Requisition ID: req59363

Job Title: WPE Senior Case Management and Community-Based Protection Officer

Sector: Women Protection & Empowerment

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

Location: Kharkiv, Ukraine

Job Description

This vacancy is open to internal staff only.

JOB OVERVIEW

The WPE Senior Case Management and Community-Based Protection Officer leads the implementation and quality assurance of gender-based violence (GBV) case management services and community-based protection activities. The position includes direct supervision and technical support to WPE case workers, ensuring that all interventions are survivor-centered, confidential, timely, and aligned with GBV guiding role is critical for managing IRC’s Cash for Protection interventions and the Emergency Case Management Fund, overseeing data management via GBVIMS, and coordinating with communities to strengthen referral pathways and localized protection mechanisms, particularly in areas affected by conflict or Officer also acts as a key focal point for the Women Rise project implementation at field level and leads the design and implementation of Community-Based Protection (CBP) strategies to reduce GBV risks, empower women and girls, and reinforce community-led safety mechanisms. This includes facilitating community engagement processes such as safety audits, participatory risk assessments, and the identification and capacity strengthening of women-led groups and local protection structures to ensure sustainable, context-relevant GBV prevention and response addition, the Officer plays a key role in stakeholder engagement and coordination, fostering collaboration with local authorities, civil society actors, and humanitarian partners to strengthen the GBV response system. . The role includes the development and delivery of training programs and capacity-building initiatives for IRC staff, partners, and community actors on GBV case management, safeguarding, referral mechanisms, and community-based protection approaches.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Case Management Supervision and Quality Assurance
•Supervise and mentor case workers to ensure the delivery of safe, confidential, survivor-centered, and high-quality GBV case management services in line with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the Inter-Agency GBV Case Management Guidelines, IASC GBV Guidelines, and the Minimum Standards for GBViE.
• Oversee the implementation of GBV case management in accordance with ethical and safety principles, ensuring adherence to the core GBV guiding principles: safety, confidentiality, respect, and non-discrimination.
• Directly manage complex and high-risk GBV cases when necessary, ensuring ethical, survivor-centered support and timely service provision.
• Ensure proper use of GBVIMS for accurate and secure case documentation and reporting, in compliance with data protection protocols and information-sharing guidelines.
• Monitor service quality through regular case review sessions, individual supervision, and team meetings; provide structured feedback and support professional development.

2. Cash for Protection and Emergency Case Management Fund Implementation 
• Coordinate the implementation of IRC’s Emergency Case Management Fund and Cash for Protection interventions, ensuring timely and needs-based responses to urgent protection risks of women and girls.
• Maintain detailed records of support provided, ensuring compliance with eligibility criteria, documentation standards, and financial accountability.
• Liaise with finance, MEAL and protection teams to ensure effective coordination and reporting of protection cash support interventions.

3. Capacity Building and Staff Development
• Identify the capacity-building needs of WPE CM staff and deliver on-the-job mentoring to improve technical skills in GBV case management, psychological first aid (PFA), risk mitigation, and use of GBVIMS.
• Support the professional growth of team members through development plans, performance reviews, and peer learning.
• Act as a field-level mentor in the Women Rise initiative, fostering continuous learning, empowerment of staff, and quality service delivery.

4. Community-Based Protection and Engagement
• Design and implementation of community-based protection initiatives, based on safety audits, risk assessments, and community dialogues focused on GBV risk reduction and accountability.
• Support the identification and engagement of women-led groups and community protection structures to strengthen local GBV prevention and response mechanisms.

5. Referral Pathways and Coordination
• Lead on maintaining and regularly updating service mapping and referral pathways, ensuring they are functional, survivor-centered, and widely disseminated among service providers and communities.
• Actively participate in local inter-agency GBV coordination mechanisms, contributing to collective response efforts and advocacy.

6. Reporting
•Ensure timely and accurate completion of case documentation, activity reports, success stories, and trend analysis for internal and donor reporting purposes.
•Support data collection and learning efforts related to GBV response and protection cash programming; identify lessons learned and contribute to continuous program improvement.

7. Collaboration and Representation
•Foster collaboration with IRC sector teams (Health, Economic Recovery and Development, Child Protection, Protection Rule of Law) to support holistic service delivery.
•Maintain effective relationships with local authorities, civil society actors, and humanitarian partners to ensure coordinated GBV response and advocacy for women’s rights and safety.
•Represent the WPE program in relevant forums, clusters, and coordination platforms as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS 

Education: 
•Master’s degree or higher in social work, psychology, sociology, pedagogy or a related humanitarian or social science field.

Experience: 
•Proven experience in implementing GBV case management services, with a strong understanding of the Inter-Agency GBV Case Management Guidelines, GBVIMS, and the Minimum Standards for GBViE in humanitarian settings.
•At least 2 years of experience in supervising and mentoring case management or protection teams, including performance management, coaching, and capacity building.
•Experience in conducting community-based protection activities such as safety audits, participatory risk assessments, and engagement with women-led groups.
•Strong track record of collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, local stakeholders, and humanitarian partners to strengthen GBV response and referral pathways.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: 
•Strong organizational and documentation skills, with proficiency in office software (, Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Workspace).
•Experience in working with data collection platforms such as KoBoToolbox and CommCare is highly desirable.
•Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work respectfully and empathetically with individuals from diverse backgrounds and vulnerabilities.
•Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team in a dynamic humanitarian context.
•Fluency in Ukrainian and English is required. 
•Strong commitment to humanitarian values, including adherence to safeguarding policies, the Child Safeguarding Policy, and the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) standards.

REPORTING STRUCTURE AND TEAM COLLABORATION

Position reports to: WPE Manager
Internal collaborations within IRC: WPE Community Awareness and Engagement Officer

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

These are some examples of other relevant information to include, but is not an exhaustive list. Include the points that are relevant for your position or add more.
•This role requires full-time work in the office or hybrid type of working is possible after probation period
•Applicants must have a home or alternate workspace they can effectively complete their work from during regularly scheduled work hours.
•Travel to other locations is needed up to 30% of time
•Exempt from overtime
•Sometimes work on weekends may be required
•Work in the matrix organization
•Fast pace of working, multitasking and stressful work
•The organization cares about staff and provides flexible working options (start early-finish early, start later-finish later, remote work)
Staff can ask for accommodation of a workplace. Specific requests can be discussed with HR. 

IRC employees are eligible to the following benefits:
•Competitive salary
•Purposeful job and development opportunities
•English classes and unlimited online training courses
•Life Insurance
•Medical insurance for staff and family members
•Free psychological support to employees and their family members 
•30 calendar days of annual vacation with flexibility beyond the legally set minimum requirements
•Up to 10 days of paid medical leave