JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE:Protection – Community Services Specialist

LOCATION:Roving –Slovyansk & Severodonetsk in the Donbas Region, East Ukraine

RESPONSIBLE TO:Emergency Programme Coordinator (with technical support and guidance from the Humanitarian Programme Coordinator – Protection and the ADCAP Team based in London).

RESPONSIBLE FOR:No direct line management responsibility - Technical Support Lines to National Programme Staff.

RELATIONS W/H OTHERS:Mentoring and technical capacity development of senior national staff in Slovyansk and Severodonetsk Field Offices.

GRADE & SALARY:ISA£24,750 - £30,937

CONTRACT LENGTH:12 months fixed term contract (subject to on-going funding)

BACKGROUND:

HelpAge International (HAI) helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. HelpAge InternationalUkraine has been supporting an emergency response programme in east Ukrainesince late 2013 and more significantly from April/May 2014. The HAI Ukraine programme is managed through the Eurasia & Middle East Regional Office (EME) who provide direct support and additional support technical and management support is received through HAI London Headquarters.

HAI Ukraine and the Regional Office (EME) are working together to respond to the on-goingconflict in the Donbas Region (East Ukraine).The emergency support had initially focused on providing food and non-food-items and delivery of protection based services to the most vulnerable older people and those with a disability. HAI have and continue to support over 10,000 older people in providing essential relief services that also include home-based care services through Social Workers and their Community Volunteers. Other forms of relief support includes direct cash assistance, a more recent relief support, and the direct engagement of local NGOs, through the development of Community Based Initiatives (CBI) grants.

JOB PURPOSE:

The humanitarian protection/community services specialist is responsible to support the HelpAge International Ukraine field and management staff with technical advice, guidance and training for the implementation and development of the protection based programme activities and to ensure effective monitoring, referrals to local services and other humanitarian relief providers and with ad-hoc assistance and the protection mainstreaming in every project component.

The Protection Community Services Specialist will be based in one of the main HAI Ukraine field offices in either Slovyansk or Severodonetsk. Technical support and trainings will be provided equally in each of these locations, to ensure HAI is delivering effective protection based support services to reach the most vulnerable older people and those with disabilities.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Represent HelpAge in coordination and strategic meetings involving humanitarian stakeholders, in particular protection actors, UN agencies and the government at oblast level.
  • Provide guidance in the identification of selected protection concerns of OP and PwD as well as other interconnected vulnerable groups as per HelpAge mandate
  • Provide technical supervision on the work done by community volunteers and protection focal points as well as facilitating one –on-one interviews and focus group discussions with affected communities, local stakeholders and service providers in the field at oblasts level
  • Provide on-going training to the team on key protection concepts and methodologies
  • Assist protection focal points and social workers in identifying protection issues. Provide inputs to protection focal points and social workers with regard to beneficiaries support
  • Facilitate the work of the protection focal points and the social workers in promoting understanding and self-management of individuals challenges, increasing confidence and building resilience
  • Facilitate the work of the protection focal points and the social workers in supporting individuals to build and maintain social relationships and increase community participation
  • Attend and report on Protection coordination meeting and protection relevant workshop at oblasts level
  • Prepare regular reports detailing identified protection issues and community protection mechanisms

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

  • Master’s Degree in International Humanitarian Programme, Human Rights, Social Sciences and any related field
  • Good knowledge of Humanitarian Protection principles and guidelines and vulnerabilities identification tools;
  • Proven experience with Protection monitoring, protection Programming and Community Approach interventions
  • Understanding and experience in working on Local to Global Protection
  • Proven experience of collaborating with a range of external organizations – CBOs, CSOs, INGOs, Government institutions
  • Proven experience in coordination, facilitation and supervision of teams
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Ability to work in unstable and stressfulenvironments

Desirable

  • Previous work experience either in Ukraine or within other Countries in the Region in humanitarian response
  • Understanding of the issues facing older people in emergencies and in particular in conflict based contexts.
  • Local language skills in either Ukrainian or Russian.

Job Description: HelpAge International –Protection (Community Services Specialist) – Ukraine Page 1 of 2