Peacebuilding Specialist

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate and promote durable solutions for displacement affected populations.

DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, currently DRC employs over 700 staff in Ukraine and will continue significant scale-up in 2024 to implement emergency response in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (humanitarian mine action) sectors, using direct interventions, support to duty bearers and civil society organizations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue and adapt its durable solutions portfolio to the evolving context. 

DRC is currently looking for a  Peacebuilding Specialist for its activities in Kyiv.   

About the role:

DRC’s approach to peacebuilding in the Ukraine context does not consist of engaging in interstate peace negotiations but instead intends to promote conflict resolution structures, peaceful behaviour and living conditions within communities in Ukraine on different levels.​ DRC is also planning to mainstream conflict sensitivity across its mission in Ukraine. Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP) department is seeking a dynamic person to fill the role of Peacebuilding Specialist for its Ukraine programme. The Specialist will support the development and implementation of activities promoting peace and social cohesion, conduct peacebuilding-relevant research and support the development of conflict analysis and roll out of conflict sensitivity assessments in DRC.The Specialist will also provide input into proposals and reports for peacebuilding projects and support with monitoring and evaluation.

The role is also expected to support and advise relevant staff based in Area Offices (requiring travel to field locations, e.g. Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Mykolaiv).

Your main responsibilities will be: 

Conflict Analysis and Conflict Sensitivity

• Support the development of conflict analysis and the operationalization of its results;
• Support the planning, design and implementation of conflict sensitivity assessments across the mission. Based on the results of the assessments, provide recommendations to DRC teams to mainstream conflict sensitivity in their activities;
• Support the design of peacebuilding, conflict management/resolution and conflict sensitivity trainings and workshops for DRC staff across the mission, partners and other relevant external actors.

Programme Development

• Provide recommendations for peacebuilding programming to HDP management informed by conflict analysis;
• Working closely with the HDP Program Manager, the Head of HDP and other DRC sectors, provide input into the development of the Peacebuilding Strategy;
• Monitor sector trends and practices from the broader peacebuilding, social cohesion and dialogue/mediation communities;
• Provide quality peacebuilding inputs into proposals, in coordination with other DRC sector leads, other HDP Specialists and HDP Program Manager;
• Working closely with DRC Partnership team, support the mapping of local, regional and national peacebuilding actors whose vision, mission and values align with DRC and hold potential for partnerships;
• Support the development and implementation of assessments, studies, reviews and evaluations in close coordination with HDP and other sector leads.

Project Management

• Coordinate the implementation of peacebuilding initiatives; collaborate with project teams and partners to ensure timely and effective delivery of project outputs;
• Work closely with the HDP team and the program MEAL/ Information Management staff to carry out monitoring, and to ensure credible, best-practice monitoring and reporting of program activities;
• Support HDP Program Manager with monitoring of financial commitments and expenditures of peacebuilding projects against budgets and provide timely feedback on budget follow-up.

Other

• Ensure adherence to DRC’s Age, Gender, and Diversity policy and AGD programmatic minimum standards.
• Ensure compliance with zero-tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy.
• Perform other relevant tasks as requested by and in discussion with the Head of Programme.

About you:

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 3 years of work experience in peacebuilding, social cohesion, conflict analysis, conflict management programming and university degree in political science, international development, peace and conflict studies or other relevant field.

Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required

• Demonstrated commitment to apply an age, gender and diversity (AGD) and conflict sensitive approach to programming.
• Experience working in the NGO sector.
• Innovative and creative thinking with strong analytical and reporting skills
• Political and cultural sensitivity, as well as a diplomatic, tactful, and flexible interpersonal style.
• Ability to set priorities and to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent skills in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Fluency in Ukrainian, full professional proficiency in English.

Desirable

• Experience in capacity building and training of staff in social cohesion and peacebuilding programming, and or conflict management, mediation, and dialogue facilitation.
• Experience working with national partners in social cohesion initiatives.
• Practical trainings or courses in peacebuilding, conflict management, mediation and dialogue facilitation.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies: 

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

• Contract length: after three months of probation period an open ended contract
• Band: G non-management
• Designation of Duty Station: Kyiv
• Start date: September 2024

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Employees.

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. 

Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: August 7th, 2024