Job Description

What we are looking for

NRC is looking for a Humanitarian Access and Safety Manager to join the Ukraine mission. The role holder will be responsible for enabling a principled humanitarian response in a safe manner, for communities and partners, as well as staff.

The Humanitarian Access and Safety Manager is the lead technical resource on safety and security, crisis management, and access within the country. This role is crucial for managing safety and security risks, building capacity, implementing Duty of Care, developing humanitarian access strategies, and facilitating principled humanitarian programming.

Despite NRC’s success in delivering assistance to those in need, security and access constraints remain significant challenges. Obstacles such as conflict and violence, environmental and physical challenges, bureaucratic hurdles, and interference in humanitarian operations, hinder the delivery of services and protection to displacement affected people

If you are an influential, diplomatic, and collaborative leader; who holds a track record of fostering a collaborative environment and building and leading engaging and effective teams; with strong interpersonal, networking, and stakeholder management skills; and the ability to build constructive relationships with external parties then this is the role for you!

What you will do

• Global HAS Management System and HAS Operational Plan implementation and execution.
• Safe and principled humanitarian response, adhering to the Humanitarian Principles, culture fostering.
• Line management of staff (including performance management, workforce planning, recruitment, induction, development, and support for Duty of Care).
• Humanitarian context understanding (including analysis and forecasting) to brief on key security developments, NRC exposure, access challenges, and emerging threats.
• HAS documents, procedures, guidance, and tools, strategy, and budgets development and maintenance.
• Security Risk Assessments and access assessments oversight.
• HAS Management System, HAS Policy and risk management procedures, Minimum Operating Standards, Humanitarian Access framework, and crisis management procedure compliance.
• Training and capacity development of NRC staff and partners.
• We highly encourage you to learn more about the role: please review the full Job Description here

What you will bring

• Senior management experience in a humanitarian/recovery context.
• Humanitarian Principles understanding and their application in programmatic and advocacy responses, NGO safety and risk management, humanitarian access, and civil-military coordination.
• Access negotiations qualifications and/or track record with NGO and/or UN agencies are an added advantage.
• Complex and volatile context exposure.
• Ukraine context exposure and knowledge, pertaining to displacement and humanitarian needs.
• English fluency, both written and verbal.

What makes this position attractive?

• The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has been working in Ukraine since 2014. Following the escalation of conflict in February 2022, NRC rapidly scaled up its operations across Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
• NRC Ukraine operates across multiple oblasts delivering Protection; Shelter; Education; Information, Counselling, and Legal Assistance; and Cash-Based responses, in line with NRC’s global mission.
• NRC Ukraine is also focusing to work, either direct or through local partners, in hard-to-reach locations of which most are at, or near the contact line with offices located in Shostka, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and country office in Kyiv.
• As a principled humanitarian actor, NRC is a strong advocate for protection and the rights of displaced people, as well as an active member of the humanitarian community in Ukraine. We support local capacities and people who remain close to the frontline with emergency response, seeking to contribute to self-reliance where possible. Our focus is on communities that are hard to reach.
• As a displacement agency, we pay particular attention to people displaced by the conflict. We work across the nexus - contributing to early recovery in the most war and displacement affected communities, focusing on integration of internally displaced persons and returnees, and ensuring displaced people’s needs are addressed in recovery and development efforts.
• In 2024, we supported close to 300,000 people across all of Ukraine through the provision of protection from violence; information, counselling, and legal aid; education; shelter; water and sanitation; livelihoods; and multi-purpose cash assistance interventions. NRC works in areas with high severity of needs in the east, south and north of the country.
• We increasingly work with local actors, ranging from local NGOs, but also with local authorities, the private sector, academia, etc., among others, to ensure the sustainability of our response.
• This is an opportunity to join one of the most respected humanitarian actors in Ukraine that has a strong reputation with donors, embassies, clusters, and peer agencies, and the chance to work with a diverse portfolio of donors and partners.
• Meaningful work, with a high-quality integrated programme that responds to the diverse needs, priorities, and concerns raised by beneficiary communities.
• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to join our work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility.
• Learn more about NRC’s operation in Ukraine here

What we offer

• Kyiv, Ukraine duty station.
• 12-month contract (with the possibility of extension, based on funding, requirements, and performance).
• 40% travel, approximately.
• Grade 9 in NRC’s Salary Scale, with accompanying terms and conditions NRC offers a competitive compensation and benefits package.
• NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability.
• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.
• Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC

Important information about the application process

• Internal candidates: - To apply log in with your official NRC email address or click on Opportunity Marketplace.
• When creating your profile, include your full name as per your passport.
• Apply by completing all the system-required fields of your experience, employment history, and education in your application.
• Ensure to attach your latest CV
• Submit your application and CV in English
• Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. NRC is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role and you meet most, but not all the requirements, we encourage you to apply anyway.
• Applications that do not meet the minimum standards in terms of experience or qualifications will generally not be considered.
• Unsolicited applications not related to this specific job advertisement will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We receive many applicants for each vacant position. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to give detailed feedback to applicants who have not been shortlisted.
• For any queries, please email us at aela.recruitment@nrc.no with “HAS Manager Ukraine” as the subject line. This email address is for queries only. Applications will not be accepted via email.
• NRC does not request any fees in connection with our recruitment processes.

Why NRC?

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. Our 15,000 staff work in crises across 40 countries, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people every year.

Watch this short video to see NRC in action.

NRC has been present in Ukraine since 2014. We have stepped up our efforts since the escalation of the conflict. By collaborating with our partners, we’ve supported over one million people affected by the ongoing war.

We are looking for people who are passionate about helping refugees and people forced to flee. Are you one of those people? If you are, NRC offers you the opportunity to:

• Do demanding and professional work, often in challenging contexts.
• Join a work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility.
• Be part of a welcoming and supportive community committed to human dignity.

Learn more about NRC here

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