evaluations.
• Support and monitor the recruitment process for programme staff by developing TORs, selecting candidates and organising written and oral tests & interviews.
• Ensure timely review and validation of programme documents and ensure information is efficiently circulated between headquarters and the Country Team
• Accountable for the efficient (financial) management of both the office as well as the Projects, specifically:
• Accountable for the proper application of all financial management tools by MF programme staff or consultants and partners, including funds disbursement requests, bank and cash books, expense claim forms, and financial reports
• Accountable for the finalisation and submission of monthly financial reports to MF HQ.
• Accountable for preparing donor financial reports for submission to MF HQ.
• Accountable for applying MF’s country operations manual in the context of Ukraine.
• Accountable for ensuring the respect of high standards in terms of programme management and stewardship of funds.

Fundraising

• Identify potential new fundraising opportunities to enable the roll out of the country programme.
• Prepare concept notes and budgets for new proposals as required.

Security

• Overall responsible for staff and operational security.
• Closely monitor political, security and economic developments in the country and share analyses regularly with headquarters and with staff in the country.
• Engage with reliable in-country security networks to ensure the development of updated context analysis and risk analysis.
• Ensure the mitigation of identified risks and the implementation and compliance with security protocols and policies within the Ukraine country programme.

Cross-cutting

• Responsible for applying MF’s safeguarding policies in the context of Ukraine including the code of conduct, integrity policy and a complaints mechanism.
• Responsible for ensuring the respect of core principles in the implementation of the programme including Do No Harm.
• Responsible for ensuring that survivors are centred throughout the development and implementation of the program.
• Ensure strong liaison and connection between the MF HQ, the global Holistic Care programme, and the programme in Ukraine.

Profile and qualifications

• Fluent writing and oral presentation skills in Ukrainian and English.
• Bachelor required; Master level qualification recommended in international relations, or other relevant fields
• Progressive career with a minimum of 5 years in management or coordination in the development/humanitarian sector,
• Multi-country, multi-region experiences are considered an asset
• Proven affinity and experience with programming for victims/survivors of CRSV/SGBV (health, MHPSS, psychosocial, legal and protection) is highly desirable
• High ethical standards of behaviour, good judgment, respect for others, diplomatic skills, confidentiality, and attention to detail.
• Strong ability to organise and implement workflows in an organisation to ensure an effective and efficient work environment for the Country team
• Strong commitment to the goals of the Mukwege Foundation.
• Strong communicator both internally with the team and externally with stakeholders, partners and donors
• Flexible, independent and with a proven ability to adapt and respond to the changing environment and to constructively create opportunities for change through active participation
• Excellent problem-solving skills.

Diversity

The Mukwege Foundation is an international organisation with a diverse, international team and its main office in the Netherlands.

As the Mukwege Foundation, we believe in the value of a diverse (leadership) team. We believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace is essential to our work. We welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences. It will be considered a plus if the candidate can contribute to the diversity in our team.

What we offer

• 1-year contract with possibility to extend, based on 40 hours per week.