Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate and promote durable solutions for displacement affected populations.

DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, currently DRC employs over 800 staff in Ukraine and will continue significant scale-up in 2024 to implement emergency response in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (humanitarian mine action) sectors, using direct interventions, support to duty bearers and civil society organizations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue and adapt its durable solutions portfolio to the evolving context.

DRC is currently looking for a Partnership Officer – Governance for its activities in Mykolaiv.

This position will be line managed by the Partnership Team Leader.

About the job

DRC’s Partnership Officer – Governance, under the management of the Partnership Team Leader and the technical guidance of the Partnership Unit plays an important role in DRC Ukraine`s engagement and support to duty bearers in Ukraine. In DRC`s South Area Office (based in Mykolaiv), engagement and programming in partnership with regional and local government actors and communal enterprises are an increasing priority. Programming involves improving critical infrastructure as well as building capacity in areas of human resources, accountability and transparency, procurement, and other soft skills that contribute to efficient governance. The Partnership Officer – Governance will be a member of Mykolaiv`s partnership team and serve as the main focal point for duty bearers to ensure effective, compliant, and impactful partnerships aligned with organizational standards and strategies. Additionally, the Partnership Officer – Governance will support and ensure relevant capacity development to DRC`s duty bearer partners by conducting needs assessments and coordinating and providing capacity development support.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Design, implementation, and follow-up of projects

• Act as the focal point for communication with duty bearers, facilitating day-to-day interactions, and addressing immediate concerns or queries. Ensure expectations regarding joint projects, documentation, budgets, and timelines are clearly communicated with duty bearer focal points.
• Prepare MoUs and agreements with duty bearers, including any relevant annexes and templates to be used during the partnership. Ensure clear communication with duty bearer focal points regarding the terms of the agreements.
• Support the planning, oversight, and follow-up of projects implemented with duty bearers. Coordinate monitoring, conduct spot checks, and lead internal and external project management meetings including kick-off and close-out meetings.
• Coordinate internally with DRC colleagues to ensure clear roles and responsibilities and timely, high quality engagement with and support to duty bearers, in line with DRC practices for equitable partnerships.
• Prepare internal project management tools to track and monitor progress of duty bearer programming. Receive and coordinate the review and processing of any relevant project documentation or reporting related to the joint project implementation.
• Ensure documentation and tracking of the partnership and duty bearer projects is updated and stored in line with DRC procedures.
• Identify potential challenges, risks, or unclarities for joint programming and raise these the Partnerships Team Lead.

Capacity exchange and development

• Coordinate and/or conduct capacity needs assessment with duty bearer partners.
• Coordinate internal decision-making about which capacity needs DRC can and cannot support, and which areas are relevant for capacity exchange in close collaboration with the Partnerships Team Lead Mykolaiv and the Partnerships Specialist in Capacity Development (Kyiv).
• With support from the Partnership Specialist and using existing tools, prepare a capacity exchange and development plan for duty bearer partners, based on duty bearer needs and DRC`s value add, in close coordination with relevant technical focal points at DRC.
• Based on identified needs of duty bearers contribute to defining priorities for the development of DRC capacity development tools, approaches, and packages for duty bearers in Mykolaiv.
• In close coordination with the Partnerships Specialist Capacity Development, support DRC Mykolaiv technical teams (basic needs, EcRec, protection, and shelter) to develop and implement technical capacity development support for duty bearers in line with DRC`s capacity development approaches and methodologies through (for example), reviewing training and workshop plans, ensuring use of standardized templates, or advising on facilitation approaches.
• Support the Partnerships Specialist Capacity Development and relevant support teams in developing and implementing organizational capacity development support for duty bearers in Mykolaiv on topic such as accountability, procurement, financial management, HR processes etc.

Mapping and duty bearer engagement

• Support the Mykolaiv Partnerships Team Lead and the Localization and Partnership Coordinator to conduct and ensure up-to-date mapping of relevant duty bearers for DRC`s engagement in Mykolaiv.
• Remain up to date and informed of key duty bearers across various levels of government operating in locations and sectors that are relevant for DRC.
• Support outreach and engagement to duty bearers.

Organizational risk assessments and compliance

• Conduct relevant risk assessments such as red line assessments and vetting.
• Coordinate and conduct high quality and timely due diligence assessments with duty bearers, including review and consolidation of previously completed assessments.

About you

To be successful in the role of Partnership Officer – Governance, we expect you to have Bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, social sciences, finance, international development, or any other relevant field. Also we expect the following:

• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience working for local/regional government in Ukraine or a comparable position in an INGO
• Desired experience in good governance and capacity development for local/regional governments
• Desired experience in public procurement
• Desired experience in partnership management and support
• Desired experience in humanitarian project implementation and management
• Previous experience with DRC is an asset
• Strong understanding of government actors in Ukraine and their roles and structures, particularly for local and regional actors. Understanding and knowledge of duty bearers in the South of Ukraine is a particular asset.
• Strong understanding of Ukrainian legal system with regard to corporate governance
• Strong communication skills and the ability to promote collaboration as well as build and maintain relationships with partners.
• Effective problem solving skills
• Strong skills in using Microsoft Office applications (particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and Microsoft’s online tools (particularly Outlook, Microsoft Teams and SharePoint)
• Writing and editing skills for reports, proposals, and documentation for various audiences
• Ability to contribute to the production of technical materials such as training content, programme tools, and strategic documents
• Skills in monitoring and evaluating partnership programs, with an ability to contribute to learning and improvement processes
• Efficient time management with attention to deadlines
• Calm and diplomatic in nature.
• Advanced level of English.
• Fluency in Ukrainian language.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer:

Contract length: open ended contract after 3 month probation period.
Level: H – Non-Management
Designation of Duty Station: Mykolaiv – Full time based

Start date: As soon as possible.
Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for national staff.

Application process:

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages in English).

Applications are open until 18th November 2024

Applications sent by email will not be considered.

We reserve the right to conduct further interviews before the deadline for submission of applications.