Child Protection Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a prominent protection agency established to advocate for and promote durable solutions for populations affected by displacement. Since its inception, DRC has been dedicated to providing assistance and protection to vulnerable communities. The organization has been operational in Ukraine since 2014, employing over 800 staff members who work across various sectors including Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs, and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding. DRC's mission is to adapt and enhance its durable solutions portfolio in response to the evolving humanitarian context in Ukraine, ensuring that the needs of displaced populations are met effectively and efficiently. DRC collaborates with civil society organizations (CSOs) and other stakeholders to implement direct interventions and support systems that empower affected communities.

Job Overview:
The Child Protection Specialist will play a crucial role within the Area-Based Allocation (ABA) team, focusing on the implementation of child protection projects in the Khersonska oblast. Under the supervision of the Programme Fund Manager, the Specialist will provide technical assistance, guidance, and monitoring for child protection initiatives. This includes working closely with CSO partners to implement activities such as child protection case management, establishing child-friendly spaces, and providing psychosocial-support" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">psychosocial support for children and their caregivers. The role also involves supporting non-protection partners in mainstreaming child protection considerations into their programs. The Specialist is expected to demonstrate strong leadership and strategic thinking, particularly in complex humanitarian or early recovery contexts, ensuring that child protection standards are upheld throughout project implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The main duties and responsibilities of the Child Protection Specialist include:

• Grant Management and Technical Compliance: Participate in the technical review of protection proposals and budgets, ensuring alignment with protection guidance and technical standards. Review partner logframes and monitoring tools for compliance with relevant protection standards.
• Project Implementation Oversight: Conduct capacity assessments of protection partners and develop tailored capacity development plans. Identify key areas for guidance and support based on partners' programming and organizational strategies. Provide capacity development through training and mentoring for CSOs involved in child protection activities. Ensure that partners' workplans align with child protection technical guidance. Conduct technical monitoring visits and follow-up meetings with partners. Support non-protection partners in child protection mainstreaming. Regularly liaise with partners to address challenges, share successes, and learn from experiences.
• Representation and External Coordination: Coordinate with Protection colleagues from other consortium members to ensure alignment of practices. Collaborate with other technical specialists, including Legal Aid, GBV, and MHPSS, to develop training packages and protection partnership tools. Engage with the Child Protection AoR as necessary.

Required Qualifications:
To qualify for the Child Protection Specialist position, candidates must possess the following qualifications: - A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in child protection programming, demonstrating a solid understanding of the field. - A Bachelor's degree in international relations, social work, law, or a related field. - Knowledge and experience in implementing protection programming, particularly in child protection case management, support for unaccompanied and separated children, child-friendly spaces, and mental health and psychosocial support for children and caregivers. - Proven experience in managing child protection programs through local partners or in remote management contexts. - Familiarity with the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS+) is essential. - Demonstrated experience in capacity building and training local partners in child protection practices. - Strong computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Office applications. - Full professional proficiency in English is required.

Educational Background:
Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as international relations, social work, law, or a closely related discipline. This educational background is essential to ensure that the candidate has the foundational knowledge necessary to understand the complexities of child protection and humanitarian work.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 3-5 years of relevant experience in child protection programming. This experience should include direct involvement in child protection initiatives, particularly in complex humanitarian settings or early recovery contexts. Candidates should have a proven track record of working with local partners and managing child protection programs effectively.

Languages:
Full professional proficiency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of additional languages, particularly those relevant to the local context in Ukraine, would be considered an asset but is not explicitly required.

Additional Notes:
The contract for this position includes a three-month probationary period, with the possibility of an 11-month extension contingent upon successful completion of the probation. The position is classified as Band G - non-management, and the designated duty station is Mykolaiv. The start date for this role is as soon as possible. Salary and conditions will be in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for employees on national contracts. Applicants are required to submit a cover letter and an updated CV (maximum four pages) in English. Applications sent via email will not be considered. The closing date for applications is January 16th, 2026.