Shelter and Settlement Specialist

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 650 staff in Ukraine and will continue significant scale-up in 2024 to implement 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 highly qualified Shelter and Settlement Specialist in Kyiv.  

Overall purpose of the role

The roving Shelter and Settlement (S&S) Specialist will be responsible for supporting the technical oversight of DRC Ukraine’s shelter program, and the evolution of DRC’s shelter work into new activities and larger infrastructure support. The S&S Specialist will ensure that the shelter program’s technical quality is ensured through the support and guidance of field teams in designing and checking contracts with local architectural and engineering consultants, building developers, civil engineering contractors and groundworkers, reviewing and updating guidelines, SOPs, and tools, and supporting in the capacity building of program staff. Much of this work will also include the mentoring of new Shelter and Settlements staff at field level, giving them support and advice on the supervision of works, managing contracts and understanding site safety. The Technical specialist will complement the work of the Shelter and Settlements Coordinator supporting the link between programme development and implementation. In addition, in coordination with the Head of Programme, the S&S Technical Specialist will assist in the implementation DRC’s shelter strategy which takes in account both the humanitarian and sustainable development/solutions needs of populations of concern, particularly in relation to development of local skills and capacities.

Your main responsibilities will be

– Technical Support, Field Monitoring, and Capacity Building 

• Provide capacity building support to the shelter and settlements program staff based on agreed capacity building and training plans, developed in coordination with the shelter managers.
• Support DRC in gathering the necessary information on the implementation of larger-scale infrastructure projects, including liaising with legal focal points, private sector/contractor focal points, program teams, local authorities etc.
• Support DRC to develop planning and guidance to continually scale up shelter and settlements response based on a robust understanding of needs, and technical and operational requirements in the Ukraine context.
• In coordination with the Head of Programme and country shelter and settlements coordinator, support in the review of shelter and settlements SoPs and guidelines, ensuring relevance and technical compliance (cluster and global standards). In addition, ensure that all teams have a common understanding of existing SoPs and guidelines, provide and training and capacity building is provided where necessary.
• Support in the review and development of shelter tools, engaging program teams when relevant, and ensuring tools comply with project, global, and cluster guidelines and expectations.
• Provide engineering technical guidance for the delivery of ongoing programming.
• Contributes to the daily operations of shelter teams, providing ongoing guidance to support quality implementation of shelter and settlement response.
• Support program teams to ensure efficient and effective program implementation while following the budget and work plan
• Work with the Supply Chain Team and shelter managers to create a comprehensive format (Tender, BoQ and Specifications) for the engagement of specialist contractors for the reconstruction of key buildings, infrastructure and facilities.  This may include rehabilitation of public buildings, WASH facilities, and other infrastructure as identified by communities as essential for their early recovery from conflict.
• Support the harmonization and standardization of shelter teams interactions with supply chain and finance teams by outlining common procedures and responsibilities.
• Travel regularly to area offices to engage with program teams on challenges, discuss opportunities for new programming, monitor ongoing programming, and promote Collaboration and cross-fertilization across teams.

– Reporting and Quality Assurance  

• Provides technical guidance and technical inputs into contracts and programme implementation.
• Assist in developing project technical documents
• In coordination with MEAL and program focal points, assist in project tracking and reporting when relevant
• Supports the HoP and grants team to develop strong proposals in line with DRC’s country strategy, needs, and technical capacities

To be successful in this role as a Shelter and Settlement Specialist we expect you to have minimum 3-5 years of practical experience in sector area working for an INGO, degree in civil engineering or similar or a minimum of 7 years of experience and documented skills in project planning and design, drafting, calculation and technical writing.

Moreover, we expect:
• Excellent skill in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Experience in project management, particularly large-scale public infrastructure and rehabilitation of buildings and public facilities.
• Experience in overseeing/developing programming in both humanitarian and solutions contexts is as asset
• Experience in working with national partners, local/government authorities, and UN organizations
• Full professional proficiency in English

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer 

Contract length: For national contracts open-ended; for expatriate contracts 6-month fixed term contract with possible extension subject to funding.
Band: G non-management 
Duty Station: Kyiv. Non-family duty station.
Start date: 25 March 2024

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment; please refer to www.drc.ngo under Vacancies.

Application and CV

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.

Please submit your application and CV in English no later than 4th March 2024. 

Please note, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the opening may end early if a suitable candidate is identified.