Background

The humanitarian response in Ukraine requires a strong, localized leadership to advance Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), ensure victim‑centred support, and strengthen partnerships with national authorities, civil society, and affected communities. This role is tailored to a Ukrainian national staff member, to lead inter‑agency PSEA coordination at Senior level support localization, lead governance processes, and engage in the national network in global PSEA forums.

This is a joint UN programme position with matrix reporting to the UNDP Resident Representative (RR) and a direct advisory role to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator. The position is seated within the Office of the Resident Coordinator to the UN in Ukraine.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Coordination

•    Provide strategic advice to the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC)/Resident Coordinator (RC), PSEA Network co chairs and senior humanitarian leadership on collective PSEA efforts, risks and priorities.
•    Lead the development, periodic review and operationalisation of the inter agency PSEA Action Plan for Ukraine, ensuring alignment with the humanitarian development nexus, national systems, donor requirements and localization agenda.
•    Lead inter agency Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) /PSEA risk assessments (including institutional partner risk, system risk, geographical risk) and ensure the findings are integrated into strategic and operational planning (e.g., the HNRP) and that mitigation actions are implemented and monitored.
•    Ensure the integration of PSEA and its risk mitigation measures into all sectors/clusters, humanitarian planning cycles, and national frameworks, in close coordination with the OCHA coordination team (and relevant clusters/sectors) for the HNRP and other strategic instruments.
•    Ensure donor, UN system, NGO and government partners are engaged in PSEA governance, risk mitigation, planning, monitoring and reporting functions.

2. Governance, Network & Institutional Mechanisms

•    Co chair, together with the international co chair, the national inter agency PSEA Network: draft monthly meeting agendas (in consultation with co chairs), prepare and present background briefs, chair the meetings, ensure minutes/actions, follow up of decisions.
•    Chair the PSEA Working Group (monthly) – draft agenda (in consultation with chairs), facilitate meetings of technical actors, partners, government entities and civil society, follow up on working group outputs, coordinate with clusters/sectors.
•    Support the HC/RC in convening the quarterly PSEA Steering Committee: prepare background materials, briefings, overview of network progress, key risks, results, recommendations for senior leadership decision making.
•    Prepare and submit monthly updates to the HC/RC and relevant coordination bodies on PSEA status, risk profile, action plan progress, localization milestones, and survivor/victim assistance issues.
•    Facilitate communication and coordination between the national PSEA Network and other coordination bodies — in the IASC PSEA Community of Practice (monthly), global brown bag sessions, donor forums, UN system PSEA fora — ensuring lessons learned, good practice and national context are shared and linked to global guidance and standards.

3. Victims’ Rights & Survivor Centred Approach

•    Serve as the Victims’ Rights Focal Point in line with the Office of the Victims’ Rights Advocate (OVRA) framework: ensure systems, policy and practice uphold the rights, dignity, access to redress/support and confidentiality of victims/survivors of SEA.
•    Work with protection, GBV, child protection, AAP (Accountability to Affected Populations) actors and national actors to develop/refine referral pathways, survivor support services, and complaint mechanisms that are accessible, culturally and linguistically appropriate (Ukrainian), inclusive of local actors and aligned with national systems.
•    Monitor and support implementation of safe and accessible community feedback and complaint mechanisms (CFMs) for SEA, ensure partner and government actors implement survivor centred protocols, and that victims’ perspectives inform PSEA planning and implementation.
•    Ensure that risk assessments, action planning, monitoring and reporting include specific metrics and indicators for victims’ rights, access to services, feedback mechanisms, and local leadership in response.

4. Capacity Building, Localization & Government Engagement

•    Lead and coordinate capacity building initiatives for national/local NGOs, government institutions (oblasts, municipalities, ministries), and humanitarian actors on PSEA, victims’ rights, misconduct, complaint mechanisms, localization of PSEA systems and survivor centred approaches.
•    Ensure PSEA materials, trainings and awareness raising campaigns are available in Ukrainian and adapted to the local context, community preferences and needs.
•    Promote localization by fostering leadership, ownership and participation of Ukrainian national and local actors in the PSEA Network, action planning, risk assessment, implementation, monitoring and oversight.
•    Engage with Ukrainian governmental bodies (national and oblast level) to align PSEA priorities with national policies/legislation, integrate PSEA into national response frameworks, support governmental capacity strengthening and joint accountability mechanisms.
•    Liaise with donors, UN agencies, national authorities, civil society and local community networks to mobilise resources for PSEA implementation (including survivor support, localization efforts, capacity building) and ensure sustainability of PSEA structures.

5. Monitoring, Reporting, Learning and Knowledge Sharing

•    Design and oversee monitoring frameworks, key performance indicators (KPIs) and dashboards for PSEA implementation, localization progress, risk mitigation, network performance, victim support metrics, and governance processes.
•    Prepare and present periodic analytical reports (quarterly, annual) for senior leadership and PSEA Steering Committee, including risk trends (SEA incident data, partner risk profiles), corrective action tracking, results of network/working group efforts, lessons learned and recommendations.
•    Facilitate learning, cross agency exchange of best practices, documentation of good practices and lessons learned (national to global linkages via IASC community of practice) and promote adaptation and continuous improvement of PSEA systems.
•    Ensure data protection, confidentiality, safeguarding standards are upheld in all PSEA data collection and reporting processes (aligned with UN guidance).
•    Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

This position is located in the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRCO), in Kyiv. The incumbent reports directly to the Head of the UN Resident Coordinators’ Office (RCO), administratively to the UNDP Resident Representative and works under the overall guidance and supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine. PSEA Specialist may supervise or coordinate a small support team/consultant as required for implementation of the inter-agency PSEA Annual Work Plan

Regular duty trips will be required to oblast/field locations, and where necessary, for inter agency/government engagement. Some international travel may be required to regional/global PSEA fora.

Competencies

Core
Achieve Results:	LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
Think Innovatively:	LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
Learn Continuously:	LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
Adapt with Agility:	LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
Act with Determination:	LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
Engage and Partner:	LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:	LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Thematic Area	Name	Definition
Business Direction & Stra	Strategic Thinking	Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
Business Development	Integration within the UN	Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations
Business Management	Portfolio Management	Ability to select, prioritise and control the organisation’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment
Business Management	Partnerships Management	Ability to build and maintain partnerships with side networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
Business Management	Risk Management	Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
Business Direction and Strategy	System Thinking	Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
2030 Agenda: People	Gender	Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements	Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) Social Sciences, Law, Human Rights, Gender Studies, Psychology, International Relations or related fields is required; or A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Min. years of relevant work experience	Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in of progressively responsible experience in PSEA, coordination, protection, GBV, Child Protection, human rights, safeguarding/misconduct in humanitarian, development or complex emergency contexts.
Experience, Knowledge and Skills	Proven experience in excellent communication, coordination, facilitation, advocacy and networking skills. Demonstrated ability to draft background papers, brief senior leadership, chair meetings and coordinate across agencies and partner entities. Experience in localization, inclusive programming, survivor‑centred approaches, zero‑tolerance of SEA, misconduct and abuse.
Desirable Criteria	Demonstrated experience in leading inter‑agency coordination mechanisms, strategic planning, and action plan implementation is strong advantage. Proven experience engaging with senior leaders of government institutions, United Nations agencies, international organizations, national civil society and localization of humanitarian systems is strongly desirable. Experience in risk assessment, victim‑centred support frameworks, complaint and referral mechanisms, and data protection/confidentiality is an asset. Experience working in the Ukraine context or similar complex emergencies is an asset. Familiarity with UN system and humanitarian coordination architecture – IASC, cluster/sector model, HCT/UNCT, UNMAF, OVRA, OSCSEA and any other PSEA related mandates is desirable Experience of leading multi‑stakeholder processes, building partnerships, facilitation of high‑level governance bodies, and/or representation in global for a is strong advantage.
Required Language(s)	Fluency in English and Ukrainian is required. Knowledge other UN languages is an asset (but not mandatory).
Professional Certificates	n/a

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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PSEA Specialist, NPSA-11, DS - Kyiv (National Position)