Фахівець/чиня із питань захисту

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long-term impact..

The Program Summary

Mercy Corps’ Ukraine response meets the humanitarian needs of people affected by the war in Ukraine. Since the escalation of the war in 2022, Mercy Corps has supported more than 750,000 conflict-affected people in Ukraine and neighboring countries. We have provided cash assistance, food and hygiene kits, and psychosocial support for people in emergency situations; grants for micro, small and medium businesses, as well as small to medium farming enterprises; and conducted large-scale information campaigns. Notably, nearly all our programming is delivered in partnership with civil society organizations matching humanitarian action with capacity strengthening and a real commitment to localization

The Position (General Position Summary)

The Protection Officer will help the Protection Coordinator to focus on activities which ensure safe, dignified, inclusive access and ensuing that no harm is done in Mercy Corps program initiatives particularly for marginalized groups and people at risk including women, men, girls, and boys affected by violence and conflict. The incumbent will be under the direct supervision of the Protection Coordinator.

This role will support the Protection Coordinator in delivering protection mainstreaming activities, capacity strengthening work, monitoring, evaluation and learning, and coordination and representation across Mercy Corps and for Mercy Corps’ partners.

Mercy Corps welcomes applicants who do not necessarily have a background in Protection in the humanitarian sector as capacity building will be offered to the successful applicant. We are looking for someone from a cognate area (e.g. teaching, social work or similar) who wishes to commit to a career in Protection.

Essential Responsibilities supported by the Protection Coordinator:

1. Protection Mainstreaming Activities
Embed effective protection mainstreaming into programme activities through:
– Assistance in conducting protection risk assessments and reviews
– The establishment of a network of protection focal points across Mercy Corps’ partners
– Mapping local services and establishing safe referral mechanisms in line with the referral protocols, developing quality checklists and progress tools

2. Capacity Strengthening, and Engagement
– Participate in delivering protection capacity-strengthening initiatives in Mercy Corps Offices and with partner organizations for integrating protection
– Help sensitize colleagues and partners on do no harm and best practices to engage with marginalized groups, at-risk populations and individuals. Assist in the documentation of community concerns and recommendations on appropriate responses
– Participate in the development and review of protection training curriculums and materials
– Participate in regular community and partner consultations, group meetings, events, roundtable discussions and training sessions to ensure programming remains safe and inclusive, working with local partners and Mercy Corps teams

3. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)
– Support the integration of protection aspects into MEL tools and processes by coordinating with MEL staff in the area offices
– In coordination with program and MEL focal points, undertake field visits to monitor and track progress of program activities using appropriate qualitative research tools.
– Promote the use and analysis of sex, age, and ability disaggregated data and analysis for marginalized groups where safe and appropriate
– Participate in the development and implementation of program learning activities to integrate lessons learned for protection activities and protection mainstreaming
– Review partner reports ensuring they capture required information and support the completion of internal and external reports
– Assist in reporting protection activities to national Protection Cluster platforms

4. Coordination & Representation
– Coordinate and collaborate with counterparts across teams
– Represent Mercy Corps at relevant coordination meetings
– Contribute to an inclusive environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed, where the project teams work together, exchange information, and coordinate activities.
– The post holder should also expect to undertaken other tasks as necessary

Accountability to Participants & Stakeholders:
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field programs.

Reports Directly To: Protection Coordinator

Works Directly With: Protection, GESI teams, Safeguarding teams, resilience and humanitarian program teams, MEL team, CARM team, Sub award team, Partnerships capacity development team

 Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

Essential
– Degree in social sciences, social work, education, international relations, law, or related fields
– Commitment to the field of Protection and willingness to engage in learning and development in Protection
– Experience in engagement and representation of all types including organizing and assisting with, and presenting at, events and trainings
– Strong personal interest in protection, gender issues, social inclusion, and human rights
– Fluency in Ukrainian and English required. Preferred fluency in Russian but not essential
– Willingness to travel across Ukraine, particularly to Mercy Corps project sites.
– Ability to challenge thinking and social norms and advocate on behalf of the vulnerable and marginalised.

Desirable
– Experience working with NGOs and or private sector organizations focused on Safe Programming, Protection and on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
– Experience working with marginalized or vulnerable community members
– Understanding of barriers for women, the elderly, people living with disabilities, and other marginalized members of the local community

Success Factors

The Protection Officer will have the ability to work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly fluid work and security environment. S/he will have the capacity to support ambitious and innovative approaches while helping to strengthen understanding of the sensitivities of the cultural context.

The successful candidate will have strong communication and interpersonal skills and must adapt to building strong partner relationships and advocating for change at all levels. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living & Environmental Conditions
We are recruiting one officer for one location (Kyiv or Odesa or Dnipro). However, the location within Ukraine may be subject to reassessment given the security context. Given the emergency response nature of this role, this position may require exceptional work schedules including occasional evenings and weekends. The successful applicant should be willing and able to travel to Mercy Corps’ offices across the country and should also expect to visit partner offices in multiple locations across Ukraine.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination based on race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted for an interview.  

People with disabilities and veteran status are welcome to apply.  

Please, apply: Protection Officer (Dnipro/Odesa/Kyiv) | Mercy Corps Ukraine (ultipro.com)