Junior project specialist on the economic development of rural and urban areas in Danish Refugee Council / Danska Rada u spravah bizhenciv v Ukrayini

Danish Refugee Council (RCC) is an international non-governmental organization that promotes and supports long-term solutions to the problems faced by refugees and internally displaced persons worldwide.

DRB is currently looking for a Junior Rural and Urban Development Project Specialist.

General purpose of the role

Junior specialist of the project on economic development of rural and urban areas will contribute to the implementation of economic recovery measures in both urban and rural areas. This includes sectoral cash assistance to subsistence and smallholder farmers, support for vocational training, and grants and capacity building assistance for MSMEs and agribusinesses. The work involves close cooperation with communities, CSOs and local authorities in order to identify vulnerable people, carry out service mapping and exchange information about available services.

The position is based in the DRB office in Kharkiv, and field activities are carried out throughout Kharkiv Oblast and Slovyansk.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Assessment of needs

• Regularly inform line manager about changes in needs in communities/districts based on field visits.
• Participate in multi-sectoral needs assessments with MEAL as requested and report any issues immediately.

Project and proposal development

• Provide accurate and up-to-date technical information to supporting the development of project proposals and ensuring compliance with identified needs.

Project start

• Participate in operational meetings to ensure a clear understanding of activities and goals.
• Participate in informing stakeholders in coordination with by relevant industry teams to support consistent external communication.

Project Implementation

• Execute daily activities in accordance with operational plan, report work progress, report issues and propose decision.
• Maintain necessary documentation/MoV, ensure protection yesthem and provide timely information for reporting and PMM-BFU meetings.
• Collaborate with MEAL to support AAP principles: informing communities, ensuring participation, gathering feedback and ensuring responses.

Project Closure

• Ensure availability and archiving of all MoVs for completed activities and facilitate accumulation of expertise in accordance with MEAL guidelines.

Industry knowledge / technical expectations

• Support economic recovery tasks: registration of beneficiaries and distribution of aid according to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
• Communicate with beneficiaries, provide information, gather feedback and support CFM.
• As required, assist emergency/basic needs teams and perform other tasks as assigned by ER management

Internal Coordination and Collaboration

• Participate in internal coordination meetings, ensure cross-industry collaboration and support constructive communication.
• Participate in MEAL feedback sessions and, when requested, participate in meetings with partnership staff and implementing partners.

External coordination

• Coordinate with local authorities during the implementation of activities, report updates to the line manager and support the mapping of additional services for safe referral.

About the candidate

To be a successful candidate for this position, you must have at least 1 year of work experience in the field of livelihoods, economic recovery, development business, vocational training, employment services or similar economic projects at the community level, preferably in an international non-governmental organization. You should also have a strong interest or experience working with conflict-affected populations and be able to communicate clearly and empathetically with people in distress. Strong organizational, analytical and interpersonal skills as well as integrity, confidentiality and high ethical standards are required. You must be able to build and maintain positive relationships with communities, stakeholders and humanitarian partners to ensure effective implementation, coordination and long-term quality of DRB economic recovery efforts.

In addition, we also expect the following:

Requirements:

• Higher education
• Demonstrated interest in business development and job creation for socially vulnerable populations
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Outlook, Word and Excel

Preferably:

• Deep understanding of the country's state of development and general social context
• Strong sense of personal integrity and understanding of privacy and ethics
• A basic level of English would be an advantage. ?

In this position, we expect you to demonstrate the five core competencies of a DRB:

• Strive for excellence:Focus on achieving results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaboration: Engage stakeholders and encourage feedback.
• Initiative: take responsibility and initiative while demonstrating a commitment to innovation.
• Communication: listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrate integrity:maintain and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional behavior in relation to the values and Code of Conduct HRD, including the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer:

• Contract duration: 3-month trial period, after which the contract can be extended depending on funding and quality of work
• Position level: I
• Work location: Kharkiv
• Start of work: April 2026

Wages and working conditions will correspond to the employment conditions of the national staff of the Danish Refugee Council in Ukraine.

Application Process

All candidates must upload a cover letter and an up-to-date resume (no more than four pages) in English.

Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application deadline: March 26, 2026

We encourage candidates to apply as early as possible, interviews will be held until an acceptable candidate is found. DRB reserves the right to select a candidate before the application deadlinevok if an eligible candidate is identified earlier.

If you have any questions or problems with the online application process, please visit drc.ngo/about-us/job-and-career/support-for-job-seekers.

The Danish Refugee Council is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants for employment are considered without regard to race, age, ability, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or any other factor. At DRB, we celebrate diversity and value our employees for who they are and their unique skills, experience and perspective. We invite all interested candidates to apply!