Представник/ця країни

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Duration of assignment: 24 months (with the possibility of extension)

Start Date: 01.03.2026

About Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH)

Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe renders humanitarian aid worldwide and currently works in over 30 countries. DKH supports people who are affected by natural hazard induced disasters, war and displacement and who cannot cope on their own in the emergency situation. Guided by the Humanitarian Principles and the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), DKH focuses on locally-led and sustainable responses by working through a global network of partner organizations. At the very core of our work lies an equal partnership approach that promotes local leadership, mutual learning, and innovation. DKH is part of the Protestant Agency for Diakonie and Development (EWDE) based in Berlin, Germany.

Purpose and tasks of deployment

The Country Representative plays a key role in shaping Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe’s humanitarian program in Ukraine, facilitating mutual learning and capacity exchange, identifying innovative and tailored models of cooperation and shifting power to implementing local partner organizations and communities through transfer of decision-making opportunities.

With the DKH Ukraine country office existing for 3 years the focus of the deployment is as follows:

a) to review and refocus the DKH Ukraine country program and partner structure

b) to review and further develop the DKH Ukraine country office programmatic and technical expertise

c) to develop a 3-years program and funding planning within the first 6 months of the deployment.

Work Context

DKH’s Ukraine program is mainly funded by private donations and backdonor-funding from the German Government. The expansion of funding sources is a key requirement for a continuous presence of DKH in Ukraine as well as for a continuous and significant humanitarian program. Key areas of the program currently focus on protection/MHPSS, food security, and evacuation.

Main Job Responsibilities

Program Development and Strategic Planning

- Oversee the development and implementation of DKH’s humanitarian program.

- Lead the development and regular update of the Country Strategy and annual implementation plans with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and resource allocation aligned with the DKH Global Strategy 2026+.

- Ensure partners’ inputs in DKH Ukraine program development for enhanced localization.

- Ensure that DKH’s core values and standards are understood throughout the team, and strategies and policies are guiding the daily work.

Quality Assurance & Program Management

- Strengthen relations with local partner organizations and ensure that individual Capacity Strengthening Plans are developed for each partner organization.

- Ensure the quality of projects with special emphasis on quality & standard assurance, compliance, gender equality and inclusivity as well as safeguarding and protection.

- Ensure quality and standards and compliance, guided by the DKH Global Strategy 2026+, the Core Humanitarian Standards and other backdonor guidelines by DKH staff and partner organizations.

- Promote continuous learning, innovation, and exchange of best practices across programs and partners to strengthen quality and effectiveness of humanitarian action.

Operational & Office Management

- Ensure that DKH-presence in-country meets all required administrative, legal, logistical and personnel requirements.

- Provide a Monthly and Annual Office Report to DKH Berlin. As well as ensure timely preparation and submission of donor, and external reports demonstrating impact, learning, and compliance.

Finance & Compliance Management

- Ensure compliance and accountability of fiscal as well as procurement controls with the requirements and regulations of the backdonors, the Standard Procedures for Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe Offices Abroad (SPOA), the local laws and Internationally Recognized Accounting Principles.

- Ensure that effective, transparent and responsive compliance mechanisms are in place and active.

Human Resource Management & Team Building

- Ensure preparation of Terms of Reference/job descriptions and adequate recruitment of personnel to ensure appropriateness of office structure at all times.

- Coach, mentor, encourage, and evaluate staff; manages talent; act as an enabler and leader, so that each staff member is able to fulfill the tasks of his/her specific job description to meet desired quality and standards within approved time lines and budgets.

- Maintain team dynamics that enable DKH to achieve its goals and objectives and create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

Health, Safety & Security (HSS)

- Ensure organizational commitment to health, safety, and security management within DKH Ukraine program. Foster a proactive security culture by ensuring that HSS systems, staff capacities, and contingency measures are institutionalized across all operations.

- Support the implementation of the DKH Ukraine HSS Plan and ensure that the documents and procedures relating to HSS are regularly updated.

- Manage HSS staff in the Ukraine and jointly make decisions on travel of DKH-staff, movement restrictions, hibernation and other mitigation measures in line with DKH HSS Handbook and the HSS Plan.

Representation, Visibility & Advocacy

- Increase visibility of DKH in-country and ensure good reputation of the organization by adequately representing DKH to local partners, (I)NGOs, local officials, government authorities as well as backdonors and media.

- Build and maintain strong partnerships with local organizations, government authorities, clusters, and humanitarian coordination platforms to promote locally-led responses and enhance DKH’s influence and effectiveness.

Accountability to affected population

- DKH team members are expected to support all efforts for increased accountability towards the affected population (in line with CHS) while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of projects.

Requested qualifications and experience is as follows:

Technical:

- University degree in a related field.

- 5 to 7 years of senior-level leadership and management experience in large and complex humanitarian operations, previous work experience in conflict affected and insecure environments preferred.

- Substantial knowledge of the international humanitarian system, institutions and backdonors, including compliance requirements and accountability frameworks.

- Prior experience with backdonor funding from AA (German Federal Foreign Office), the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) & ECHO desirable.

- Demonstrated experience in working with local partner organizations including implementation of a program strategy through partners.

- Demonstrated experience in working effectively with networks and establishing new partnerships and consortia.

- Demonstrated experience in representation and working effectively and respectfully with host country government and other stakeholders in complex environments.

Personal:

- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including negotiation and coaching.

- Strong participatory leadership with the ability of solving complex issues collegially, defining a clear way forward and utilizing best practices in management to ensure shared success.

- Ability to work under high pressure, in a highly volatile context with strict security measures and motivated by constant program adaptation to an evolving context.

- Excellent Ukrainian and English language skills.

The remuneration follows internationally accepted standards. National employment contract with DKH Ukraine country office.

Closing date: December 22nd, 2025 (only shortlisted candidates will be contacted)

How to apply

Kindly send your application and CV via the following link: https://short.sg/j/61061212

Please note that only applications submitted through this link on the website will be considered.

Further questions regarding the role should be addressed to: [email protected]

Diversity is important to us. We welcome applications from people regardless of their ethnic, national or social background, gender, disability, age or sexual identity.