Project Manager in Lumos Foundation Ukraine

ABOUT LUMOS

Lumos is an international children’s charity founded in 2005 by the author J.K. Rowling to promote every child’s right to a family by transforming care systems around the world. Our vision is for all children to grow up in safe and loving families.

Despite clear evidence of the harms of institutionalization, an estimated 5.4 million children worldwide continue to live in institutions. Separated from their families and communities, these children are deprived of the love, attention, and opportunities they need to thrive. Our three-pronged approach is to prevent family separation, to protect children and to promote care reform. We’ve made important progress in closing harmful institutions and reuniting children with their families. And where children are unable to live with their birth families, we promote alternative family-based care, such as kinship care and quality foster care. Thanks to our tireless efforts alongside many other champions of care reform, the harms of institutionalization are now more widely understood. A global movement is underway and the UN, the EU and some large development agencies have joined individual countries in pledging to change how they care for vulnerable children. We are committed to ensuring that global policy commitments are translated into local action, leading to sustainable change for vulnerable children.

Find out more about our work at www.wearelumos.org

BACKGROUND

Lumos has been working in Ukraine since 2013, supporting local and national authorities to transform care and child protection systems so that children can live at home with their families rather than in institutions. While the outbreak of violence interrupted our work in the Eastern regions in 2014, in 2016 we revitalized our work in Ukraine, supporting authorities with policy development and implementation of childcare and child protection reforms and development of inclusive education with a strong component of child and youth participation.

Following the start of war in February 2022, Lumos has pivoted to provide emergency aid to most vulnerable children and families in the Zhytomyr, Odesa, Sumi and Kharkov regions, including food, medicine, hygiene kits, fuel and psycho-social support. We’ve also trained specialists across the country in mental health and psychosocial support to vulnerable children and their families.

To secure a more targeted mission specific response and consistent technical assistance and expert advice to strategic governmental and non-governmental partners in care reform, Lumos was legally registered in Ukraine in 2023.

The Government of Ukraine in 2024 developed and approved the Inclusive Education Strategy and the Strategy Child Care reform. These papers were developed with contributions of the key international partners. Lumos provided technical expertise and guidance on both papers, leading on the development of the Inclusive Education Strategy.

Lumos long-term ambition is to accompany the Ukrainian authorities in the transformation of the childcare and child protection system, and within the development of the inclusive education system to ensure that children in Ukraine thrive in families. 

To ensure effective implementation of the project, Lumos will establish and operationalise an efficient MEAL system, communication and accountability of affected population, to collect and process data which enables Lumos to improve the ecosystem of information management, data quality and use, and strengthen knowledge sharing, accountability, and learning. For this purpose, Lumos is hiring a

Project Manager

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Ensure overall Project management: 
   1. Develop detailed implementation plan of project activities and milestones, together with partner and field team.
   2. Coordinate closely with the partner project manager and field teams to ensure overall implementation progress against plans.
   3. Manage, in close coordination with regional coordinators, day to day administrative and operations matters; 
   4. Coordinate regular meetings with the Project Team members to assess the implementation progress, identify, analyse, and overcome challenges and constraints, provide guidance and support;
   5. Conduct periodic field visits to implementation oblasts/localities to ensure efficient and timely implementation of the Project activities;
   6. Monitor project progress, expenditure and financial management, track key milestones, and manage project risks.

1. Staff Management
   1. Contribute to drafting terms of reference for consultants as needed and support recruitment of qualified national and international experts to fulfil roles;
   2. Lead, coordinate and supervise the project implementation team and evaluate their performance in delivering required outputs;
   3. Work closely with Safeguarding Designated Lead to ensure the compliance of the Project with Lumos Safeguarding Policy; 
   4. Work jointly with Security Focal Point to build and ensure team safety and security;
2. Representation
   1. Foster strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in the field including target communities, local authorities, national organisations, peer agencies and UN humanitarian clusters. 
   2. Identify and link to related ongoing activities within other national, international and UN agencies and encourage collaboration and synergies;
   3. Promote and advocate for the Project and represent Lumos as requested in relevant national working groups, platforms, seminars, meetings, etc.;
   4. Provide upstream policy advice to Lumos on areas related to the Project, as applicable.
3. Monitoring, Reporting and Compliance
   1. Together with MEAL Officer and other team members develop monitoring and evaluation framework;
   2. Ensure the monitoring plan is implemented and that data is collected and analysed to assess progress, outcomes, and impact;
   3. Ensure and be responsible for strict compliance with donor and Lumos administrative and financial rules and procedures;
   4. Develop and submit progress reports (against planned activities, indicators, outputs, outcomes) as needed, per internal and donor requirements;
   5. Share/disseminate knowledge and best practices in close collaboration with the MEAL Officer;
   6. Develop the Final Project Report (narrative and financial) in line with OCHA and Lumos requirements;
   7. Undertake other administrative tasks or any other duties related to the Project implementation, delegated by the Country Director.
4. Line Management 
   1. Project Manager will report directly to the Ukraine Country Director.
   2. Identify and ask to for/obtain any support and advice required for the management, planning and monitoring of the Project.

Qualification, experience, and competencies required

• Bachelor/Master’s degree in Management, Public Administration, Social Sciences, or related fields;
• A thorough understanding humanitarian context in Ukraine, including the context of IDPs and/or returnees protection and assistance and humanitarian cluster system;
• Good knowledge of the international humanitarian standards (including Child Protection in Emergencies), country child protection system, public authority system, childcare and children’s rights related systems and structures/bodies;
• At least 3 years of experience in managing projects and leading teams. The experience in managing humanitarian projects or working in a humanitarian context will be a significant asset;
• Ability to lead planning, coordination and implementation processes;
• Good understanding of monitoring and reporting processes
• Capacity to motivate teams in challenging contexts; establish priorities for self and other members of the team; schedule activities to ensure optimum use of time and resources;
• Ability to build and sustain effective partnerships. Experience in working with and contacts with key actors within Ukraine and internationally, when required;
• Capacity to display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Innovative, energetic, solution-orientated approach to work; strong drive for results;
• Ability to be open and adaptable to change and manage complexities; conflict and stress, and work as a mediator in crisis or antagonistic situations;
• Ability to travel in the field;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Ukrainian. Good command of English, both oral and written;
• Computer literate: Word, Excel, Internet, Outlook, PowerPoint.
• Must be a Ukrainian national.

Special Requirements

1. The Consultant has the responsibility to review and adhere to organisational policies of Lumos: 

• Safeguarding Policy;
• WhistleblowingPolicy;
• Data Protection Policy.

1. A breach of Lumos policies may result in termination of the consultancy agreement.

Values

Act in accordance with Lumos’ values:

• We embrace Collaboration;
• We strive for Excellence;
• We show Respect;
• We always Care;
• We are Passionate.

Safeguarding Statement

Lumos has a zero-tolerance approach towards all forms of bullying, harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse or any other form of maltreatment, whether towards children, adults at risk, colleagues or anyone else.  

Lumos recognises that the rights of safety and security are aligned with its core mission of ending institutionalisation.  Effective and robust safeguarding sit at the heart of our mission and values, and accordingly, Lumos is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of children and adults at risk in all of its work.  We expect all staff, associates and volunteers to share this commitment. 

Lumos is a member of the Inter Agency Misconduct Scheme and will carefully screen all applicants and any offers of employment are subject to checks and suitable references.  Lumos has a comprehensive safeguarding policy, including expectations for behaviour and conduct that must be followed at all times, as well as an expectation that staff and associates act in accordance with the   Rules for Sexual Conduct for Humanitarian Workers.  Additionally, Lumos also invests in ensuring accessible reporting and feedback and complaints mechanisms for children, adults at risk and partners to monitor the appropriateness and effectiveness of Lumos work.  Lone working with children and adults at risk is not permitted without prior approval and risk assessment.  Staff and associates will be required to sign the safeguarding policy, complete a self-declaration and will be provided with a comprehensive safeguarding induction to understanding of Lumos policies and how to implement them in our work.

EDI Statement 

Lumos is wholly committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and against all forms of discrimination.   We are committed to creating and sustaining a positive working environment that encourages, supports and gives a voice to all, so that we can best support the children we serve.  We must ensure that all staff are equally valued, included, empowered, and respected across the organisation and in everything we do.  Lumos is fundamentally built on diverse, multi-national and multi-cultural teams.   This is something we cherish as a key strength and an integral part of our identity.  Our organisation values and celebrates the diversity, culture, and experience of each member of staff, provides equality of care and support to everyone.  

We pledge to listen carefully, to educate ourselves continually, to promote an open dialogue and toseek out and deal with discrimination and prejudice wherever it occurs in Lumos.