Protection Advisor

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Reporting Line Manager: Program Quality Lead

Duration:12 months with possibility of extension

Conditions: Full-time, fixed term

Starting date: December 2025-negotiable

CARE INTERNATIONAL

CARE International (CI) is among the world’s largest international non-governmental humanitarian relief and development confederations. Drawing on 80 years of experience, through its 21 Members, as both a practitioner and thought leader, CI’s work reaches over 100 countries worldwide to save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice.

CARE’s vision is to seek a world of hope, inclusion, and social justice; where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security. CARE focuses heavily on women and girls, and the areas of gender equality, diversity, and inclusion are at the centre of our work because we know that we cannot overcome poverty and social injustice until all people have equal rights and opportunities. We recognize that power relations between people and within systems and structures are unequal and that these are entrenched in our broader systems, structures, and institutions.

At the core of the CI Confederation is a globally distributed Secretariat, which provides coordination and support to its members in areas including governance, strategic planning, communications, membership development and accountability, advocacy, humanitarian response, and program development. In addition, the Secretariat represents the CI Confederation at the United Nations and the European Union, and with other external stakeholders.

CONTEXT IN UKRAINE

On 24th February 2022, the invasion of Ukraine marked a significant escalation to the conflict that started in 2014. It continues to profoundly impact the lives of people across the country at various levels. The front line is continuously shifting and there are areas under Russian military control, as well as cities under siege. Attacks on military installations and critical civilian infrastructures are conducted in the whole territory of Ukraine, often resulting in collateral civilian casualties. The conflict has caused the largest population movement in Europe since World War II, with over 5 million currently displaced within Ukraine and 6 million refugees across Europe. OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) had counted 17.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

At least one-third of the country’s energy infrastructure is damaged, leaving millions without heating and access to water. In October 2022, the Russian Federation claimed to have annexed four Ukrainian oblasts, further increasing the challenge of access to these areas. Therefore, an ongoing priority for the international humanitarian response is to reach newly accessible areas in the East and South, and to provide aid to previously unreachable and particularly hard-hit areas of Ukraine.

CARE UKRAINE

CARE prioritizes a locally led response and is partnering primarily with Civil-Society Organizations (CSOs), National NGOs (Non-Government Organization), local authorities, and when needed, INGOs (International Non-Governmental Organizations) with a longstanding presence in the country and access to hard-to-reach areas. CARE Ukraine deliberately and strategically prioritizes partnerships with local and national Women Led and Women Rights organizations (WLO’s/ WRO’s), further strengthening the Gender in Emergencies (GiE) principle and the Women Lead in Emergencies (WLiE) approach.

In the first few weeks after the escalation of the war, virtually all humanitarian aid inside Ukraine was organized and implemented by local actors. These groups (together with local authorities) remain the principal aid providers but are quickly being exhausted of funds, fuel, and physical energy. Thereby, a considerable proportion of CARE’s resources is dedicated to strengthening and supporting the capacities of local partners.

CARE Ukraine has current partnerships with 12 local/national organizations (incl. WLO’s/WRO’s). From the more than 45 million that have been raised for Ukraine thus far, more than half is allocated to local/national partners. CARE Ukraine has been able to reach more than 1.5 million people, including IDPs and affected populations in hard-to-reach areas.

CARE Ukraine’s country office is located in Kyiv with an area office in Dnipro and field office in Kharkiv, as well as support functions in Lviv.

Job Summary

The Protection Advisor provides overall strategic guidance and performance of CARE’s protection programming in Ukraine. S/he will technically oversee protection activities including GBV prevention, response and risk mitigation and protection mainstreaming. S/he will provide technical guidance to the country level protection technical team and support them to mentor partner staff involved in protection programming. The post holder will be expected to lead on protection assessments and implementation, program design, project planning and budgeting, coordination with stakeholders, and support fundraising.

Main responsibilities

Program Strategy and Program Development

• Ensure that CARE’s protection programming and strategy is aligned both to CARE’s technical capacities and value add as well as the contextual needs of persons of concern.
• Support in the development of high quality, evidence-based proposals, in addition to reviewing and supporting the development of high-quality reports.
• Ensure that there is strong protection information management leading to robust data on protection needs in Ukraine to inform program development and response, and advocacy priorities, and ensuring that PIM products are disseminated to all relevant stakeholders.
• Coordinate with other sectors to integrate Protection-related activities/ indicators, especially through awareness raising and mainstreaming protection aimed at enhanced well-being and access to Protection services amongst beneficiaries

Program Quality and Technical Support

• Develop technical documents such as guidelines, SOPs, assessment and program tools, etc. which enable CARE to implement high quality programming aligned with global and national standards.
• Establish strong relationships and effective coordination with Program Managers, Program Officers, MEAL Team, Partnership Team and Partner Program Managers and Protection Technical focal points, ensuring needs are known and addressed as needed.
• Provide in depth training, ad hoc support, and regular oversight to CARE and Partner protection program teams to ensure that teams have the relevant knowledge and capacity to effectively implement all CARE’s protection projects to a high standard.
• Develop capacity development tools and plans for CARE’s strategic protection, and developing a monitoring and oversight framework to ensure high quality implementation of activities by partners
• Ensure protection and GBV interventions are implemented in line with CARE and Inter-Agency and Sphere standards.
• Contribute to the preparation of timely program and donor reports on project activities in compliance with internal CARE requirements and any relevant external donor requirements
• Actively facilitate program integration and collaboration with the Women Economic Justice(Livelihoods) and Sexual Reproductive Health Sectors (SRH)
• Ensuring ‘Safeguarding Risk Analysis’ is conducted in all Ukraine project areas, including safeguarding assessments and analysis and program risk assessments.
• Preparing risk assessments for projects and program, working together with program staff and partners to identify safeguarding risks and mitigations, and managing known risks.
• Ensuring that child safeguarding is integrated within program, with specific needs, risk, and risk mitigation identified as required; this is part of the Policy – children, vulnerable adults, people we serve, not sure if we have to single children out.
• Leading on the creation and delivery of safeguarding training package for volunteers and partners.
• Together with the MEAL Team, ensuring that feedback and accountability mechanisms are safe and accessible for all persons including children and other at-risk groups, and are designed in collaboration with program participants.
• Ensuring that referral pathways for survivors are mapped and functional in Ukraine.
• Represents CARE at relevant coordination fora such as the National Protection Cluster, Strategic Advisory Group, technical working groups etc.
• Support the Program Quality Lead and Deputy Country Director Programs to engage with various stakeholders such as donors to communicate CARE’s protection programming and priorities and support advocacy and resource mobilization.

Integration of Safeguarding into programming processes

External Representation and Coordination

Team Management

• Manage CARE Ukraine’s Protection Technical Unit, setting clear objectives and providing guidance and support as needed.
• Establish regular coordination and management practices with the Technical Unit to ensure that high quality and relevant support is provided to program teams, and that priorities are adjusted as necessary

General

• Deliver high quality results in line with the terms of reference agreed in advance and to do this in a way which maintains the reputation of CARE.
• Comply with CARE policies and practice with respect to PSEA, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Contribute to the responsibility of the security of all staff. Ensure the security, health and wellbeing of staff and contribute to staff management and other processes and policies and systems reflect CARE 's principles of equity and fairness.

Additional Responsibilities:

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out additional duties assigned by the Program Quality Lead within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Key Internal Contacts

• Program Quality unit colleagues: Gender Equality and Women’s Voice and Leadership Coordinator, SRHR Advisor, WEJ Advisor and MEAL Coordinator.
• Programs department colleagues: Program Development Lead, Program Implementation Lead and Program Managers, Partnerships Coordinator.

Qualification/Requirements:

Interested individual candidates should possess/be:

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in social science, Psychology, Gender studies, Human Rights, Social work or other related disciplines
  • Min of 3-5 years' relevant work experience in GBV/GP case management, PSS or related field in emergency set-up or recovery contexts.
  • Excellent understanding of protection/GBV issues in emergency situations and strong knowledge of humanitarian principles, guidelines and laws
  • Strong technical understanding of Protection and GBV in Emergencies as well as gender equality and GBV in recovery programming.
  • Ability to identify the case management and PSS gaps in the given context to inform a holistic response.
  • Proven experience in case management, PSS, IPA, PIMS, documentation and analysis of protection data
  • Experience of managing IPA, cash for protection activities is desirable
  • Skills and experience in social protection is an advantage
  • Experience in designing and facilitating training and capacity building, and coaching and mentoring skills.
  • Excellent attention to detail, organisational skills and discretion with confidential information.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, managing staff effectively and working in team.
  • Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling CARE’s values
  • Ability to work independently and proactively, manage a complex and diverse workload and to work to tight deadlines.
  • Knowledge of institutional donors and experience of developing proposals, and excellent report writing skills.
  • Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy.
  • Strong level of written and spoken English, proficiency in Ukrainian and/or Russian will be added value
  • Excellent computer skills, including experience of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Word).
  • The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
  • Demonstrated commitment to gender equality, empowerment of WROs/WLOs, and feminist principles.
  • Demonstrated commitment to creating an environment within CARE's workplaces, programming, and communities where CARE works that is free from sexual harassment, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and child abuse (SHEA-CA), including commitment to the principles of confidentiality, survivor-centred approach, and Do No Harm.
  • Commitment to the aims and principles of CARE, particularly concerning gender equity in emergency programmes.

Application and Accountability

A commitment to CARE values and CARE’s integrity framework is critical to working with CARE. Any candidate offered a job with CARE will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability:

• Comply with CARE’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behaviour protocols.
• Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within our programming area.
• Report any concerns about inappropriate behaviour of a CARE staff or partner.

Safeguarding

Children and vulnerable adults who come into contact with CARE as a result of our activities must be safeguarded to the maximum possible extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury, and any other harm. One of the ways that CARE shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.

Gender equality

CARE is committed to meeting the standards of the CARE International Gender Policy (2022). Through this policy, CARE seeks to promote the equal realization of dignity and human rights for girls, women, boys and men in all diversities, and the elimination of poverty and injustice. Specifically, this policy seeks to improve the explicit incorporation of gender in programmatic and organizational practices.

How to apply

Please submit your complete application in English to application@care.de with the email subject: “Protection Advisor – CARE Ukraine.”
Include:

• Motivation letter (briefly outlining your fit and availability)
• Updated CV/Resume

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; early submissions are encouraged. Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.