Safeguarding Coordinator in Red Cross Ukraine

The National Committee of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) announces a competition for the position of Safeguarding Coordinator

The Ukrainian Red Cross Society is the largest humanitarian organization in Ukraine, which is one of the first to respond to all emergencies in the country and provide assistance to those who need it most.

Do you feel like you can make the world a better place? Join the Ukrainian Red Cross Society:

• The opportunity to do good: Help those who need it and feel inspired by contributing to a better world.
• New knowledge and skills: Take interesting trainings, become a volunteer or employee, and gain valuable experience for your life.
• Friends and like-minded people: Join a team of caring people who are always ready to help.
• Pride in your actions: Join and feel proud to be a hero!

This position is located in the Headquarters of the Society and is responsible for the coordination and technical advancement in enhancing Safeguarding capacities and practice. This role will report to the Head of Quality Control and Accountability till May 2025, then it will be transitioned to the Director General direct reporting and work closely together with the PGI Team, receiving Safeguarding technical guidance and support from the British Red Cross, in close coordination with other partner National Societies and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Safeguarding for the IFRC network refers to our responsibility in acting to: Keep people safe from any form of harm caused by the misuse of power by making sure that our staff, volunteers, programmes, and communications do no harm to children and adults, nor expose them to abuse or exploitation.

The Safeguarding Coordinator is appointed to strengthen policies, structures, systems and culture for prevention and response to sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) and Child Safeguarding.

Essential Tasks:

Coordination

• Identify national and local safeguarding/PSEA networks.
• Support National Society engagement with networks for knowledge-sharing, joint awareness raising, training and reaching out to local communities and specialist expertise.
• Lead and coordinate an internal network of Safeguarding focal points. 
• Engage with other National Society Safeguarding leads for peer exchange/learning e.g. through the Safeguarding Hub and Community of Practice in the IFRC network. 

Institutional

• Sensitise the Board, leadership and management on concepts and strategies for safeguarding.
• Lead the safeguarding organisational working group. 
• Facilitate assessment and analysis of progress against the baseline organisational safeguarding assessment and safeguarding / PSEA action plans.
• Support the designation of National Society focal points at Branch levels and deliver training for Branch focal points (train-the-trainer).
• Work together with NationalSociety focal points to implement Safeguarding/PSEA action plans.
• Support a collaborative approach to Safeguarding with HR, programmes and technical staff e.g. NSD, PGI, CEA and legal staff/focal points.
• Inform strengthening of procedures for safer and recruitment, and investigation and response through a survivor-centred approach.
• Establish referral procedures and pathways for child protection, sexual/ reproductive healthcare, counselling, justice and MHPSS, at a minimum.
• Maintain an updated list of networks / organisations for assistance to survivors for the purposes of referrals, signposting and collaboration.
• Work together with the committee responsible for managing investigation and response to safeguarding concerns to support the response to incidents and follow-up actions. 
• Access support from technical advisers e.g. on establishing policies, procedures, referral pathways, training for leadership and managers, and other areas requiring referral to specialist support.

Programmatic 

• Facilitate assessment of programmatic safeguarding risks to community members and identify practical actions to mitigate identified risks. 
• Adapt Safeguarding information, education and communication resources in consultation with volunteers, community leaders and vulnerable groups. 
• Ensure well-communicated channels for safe reporting and response to Safeguarding/PSEA concerns clearly integrated into reporting channels and specific community-based complaints mechanism. 
• Support monitoring and evaluation of Safeguarding activities e.g. as part of programme monitoring and evaluations.

Reporting

• Contribute to reporting on Safeguarding to senior management and donors, as required. 
• Prepare progress reports against Safeguarding action plans.
• Document and share case studies and good practices in Safeguarding/PSEA. 

Team member

• Actively participate in team meetings. 
• Support other team members. 
• Work and behave in accordance with all organizational policies and procedures. 
• Uphold the fundamental principles of the Red Cross and act with integrity.

Requirements

• Relevant university degree (gender studies, anthropology, sociology, psychology, communication, political science, international relations, law or human rights) or similar professional qualification. Post-graduate degree is an advantage.
• Experience in PSEA, child protection, gender and/or inclusion as part of design and/or delivery of humanitarian projects/services 
• Experience in organisational development and change
• Experience working in Ukraine
• Demonstrated professional experience in Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, or in an international organisation or NGO 
• Experience with community engagement approaches, direct support to survivors of violence, exploitation or abuse, or addressing the specific needs of marginalised groups at community level
• Demonstrated experience in applying humanitarian protection, gender, accessibility standards andguidelines and in setting up and managing accountability systems
• Experience coordinating complex projects with multiple stakeholders
• Experience in developing and implementing learning and capacity strengthening processes including in designing and developing training curricula
• Holds a holistic and intersectional approach to addressing issues of discrimination, violence and exclusion and understands the institutional requirements necessary to achieve sustainable humanitarian impact to prevent and respond appropriately
• Up-to-date knowledge of good practices in safeguarding, protection and/or gender issues 
• Ensuring inclusive practice and promoting diversity       
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and networking skills, able to build relationships with people at all levels of the organisation across multiple countries and cultures, both in person and remotely, to build commitment and support for Safeguarding
• Possesses a broad understanding of global humanitarian issues, and international – specifically safeguarding - humanitarian standards
• Solid written and verbal communication skills especially with rendering concepts accessible for a range of audiences
• Highly motivated, self-starter able to take initiative and lead a team or process      
• Fluently spoken and written English
• Fluent spoken and written Ukranian

The Ukrainian Red Cross Society offers:

• Interesting, diverse and multitasking work;
• Employment in accordance with the Labor Code;
• Timely payment of salary;
• A friendly and close-knit team of like-minded people;
• Participation in trainings and seminars in Ukraine and abroad.
• Unique experience in the largest public organization in Ukraine

We aim to create a safe and inclusive environment at URCS that will provide all employees and volunteers, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, or sexual orientation,  equal access to opportunities, protection of their dignity, and equal rights. 

We are an employer with equal opportunities for all employees, including people with disabilities. 

We do not discriminate in our recruitment and employment practices based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, or age. 

Sexual exploitation and abuse are prohibited in all forms. The organization implements a policy to prevent sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and abuse, including in the workplace.  

Location: Kyiv

If you are interested in this position, please send your CV and Cover letter in English only  to [email protected] 

Due to many requests, we contact candidates who fully meet the vacancy's requirements. Protection Coordinator