Protection Officer (Legal Aid Officer)

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate and promote durable solutions for displacement affected populations.

DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, currently DRC employs over 800 staff in Ukraine and will continue significant scale-up in 2024 to implement emergency response in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (humanitarian mine action) sectors, using direct interventions, support to duty bearers and civil society organizations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue and adapt its durable solutions portfolio to the evolving context.

DRC is currently looking for a Protection Officer (Legal Aid Officer) for its activities in Mykolaiv.

This position will be line managed by the Protection Team Leader (Legal Aid Team Leader).

About the job
The Legal Aid Officer will play a key role in DRC's response to the needs of Southern Ukraine. This position is crucial in the process of protecting the rights and restoring social justice for vulnerable groups, as it ensures the rapid and effective return of people to normal living and functioning conditions. This includes the provision of quality legal aid, counselling and support in obtaining legal services. This goal emphasizes the key role of the Legal Aid Officer in ensuring legal awareness of the most vulnerable groups of the population and facilitating their access to legal mechanisms and empowerment through representation in courts, interaction with local authorities, judicial authorities and other stakeholders.

The Legal Aid Officer provides quality legal support in compliance with the law. Maintains good relations with relevant stakeholders and other humanitarian actors to ensure proper implementation and coordination of DRC's sectoral activities. This position has territorial coverage and ensures compliance with DRC procedures and guidelines in the Southern Ukraine.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:
Programme activities:

• Provide high-quality individual legal advice, legal assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other conflict-affected persons on their legal rights, interests in the context of conflict and displacement.
• Assist IDPs and other conflict-affected persons in obtaining information on shelter (place of residence), on recent changes in legislation related to information and legal needs, restoration of civil documents, identity documents, real estate documents and other documents relevant to the protection of their rights, interests and a long-term solution to the relevant problem.
• Organize and facilitate awareness-raising sessions on recent legislative changes aimed at meeting the information and legal needs of IDPs and other conflict-affected persons.
• Organize and facilitate awareness sessions on the latest legislative changes, aimed at meeting the legal needs of local government executive bodies.
• Provide representation in court for IDPs and vulnerable groups, as needed.
• Ensure efficient and effective program implementation, adhering to budget and work plan.
• Participate in the preparation of monthly/quarterly/annual summaries/reports and proposals for donors.
• Participate in the analysis of legal issues for the preparation of information materials, advocacy letters, briefing notes.
• Contribute to contextual and needs analysis, as well as recommendations/feedback on the development of new programmatic avenues and innovative approaches.
• Facilitate collaboration with implementing partners during project implementation, maintain database, monthly, weekly reporting on project activities.
• Assist in conducting legal assessments as part of the DRC field staff.
• Coordinate with other departments in the DRC to facilitate referrals and information sharing.
• Provide administrative and other legal assistance to enable IDPs and other conflict-affected persons to access social benefits, livelihood opportunities, and government and non-government benefits and privileges.
• Support the organization of public events such as meetings, roundtables, technical working groups and participation in such events on behalf of the DRC.
• Any other duties that may be assigned by the Legal Team Leader related to the achievement of programmatic objectives.
• Comply with all relevant DRC policies and procedures.

Activity reporting/Logistics

• Development of a weekly work plan in consultation with Legal Aid Team Leader.
• Tracking and management of cases.
• Provision of data for weekly and monthly reports.
• Documenting the results of needs assessment; including preparation of reports and other relevant documents.
• Assistance in keeping the archiving system up to date (both in paper and electronic forms).
• Assistance in development of necessary forms, questionnaires and other templates.
• Advance planning and coordination of logistics and staff movements to and from different operational areas.
• Initiating procurement and ensuring its execution.
• Ensuring that distribution plans are prepared and provided to logistics department in a timely manner.

Coordination and representation

• Establishing good relationships with relevant local authorities, government officials, and civil society organisations, including understanding their needs through regular visits and frequent liaison.
• Assistance in providing information and cooperation with community representatives and relevant authorities.
• Attendance and participation in coordination meetings delegated by the manager.
• Collaboration with relevant internal and external technical experts on sectoral issues.
• Ensuring integration with other sectors of DRC.

About you
To be successful in the role of Protection Officer (Legal Aid Officer), we expect you to have at least 5 years of relevant professional experience, preferably experience in non-governmental humanitarian organizations. Moreover, we also expect the following:

• Excellent knowledge of Ukrainian legislation.
• Experience in public speaking.
• Experience in field trips.
• Experience in working with vulnerable groups and communities.
• Good communication, analytical, professional and research skills.
• Ability to provide high-quality, targeted and accessible advice.
• English - preferably Intermediate level.
• Excellent command of Ukrainian and Russian.
• Confident user of computer and office programs.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer:
Contract length: open ended contract after 3 month probation period.

Level: H – Non-Management

Designation of Duty Station: Mykolaiv - Full time based

Start date: As soon as possible.

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for national staff.

Application process:
All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages in English).

Applications are open until 20th January 2025
Applications sent by email will not be considered.

We reserve the right to conduct further interviews before the deadline for submission of applications.

Department:

Location: Mykolaiv