Senior Protection Officer (Ukrainian nationals only)

Job Title: Senior Protection Officer

Department: Programming

Division: Programme Implementation

Duty Station: Kharkiv, Ukraine

Line Manager: Team Leader

Line Management Responsibility: N/A

Position Type: Full-time

ABOUT US

NP reimagines security and civilian protection in areas most impacted by conflict by working alongside communities to interrupt and prevent violence. NP is a global civil society organization that works with people affected by violent conflicts to enhance their security and dignity through Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) and by helping to transform the world’s response to conflict situations. Programming is founded on unarmed civilian protection and is thematically focused on protection in displacement, child protection, gender-based violence protection and inter-communal violence reduction, social cohesion, and civic engagement.

NP first established a presence in Ukraine in 2014/2015 working on peacebuilding and conflict mediation. NP has had a sustained presence in Ukraine since April 2022. NP occupies a unique space in the protection response in Ukraine; simultaneously providing direct protection to at-risk civilians and providing hands-on support to front-line volunteer collectives to directly contribute to the sustainability and safety of their actions.

JOB PURPOSE

The role of the Senior Protection Officer (SPO) builds upon the existing responsibilities of the Protection Officer position. In addition to supporting strategic and direct implementation of unarmed civilian protection and violence-prevention programming for those affected by conflict, the SPO supports with the management, supervision, guidance and coaching of the Field Team and representation to external partners. The SPO will assist the Team Leader (TL) in guiding, managing and monitoring the implementation of the programme to ensure the achievement of quality results in a timely manner; expand partnerships and collaborations; provide support and coaching to colleagues, external representation of NP, and overseeing the operations (including finance, security, safety and logistics), and human resource concerns of the team.

KEY OBJECTIVES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Project implementation/Programming

• Assist, and when needed lead, with information gathering, verification, and context analysis.
• Provide support for the day-to-day implementation of project activities in accordance with the agreed work plans and log-frames.
• Proactively engage with all stakeholders (local community leaders, volunteer collectives/groups, government authorities, and partner organisations) to identify civilian protection concerns and priorities.
• Support and assist the TL in the engagement and relationship building with relevant stakeholders.
• Support and assist the TL in the crafting and development of work/activity plans and budget forecasting.
• Conduct and facilitate community meetings and dialogues in the project areas.
• Support and assist the TL and team with conducting and facilitating training and seminars for community and project partners, for example, Civilian Protection – Early Warning and Early Response (CP-EWER), International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Human Rights Law (HRL), Child Protection (CP), Gender Based Violence (GBV), as well as other civilian protection-related capacity building interventions.
• Support in providing protective accompaniment to civilians exposed to vulnerabilities, particularly the elderly and people with special needs.
• Support and assist, monitor, verify and report incidents of violence and civilian displacement.
• Assist, and lead as needed with the production of programme, mission, and analysis reports through the use of NP’s online reporting tool – Salesforce. Document lessons learnt and successful stories. Ensure analysis, reporting and writing quality of all documents.
• Regularly monitor provision and the availability of humanitarian services to civilians in need, conduct referrals, when necessary.
• Participate and in coordination with the TL facilitate team meetings, debriefs and strategy sessions, implementing recommendations arising from lessons learnt.
• Attend Cluster and/or Coordination meetings.

• Closely coordinate with POs and FPO on civilian protection matters, as directed by the Team Leader.

Administration & Operations

Security

• Contribute to security assessments by gathering, collating, analysing, and proactively sharing in a timely fashion context information to ensure the team’s safety and monitoring of context developments.
• Work with the TL to ensure all project work is consistent with agreed safety and security policies and procedures.
• Work with the TL to ensure that the team’s being deployed has updated hibernation and evacuation plans and that members of the field teams are fully aware of them, including but not limited to knowing how and what to do in case of emergencies.
  

Procurement and Logistics

• Assist in preparing procurement of supplies or other logistical matters in adherence to NP’s operational procedures.
• Coordinate with the TL to ensure that the team has all required equipment for work.

Finance

• Assist in ensuring that all finance documents are uploaded and shared with the finance department on a weekly basis.
• Support with creating and updating spending plans.
• Support with the monitoring of spending.

HR

• In coordination with and under the guidance of the team leader, mentor staff on programme, operations, and security.
• Support the Team Leader in setting a plan to conduct performance reviews.
• Assist TL in checking in with staff on a weekly/biweekly basis.

Duties Applicable to All Staff

• Actively work towards the achievement of the goals and mandate of NP.
• Abide by and work in accordance with NP values and principles as provided in the Global Employee Handbook and existing policies.
• Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:

Education

Required

• University degree in a related field (Social Science, Development Studies, etc.).

Preferred

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Social Science, Development Studies, Protection, or related field – preferred.

Work Experience

Required

• Minimum 2-3 years of relevant professional experience in civilian protection, humanitarian response, child protection, human rights, or community development.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a dynamic, high-pressure environment with competing priorities and limited resources.
• Demonstrated experience working in multicultural settings with diverse teams and stakeholders, including local authorities, civil society, and communities.
• Experience in conflict-affected or post-conflict environments is considered a strong asset.
• Experience in community engagement, mobilization, or organizing is highly desirable.

Preferred

• Previous experience with an international NGO (INGO) or humanitarian organization in a conflict or emergency context.
• Demonstrated experience in community-based protection, early warning systems, or community-led response mechanisms.
• Experience in mentoring, or coaching field staff as per Team Leader’s decision is strongly preferred.
• Experience in designing and facilitating training sessions on protection-related topics (e.g., Child Protection, GBV, Humanitarian Principles, UCP, Do No Harm).
• Experience working in the Ukraine context is highly desirable, with specific knowledge of the Kharkiv region considered a strong asset.

Knowledge and Skills

Required

• Proven experience in protection analysis, including the ability to identify trends, assess risks, and articulate protection concerns
• Understanding of the Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) methodology is considered a strong asset
• Strong understanding of civilian protection and human rights frameworks
• Analytical and report writing skills, with the ability to translate complex field data into clear, actionable recommendations
• Experience and readiness to develop and deliver the current and new trainings in various topics related to civilian protection.
• Fluent in Ukrainian language, able to communicate in oral and written English language, Russian language is asset.

Preferred

• Familiarity with the humanitarian coordination architecture in Ukraine, including clusters and working groups
  
• Experience in designing and delivering capacity-building trainings on protection topics
• Experience in community-based protection approaches and participatory methodologies.

APPLICATION PROCESS

• Candidates meeting the above requirements are requested to submit a CV (max. 2 pages) and cover letter (max. 1 page), through our website, detailing their experience and how they qualify for the role. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
  
• The closing date for applications is Friday, September 11, 2026.
• This position is open for Ukrainian Nationals only.
• Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
• Candidates may be selected before the closing date; apply early.
• As part of the recruitment process, shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a technical assignment before participating in an interview.
  

SPECIAL NOTICE

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability.

Nonviolent Peaceforce acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of employees, contractors, volunteers, interns, communities we work with, and other stakeholders and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance and complies with best practices in the Humanitarian and Development sector.
NP expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We prioritise ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. NP also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

NO FEE

We never ask for payment as part of our selection process, and we always contact candidates via our corporate accounts and platforms. If you are approached for payment, this is likely to be fraudulent. Please check whether the role you are interested in is posted here on our website.