Ukraine Crisis Response Manager

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS seeks an experienced Response Manager to manage our response in Ukraine and the region in response to the current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. As a senior position of the team, the Ukraine Crisis Response Manager is responsible for managing the Emergency Team on the ground in Ukraine and will coordinate with other partners and lead programming in Poland and possibly Moldova, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

The Response Manager will work directly with HIAS’ partner, R2P, to oversee the startup of MHPSS and cash programming as well as identify future partnership opportunities for HIAS to respond. In this role the Response Manager will provide expert level guidance on emergency response programming and humanitarian standards to R2P Leadership and Country Office staff.

The Ukraine Crisis Response Manger is the leader of the Response Manager will be based between L’viv Ukraine and Rzeszow, Poland. The Response Manager is responsible and accountable for developing, coordinating, and managing all emergency activities. The Ukraine Crisis Response Manager will work closely with HIAS’ Emergency Department to startup emergency programming and provide expert guidance to HIAS’ partner, R2P for successful humanitarian response operations. The Response Manager also has overall responsibility for response-related operations, including the security and wellbeing of emergency staff working on the response.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Lead rapid needs assessment and develop an integrated emergency response plan and oversee start-up implementation, with support from HIAS’ Emergency Department, Technical Directors, and Strategy & Measurement teams. Where response implementation will be conducted through partners, the Ukraine Crisis Response Manager will also lead the process of identifying and selecting implementing partners.

• Mentor and guide R2P staff on essential functions for emergency response programming.

• Ensure that headquarters-level staff are provided with regular Situation Reports, are aware of humanitarian developments and HIAS’s response to them, and other information and reporting needs are fulfilled as requested.

• Play a leading role in field-level donor relationship management as well as Emergency Department and Development team to secure donor funding for emergency projects, including taking a leading role in proposal development as appropriate.

• Establish and maintain constructive working relationships with implementing partners, NGO’s, UN agencies, host government, bilateral and multilateral donors, and other principle stakeholders.

• Coordinate the development of all project implementation plans and budgets within the framework of the response program and strategy, including support to implementing partner organizations to ensure they have established realistic and achievable project management and implementation processes.

• Ensure adequate monitoring and reporting of emergency activities, and implementation in accordance with international standards and in close coordination with HIAS’ Technical Directors.

• Oversee functions required to support the emergency response in accordance with HIAS policies and procedures, working closely with HIAS’ Emergency Department and Headquarters Operations Divisions.

• Where appropriate, play a leading role in ensuring timely and accurate information provision to the Public Affairs team in support of Communications, Media, and Advocacy efforts around the Ukraine humanitarian emergency. This will include ensuring that all information, publicity, and fundraising material recognizes and respects the dignity of those affected by disasters or emergencies.

• Oversee on-the-ground human resources related to the Ukraine emergency response, monitoring for ongoing human resources issues and making recommendations and adjustments accordingly to ensure the response is staffed to achieve its objectives.

• Liaise closely with HIAS’ security manager in L’viv and oversee on-the-ground safety and security measures, including ensuring that all HIAS personnel associated with the emergency programming understand individual and collective responsibilities for safety and security and that the response is compliant with HIAS policies and procedures.

• Monitor the operational environment and advise the Emergency Department, and HIAS Safety and Security Team.

• As needed, travel to neighboring countries involved with Ukraine crisis response (Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia) to assist with assessments, partnership meetings and/or representation to external audiences.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to deploy for a minimum of six months.

• Minimum of five years of experience in emergency/humanitarian response, at least three of which must be in the field.

• Dynamic individual with a proven ability to achieve results in a demanding, fast-paced, and often insecure environment.

• Demonstrated experience in a management role in field-level emergency programming and operations, including direct line management of multi-national teams.

• Demonstrated experience in conducting needs assessment in emergency-affected areas.

• Demonstrated experience managing multi-donor (including large institutional emergency donors), multi-sector programs in an emergency context.

• Experience in both direct implementation as well as sub-partner management preferred, including partner mapping, assessment, and selection.

• Demonstrated experience in project design and concept note and proposal drafting (including budgeting); experience working with implementing partners and drafting proposals involving sub-partner arrangements preferred.

• Solid understanding of and expertise in operational best practices (e.g. Finance, HR, Security, Logistics) when working in complex and challenging environments.

• Ability to work well with others and rapidly adapt to new countries/contexts.

• Flexibility to work in challenging environments and with high workloads, potentially with limited mobility.

• Excellent English language skills (verbal and written) required. Fluency in Ukrainian and/or Russian strongly preferred.

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s Degree preferred

• Completion of Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) within the past three years preferred and/or willingness to complete training prior to deployment.

ABOUT US:

HIAS is a global Jewish nonprofit organization working across five continents to ensure that refugees and displaced persons are protected. Throughout the United States, we help refugees reunite with families, resettle and become self-sufficient. Guided by our values and history, we help refugees rebuild their lives in safety and security and advocate to ensure that all displaced people are treated with dignity.

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, citizenship status, religious creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, age, protected veteran status, political orientation or other legally protected status.

VISION:

HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and opportunity.

MISSION:

Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

VALUES:

Welcome • Acogimiento • Hospitalité

We Welcome the Stranger

Justice • Justicia • Justice

We Pursue Justice

Empathy • Empatía • Empathie

We Approach our Clients with Empathy

Partnership • Compañerismo • Coopération

We Believe in Changing the World through Partnership

Courage • Coraje • Courage

We Act with Courage to Build a Better World

Resilience • Resiliencia • Résilience

We Adapt and Thrive, Continuously Demonstrating our Resilience

DIVERSITY:

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military status, protected veteran status, political orientation, or other legally protected status.