Job Description

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is reinforcing its presence in North-East Ukraine and establishes an Area Office based in Kharkiv. The Area Office North - East (AONE) will become a new area office, scaled up from the current Kharkiv Field Office, and will start being operational in the first half of 2026. The Area Programme Manager will take an active part in this scale up.

AONE will cover regions of Kharkiv and Sumy where current Field Office (FO) in Shostka will, in first half of 2026, structurally move to be under new Kharkiv AONE.

The key sectors of intervention covered by the North-East area office will include Shelter, Information Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA), Protection from Violence, Education, and emergency response through cash assistance.

The start date for this position on January 2026

General Responsibilities and Tasks

• Ensure adequate monitoring, reporting and acquittal of emergency activities within the Area Management, and the timely provision of situation reports.

• Ensure emergency activities such as rapid MPCA are carried out in accordance with the Sphere Minimum Standards and Humanitarian Charter in disaster response, NRC values and the Red Cross Code of Conduct. Also ensuring the compliance with NRC policies, tools, handbooks and guidelines.

• Propose analyses of the humanitarian needs and gaps in the response in the area under Kharkiv AONE management and share these analyses and needs assessments to AM, APM, and relevant CCs project managers.

• Establish and maintain constructive working relationships with other NGOs, UN agencies, host government, and other principle stakeholders including the local authorities where present.

• Ensure NRC is included in the rapid MPCA rotation system at area level and establish constructive relationships with other cash actors.

• Establish network with emergency national NGOs working in the area and propose to AM, APM potential areas of collaboration and operational partnerships.

• Ensure all personnel understand individual and collective responsibilities for safety and security.

• Liaise with the Security Focal Point to ensure compliance with Security Guidelines and their effective application in the local context.

Specific tasks

• Prepare periodic progress reports and other documents related to rapid MPCA.

• In collaboration with Field team, AMs and support staff, play a lead role in design and development and proposal writing of emergency projects as required.

• Support in the development of contingency and emergency response plans and managing any associated budgets, as appropriate.

• Closely monitor events in humanitarian issues, in order to update and adjust program activities and approaches, when necessary.

• Write rapid needs assessment reports, and within established deadlines, providing clear operational recommendations for intervention

• Ensure quality implementation of rapid MPCA activities projects at field level taking into consideration appropriate response modalities and the needs of the most vulnerable.

• Collect data, prepare and submit required reports for rapid MPCA activities , including donor and private funds narrative reports, monthly performance indicator tracking tables, baseline and final evaluation reports, and others.

• Liaise with Ukrainian NGOs working on emergency response modalities and assess their programmatic complementarity with NRC emergency response.

• Work with MEAL Team to ensure the development of and provide oversight to internal monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure high quality programming, facilitate fulfillment of donor reporting requirements, track achievements against project indicators, and support evidenced-based decision making and proposal development for future programming.

• Coordinating the emergency response with other humanitarian partners possessing emergency response capacity to avoid overlapping/facilitate synergies

• Minimum 4 years’ experience from a coordinator position in a humanitarian/ recovery context

• Experience working in complex and volatile contexts

• Technical expertise in at least one of the core competencies

• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities

• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile

• Fluency in English, both written and verbal, Ukrainian and/or Russian language skills a strong asset.

• Experience with rapid assessments and distribution monitoring in emergencies, as well as with implementing/managing cash transfer programmes and with contingency planning

• Ability to use Logical Framework Approach in program design and follow-up is preferred

• Knowledge of SPHERE, Do No Harm and other humanitarian standards

• Experience with humanitarian donor proposal writing and reporting

Formal Education: At least first degree; post-graduate qualification preferred.

Context/specific skills, knowledge and experience

Experience

• University graduate with at least 4 years’ experience managing projects for an international organisation in an emergency setting.

• A dynamic leader, who possesses effective interpersonal communication skills with the ability to influence others. 

• A proven record of effective and complex emergency response lead; includes good understanding of programme cycle management (and the PCM tools), excellent people management skills, team development and proven financial management skills.

• Experience in Emergency Response and Scale up programming and Response.

• Understanding and experience of rapidly occurrence emergencies contexts

Skills & Knowledge

• Commitment to NRCs overall aims, policies and values with experience of promoting gender equity, diversity and the interests of marginalised people in all aspects of NRC’s work

• High levels of self-awareness and self-mastery, demonstrated through unequivocal but respectful communication, collegiality, and proactive problem solving

• High degree of organisation demonstrated through development and proactive use of detailed implementation planning and other project management tools and processes

• Inquisitive and not afraid to try something new

• Ability to challenge, motivate and develop a team through periods of change.

• Good networking, negotiation and representation skills with the ability to influence and advocate.

• Effective use of written and spoken English. Ability to write clear, concise reports is essential.

• Good understanding of humanitarian principles and coordination mechanism

• Ability to travel, working flexibly and willingness to learn

Behavioral competencies

• Planning and delivering results

• Communicating with impact and respect

• Handling insecure environments

• Managing performance and development

• Managing resources to optimise results

• Influencing

• What do We Offer

• This position is open to candidates who have the legal right to work in Ukraine. Please note that we are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorships for this position.

• We offer an opportunity to match your career to a compelling cause and a chance to meet and work with people who are the best in their fields.

• We are also looking for people who share our values:

To be dedicated in what we do;

To be innovative with our solutions;

To act as one unified and inclusive team;

To be accountable to the donors that make our work possible;

• We invite applications from all qualified and interested candidates. Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be screened on a rolling basis and interviews will be assigned instantly until a suitable candidate is selected.

• About Us

• The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a global humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee.

• Join us in assisting millions of people in areas where others cannot, tackling some of the world's most dangerous and difficult crises. Bring your skills and dedication to an organisation recognised for providing high quality aid and for defending the rights of refugees and internally displaced people.

• At NRC, we give responsibility to employees at all levels and foster professional growth and innovative teams. You can expect a supportive culture and an open dialogue with management. We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Together, we save lives and rebuild futures.

• Safeguarding is central to NRC’s work. We expect all employees to:

• • treat everyone with respect and dignity

• • contribute to building a safe environment for all

• • never engage in any form of exploitation, harassment and specifically sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH)

• • always report. NRC has a zero-tolerance approach to inaction against exploitation, abuse and SEAH