Protection Specialist (Gender Based Violence and Psychosocial Support 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 800 staff in Ukraine and implements 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 highly qualified Protection Specialist (Gender Based Violence and Psychosocial Specialist) to join our team in Dnipro. 

About the job

The Protection Specialist (Gender Based Violence and Psychosocial Support Specialist) will be an integral part of DRC’s program team, supporting protection partners implementing gender-based violence (GBV) and psychosocial support (PSS) activities. The role will support partners through monitoring visits, capacity building and tracking of programme activities and budget to ensure quality implementation of protection activities.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

• Support the development of capacity development plans for partner organizations implementing GBV and PSS activities.  
• In collaboration with the Protection Manager and Protection Technical team, provide capacity building, including training and coaching, for partner staff implementing GBV and PSS activities.  
• Collaborate with the Protection Technical team to do national level technical trainings for all of DRC partners based on needs identified.  
• In collaboration with the Protection Manager and Protection Technical team, support the partner to develop new proposals and budgets for GBV and PSS activities.
• Develop a monitoring plan and conduct monitoring visits to assess the technical quality of partner led implementation and draft technical recommendations and reports to support the partner.  
• Review the partner narrative and financial reports and workplans, raising any challenges or delays to the relevant focal points.  
• Track the partner procurement processes to ensure that they are in line with the programmatic needs and according to the workplan.  
• Review technical requirements during the partner procurement process.  
• Track the partner indicators and budgets and highlight any challenges to the relevant focal points.  
• Conduct mapping of potential partners at area level.  
• Participate in internal Protection and coordination meetings.  
• Collaborate with MEAL to organised lessons learned sessions.  

About you

To be successful in this role, we expect you to have at least 3 years of experience in Protection programming with focus on GBV / PSS within a humanitarian context. Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required

• Demonstrated practical experience in GBV, including case management, prevention activities and engaging with adolescents. 
• Demonstrated practical experience in psychosocial support activities, including individual and group activities.
• Strong facilitation skills and experience in delivering GBV and PSS trainings.  
• Experience in conducting monitoring visits to partner organisations.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft office

Desirable

• Experience working in Ukraine in similar operating contexts is highly desirable.
• Strong facilitation, training, and coaching skills with the ability to build local capacity.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively under tight deadlines

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: 6 months-contract with the possibility of extension depending on performance and availability of funding after successful completion of a 3-month probationary period.
• Band: G - non managerial
• Designation of Duty Station: Dnipro (with travels to Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv)
• Start date: May-June 2026

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: May 11th, 2026

We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible, interviews might be conducted on a rolling basis. DRC reserves the right to select candidate before the vacancy close date once a suitable candidate has been identified.

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