Protection Officer

LOCATION:                      Based in Dnietropetrovsk

REPORT TO:              Emergency Programme Manager

BACKGROUND

HelpAge International is a global network of not-for-profit organisations with a vision of a world where older people fulfill their potential to lead active, dignified, healthy and secure lives. With over 70 affiliates and 300 partners across more than 50 countries the HAI network brings together hundreds of organisations worldwide. HelpAge has a secretariat with offices in London and Brussels, seven regional centers in Africa, Middle East Eurasia East Asia/Pacific, South Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central Asia, seven national programmes and a number of emergency programmes.

HelpAge began its current emergency programme in Ukraine in response to the upsurge of violence in the Easter pert of the country during summer 2014. Many older people are amongst the population affected by the conflict and resulting population displacement: our assessments show that many are alone and vulnerable, have physical mobility constraints, eyesight problems, and psychosocial issues. However the international humanitarian system is not yet well adapted to ensure older people’s needs are adequately and appropriately addressed. HelpAge’s programme is designed to assist older people in the Government and Non-Government controlled areas. It provides age-specific home care services, essential relief items, advises and supports agencies to ensure that humanitarian services are age-appropriate.

HelpAge International (HAI), as member of consortium of five international NGOs, is implementing 11 months long humanitarian project to address the protection needs of population affected by conflict in the east of Ukraine.

Under this project HAI will be providing support to selected communities and community based initiatives. And distribute small grants to local organisations to deliver wide range of protection services including social workers support, transport support, small repair local infrastructure or support to IDPs community centre.

JOB PURPOSE

The post holder will be responsible for managing HelpAge protection and advocacy activities in collaboration with the Emergency Programme Manager and HelpAge Ukraine team.

 

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Protection and advocacy:

• Develop strategic partnerships with local, national, international and government partners to promote greater understanding and support for older people’s caring and protection;
• Provide technical support through dialogue and training to humanitarian actors across Ukraine to ensure that the specific protection needs and capacities of older people are understood and addressed in their programmes including participation in needs assessments, beneficiary registrations, distributions, and access to basic services;
• Advocate for the protection needs of older people and influence the humanitarian community to address these within the context of the ongoing humanitarian response in Ukraine;
• Represent HelpAge International at Protection cluster meetings and actively participate in relevant sub-cluster working groups and assessment missions.

 

Other tasks:

• Manage implementation of a vide range of protection activities;
• Ensure integration of HelpAge Accountability Framework in every aspects of program development, and linkages with relevant forum, for example, HAP;
• Ensure that protection work in Ukraine is firmly situated within the HelpAge and partners emergency response, and is coordinated with relevant local authorities, UN agencies, ICRC and NGOs;
• Ensure that lessons learned are documented, shared and understood at national, regional and with Consortium partners;
• Assist in the development of donor reports;
• Any other tasks required by the line manager.

 

 

REQUIREMENTS

• Masters degree qualification in a relevant subject;
• Substantial experience managing protection and/or social programmes;
• Knowledge of protection related instruments and framework;
• Thorough understanding of the issues of vulnerable people in Ukraine;
• Strong skills in programme management and reporting;
• Excellent demonstrable skills in advocacy, negotiation and diplomacy including the ability to influence partner organisations, and policy makers at senior level;
• Ability to work well within a team and contribute to capacity building on all levels, program implementation and staffs development;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, Ukrainian and Russian;
• Proven experience of working with national and local stakeholders.

Interested candidates are encouraged to send their CVs as soon as possible to ngo.cv.ukraine@gmail.com.