Job Description

The Position:

Full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues into 2026 and enters its fifth year, it has intensified and evolved, deepening the strain on civilians already facing insecurity, disrupted services, and repeated displacement. Women and girls remain among those most affected, as the prolonged crisis compounds risks to their health, protection, and overall well-being, particularly their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Humanitarian and Recovery Coordinator positions - one based in Dnipro and one in Odesa, play a crucial role in integrating humanitarian response with early recovery initiatives in the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine. You will report to the UNFPA Deputy Representative.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

Job Purpose:

UNFPA’s new Ukraine Country Programme (2025–2029), reflects a strong nexus approach, bridging immediate humanitarian response with recovery and long-term development. The new Country Programme focuses on human capital development, demographic resilience, and modernization of the national statistical system - delivering practical, sustainable solutions that strengthen national systems and improve people’s lives. This positions UNFPA to address urgent needs today while contributing to sustainable systems strengthening and resilience for long-term recovery.

You will be responsible for coordinating humanitarian operations, supporting recovery and nexus planning, and ensuring that these efforts are aligned with UNFPA’s strategic objectives of demographic resilience, social cohesion, and evidence-based policymaking.

You would be responsible for:

1. Coordination and Representation:
   1. Strategic Positioning: Position UNFPA as a key humanitarian and recovery actor in the East and South, strengthening coordination with local authorities, UN agencies, and humanitarian actors to ensure an integrated and effective response.
   2. Regional Leadership: Lead the UNFPA teams in the Eastern and southern regions, ensuring the effective delivery of integrated humanitarian and recovery programs that align with the CPD's strategic objectives, particularly focusing on nexus and recovery initiatives.
2. Nexus and Recovery Planning:
   1. Collaborate with regional partners and UNFPA staff in Kyiv to enhance nexus and recovery planning, ensuring that emergency responses transition smoothly into recovery efforts and are aligned with long-term development goals.
3. Programmatic and Operational Support:
   1. Service Delivery Focus: Shift the focus from direct service provision to supporting greater institutionalization and sustainability in support of Local Government Authorities and other Actors while aligning efforts with the strategic priorities of the 2025-2029 CPD.
   2. Emergency Preparedness and Response: Regularly update emergency preparedness plans in coordination with the Humanitarian Coordination Team subnational humanitarian operations groups; relevant clusters, including the GBV Workstream and, ensuring readiness to respond to evolving needs on the ground.
   3. Monitoring and Evaluation: Conduct regular monitoring of ongoing interventions, identify gaps, and support the planning and implementation of nexus activities to enhance coordination across levels; strengthen localization and program integration.
4. Supervision and Oversight:
   1. Team Management: Provide oversight and guidance to the hub-office teams ensuring effective regional coordination and alignment with the CPD's objectives.
   2. Liaison with Country Office: Maintain regular communication with the Country Office in Kyiv and other regional hubs to ensure cohesive implementation of humanitarian and recovery interventions.
5. Building and Sustaining Partnerships:
   1. GBV and SRH Coordination: Facilitate inter-agency multi-sectoral GBV and SRH working groups at the sub-national level, promoting the integration of these services across sectors and aligning with broader humanitarian and development goals.
   2. Cross-Sector Collaboration: Work closely with other sectoral groups to ensure that GBV and SRH considerations are integrated into broader humanitarian efforts, contributing to UNFPA’s goals of human capital development and demographic resilience.
6. Strategic Planning and Communication
   1. SOP Implementation: Facilitate the implementation and regular review of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) throughout the crisis response to ensure consistency, effectiveness, and alignment with the CPD’s strategic priorities.
   2. Documentation and Knowledge Sharing: Document lessons learned, prepare handover notes, and support the orientation of new staff and mission personnel to the Eastern region.
   3. External Communication: Assist in preparing external communication materials, including situation reports and internal information briefs, ensuring that messaging aligns with the CPD’s strategic priorities and promotes UNFPA’s role in humanitarian and recovery efforts.

Any other duties

• Write monthly reports documenting progress against work plan outputs.
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

• Advanced degree in development, Humanitarian Assistance, Public Health, Social Sciences and/or other related fields.

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 7 years of relevant experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency and recovery coordination is required.
• Proven management, coordination, and program development skills.
• Strong communication, networking, and organizational abilities.
• Experience in UN humanitarian and recovery operations; prior experience in the region is an asset.
• Knowledge of UNFPA’s mandate, particularly in SRH and GBV programming, is an asset.

Languages:

• ● Fluency in English is required. Ukrainian is an asset.

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Providing logistical support
• Managing data, documents, correspondence and reports
• Planning, organizing and multi-tasking

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.