Senior Specialist of the Department for Restoration of Family Links - Odesa - 867462 / Protection of Family Links Field Officer - Odesa - 867462 in International Committee of the Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral, and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance. The ICRC is mandated to work in countries affected by armed conflict or other situations of violence. The ICRC is present in over 100 countries and has 18,000 staff worldwide. In 2014, the ICRC expanded its presence in Ukraine. Over 900 team members work across the county in various professional fields.

About the job 

The ICRC Protection Unit is seeking a skilled and dedicated Protection of Family Links Field Officer (PFL Field Officer) to join our team in Odesa. In this role, you will be responsible for implementing and monitoring ICRC PFL activities in Odesa`s area of responsibility. The PFL Field Officer will handle tracing inquiries from families of missing persons, gather and process tracing requests, conduct tracing activities to search for missing persons, and ensure timely follow-up of the missing cases and family enquirers under his/her responsibility.  Additionally, you will support multidisciplinary assessments of the needs of families of missing persons and assist in providing appropriate responses.

As a key member of the team, the PFL Field Officer in Odesa will also be expected to raise awareness about the ICRC’s role and procedures related to the Missing file during meetings with the families of the missing or authorities involved in the case.

Start date: April 2026

Your Tasks and Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain contacts with the families of missing and captured persons
• Collect new tracing enquiries and regularly follow-up on existing enquiries
• Keep families informed of any developments or news in their case
• Ensure proper documentation and data management
• Understand and analyze the existing cases to inform the ICRC’s actions in favor of the families
• Organize and conduct awareness raising sessions with families of missing persons and authorities to disseminate information about ICRC PFL action, and orient families in the search process
• Proactively understand the needs of families of missing individually or more collectively (trends), beyond the right to know: mental health needs, legal and administrative needs, etc., through the organization of focus groups discussions with families of missing
• Proactively identify referrals to other ICRC departments
• Actively map and assess available external services for families of missing, in the area of responsibility, and promote the internal and external services available among families of Missing
• Support families’ gathering in Odesa area of responsibility and together with the team, maintain regular contact with families’ associations

What we offer you

• A great team to work with and an organization where you have an impact
• Employment contract according to Ukrainian labor law with flexible working arrangements 
• Competitive salary between UAH 55,900 and 81,000 (gross) before taxation
• Medical insurance for you and your depending family members
• Comprehensive onboarding and learning opportunities
• 20 days of annual paid leave
• Convenient office location in the city center

The ICRC is an equal-opportunity employer that prioritizes staff safety and security. We are committed to diversity and inclusion within our workforce and encourage qualified female and male candidates of all backgrounds, including candidates with disabilities, to apply for the position. We also value our employees' professional growth and offer a supportive and inclusive work environment. 

For more information, visit the website http://www.icrc.org/.

About you

To be successful as PFL Field Officer in the Protection Unit, you should possess the following qualifications and experiences and have the following characteristics:  

• Ukrainian citizenship or permanent residence permit in Ukraine
• University degree or relevant professional experience
• Typically, 3-5 years of experience in the field of social, political, or economic sciences or similar
• Experience with the ICRC or another humanitarian agency an asset 
• Professional fluency (written and spoken) in English and Ukrainian 
• Computer literacy
• Self-motivated with a strong commitment to teamwork and humanitarian principles
• Flexible, enthusiastic, and willing to learn
• Ability to work independently, as well as effectively under supervision
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple tasks
• Ability to work within a diverse team and establish and maintain good working relations in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-disciplinary environment

Interested? Yes? THEN APPLY!

Please submit your English CV, along with your motivation letter and salary expectations, to the attention of the ICRC People and Culture Team. Please label your CV with your first and last names (First Name LAST NAME). In addition, please complete the compulsory ICRC questionnaire. The questionnaire is available through the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/APw3dvQMHJ. (Click on the link or copy the link into your internet browser.)

Your application will be considered only once you have completed the ICRC questionnaire and uploaded your English CV.

Application deadline: 22 February 2026

Only candidates meeting the above-mentioned criteria will be contacted to move forward in the recruitment process. The ICRC reserves the right to re-issue the vacancy, cancel the recruitment process, offer a position at a lower grade, with an adjusted job description or different duration, or recruit a candidate who matches the required profile before the deadline.

The ICRC is authorized to work in countries affected by armed conflicts or similar situations. The organization is represented in more than 100 countries of the world and has about 18,000 employees. In 2014, the ICRC expanded its presence in Ukraine. Today, more than 900 employees work in different cities of the country in various professional areas.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Department of Population Protection of the ICRC is looking for a competent Senior specialist of the department for the restoration of family ties to work in Odesa.In this position, you will be responsible for implementation and monitoring of ICRC activities in the field of searching for missing persons in the Odesa area of responsibility. The Senior Family Reconciliation Specialist will process tracing requests from families of missing persons, collect and process tracing requests, conduct missing person tracing activities, and ensure timely follow-up of missing persons and family requests under his/her responsibility. In addition, you will support a multidisciplinary assessment of the needs of families of missing persons and assist in providing appropriate responses.

As a key member of the team, the Senior Family Reconciliation Specialist in Odesa will also be required to raise awareness of the role of the ICRC and the procedures related to the missing persons file during meetings with families of missing persons or authorities that are engaged in this case.

Start date: April2026

YOUR MAIN DUTIES AND TASKS

• Establishing and maintaining contacts with families of missing and captured persons.
• Collecting new inquiries about tracing and regular tracking of existing requests.
• Informing families of any changes or news in their cases.
• Ensuring proper documentation and data management.
• Understanding and analyzing existing cases to inform the ICRC of actions in favor of families.
• Organize and conduct information sessions with families of missing persons and authorities to disseminate information on activities ICRC in the field of searching for missing persons and familiarizing families with the search process
• Proactively understand sweatfamily members of missing persons individually or collectively (trends) beyond the right to information: mental health needs, legal and administrative needs, etc., by organizing focus group discussions with families of missing persons
• Proactively identify referrals to other ICRC departments
• Actively map and evaluate available external services for families of missing persons in the area of responsibility and promote internal and external services available for families of missing persons
• Support family gatherings in the Odessa area of responsibility and, together with the team, maintain regular contact with family associations

WHAT WE OFFER

• Work in a friendly team of an international humanitarian organization, where your activities have a real impact
• Employment contract in accordance with Ukrainian legislation and a flexible schedule jobs
• Competitive salary ranging from UAH 55,900 to 81,000 per month (before tax)
• Medical insurance for you and your family members
• Full adaptation program and professional training opportunities
• 20 working days of paid annual leave
• Convenient office location in the center cities

ICRC is an equal opportunity employer, pays special attention to staff safety and creates an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage all qualified candidates regardless of gender, age, health or background to apply for the position. ICRC also supports the professional development of employees and provides a favorable and inclusive working environment.

Details: http://www.icrc.org/.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CANDIDATE

To be successful in this position, you must meet the following criteria:

• Ukrainian citizenship or a permanent residence permit in Ukraine.
• Higher education or relevant professional experience.
• Typically, 3-5 years of work experience in social, political or economic sciences or similar fields.
• Experience in the ICRC or other humanitarian organization is an advantage. 
• Fluency in English and Ukrainian (written and spoken). 
• Computer proficiency.
• Self-motivation, commitment to teamwork and humanitarian principles
• Flexibility, enthusiasm and willingness to learn
• Ability to work independently as well as effectively under direction
• Ability to organize and prioritize between multiple tasks
• Ability to work in a diverse team and establish and support good working relations in a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-disciplinary environment

INTERESTED IN A JOB? THEN APPLY!  

Please send your resume in English and motivation letter.

Name the resume file according to the sample: Last Name (First Name LAST NAME).

Also, be sure to fill out the application form ICRC via the link: https://forms.office.com/e/APw3dvQMHJ. (Click on the link or copy it into your browser window.)

Your application will be considered only after filling out the ICRC application form and uploading an English-language resume.

Application deadline:22February 2026

Only candidates who meet the specified requirements will be invited to the next stage of selection. The ICRC reserves the right to re-announce the competition, cancel the selection process, offer a lower-level position, make changes to the job description or the duration of the contract, and close the vacancy early in the event that a suitable candidate is selected.