Programme Manager (Ukraine)

Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) is an independent, non-profit organisation comprised of human rights lawyers and jurists working in fragile and conflict affected areas globally, with field offices in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. LAW has a particular focus on gender equality and sexual and gender-based violence, the rule of law and accountability and transformative justice – working to bring justice to those who need it most. LAW’s portfolio includes multiple ground-breaking cases, which utilise creative legal strategies on behalf of victims and survivors from some of the most challenging contexts, representing more than 1000 clients. LAW’s ground-breaking work has received international media coverage, including in the New York Times, the Times of London, the Guardian, Al-Jazeera, BBC News, France24, The Independent, Voice of America, Huffington Post and Foreign Policy.

LAW seeks a Programme Manager to lead its new Programme in Ukraine. Working closely with LAW’s senior management team and the Legal Officer on ground, the successful candidate will contribute to set up LAW field presence in Kyiv and develop and implement the Programme objectives while ensuring a survivor-centred approach throughout programme implementation.

Where: The position will be based in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Duration: This position is funded on a full-time basis on a 12-month Contract. Extension is possible subject to funding.

Salary: Competitive salary and rates apply.

Role Overview and Responsibility

The Programme Manager will manage the grant and ensure robust engagement with donors and regional and local partners, ensuring further development of the Ukraine Programme. The postholder will perform duties in accordance with the responsibilities outlined below:

Programme

• Design the set-up phase of the Programme, identify priorities and lead the coordination of the partners, develop common working methodology and organize coordination meetings and joint action plans.
• Lead the strategic development of the Programme ensuring that LAW and all consortium members deliver on their obligations in line with funding agreements, project objectives, funding and donor compliance.
• Deliver on the primary goals of the program, including filing cases, conducting training sessions, producing public reports, and monitoring trials, are achieved with the utmost level of quality.
• Develop and implement MEAL strategies for the consortium and partners.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key actors, including foreign and domestic lawyers, prosecutors, victims associations, international and humanitarian organizations, state representatives;
• Ensure project implementation in accordance with proposals, budgets, LAW policies, procedures and donor regulations;
• Deliver LAW’s work in the field, ensuring high quality programming and robust monitoring and evaluation methodologies (including through engagement with external monitoring and evaluation);
• Develop and implement a capacity-building strategy for local actors in Ukraine;
• Promote LAW’s work with survivors of gender-based violence, utilising a survivor-centred approach;
• Develop an advocacy strategy and design products that can be shared with both internal and external stakeholders, based on evidence gathered from the programmes;
• Ensure high-quality legal advice where required, through engagement with senior international lawyers and law firms;
• Lead and coordinate research, legal advocacy efforts and identify strategic cases and other legal interventions;
• Ensure that all donor deadlines for reporting and revisions are met within the deadlines;
• Coordinate with LAW’s Senior Management Team, and other programme managers as needed.

Finance Management and Accountability

• Develop a fundraising strategy to identify opportunities to ensure the sustainability and expansion of programmes;
• Prepare budgets and oversee programme expenditure, ensuring accurate projections of spend and implementation of expenditure plans;
• Ensure compliance with LAW policies and procedures, as well as donor regulations.

Advocacy and Communications

• Develop the profile and visibility of the programme and represent LAW on national and regional platforms;
• Establish networks with local NGO and Government bodies and participate in coordination mechanisms at a regional and international level;
• Ensure that website and social media content related to the programme is up-to-date and engaging;
• Contribute to LAW’s advocacy tools, including factsheets and annual reporting.
• Develop and implement a high-level advocacy strategy in line with global priorities that engages national, regional institutions and the international community.

People Management

• Lead the team effectively, ensuring high-calibre staff are recruited and retained;
• Create an enabling environment for innovation and high-performance, ensuring staff are appropriately supervised.
• Develop work-plans, which ensure training and development opportunities;
• Ensure LAW is compliant with all relevant legal requirements relating to employment law, safeguarding, security, health and safety, with support from the Director of Operations and Head of Human Resources.

Any other duties as specified by management.

Required criteria:

• You must have the legal right to work in Ukraine;
• Masters degree in law and/or human rights;
• Minimum 5 years direct and demonstrated experience in international humanitarian law, human rights law, justice and accountability, criminal law;
• License to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, preferably Ukraine
• Demonstrated experience managing consortia and partnerships with diverse membership, including grassroots members;
• Track record of working across insecure or conflict-affected and fragile environments;
• Demonstrated 5 years’ experience in programme /project management, including planning, design, M&E, and budget management;
• Experience interviewing survivors and witnesses of international crimes and human rights abuses;
• Experience working in INGO in a similar role, working directly with at risk clients or beneficiaries, preferably survivors of sexual and gender-based violence;
• Ability of active listening and analytical skills with ability to make sound judgment;
• Demonstrated experience in gathering evidence for, or otherwise contributing to legal proceedings.
• Experience managing a large and variable workload, and meeting tight deadlines;
• Excellent research and drafting skills;
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English, Ukrainian and local languages;
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (word, excel, powerpoint, outlook)

Desired criteria:

• Experience working in humanitarian contexts;
• Experience in working in strategic litigation initiatives;
• Experience in fundraising for legal projects in complex or conflict-affected environments;

If you are an exceptional individual who is passionate to make an impact we would like to hear from you.

Please submit your CV and covering letter outlining how your previous experience and skills match this role (neither exceeding 2 pages of A4) to: recruitment@legalactionworldwide.org. The heading of the application should read ‘Programme Manager Ukraine’. The deadline for the applications is 17th March 2024.

At LAW we are strengthened by the diversity of our colleagues reflecting the people and communities that we represent and support. Our team includes many nationalities with diverse professional backgrounds, skills and knowledge. This enables us to deliver and understand the cultural and political contexts on the ground and to tailor our support effectively and appropriately. Women with experience representing at-risk clients are particularly encouraged to apply.

To learn more about LAW please visit our website: www.legalactionworldwide.org