Head of program protection – Ukraine

Head of Program Protection – Ukraine

Location: Ukraine – Lviv/Kyiv, with regular travel to bases to provide technical support

Duration:9 months (subject to funding), starting ASAP

Conditions: Salaried contract, gross monthly salary €2 369 to € 2 884, according to experience, monthly per diem €600, medical coverage of 100% + repatriation insurance + provident fund, accommodation, international and local transportation as part of the mission. No family duty station.

TGH has chosen a deliberately simple and transparent remuneration policy, accessible on our website www.trianglegh.org. The salary levels advertised in our job offers are set within the framework of the salary scale and are not open to negotiation.

Presentation of TGH

“Actor in a sustainable and shared solidarity”

Founded in 1994, TGH is a French association for international solidarity based in Lyon. It designs and implements emergency, rehabilitation and development programmes in the fields of water, hygiene and sanitation, food security and rural development, socio-education and psychosocial support. TGH is currently active in 10 countries in Africa, Europe and Asia.

Context

The full scale invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022, is a major escalation of the 2014 conflict and has resulted in attacks on major Ukrainian cities, critical infrastructure, and loss of protection for civilians among other concerns.

From September, UAF (Ukrainian Armed Forces) pushed back the aggressor in the east and south of the country with the recapture of some strategical cities. Meanwhile, RF forces continued their offensive with strikes across Since October and the attack on the Kerch Bridge (08/10/2022) linking Crimea to Russia, reprisals have been unstoppable, mainly on public service infrastructures, notably power stations and water treatment and distribution stations in all the country’s major cities.

October 2022 saw an increase in the number of IDPs (+280,000 / +4.5%) growing from 6.2 M to 6.5 M) in the country and a movement of 450,000 (+7%) of those already IDP, most of them to or from the East of the country. According to the humanitarian community, all the people living in Ukraine have been directly or indirectly affected by the conflict. Emergency humanitarian needs are varied and cut across all sectors.

In 2024, the martial law has been extended, and Ukrainian Parliament has also passed a Mobilisation Law due to be enforced from May 2024. However, while the Ukrainian military has made small but steady gains in not only marginally pushing back in certain locations but also defending the airspace quite successfully, attacks by Russia continue and a major offensive is expected in Summer 2024.

The most pressing needs identified in the country include:

• Cash and access to financial support
• Psychosocial support for a weakened mental health and limit the risk of irreversible
• Medicines and medical supplies
• Shelter / NFI
• Winterization

Protection, including PSS, Case Management and Legal Aid, is considered a critical risk in the country according to various risk assessments.

Presentation of the mission

TGH is present in Ukraine since 2015. Established in Kramatorsk (East), TGH’s interventions were targeting the most vulnerable populations along the contact line employing traditional and innovative modalities as follows:

• Provision of protection assistance including psychosocial support (PSS), Legal aid and case management both for children and adults
• Provision of basic humanitarian assistance: shelter and NFI support (medium and light rehabilitation of private accommodation, distribution of shelter kits via various modalities, winterization intervention), cash (MPCA, cash for shelter), WaSH (light rehabilitation, distribution of hygiene kits, etc.)

In 2020, TGH completed an intervention with an emergency Covid-19 response funded by UNICEF supporting healthcare, educational and social institutions and households of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts (GCA) along the then contact line with electronic vouchers for essential hygiene.

Following the February 2022 invasion, TGH mobilized its teams on the ground and at headquarters to maintain its existing activities and develop an emergency response to meet the immediate needs of the affected populations. TGH quickly started various assistance programmes funded by different donors to cover the basic needs and respond to the psychological distress of the affected households and individuals. In 2024, TGH is implementing 2 different projects, while others are under discussion. To implement these activities in the most affected areas of Ukraine, TGH has developed and reinforced the collaboration with local partners that are essential and take a crucial place in the global response.

Initially operational in Ukraine from Kramatorsk, the team has been relocated to Lviv where the main TGH office is. Given the enormous needs all around Ukraine and the different grants awarded, TGH opened 3 sub-office in the other main cities of Ukraine (Vinnytsia, Cherkasy and Dnipro) in order to be closer to the beneficiaries and ensure a proper implementation and follow up.

TGH is a member of the following Clusters and Working groups: Protection, Age and Disability Working Group (ADWG), Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Working Group (MHPSS WG), Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster (FSLC), Agriculture Working Group, Cash-based transfers Working Group (CBTWG) and WASH cluster. As part of a BHA-funded consortium in the country, TGH is also the sector lead in Protection and thus defines the strategy and direction for the consortium in Protection. TGH also led the development of an SoP on Case Management for the Protection Cluster in Ukraine, and has trained around 50 service providers in Ukraine on Case Management, significantly strengthening national mechanisms for case management.

Job description

The Head of Protection reports to the Deputy Country Director for Programs (DCD-P) and works in collaboration with the other Heads of Departments in the mission. The Head of Protection is advised by the Education & Protection Referent based at HQ.

The Head of Program Protection leads the definition of country strategy for Protection. He/She does so by actively participating in cluster and coordination meetings to understand emerging Protection risks and needs in the country and adapting TGH strengths in responding to such needs, supporting the CD/DCD-P for donor meetings, developing guidance documents on all Protection Activities as a easy reference tool, actively leading technical support in the mission, and reinforcing the links between Protection and Basic Needs teams. He/She is proactive in resourcing the mission team as well as the HQ with new emerging documents, tools and resources to adapt the country strategy and activities.

Team Management and ability to develop clear technical tools are a priority skill for this position.

More specifically, key responsibilities are:

Programme Management

• Develop a clear vision for implementation of protection activities for all projects in coordination with the Protection Coordinators and the Deputy Field Coordinators for Programmes on the bases.
• Provide technical expertise on protection (PSS, case management and legal aid) for high quality program implementation and strengthen the technical capacity of the mission through trainings, regular follow-ups etc.
• Clarify/Develop clear project management tools to be used by Protection Teams in collaboration with the MEAL teams, including clean database for beneficiaries, tools for reflect IASC or inter-agency developments in Ukraine.
• Communicate clearly with all relevant team members on reporting, project, donor and audit requirements, build capacity among coordinators and field teams on reporting against key indicators and measuring impact of Protection Activities.
• Creating internal linkages and referral mechanisms between the various Protection teams, and with other program teams (basic needs).
• Brief Protection team on donor rules and compliance, as well as audit compliance, in collaboration with Grants and Admin teams.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Maintain an effective monitoring and planning system in collaboration with the Head of MEAL, which informs reporting and project design.
• Work with the team to identify and document project learning and success stories and disseminate learning on the humanitarian response.
• Ensure that the monitoring framework and needs assessments within the protection program is implemented: collection & reviews of baseline/secondary data, end line surveys, donor reporting and internal/external evaluations, protection assessment, post satisfaction survey, and capitalization of activities.
• Ensure respect for data protection and confidentiality in data collection and storage.
• Contribute to donor visits, evaluations and program reviews as necessary.

Support to Partners (State and non-state actors)

• Participate in local partners’ assessment and capacity building. Actively identify opportunities for TGH to lead trainings or to contribute to strengthening local mechanisms. With the DCDP, HQ and partnership teams, contribute in drafting the partnership agreements and their renewal.
• Supervise the proper implementation of protection activities of national partners in link with the Partnership teams, including evaluating the partner, providing technical inputs, reviewing monthly data and narrative reports, etc. Support identification and development of partner projects with the Partnership teams.

Logistics and Administrative Management

• Plan and monitor purchases for protection activities in coordination with the logistics and protection teams. Ensure regular support to Logistics teams in terms of quality, evaluations of suppliers, purchase follow-ups.
• In conjunction with the Finance team and Field Coordinators, carry out the budgetary monitoring of the protection activities and the expenditure forecast for his/her department. Oversee grants compliance to ensure the best use of resources in link with DCD as well as the Finance teams.
• Participate in the proper archiving (paper and digital) of documents required for audits. Support MEAL and Admin teams in identifying information to be maintained digitally and in paper, and support the development of archiving SoPs for Protection.

Team Management

• Recruit, manage and ensure HR follow-up of the Protection Coordination team. Work to resolve conflict or issues with the team, seek support of the SMT, if necessary.
• Strengthen technical capacity project management capacities of the Protection Coordination team.
• Ensure good internal coordination and communication, including at least weekly meetings with the team, and monthly meetings with the bases, or as necessary.
• Propose relevant adaptations to the team’s organisation chart and contribute to its implementation.

Reporting

• Actively lead writing on Protection sections in Concept Notes, Reports, Proposals, and develop logframes and targets and coordinate and finalize the preparation of budgets related to project proposals, in collaboration with the Grants Manager and the DCD-P.
• Provide regular reports on protection activities to the HQ Advisor, DCD-P, Grants and as requested by donors and coordination systems: 5W reporting (and any cluster reporting requirements), ensure proper reporting against relevant indicators for donors, and clear counting of beneficiaries, in collaboration with MEAL and Grants teams.
• Maintain a clear reporting system within the Protection team to avoid duplication of efforts and time spent by staff on writing reports.

Communication and participation in the coordination of the mission

• Internal coordination: participate in mission coordination meetings, leading the updates on Protection as well as addressing concerns raised by other departments on Protection Activities, ensure smooth coordination with other departments.
• External coordination: participate proactively and contribute in the Protection Cluster and appropriate sub-cluster, technical working groups and taskforce meetings. Lead the Consortium monthly meetings on Protection. Share information on TGH activities and intervention (protection data) and promote visibility, good relations and collaboration with other actors working on the humanitarian response (UN, clusters, authorities, NGOs). Coordinate with NGOs, institutions and partners working in the field of Protection in Ukraine to establish/maintain referral mechanisms.
• Work with the Communications team in the mission and at HQ to increase visibility of TGH activities, highlight key achievments, and developing communications materials on Protection.

PSEA Referent

• Prevention:
• Conduct periodic evaluations of TGH’s PSEA guidelines and practices and suggest improvements.
• Organize regular training and awareness sessions on PSEA for all TGH staff and other personnel involved in our programs.
• Work with human resources staff on PSEA-related issues, including ensuring that all staff sign the Code of Conduct and that PSEA-related measures are an integral part of the recruitment process.
• Facilitate awareness campaigns on PSEA to affected populations and local communities, the standards of conduct expected of TGH staff and partners, and the various mechanisms for reporting abuses or concerns related to PSEA, including contact information.
• Reporting SEA Cases
• Ensure that internal procedures are in place to enable staff and other personnel to report incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse in a safe and confidential manner.
• Receive reports of SEA cases and related information and coordinate the response.
• Report concerns or issues related to the implementation of the SEA to management*.*
• Responding to SEA allegations
• Once a complaint is received, coordinate TGH’s response including referral of SEA victims for immediate assistance and possible referral of the case for further investigation to a specialized external structure.
• Other Responsibilities
• Coordinate TGH’s PSEA activities with relevant organizations, including inter-organizational initiatives, as appropriate.
• Support management in the implementation of other PSEA-related activities as appropriate

Security, working and living conditions

Despite the fluctuating security situation in Ukraine, the environment in Lviv is relatively calm and travel on foot or by taxi is permitted in the city centre. It is possible to go out in bars, restaurants… but there is a curfew in place from 12pm to 5am according to the martial law in force in the country. TGH team works in spacious and well-equipped offices in the city centre, close to the apartments where the expatriates are accommodated. Access to good internet connection in the offices.

Profile

You have a minimum of 4 years of leading Protection Programmes at field level, which includes leading technical support, developing/clarifying project management tools, building capacity of teams, and representing the mission externally with key stakeholders.

Furthermore, your profile match the following:

• Previous experience leading protection projects with strong technical, programme mentoring, and management skills, in developing countries and in disaster/humanitarian crisis contexts; (Essential)
• Experience in humanitarian coordination from an MHPSS background; (Essential)
• Advanced degree in psychology or related discipline, with coursework in mental health and psychosocial programming in humanitarian contexts; (Essential)
• Experience in working with partners at national and sub-national levels; (Essential)
• Work experience in measuring and reporting on indicators through innovative qualitative and quantitative data gathering techniques and other type of surveys; (Essential)
• Fluency in written and spoken English language; (at least Working knowledge is essential)
• Able to work collaboratively across multiple teams and stakeholders; (Essential)
• Able to operate independently and as part of a team; (Essential)
• Good interpersonal skills including the ability to gain trust and build relationships; (Essential)
• Good diplomatic and persuasion skills; (Essential)
• Good computer skills, experience with Google Drive ; (Working Knowledge)
• Ability to work in a stressful setting and adapt quickly to changing environments; At least one experience in such settings is considered essential for this profile ;
• Ability and motivation to work well with local authorities, local leaders, and local community; (Optional)
• Good creative problem solving and social skills;
• Previous experience in Ukraine (Optional).