Protection Officer (Legal Aid)

Contract

This is a DRC - National contract. More about DRC - National contracts.

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 250 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 Protection Officer (Legal Aid) for its activities in Lviv. This position will report to the Legal Aid Team Leader.

Overall purpose of the role:

• Under the supervision of the Legal Aid Team Leader, the Protection officer (Legal aid) will oversee the quality implementation of legal aid activities in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivska and Volynska oblast.
• Deliver high quality legal aid services to the beneficiaries;
• Contribute towards enhancing DRC’s capacity to carry on evidence based advocacy;
• Contribute towards implementation of high-quality mobile outreach program and awareness raising program;
• Ensure the quality of the planning, implementation and follow up of all technical aspects of the sector activities being implemented by DRC;
• Develop and maintain good relations with the persons of concern, relevant stakeholders and other humanitarian actors, to support adequate implementation and coordination of DRC’s sector activities.

Main responsibilities:

Programming & Operations:

• Provide high quality one-on-one legal counseling to IDPs and conflict-affected population on their legal rights and remedies in the displacement context;

• Organize and facilitate community-level group awareness-raising programs on recent legal developments addressing the information and legal needs of IDPs and conflict-affected;

• Ensure efficient and effective program implementation while following the budget and work plan;
• Participate in preparing monthly/quarterly/annual highlights/reports and proposals and budgets for donors;
• Support conducting DRC internal Partner Assessment Procedures;
• Cotribute to cooperation with the implementing partners during project implementation, database running, monthly reporting on project activities;
• Participate in coaching and capacity building of the implementing partners;
• Contribute contextual and needs analysis as well as recommendations/feedback relevant to developing new programmatic avenues and innovative approaches;
• Participate in analyzing legal issues for drafting information materials, advocacy letters, briefing notes;
• Assist in conducting legal and protection assessments as part of DRC field office staff;
• Facilitate and following up incoming and outgoing protection referral cases;
• Facilitate IDPs and conflict-affected population in receiving information on shelter/asylum, restoring civil documentation, identification documents and other documents relevant to IDPs protection of rights;
• Provide administrative and other para-legal assistance to enable IDP and conflict-affected population to access welfare benefits, livelihood opportunities and government and non-government benefits and privileges,
• Provide in-court representation where necessary;
• Any other functions to be assigned by the Protection Team leader;
• Comply with all relevant DRC policies and procedures;
• Understand, and ensure the observance of the DRC Code of Conduct.
• Coordination and representation
• Collaborate with relevant internal and external technical experts on sector relevant issues;
• Represent DRC at meetings and other relevant technical coordination meetings;
• Ensure integration with other DRC sectors;
• Advocacy for the rights of displaced people in their context of displacement, child protection initiatives, individual protection assistance based on vulnerability, legal aid, land & property rights, sexual and gender-based violence prevention, registration services for the internally displaced and conflict affected people, monitoring of rights and rights awareness-raising, facilitation of return and repatriation processes.
• Logistics/Finance
• Support the monitoring of financial commitments and expenditures against budgets and provide timely feedback on budget follow-up;
• Plan and coordinate proactively logistics and movements of staff from and to different operational areas;
• Initiate procurements and ensure their execution;
• Ensure distribution plans are prepared and shared with logistics in a timely manner.

Required experience and competencies:

• Relevant university degree (Law) or equivalent professional qualification;
• Minimum 2 years of professional experience in the field of humanitarian interventions, social sciences, human rights or community development;
• Strong understanding of Ukrainian legislation system;
• Strong understanding of protection issues, including child protection and gender-based violence;
• Comfortable in speaking about sensitive topics and working with people in distress;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships, facilitate discussions, and negotiate effectively;
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and manage time effectively;
• Ability to use in Microsoft packages, including Powerpoint and Teams is desirable;
• Full professional proficiency in Russian and Ukrainian;
• Conversational written and spoken English is strongly preferred but not mandatory.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer: Contract length: 12 months, with a 3-months probation period Level: H2 Designation of Duty Station: Lviv Start date: As soon as possible. Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment.

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: 22nd of December 2023

We reserve the right to conduct further interviews before the dealine for submission of applications.