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 implements 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 for its activities in Sloviansk.

This position will report to the Protection Manager.

Overall purpose of the role:

Under the supervision of the Protection Manager, the Protection Officer will be responsible for the planning, implementation, and quality delivery of protection activities across Donetska oblast. This includes components of case management, protection monitoring, victim assistance, and community-based protection. The Protection Officer will work with vulnerable individuals and communities to reduce protection risks, strengthen community-based protection mechanisms, and ensure access to appropriate services. The Protection Officer will contribute to data collection and analysis, awareness-raising, referrals, and community engagement in line with DRC's protection standards and principles.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

• Conduct outreach and identify individuals at heightened protection risk through field visits, community engagement, and coordination with other actors
• Provide case management support to vulnerable individuals, including comprehensive assessments, individualized action planning, referrals to internal and external services, and regular follow-ups.
• Deliver individual protection assistance (cash or in-kind) to mitigate specific risks faced by clients.
• Ensure proper documentation of all case management processes, including consent forms, referral documentation, and case notes, following DRC's data protection protocols.
• Provide Targeted Individual Assistance (i.e. conditional cash grants) to direct and indirect victims of EO/EW accidents contributing to the improvement of their socio-economic situation.
• Support the designing and delivery of Age, Gender, and Disability (AGD) Inclusion training as well as any other capacity building measures on VA to relevant target groups (e.g. children, pedagogical staff, authorities and others).
• Conduct protection monitoring activities such as key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and household-level surveys to assess protection trends and risks.
• Participate in the development and use of protection monitoring tools and contribute to the analysis and reporting of collected data.
• Identify gaps in services and participate in regular service mapping and updates to referral pathways.
• Plan and implement awareness-raising sessions and information campaigns on key protection topics, rights, and available services.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of community-based protection structures through participatory assessments, trainings and the development of community action plans.
• Deliver capacity-building sessions for community focal points and structures on main protection topics.
• Maintain regular communication with community leaders, civil society actors, and local authorities to ensure community ownership and sustainability of protection efforts.
• Supervise Protection Assistants (if applicable), provide technical guidance, and ensure the quality of field-level activities.
• Coordinate with other DRC departments to ensure integrated programming and effective internal referrals.
• Contribute to program reporting, planning, and proposal development with field-level inputs.
• Maintain high standards of confidentiality, ethics, and safeguarding at all times.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Protection Team Leader or Protection Manager, relevant to the achievement of protection objectives.

About you:

To be successful in this role we expect you to have minimum 2 years of professional experience in the field of humanitarian interventions, social sciences, human rights or community development and to have strong understanding of protection issues, including child protection and gender-based violence. Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required

• Education: Higher education (social sciences, international relations, humanitarian studies) or equivalent professional experience.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to conduct negotiations and engage in constructive discussions.
• Ability to work independently, effectively manage time, and prioritize tasks.
• Adherence to professional ethics and principles of confidentiality.
• Professional proficiency in the Ukrainian language.

Desirable

• Spoken and written English at B1 level.
• Ability to work with people in vulnerable situations and discuss sensitive topics.
• Computer skills: confident user of Microsoft Office package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).

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: probation period, with the possibility of extension subject to funding and satisfactory
Level: H (non-Management)
Designation of Duty Station: Sloviansk
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 sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 27.02.2026.

We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible. Interviews might be conducted on a rolling basis. DRC reserves the right to select candidate before the vacancy close date once a suitable candidate has been identified.