Project Officer

Since February 2022, the large-scale invasion by the Russian Federation has triggered one of the most severe humanitarian and protection crises worldwide in Ukraine. Beyond the devastating military consequences and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, the population faces dramatic challenges: millions of internally and externally displaced people, widespread food insecurity, risks linked to contamination from unexploded ordnance, limited access to essential services – particularly protection, health, WASH, and education – as well as a worsening mental health situation and a decline in social cohesion. In 2025, an estimated 12.7 million people will be in need of humanitarian assistance, with a disproportionate impact on women, children, persons with disabilities, and communities living in eastern and border regions.

The project will focus specifically on Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts, areas heavily affected by attacks and characterized by multiple vulnerabilities, where the conflict has exacerbated barriers to basic services, triggered massive displacement, and drastically reduced livelihood opportunities. The proposed interventions aim to strengthen the protection of the most vulnerable populations, ensure psychosocial and mental health support (MHPSS), improve access to essential services (including health, WASH, and education), and support community resilience through livelihood activities, legal assistance, and the promotion of safe spaces for women, children, and persons with disabilities.

UPP is looking for a Project Officer able to:

• Support the implementation of project activities as outlined in the project documents, with a particular focus on the intervention budget and activity timeline.
• Ensure proper project administration in coordination with the administrative office in Rome.
• Oversee on-site planning, implementation, and monitoring of project activities, ensuring compliance with UPP procedures and donor guidelines.
• Maintain regular coordination with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and contribute to the development of strategies for the expansion and strengthening of ongoing projects.
• Draft regular technical reports on project progress, administrative management, and impact assessment, in line with UPP tools and donor guidelines, and prepare financial reports with the support of the Rome administrative office.
• Ensure the implementation of project visibility and communication actions, liaising with the UPP communication office in Rome and donor structures in the field.
• Work in synergy with other Project Managers in the implementation of programs and projects.
• Participate in working groups and coordination structures.

Required Skills/Experience:

• University degree.
• At least 2 years of experience with roles of responsibility in international cooperation projects.
• Excellent knowledge of the project cycle management.
• Knowledge of the guidelines of major institutional donors (MAECI, EU, ECHO, UN, etc.).
• Excellent knowledge of Italian and English.
• Excellent IT skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Experience in the administrative and financial management of projects.