Roving Safety Specialist – Ukraine

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate and promote sustainable solutions for displaced people.

DRC has been active in Ukraine since 2014. Currently, DRC employs over 800 staff in Ukraine and will continue to scale up significantly in 2024 to implement emergency assistance in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (Humanitarian Mine Action) sectors, through direct interventions, support to duty-bearers and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue to develop and adapt its portfolio of sustainable solutions to the changing context.

DRC is currently looking for a highly qualified Specialist in Roving Safety be located in Kiev but with frequent and lengthy trips to the field.

About the track

You will work closely with Area Managers and Field Safety Focal Points (SFP) to ensure high standards of adherence to the DRC Safety Risk Management System (SRMS) and coordinate all aspects of safety across the geographical area of ​​responsibility to ensure safe and effective programming. With such a highly motivated national team, one of the primary functions of this role is to take a leading role in the capacity building of team members. Should the successful candidate be recruited internationally, one of the primary objectives will be to nationalise the role.

Geographic scope

You will focus on the DRC field areas and ensure compliance with DRC procedures and guidelines with additional ad hoc support to country level activities, in particular by providing country level coverage in the absence of the Head of Safety (HoS).

Your main responsibilities are:

Team Capacity Building:

• A capacity building plan for local counterparts will be developed in close cooperation with HoS
• Proactively support the transfer of knowledge to local staff
• Identify training and development opportunities and support local colleagues in taking advantage of these opportunities.
• Provide all relevant safety related training

Security Risk Management:

• Support in the development and implementation of the Safety Risk Management (SRM) process
• In collaboration with the Head of Safety, assist in developing and monitoring safety management policies, protocols and procedures at the regional and national levels.
• Develop Safety Risk Assessments (SRAs) in collaboration with local SFPs and support the implementation of mitigating measures
• Analyze, manage and report relevant information within geographic area of ​​responsibility to the Head of Safety, Area Managers (AM) or other relevant function as required on relevant context updates in a timely and proactive manner.
• Create, update and maintain relevant safety documentation, data and records for the areas of concern
• Review and approve field movement requests, work with program teams to create safe plans where necessary, and then remotely oversee field movements. Work with national colleagues over time to transition this task
• Monitor emergency response efforts at local level within the geographical area of ​​responsibility
• Monitor formal and informal information networks and provide appropriate advice in accordance with DRC policy
• Support and deliver safety related training to program staff
• Provide technical supervision to local security personnel, including guards and drivers
• Facilitate peak support for the Incident Management Team as needed
• Replace the Head of Safety if necessary
• Any other duties reasonably required for this position

Management:

• Although there are no direct reports for this position, the successful candidate will be expected to provide technical support to the safety team in collaboration with the HoS as required.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to: minimum 2-4 years of experience in a position with safety responsibilities for an INGO (Program and operations personnel who meet these criteria, but may not have held a position with Safety or Security in their title, are strongly encouraged to apply.) Additionally, we also expect the following:

• Willing to learn, a good sense of humor and high emotional intelligence
• Team player and collaborative, but with the ability to work independently, take initiative and make decisions
• Interest in politics, security and a critical understanding of the current situation in Ukraine; knowledge of regional and broader geopolitical developments and how these influence the war in Ukraine
• Insight into personal limitations and areas for personal development
• Driven, dedicated and proactive with a drive for excellence
• Stable personality, able to function professionally under stress
• Demonstrable track record in training and coaching a wide range of target groups, both for larger target groups and one-on-one
• Experience working in multicultural work environments
• Experience in collecting, analyzing and writing information; with critical incident management
• Experience working in hostile or hazardous environments
• Full professional proficiency in English (the ability to read and write English at a high level and to function in a professional environment)

In this role you will be expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on achieving results while ensuring an efficient process.
• To collaborate: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take responsibility and initiative and strive for innovation.
• Communicate: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrate integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct with respect to our values ​​and code of conduct, including protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

• Contract duration: 6 months, extendable depending on performance and financing
• Band: G -non-management
• Location: Kiev, non-family service post
• Start date: December 2024

Salary and employment conditions are in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s employment conditions for national and international employees. Please consult our website.