Project Context The Security Manager will provide support to two initiatives:
U-RESTORE is a five-year initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Cowater International in partnership with Ukrainian civil society and academic institutions. The project aims to enhance the resilience of women, vulnerable groups, and communities across hromadas in two oblasts of government-controlled Ukraine by promoting inclusive and transparent recovery processes. U-RESTORE works to improve the effectiveness of national ministries and local governments in managing gender-responsive and inclusive recovery, while strengthening the role of civil society in holding public institutions accountable. The project encompasses the reconstruction of social infrastructure and the implementation of small-scale economic initiatives aligned with community priorities.
The Support to Ukraine's National Museum of the Holodomor Genocide is an -month initiative designed to strengthen resilience and safeguard Ukrainian cultural heritage as part of post-conflict recovery efforts. The project supports the Museum's efforts to preserve and promote Ukrainian identity, document and digitize materials related to the Holodomor, and strengthen institutional governance and partnerships. It also advances international awareness through the development of a permanent exhibition, a traveling exhibit, and a virtual tour.
Position Summary The Security Manager will lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive, gender- and conflict-sensitive security framework to support the safe and effective delivery of both the U-RESTORE and Holodomor Museum projects.
As a key member of the project management team, the Security Manager will oversee operational risk management in conflict-affected areas, ensuring the safety of staff, partners, infrastructure, and local communities. This role requires advanced technical expertise in security management, a strong commitment to duty of care, and a deep grounding in rights-based and trauma-informed approaches.
The Security Manager will report to the program/country leadership team for day-to-day oversight and performance management. In parallel, the role maintains a strong technical reporting line to Cowater's Head Office Security function, working under the strategic and technical guidance of the Head of Global Security. This dual engagement ensures that project security is responsive to both local operational realities and the organization's global risk governance framework.
The Security Manager will work in continuous partnership with both the project management team and Cowater's Head of Global Security, coordinating on security management, incident reporting, context monitoring, crisis preparedness, and training strategies. This role serves as a vital link between field-level operations and Cowater's broader security governance, ensuring coherence, compliance, and support across all levels of the organization.
Cowater applies a standardized and globally coordinated approach to security and crisis management across all its operations. These systems are built around Cowater's Three Pillars of Security: Building Capacity, Providing Risk Information, and Providing Resources & Response. The Security Manager will play a critical role in adapting and applying these systems to the Ukrainian operational context, ensuring alignment with corporate policies, ISO-aligned frameworks, donor requirements, and the practical needs of project implementation.
Additionally, the Security Manager will build the security capacity of staff and partners, deliver targeted training, and advise on integrating safety considerations into programming. This includes a focus on enabling secure and inclusive community engagement, particularly for women, internally displaced persons (IDPs), persons with disabilities, and the elderly.
This position requires regular travel within Kyiv and to implementation areas, including but not limited to Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Odesa, and Zhytomyr oblasts.
Key Responsibilities 1) Security Risk Management & Coordination - Design, implement, and continuously update the project's Security Risk Management Plan (SRMP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Conduct risk assessments in Kyiv and hromadas to monitor evolving threats, including gender- and identity-specific risks.
- Participate in relevant security coordination groups and platforms to access security-relevant updates and information, and exchange experience and mitigation approaches with other security personnel
- Maintain up-to-date situational awareness and disseminate timely, actionable security information to staff and partners.
- Ensure alignment with Cowater's global security policies, tools, and incident reporting platforms, in coordination with the Head of Global Security.
2) Training & Capacity Building - Deliver Cowater's core security training curriculum and identify, adapt, or procure additional training resources as needed to address evolving project and contextual needs.
- Provide in-briefings for new staff, consultants, donors, and visitors.
- Support the localization of security protocols to align with Ukrainian cultural norms and operating environments, while ensuring consistency with Cowater's institutional systems.
3) Operational Support & Emergency Response - Serve as the primary security focal point for incident reporting, analysis, and follow-up.
- Serve as a key member of the Ukraine program's Crisis Management Team, applying Cowater's established crisis management plans and methodology.
- Develop scenario-based contingency plans, continuity of operations procedures, crisis communication strategies, and readiness measures for program disruptions, such as simulations, pre-positioned resources, and crisis management drills.
- Develop and maintain secure communication protocols and rapid response systems, with a focus on the needs of high-risk individuals.
- Provide security support for logistics and travel planning (routes, lodging, venues).
- Implement and oversee safety protocols to mitigate risks for women and vulnerable groups participating in community-based activities.
- Utilize Cowater's tools for staff movement tracking, threat monitoring, and incident management, in partnership with the Head Office Security team.
4) Stakeholder Engagement - Engage with national and local authorities, UN security networks, and NGO security forums.
- Work closely with the Gender Advisor to integrate conflict- and gender-sensitive analysis into all security strategies.
- Maintain regular contact with communities (hromadas) and partners to understand local concerns and maintain social license to operate.
- Uphold ethical conduct and confidentiality in all security functions.
Qualifications Education: - University degree in security management, conflict studies, international development, risk analysis, or a related field.
Experience: - Minimum of 7 years' experience in security risk management, ideally in fragile or conflict-affected settings.
- Proven ability to design and implement security frameworks in humanitarian or development contexts.
- Demonstrated capacity to assess and respond to gender-specific and community-based risks.
- Experience ensuring field-level security practices align with HQ directives and international standards.
- Familiarity with technology-enabled security management systems (, GPS tracking platforms, digital incident reporting tools, and context monitoring applications).
- Strong interpersonal skills and cross-cultural communication abilities.
- Familiarity with Ukraine's institutional, cultural, and security landscape is strongly preferred.
- Professional security certifications (, CSMP, CPP, CySP) are considered a strong asset.
Language Requirements: - Advanced professional proficiency in English and Ukrainian (spoken and written).
Employment Conditions: - Preference will be given to Ukrainian nationals currently residing in Kyiv.
- This is a full-time position, initially for a fixed term aligned with the U-RESTORE and the Museum Initiative inception period, with the possibility of extension.
Salary Expectation Applicants are requested to indicate their desired salary range (gross, in CAD) in their cover letter. Compensation will be commensurate with experience, qualifications, and Cowater International's salary scale for similar roles in Ukraine. Only candidates who provide this information will be considered for shortlisting.
Application Process Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible through Cowater Career Portal. Please ensure your application includes your desired salary range, as outlined in the Salary Expectation section. Please submit your CV and cover letter using the following naming convention:
Last Name, First Name, Position Title. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. Applications from women, veterans, individuals from underrepresented backgrounds are strongly encouraged.
Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and qualifications. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
About Cowater International Cowater International is a leading global development consulting firm headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with regional hubs in Montreal, Brussels, and London. Since 5, Cowater has implemented over 2, projects in more than countries. We collaborate with governments, civil society organizations, and private sector actors to promote inclusive governance, sustainable economic development, environmental resilience, and equal opportunities. Cowater has been consistently recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies for its impact, innovation, and commitment to excellence.