Child Protection & MHPSS Program Manager in Save the Children

Save the Children International is a leading international humanitarian organization that has been protecting the rights of children around the world for more than 100 years. We work in more than 100 countries, responding to emergency situations, implementing innovative development programs and advocating for the interests of children at the global level.

Our activities in Ukraine began in 2014. Since then, we have greatly expanded our geographic presence, providing support to children and families affected by war. We work in areas such as education, child protection, food security and social support, and we also carry out advocacy activities aimed at ensuring long-term changes in the lives of children.

Purpose of the position:

The position of Child Protection and Mental Health Social Support Program Manager (CP & MHPSS PM) is part of the Program's operational team in southern Ukraine. The position involves leading the planning, implementation, monitoring/reporting and sustainability of programs in line with the Save the Children project management methodology.
The Manager is responsible for implementing a high-quality, efficient and effective integrated response to CP and MHPSS, ensuring strong coordination between sectors and departments.
The Manager works closely with the Program Development and Quality (PDQ) team, in particular with technical advisors and monitoring, evaluation, reporting and training (MEAL) team to ensure compliance with technical standards and Save the Children approaches.

In addition to direct implementation, the Manager oversees all CP and MHPSS projects implemented through local partners.
The comprehensive CP and MHPSS portfolio includes inpatient and mobile psychosocial support for children and adolescents, mine safety training (UXO/MRE) and a positive parenthood, with an emphasis on gender equality. SC and its partners are key actors in child protection case management, as well as integration of financial assistance to achieve protective results.
In addition, SC works on the development of family forms of alternative care and supports the deinstitutionalization process in close cooperation with the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine.

Main Responsibilities

Management programs:

• Supporting the Southern Regional Director (AD) and the Multisectoral Program Manager (MPM) in scenario planning and trend analysis to identify the current needs of vulnerable children and families in the area of operation.

• Identifying and supporting CP and MHPSS needs assessment opportunities with partners (considering security and access constraints) to develop context-sensitive programs.

• Cooperation with CP/MHPSS coordinators and partners on the preparation of documents for partnership agreements (budget, descriptive part, logical matrix).

• Management of the process of launching new grants (development of a detailed implementation plan, procurement plan, personnel planning).

• Monitoring the use of the budget, preparation of expenditure plans and PR-trackers.

• Ensuring timely implementation of projects respaccording to planned milestones.

• Lead, monitor and support field teams and partners with a conflict sensitivity and needs-based approach.

• Prepare timely program and donor reports as required by SC and donors.

• Review partner financial and narrative reports as well as Indicator Tracking Tables (IPTT) ensuring adaptive planning.

• Collaboration with the Grants and Partnerships teams at all stages (launch, implementation, completion) to meet compliance requirements.

• Performing the functions of the primary budget manager for all active grants.

• Coordinating with other program managers to ensure synergy of activities between sectors.

• Preparation of budget inquiries and reporting together with the finance department.

• Manage master budgeting for all CP and MHPSS projects in the region.

• Support fundraising efforts (concept development, proposals, collaboration with technical advisors).

• Integrate CP and MHPSS approaches into all other sectors (education, shelters/NFI, FSL/CVA, WASH), with a focus on gender and youth.

• Performing AD duties as needed.

Organizational capacity building and training

• Identifying gaps and training needs for technical advisors and staff; development of a structured capacity building plan.

• Tracking trends in sectors, introduction of new methodologies, innovations and best practices.

• Mobilization of internal and external opportunities for professional development of the team.

Representation, advocacy and coordination

• Representation of Save the Children at coordination meetings, in ministries, among national and international partners.

• Ensuring consistency of SC activities with other organizations and government initiatives, supporting the involvement of local partners.

• Organizing round tables together with the PDQ team.

• Collaboration with advocacy, campaign, communications and media teams for ethical case documentation and participation in CP advocacy events and MHPSS.

Monitoring and evaluation

• Monthly submission of activity trackers to MEAL, ensuring coordination of launch activities.

• Provide feedback on TA/MEAL technical visit reports.

• Use monitoring data to adjust programs.

• Track indicators during of the entire cycle of implementation, coordination with the M&E specialist to develop partner monitoring strategies.

• Managing technical assessments of children's needs in cooperation with other sectors.

• Ensuring mechanisms of accountability to children and communities.

• Increasing children's participation in the implementation of CP and MHPSS programs.

• Using monitoring results to form evidence base of child protection programs.

General duties

• Increase the awareness of colleagues about CP and MHPSS throughlearning initiatives.

• Developing collaboration with the PDQ team.

• Adherence to Save the Children child protection policy and reporting procedures.

• Ensuring compliance with minimum standards of humanitarian aid (Scope, Red Cross Code of Conduct).

• Executing the functions of the key contact person on Centrality of Protection issues (to be provided training).

• Willingness to change working conditions in case of crisis situations.

• Compliance with all Save the Children policies (child protection, code of ethics, occupational safety, equal opportunities, etc.).

To be successful, you must have:

• Master's degree in social work, human rights, law, international relations, development or in a related field (additional experience can compensate for the lack of a master's degree).

• At least 5 years of experience managing development projects or programs in emergency situations (preferably in Ukraine).

• Confirmed work experience in the fields of child protection and psychosocial support.

• Deep understanding of the Ukrainian context, in particular issues related to children, youth, gender, family and social behavior.

• Ability to identify gaps in CP and MHPSS to form a holistic response.

• Knowledge of international standards (IASC, CPMS, interagency guidelines on MHPSS and case management).

• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills.

• Experience in public speaking and representation.

• High interpersonal skills, ability to quickly build trust.

• Initiative, ability to solve problems independently.

• Mentoring and team potential development skills.

• Excellent oral and written command of English and Ukrainian languages.

• Confident user of MS Office, financial systems.

• Political and cultural sensitivity, patience, diplomacy.

• Willingness to work under pressure, flexibility, clear communication.

We offer

• Official employment in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine
• International working conditions
• Working day from 9 to 17 hours
• Medical insurance
• Life and health insurance
• Training and professional development opportunities

Child protection policy:

We must ensure the safety of children, so our selection process involves strict background checks and reflects our commitment to protecting children from abuse. 

Ready to hire an employee with a disability.

If youinterested in the vacancy, send your resume in English by 03.11.2025. Please note that the vacancy will remain open on the website until we find a successful candidate.

In the covering letter, please indicate the expected salary and level of English language proficiency.

Save the Children International is a leading global humanitarian organization that has been protecting children's rights worldwide for over 100 years. We operate in more than 100 countries, responding to emergencies, implementing innovative development programs, and advocating for children's rights on a global scale.

Our work in Ukraine began in 2014. Since then, we have significantly expanded our presence, providing support to children and families affected by war. Our key areas of focus include education, child protection, food security, social support, and advocacy to drive lasting change in children's lives.

Job Purpose:

The CP and MHPSS PM will be part of the Program Operations team in South Ukraine, and will lead the sectoral planning, implementation, monitoring/reporting and sustainable transition, in line with Save the Children’s Project management methodology. The PM is responsible for implementing a high quality, effective and efficient integrated CP & MHPSS response through strong coordination across sectors and departments. The PM will work closely with the Program Development and Quality team, including relevant Technical Advisors and MEAL team, in order to ensure technical standards are met and interventions are grounded in Save the Children's common approaches. Alongside direct implementation, the PM oversees all CP and MHPSS projects implemented through local partners. The comprehensive CP & MHPSS portfolio includes static and mobile psychosocial support for children and adolescents, UXO and mine risk education, and positive parenting—with a cross-cutting focus on gender equality. SC and partners are key actors in the provision of child protection case management and the integration of cash assistance in achieving protection outcomes. Additionally, SC is working to advance family-based alternative care and contribute to de-institutionalization efforts, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection.  

Key Responsibilities:

Programme Management

• Support the AD and MPM in Scenario planning and trend analysis to capture the pressing needs of vulnerable children and families in the area of ​​operation. Identify and support opportunities for CP & MHPSS assessments, in close coordination with partners and per security/access approvals, to inform responsive program design.  
• Work with the Child Protection & MHPSS Coordinators and partners, to develop Partner Agreement documents such as budget, narrative and logframe
• Lead kick off process for all new awards, including developing detailed implementation plan and procurement plan, as well as ensuring HR planning is on track with existing team succession planning and recruitments for new roles
• Track budget utilisation with clear spending plans and PR trackers 
• Ensure timely project implementation based on planned milestones. 
• Monitor, guide and supervise the field teams and partners in day to day project implementation informed by conflict sensitivity and following a needs based apparoach.  
• Prepare timely program and donor reports on project activities in compliance with internal Save the Children requirements and any relevant external donor requirements. 
• Review partner monthly financial, narrative reports and Indicator Performance Tracking Tables, and ensure that adaptive planning is followed in order to meet project objectives.  
• Work closely with Awards and Partnership team during kick off, implementation, and close out stages to ensure compliance requirements are met.  
• Act as the overall budget holder for all active grants/awards, and actively empower Coordinators to manage certain budget lines. 
• Work closely with MPM and other PMs in order to ensure an area based approach is followed, with clear synergies among activities within CP and other sectors.  
• Work with the Finance department to prepare financial and budgeting requests and ensure the timely planning and reporting of expenditure for projects.  
• Lead on master budget phasing at the area level for all CP and MHPSS awards 
• Support fundraising, including the development of high quality concept notes and proposals, and engagement with technical advisors. 
• Work with Education, Shelter/ NFI, FSL/ CVA, WASH PMs in order to ensure CP and MHPSS is integrated in all sectors, along with a cross-cutting focus on gender and adolescents/youth.  
• Provide support to field and Program operations and management as needed, including acting as AD when requested.

Capacity Building & Organizational Learning 

• Identify gaps and priorities for Technical Advisors to foster ongoing learning and capacity building for staff and partners, including working on a structured capacity strengthening plan 
• Keep abreast of sector trends, developments and policies, and adapt and promote introduction of new methodologies, innovations and best practices.  
• Mobilize internal and external capacity-building opportunities based on clear development goals for respective line reports and strategic directions of the overall CP & MHPSS portfolio.

Representation, Advocacy & Coordination 

• Represent Save the Children in relevant coordination meetings and meetings with the Government Ministries and other national and international partners. 
• Ensure that Save the Children’s work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and encourage/enable increased participation of local partners in coordination fora 
• Work with PDQ team to organise round tables, and lead on these at SAO level  
• Work with Advocacy, Campaign, Communications and Media team to ethically document case studies to show impact, and actively participate in advocacy discussions related to CP & MHPSS matters in SAO. 

Monitoring & Evaluation 

• Submit activity trackers on a monthly basis to MEAL and ensure that timely communication takes place on start up of activities to support MEAL planning cycles.  
• Provide feedback on TA/MEAL visit reports  
• Increase use of data from monitoring (including Quality Benchmarks), sharing with relevant colleagues and informing program revision and design   
• Ensure tracking of set indicators throughout the implementation cycle and regular reporting on impact, and in coordination with the Monitoring and Evaluation  Manager, assist partners in developing appropriate strategies for monitoring and evaluating implemented activities.  
• Oversee and guide teams on technical assessments in coordination with other thematic areas and/or other external sector agencies, ensuring assessment findings are documented and that all assessments include a specific analysis of children’s needs. 
• Put in place accountability mechanisms for child protection, ensuring that feedback from children, communities, and all other relevant stakeholders is considered in programme design and throughout the project cycle 
• Identify and increase opportunities for child participation in CP & MHPSS program implementation 
• Where possible, use the monitoring and evaluation framework to build/contribute to an evidence-base for child protection programming interventions. 

General 

• Increase knowledge and familiarity of colleagues in SAO  on the core concepts and interventions of CP and MHPSS through  organization of learning lunches or similar learning initiatives  
• Network and strengthen relationships with PDQ colleagues through frequent engagement  
• Ensures adherence to the Child Safeguarding Policy and reporting procedures 
• Ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter, the Red Cross Code of Conduct  
• Act as key focal point for Centrality of Protection in the SAO, trainings and orientation will be provided to support with this function 
• Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of crisis or emergency.  
• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

To Be Successful, You Will Need:

•  Master’s degree in social work, Human Rights, Law, International Relations, Development Studies or similar. Additional years of experience can count in lieu of master’s degree to complement an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject. 
• At least 5 years of experience in project management and/or development programming in emergency context, preferably in Ukraine. 
• Proven experience in child protection and mental health psychosocial support. 
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of Ukrainian context, especially related to children and youth, gender, family and appropriate approaches that canenhance engagement and attitude/behaviour change.   
• Ability to identify the main gaps in child protection and MHPSS in the given context to inform a holistic response for children. 
• Sound knowledge of, and experience in applying, established inter-agency standards and guidelines in child protection and MHPSS, such as the IASC Guidelines on MHPSS, the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Settings and Inter-agency Guidelines on Child Protection Case Management, etc. 
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organize a demanding workload comprised of diverse and challenging tasks and responsibilities.  
• Experience of representation and public speaking.  
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people. 
• Strong self-starter who takes initiative and proactively identify challenges and solutions. 
• Excellent team support and supervision skills.   
• Proven coaching and capacity building skills. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.  
• Excellent English and Ukrainian language proficiency. 
• Highly computer literate (i.e. Word, Excel, Outlook, Internet Explorer, financial systems). 
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy.  
• Patient, adaptable, able to improvise, and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure.

We Offer:

• Official employment in accordance with Ukrainian legislation
• International working conditions
• Working hours from 9 AM to 5 PM
• Medical insurance
• Life and health insurance
• Opportunities for training and professional development

Child Safeguarding Policy:

We are committed to ensuring children's safety. Our recruitment process includes strict background checks and reflects our commitment to protecting children from harm.

Health and Safety:

All employees are expected to perform their duties in accordance with our global policy on harassment prevention.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

SCI is committed to fostering a truly inclusive, effective, and representative organizational culture, promoting equity and diversity among staff, and eliminating unlawful discrimination.

We are open to hiring individuals with disabilities.

If you are interested in this position, please submit your CV in English by 03.11.2025. Please note that the vacancy will remain open on the website until we find a successful candidate.

In your cover letter, indicate your expected salary and English proficiency level.