Фахівець/чиня з питань СГЗН, підтримка організацій, що об’єднують постраждалих від СНПК (національна позиція)

Title: Project Officer SGBV, Support to survivor-led organisations (national position)
Availability: 32-40 hours per week  
Location: Based in Kyiv, Ukraine (with in-country and some international travel expected)
Period: Starting ASAP (September 2023), initially for a period of 12 months
Reporting to: MF Country Representative in Ukraine
Technical supervision line: HQ National Survivor Networks Programme Manager

Introduction

The Mukwege Foundation’s programme portfolio in Ukraine expanding, and thus we are recruiting additional capacity to better support ongoing survivor-centred programmes in Ukraine.

This is an excellent opportunity for candidates with experience in project management within international human rights or humanitarian missions and organisations, especially in gender-based violence prevention and response, women or child protection and other work with vulnerable populations. This role will be based in Kyiv, with in-country travel within Ukraine, as well as some international travel expected. If you are considering applying, you should be fluent in both English and Ukrainian, and based in or willing to commute to Kyiv. You should have an affinity for project writing, management, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing and dynamic organisation working to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

About Us

The Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation is an international human rights organisation working together with survivors of wartime sexual violence from around the world. Established in 2016, with headquarters in the Hague, the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation supports 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 & 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. Learn more at www.mukwegefoundation.org.

Background

Since 2019, 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 Victims and Survivors of Wartime Sexual Violence (SEMA Ukraine). Since the start of the ongoing crisis in February 2022, the Foundation has been supporting members of this network and the work of EUCCI to – amongst others – facilitate access to shelter and emergency assistance for displaced persons and survivors.

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 the sister organisations could 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.

MF is seeking a Project Officer focused on capacity-building for survivor-led organisations to join its newly formed team in Kyiv, Ukraine, which will support MF’s overall Ukraine country programme and specifically work related to supporting the survivor network, SEMA Ukraine, and to engaging with other survivors to ensure a survivor-centred response to conflict-related sexual violence.

Job Overview

For this role, we are seeking a Ukraine-based project officer who is dedicated to human rights and motivated to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. The ideal candidate has experience in project management in an (I)NGO, is keen to gain experience in capacity building of a survivor-led initiative, and speaks both Ukrainian and English fluently.  

The Project Officer will be the Mukwege Foundation main focal point for SEMA Ukraine (see Background section for more information) and will be in charge of supporting the survivor network by accompanying its members on technical, logistical, administrative, financial reporting and advocacy aspects. More broadly, the Project Officer will be in charge of facilitating engagement with survivors in all programmes, including male survivors.  

Broadly speaking, the Mukwege Foundation accompanies survivors’ activism and provides technical advice and support to enable survivors to speak out against CRSV and propose solutions that meet their needs. Supporting survivor-led networks is a strategy to place survivors at the heart of the fight for their rights, providing them with safe spaces and peer support to share their experiences, and enabling their participation in policy and programme development. We support survivors to develop their leadership skills and their networks’ capacities in terms of governance, membership, structure, strategy, planning and activities. Each network determines its own priorities and activities according to its local context, but all campaign for awareness of the consequences of conflict-related sexual violence, advocate for victims’ rights, fight against stigma, reach out to victims, and facilitate referrals to services. 

In Ukraine we have supported SEMA Ukraine since they founded their network in 2019, initially building their capacities for advocacy for reparations and holistic assistance towards the Ukrainian authorities, as well as supporting their organisational development. Since the invasion of Russian Federation forces in February 2022 we have stepped up our support to this network, initially providing assistance to its members and, as the conflict has developed, by providing financial and technical support, advice, and training to enable the network to form a new strategy and to conduct national and international advocacy around the needs of CRSV survivors – both from this phase of conflict, and from the 2014 conflict in Donetsk and Luhansk.  

Our support for SEMA Ukraine forms part of a wider programme in Ukraine in which the Mukwege Foundation and its sister organisations, the Global Survivors Fund and Panzi DRC, have been invited to strengthen the holistic assistance response for victims of sexual violence in conflict, based on the Panzi model of holistic care, in close collaboration with the Ukrainian Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy and other Ukrainian ministries. MF has committed to supporting capacities for and access to quality survivor-centred holistic care, and to raise awareness about the availability of holistic care services, for victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. Specific objectives within this programme include for example, accompanying the creation of a national Centre of Excellence for holistic care for women affected by conflict, supporting the creation and functioning of holistic care referral pathways, supporting the development and roll-out of standard, comprehensive training on survivor-centred holistic response to CRSV and supporting survivor-centredness in these policy discussions, efforts and coordination mechanisms. 

Work has begun on various objectives included in MF’s programme in Ukraine, and to continue close support of activities and different partners, in the road to making survivor-centred holistic care for women affected by the conflict, MF will recruit a Project Officer focused on capacity-building for survivor-led organisations to be based in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Project Officer will work alongside a Country Programme Manager with the support of a Finance/Admin Officer, and will receive the supervision and support of both the Country Representative, and HQ based Programme Manager for National Survivor Networks.

Main Responsibilities

Act as a focal point for SEMA Ukraine 

• Ensure constant communication and smooth collaboration with SEMA Ukraine by acting as liaison between the network and other Mukwege Foundation staffs. 
• Ensure the administration of grants and sub-grants to SEMA Ukraine: support them to apply, implement, and report on their grants and sub-grants.  
• Strengthen the capacities and skills of the members of SEMA Ukraine by accompanying them in the daily management of their activities, including: 
• Sensitization of communities on available services for survivors of CRSV; 
• Providing assistance to survivors and referring them to available services; 
• Raising awareness about CRSV and the needs and rights of survivors; 
• Conducting advocacy with civil society and political and administrative authorities at the national and international levels; 
• Organizing public events, such as roundtables, as part of the implementation of their advocacy strategy; 
• Contributing to build a collective memory around CRSV in Ukraine (by making a documentary). 
• Support building the capacities of SEMA Ukraine active members on various topics, including project management, public speaking, advocacy, etc. Capacity-building include direct mentoring and training, but also coordinating and organising external trainings based on the network’s needs.  
• Support SEMA Ukraine with its fundraising. 
• Maintain SEMA Ukraine’s existing partnerships and support it in the search for other partners and contacts to strengthen SEMA Ukraine’s visibility in Ukraine and internationally. 
• Support SEMA Ukraine in defining advocacy opportunities and international travels to participate in advocacy opportunities. 
• Collaborate with the communication teams to promote the network and assist SEMA Ukraine to track, prepare, and deliver media interviews.  

Moreover, the Mukwege Foundation started engaging with a group of men survivors and will be supporting them as part of its programme in collaboration with one of our partners. The Project Officer is expected to support this process, including by assisting with consultations, facilitating access to MHPSS, providing tailored capacity-building, and helping the group to define their priorities for the future. As part of this support, the Project Officer will also have to facilitate the relationship with our implementing partner, and assist with reporting. 

Holistic Care 

• Ensure the participation of survivors of CRSV in the planning, implementation and evaluation of holistic care activities  
• Support the M&E consultant in the planning and implementation of survivor consultations for programmatic evaluations, including the baseline evaluation 
• Ensure and accompany survivor participation in relevant working groups and other technical fora. 

Reporting and other documentation  

• Ensure quality collection, compilation and management of data while respecting MF data management and security guidelines and the different relevant protocols.  
• Support the Programme Manager on the preparation of narrative reports on different projects with reliable and quality data.  
• Contribute to the preparation of proposals, concept notes and other technical documents, as required.  

Partnerships and representation  

• Contribute to the organisation of events, meetings and conferences related to the country programme.  

Other programme related tasks  

• Contribute to the overall communication and advocacy efforts related to the national and international programme.  
• Ensure the establishment of a survivor-led and driven country programme to ensure that the voices of survivors are central to the country programme and the organisation’s perspectives.  
• Carry out other duties as directed by the Country Representative, as required.  
• Act as a guarantor of the principles and perspectives related to MF’s theory of change in the Ukraine programme. 

Profile and qualifications

• Fluency in Ukrainian and English is mandatory. 
• Relevant university degree (e.g. political science, social science, management, gender studies) with 2-4 years of relevant work experience in a comparable context.  
• Experience in project writing, management, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.  
• Excellent problem-solving skills.  
• Strong writing and communication skills.  
• Flexibility, independence, reliability and commitment to the objectives of the Foundation. 
• High ethical standards of behaviour, good judgment, respect for others, diplomatic skills, confidentiality and attention to detail. 
• Candidates with experience in engaging with survivors of SGBV have an additional advantage. 
• Experience in advocacy and prevention will be considered an asset. 
• Candidates with experience in capacity-building of civil society organisations, grassroots organisations, and/or activist movements have an additional advantage. 

This role is based in Kyiv, Ukraine primarily. Candidates from or residing in other cities in Ukraine are also welcome to apply with the understanding that commuting/relocating to Kyiv is a requirement, in addition to international travels to accompany survivors during their advocacy. MF does not cover the expenses of commuting or relocating to Kyiv but international travels will be paid for.

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 32-40 hours per week. The number of hours is flexible based on the skills and experiences of the selected candidate and interest and availability of the candidate.
• Full-time gross salary of €2000 (based on 40 hours per week), depending on experience 
• 8% holiday allowance and 25 paid holiday days (based on 40 hours)

How to apply

Please send your cover letter and CV, in English, by 5 September 2023 at 11.59 CET to Ms. Brynn Campbell, Office Manager & HR Officer, at [email protected] using the subject “Application: Project Officer SGBV, Support to survivor-led organisations”.  

We will interview candidates on a rolling basis and will close the vacancy if the right candidate is identified before the stated deadline. As such, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. 

Start date: as soon as possible, in consultation with the selected candidate.