Protection Coordinator (Women’s Protection and Empowerment)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future. 1. Job Overview The IRC Ukraine is hiring for a WPE Coordinator to oversee and manage a complex, mulit-donor, multi-year Women’s Protection and Empowerment program that provides gender-based violence response services and prevention interventions across hrmodas of Ukraine. IRC is working across the arc of crisis, from acute emergency to protracted crisis. The WPE Coordinator is responsible for providing synergy and quality across programs and understanding how to build out GBV response and prevention programs that address the dynamic needs of women/girls and all populations at risk of GBV, give power to women’s organizations, coordinate and strengthen government systems, equip the WPS agenda, and provide supportive supervision to WPE colleagues so they can effectively deliver services on the frontlines. The WPE Coordinator ensures timely, quality technical expertise and provides strategic leadership across the entire project management cycle—from design and planning to implementation, monitoring, budgeting, and evaluation, based on input from clients, colleagues, and partners. Additionally, the WPE Coordinator will play a critical role in setting the overall programmatic direction, strategy development, donor and external engagement, as well as program and project design. The WPE Coordinator will be responsible for shaping the WPE portfolio to ensure alignment with IRC’s global and regional strategies, shifting power to women-led and GBV response organizations, and meeting donor expectations. To shape the portfolio and meet the holistic needs of survivors, WPE Coordinator is responsible for ensuring integrated programming across different sectors of IRC’s operations in Ukraine. The WPE Coordinator will work closely with other sectors such as Child Protection, Protection Rule of Law, Economic Recovery and Development, and Health to develop multi-sectoral interventions that enhance the overall effectiveness and impact of WPE activities, ensuring synergy and cohesion across programs. The WPE Coordinator will report to the Deputy Director of Programs and will be based in Kyiv , with regular travel to other program areas as required for program quality, and supportive supervision/capacity building of WPE teams and colleagues who are part of the GBV referral pathway (ie: health). Primary Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership and Program Management: Lead the management of a complex, multi-donor, multi-year WPE portfolio that includes GBV case management, level 1-3 psychosocial support, and WPE prevention & risk reduction activities. Ensure the effective delivery of these programs through IRC and partner organizations by: · Understanding the needs of diverse women and girls · Receiving feedback from WPE staff, partners, MEAL on learning from what is working and what needs improvement · Setting clear objectives and priorities for the WPE portfolio in alignment with IRC’s global,regional, and country based strategies. · Coordinating and integrating WPE activities across various sectors to enhance program synergies and effectiveness. · Developing comprehensive programmatic frameworks that guide the implementation of WPE initiatives, ensuring they meet the diverse needs of populations affected by crisis. · Supporting MEAL team in establishing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess program impact, gather insights, and inform decision-making. · Engaging with donors and stakeholders to secure funding, provide program updates, and demonstrate accountability while aligning with their expectations and requirements. · Understanding and facilitating capacity-building opportunities for staff and partners to enhance the quality and sustainability of WPE interventions. · Regularly reviewing and adapting program strategies in response to evolving needs, contexts, and best practices in WPE. Technical Quality Assurance Uphold the highest standards of technical quality throughout all stages of the project management cycle, from design and planning to implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, by: · Developing and implementing robust project designs that are evidence-based, contextually relevant, and aligned with best practices in WPE. · Facilitating participatory planning processes that involve key stakeholders, including affected communities, and community members, to ensure interventions are responsive to their needs. · In collaboration with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team, establishing clear performance indicators and outcomes for all WPE activities, ensuring they align with IRC’s standards, GBV Minimum Standards, and donor expectations. · Providing ongoing technical support and strategic guidance to field teams to enhance the quality of program implementation, addressing challenges as they arise. · Conducting regular field visits to monitor program delivery, gather feedback, and identify opportunities for improvement in service provision. · Understand gaps and create plans for on-goingmentoring & capacity-building initiatives for staff and partners in areas around GBV response and prevention for improved outcomes for women and girls. · Collect, compile, and revise internal and external reports for the WPE sector, ensuring timely submission to donors. Collaborate with the Grants Team to ensure the quality of external reports, maintaining consistency and accuracy in messaging to effectively communicate IRC’s impact and outcomes in WPE initiatives. · Analyzing data and feedback collected during monitoring and evaluation processes to inform adaptive management, facilitating timely adjustments to strategies and interventions. · Documenting lessons learned and best practices from program implementation, sharing insights across the organization to foster continuous learning and improvement in WPE programming. Program Development, Proposal Design and Integrated Programming: Take a lead role in program development, project design, budgeting, and proposal writing to secure funding and support for WPE initiatives by: · Collaborating with key stakeholders, including field staff, technical teams, and partners, to identify emerging needs and opportunities for WPE programming that align with IRC's strategic goals. · Leading the design of innovative and evidence-based project proposals that address the specific needs of affected populations, ensuring alignment with IRC’s global and regional strategies as well as donor priorities. · Conducting comprehensive analyses of the WPE landscape in Ukraine, including risk assessments and stakeholder mapping, to inform project design and ensure relevance to the local context. · Ensuring that proposals incorporate robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks, clearly outlining how success will be measured and reported in line with donor expectations. · Develop/Create, track, and monitor budgets and spending, ensuring donor and ethical compliance. · Fostering collaboration across different sectors of IRC’s operations in Ukraine by actively engaging with sector leads to develop multi-sectoral interventions that enhance the effectiveness and impact of WPE activities. · Promoting synergy across programs by integrating WPE considerations into broader humanitarian efforts, ensuring that interventions are holistic and address the multifaceted challenges faced by vulnerable individuals and communities. · Building strong relationships with donors, participating in funding discussions, and presenting programmatic needs and achievements to secure support for WPE initiatives. · Writing, reviewing and refining proposal drafts, ensuring clarity, coherence, and adherence to IRC’s quality standards, GBV Minimum standards, and donor guidelines before submission. Coordination, Stakeholder Engagement, and Advocacy: · Represent, engage, and at times lead in national forums women rights, GBV response and prevention, enhancing visibility, services and support for women and girls. · Establish and maintain effective relationships with national authorities, NGOs, and international agencies to foster collaboration and enhance coordination on WPE efforts. · Facilitate joint initiatives and information-sharing among stakeholders to develop coordinated strategies that address WPE challenges and maximize program impact. · Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, government actors, UN agencies, and international and local NGOs/partners. · Ensure national-level concerns and challenges are communicated to relevant stakeholders to advocate for standards and procedures that enhance coordination in WPE programming. Partnerships: Build out a networking plan to bring WLOs and women rights organizations together to learn from each other in GBV response and prevention across the arc of crisis: acute to protrated Work with partnerships coordinator and WPE TA on shifting WPE programs from direct implementation to feminist partnerships, with an initial focus on core GBV response services. Identify and develop partnerships with local and international implementing partners to enhance WPE services in Ukraine, ensuring alignment with IRC’s PEERS standards for equal and effective partnerships to create sustainable and impactful programs addressing the unique needs of clients Conduct stakeholder mapping and analysis to identify key actors in the WPE sector, including government agencies, NGOs, community organizations, and private sector stakeholders, clarifying roles, responsibilities, and opportunities for collaboration, ensuring a coordinated response to WPE challenges. Strengthen partnerships with relevant national and local organizations, including child welfare agencies and community-based groups, to foster a coordinated response to challenges women and girls face, enhancing the effectiveness and reach of IRC’s WPE initiatives, ensuring at risk clients receive comprehensive support. Engage in continuous dialogue with partners to share best practices, resources, and lessons learned, fostering an environment of mutual learning and collaboration to improve the quality of WPE services and promote innovative solutions tailored to the specific context of Ukraine. Staff Supervision & Development Maintain open and professional relationships with team members, fostering a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to excel in their roles. Provide technical guidance, on-the-job mentoring, and coaching for team members, including people/technical managers, to enhance their leadership and programmatic skills. Collaborate with HR and central/field coordinators/manaegers to assist in the recruitment of WPE staff, ensuring the team is equipped with the necessary skills and experience. Facilitate training and continuous capacity-building opportunities for staff, emphasizing both technical and project management skills to empower them in their roles and enhance overall program effectiveness. Spend time in field locations to train, mentor, and support field teams. Empower WPE staff and partners to take ownership of WPE programming, ensuring the quality of field-level implementation while maintaining adherence to GBV Minimum Standards. Work closely with the HR department to implement effective performance management systems, ensuring that staff performance aligns with organizational goals. Participate in regular performance appraisal processes, provide input on staff evaluations, and collaborate on developing strategies for staff development, promotion, and retention. Be a leaders in and foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue, and reflection at team level to strengthen safeguarding, wellbeing and duty of care, and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies. Model accountability and commitment to safeguarding all staff, partners, clients and others the IRC works with to build a culture of prevention of safeguarding violations in our workplace and our programs. KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS Position reports to: Deputy Director of Programs Supervises/Direct reporting: WPE Senior Manager, WPE National Support Officer, and WPE MEAL Officer Other internal contacts: Protection and Rule of Law (PRoL) Coordinator, Child Protection (CP) Coordinator, other Technical Coordinators (including Health, Economic Recovery and Development, MEAL, Grants, Gender and Protection Mainstreaming Specialist, Partnerships), WPE Technical Advisor, Field Coordinators Requirements The WPE Coordinator will need to meet the requirements below: MA/S or equivalent in health (MPH), social science, social work, humanities, or other related degree At least 5 years of experience, including substantial management experience in VAWG/GBV programming and at least 2 years’ experience in direct service provision for survivors of gender-based violence (ie: survivors of sexual violence or intimate partner violence), ideally with experience in frontline settings as well. Demonstrated knowledge and implementation of the GBV Minimum Standards: including response, prevention, and risk reduction Demonstrated feminist, inclusive leadership; supportive supervision practices; collaboration with partners in a way the shifts power to local organizations. Demonstrated experience in capacity building and mentoring of teams Demonstrated experience in grant management including budgets and proposal writing Excellent computer skills in programs such as: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint Capable of applying skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including direct implementation, advisory functions, training and the transfer of technical knowledge and management skills to others - Personal qualities: Team player, flexible, network-builder, able to handle pressure well Familiarity with key donor regulations, i.e., ECHO, GFFO and BMZ, SIDA, OCHA Experience in working with and coordinating with the UN, donors, INGOs and other stakeholders Fluent in spoken and written English and Ukrainian This position will be based in: Kyiv, with regular travel to other locations as necessary. WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION This role requires full-time work in the office or hybrid type of work is possible after probation period Applicants must have a home or alternate workspace so they can effectively complete their work during regularly scheduled work hours. Travel to other locations is needed up to 30% of time Exempt from overtime Sometimes work on weekends may be required Work in the matrix organization Fast pace of working, multitasking and stressful work The organization cares about staff and provides flexible working options (start early-finish early, start later-finish later, remote work) Staff can ask for accommodation in the workplace. Specific requests can be discussed with HR. IRC employees are eligible to the following benefits: Competitive salary Purposeful job and development opportunities English classes and unlimited online training courses Life Insurance Medical insurance for staff and family members Free psychological support to employees and their family members 30 calendar days of annual vacation with flexibility beyond the legally set minimum requirements Up to 10 days of paid medical leave Professional Standards: All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct . Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding , Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients. Cookies: #LI-1