Head of Gender & Protection Unit – Lviv (International Position)

Head of Gender & Protection Unit – Lviv

Location: Lviv with extensive travel to field locations (from 40 to 60% of the time)

Reporting line manager: Deputy CD – Program Implementation

Duration:12 months renewable

Conditions: Employment contract, gross monthly salary 6,400 €, including r isk allowance of €300/month (low risks areas), medical insurance and repatriation insurance and accommodation provided. Visa fees covered. Contribution to the luggage transportation up to €250. R&R (7 days) every 12 weeks with an allowance of €1,000. Annual leave of 25 days per fiscal year.

CARE INTERNATIONAL

CARE International (CI) is among the world’s largest International Non-Governmental Humanitarian Relief and Development Confederations. Drawing on more than 75 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 center 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, Russia’s 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 controlled by Russian forces as well as cities under siege. Aerial attacks on military installations and critical civilian infrastructure are conducted throughout 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 6.24 million displaced within Ukraine and 7.68 million refugees having fled to neighboring countries. By October 26, OCHA had counted 17.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

During the winter 2022 -2023, anticipated to be the worst in decades, at least one-third of the country’s energy infrastructure is damaged, leaving millions without heating and access to water. In October, the Russian Federation claimed to have annexed four Ukrainian oblasts, further increasing the challenge of access to these areas. In addition to preparing the population for the approaching winter, an ongoing priority for the international humanitarian response is to secure access to recently liberated and recaptured areas in the East and to provide aid to previously unreachable and particularly hard-hit areas of Ukraine.

CARE UKRAINE

As a new actor in Ukraine, CARE prioritizes a locally led response and is partnering primarily with Civil-Society Organizations (CSOs), National NGOs, local authorities and, INGOs 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), in line with CARE’s 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.

As of November 2022, CARE Ukraine has established partnerships with twelve local/national organizations (including four WLO’s/WRO’s) and five international NGOs. From the more than 28 million that has been raised for Ukraine to date, more than half is allocated to local/national partners. Through the activities that have been implemented so far, CARE Ukraine has been able to reach 550,030 people, including IDPs and affected populations in hard-to-reach areas.

While CARE Ukraine’s office is currently located in Lviv, we are continuously working on strategically expanding CARE’s presence and have recently opened an office in Kyiv, as well as field offices in Dnipro and Odessa, so covering both the East and South of the country.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ROLE

Under the supervision of the DCD Program Implementation in Lviv, the Head of Gender & Protection Unit will lead the development of the country program strategy on Gender & Protection and ensure its timely implementation. The position ensures that programs are designed in accordance with the Gender & Protection approach defined in the country strategy and with CARE’s values. S/he will provide guidance and overall technical support on Gender & Protection, enhancing CARE’s Ukraine Response capacity and quality in the areas of Gender in Emergencies (GiE); Women Lead in Emergencies (WLiE); Protection; and SRH. The position is responsible for ensuring the quality of programs in relation to Gender & Protection, providing technical capacity building of partners, and supporting the leadership and participation of CSOs, WROs and WLOs. They will manage the country-level Gender & Protection Unit and will be expected to mentor and build the capacity of all CARE and partner programming staff. The role will manage a Unit of four Advisers (GiE Adviser, WLiE Adviser, Protection Adviser and SRH Adviser), who in turn will manage their own teams.

The main responsibilities include:

Strategic design and delivery

• Provide strategic vision, guidance, and supervision of the Ukraine Gender & Protection portfolio, including GiE; WLiE; Protection/GBV; and SRH;
• Contribute to the development, maintenance and review of strategy and strategic vision for CARE Ukraine, coordinating Gender & Protection Unit technical input and ensuring that associated approaches are central and prioritised;
• Ensure the development of standardized programs and sector log-frames aligned with the Gender & Protection approach outlined in the strategy;
• Analyse national context and identify key opportunities to advance CARE’s gender equality framework and Gender & Protection approach at national and oblast level;
• Work closely with the MEAL team on Rapid Gender Analysis, needs assessments, and program analysis to support strategy review and planning processes;
• Work with Gender & Protection Unit staff to use CARE’s Gender Marker and ensure all projects are gender sensitive at a minimum, and gender-transformative where possible, by supporting partners and the project team through technical assistance, mentoring, training, cross-partner learning and sharing.

Program Development and Quality

• Support technical Gender & Protection Unit staff to provide input into proposals and proactively and regularly communicate planned requirements for program design and implementation to relevant departments/functions;
• Coordinate Gender & Protection Unit staff to oversee project implementation to ensure timely delivery of project activities (for example, monitoring against log frames, individual performance management work plans);
• Ensure compliance with CARE and donor standards in implementation and management of Gender & Protection programming;
• Work closely with the MEAL team to finalise assessments, research and development of customized training and reporting tools relating to Gender & Protection;
• Assist the MEAL team in the selection of appropriate indicators and tools for monitoring Gender & Protection outcomes;
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of all project-related reports in the Gender & Protection Unit, especially monthly, quarterly, and annual narrative reports. Provide substantive inputs to the preparation of donor reports;
• Identify new trends and opportunities in order to adapt technical approaches and projects, and provide support and close monitoring to test new/adapted project models/approaches;
• Work with the Gender & Protection Unit and other technical sectors to identify and document projects’ learning and success cases and disseminate learning on the humanitarian response;

External Representation and Networking

• Support in establishing, maintaining, and improving active and regular working relationships with partner agencies, including humanitarian and development donors, and local and international NGOs;
• Manage the co-chairing of the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) group with relevant UN Agencies and national organisations, including co-leadership and participation in relevant task forces;
• Coordinate Gender & Protection Unit participation in relevant Clusters and working groups, including integration of Gender & Protection approaches into wider technical sectors;
• Support technical Gender & Protection Unit staff to develop relevant SOPs, guidelines, training modules, briefs etc. in their thematic areas to be shared within the sector;
• Liaise with relevant national ministries, oblast government departments and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate support for Gender & Protection approaches;
• Participate in global CARE Gender & Protection working groups/communities of practice to contribute to and learn from the organisation’s global best practices and standard setting;
• Provide CARE’s Communication and Advocacy department with information to profile CARE’s Gender & Protection approach;
• Respect CARE’s values in cluster, field visits or in any relevant external events.

Partnership Building

• Build strong partnerships with local and national gender, youth, and disability stakeholders (experts, practitioners, organizations, and government entities);
• Support WLiE partnership modality by ensuring WRO, WLO and CSO participation in the design and implementation of project plans;
• Ensure strong technical support on Gender & Protection to partner organizations across CARE’s programming;
• Advise on the continual capacity building and mentoring processes to support partner staff in gaining key skills and experience required for Gender & Protection programming;
• Build strategic partnerships with institutions and policy makers to identify possible areas of cooperation, especially contributions to Gender & Protection programming at the national and oblast levels.

Team management

• Ensure that the different technical sectors of the Gender & Protection Unit (GiE, WLiE, Protection, SRH) are coordinated, integrated and support each other to optimize programs and projects;
• Ensure that CARE’s wider technical sectors (WASH, Shelter, Food Security & Livelihoods) are integrating Gender & Protection approaches;
• Monitor the recruitment, onboarding and training of Gender & Protection Unit staff and Gender & Protection Officers in the field offices to ensure core functions are filled;
• Identify learning and training opportunities for Gender & Protection Unit staff and Gender & Protection Officers in the field offices, and work as a mentor and role model for less experienced staff;
• Ensure staff understand and implement best practice/project models/approaches relating to Gender & Protection;
• Manage the performance of direct reports using CARE performance management policies and procedures as well as through appropriate coaching, mentoring, training and development.

General

• Deliver high quality results in line with the job description agreed in advance – 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.
• Help be responsible for the security of all staff. Ensure that the security, health and wellbeing of staff are ensured and staff management and other processes and policies and systems reflect CARE ‘s principles of equity and fairness.

Additional job responsibilities

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

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

The post holder should be able to demonstrate the following attributes:

• University degree in Gender Equality, Protection or a related subject, or equivalent field experience.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in managing humanitarian programme with international NGOs in complex and conflict-affected contexts.
• Minimum of 5 years of prior experience working in humanitarian emergency, conflict, post-conflict, or post-disaster settings AND in implementing protection programs, particularly Gender Equality, Protection or related areas.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in people management and leadership.
• Strong and recent knowledge of Ukraine humanitarian context, including experience of working with Ukrainian CSOs.
• Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach staff and partners in technical skills, knowledge and theory relating to Gender Equality, GBV, Protection or related areas.
• Experience developing technical guidance in line with humanitarian, protection, gender, and social inclusion principles and international standards, especially in the areas of Gender Equality, GBV, and Protection.
• Experience of representation and ability to represent CARE effectively in external forums, including advocacy and networking with duty bearers (negotiation and influence skills).
• Experience of managing successful funding proposals for donors.
• Experience of working collaboratively with partners to support their leadership, especially WROs and WLOs.
• Experience of, and commitment to, working through systems of community participation and accountability.
• Experience working with individuals/groups at risk or victims of abuse, exploitation, and violence.
• Demonstrated commitment to the aims and principles of CARE, particularly concerning gender equity in emergency programmes.
• Demonstrated commitment to creating an environment within CARE’s workplaces, programming, and communities where CARE works that is free from sexual harassment, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation and child abuse (SHEA-CA).
• Commitment to the principles of confidentiality, survivor-centered approach, and Do No Harm principle.
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy.
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation, and coaching.
• Excellent level of written and spoken English.
• Proficiency in Ukrainian and or Relevant regional language would be an asset.

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 the 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 CARE 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 (2019). 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 send your complete application package (CV, motivation letter, references) only in English to Jo Fox at [email protected], no later than 21 March 2023, with Head of Gender & Protection Unit LVIV as the subject title of your email. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Women candidates and candidate with disability are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. References will only be contacted after the interview.