Project Liaison Coordinator (UNFPA)

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Dnipropetrovsk region in southeastern Ukraine has become a refuge for nearly half a million internally displaced persons (IDPs), primarily from the neighboring Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

Currently, 466,890 IDPs have found safety in the region, a figure amounting to almost half of Dnipro’s pre-war population. Dnipro has also become a hub for displaced regional authorities from Luhansk and Donetsk, who have faced conflict-related challenges for nearly a decade. Despite missile and artillery attacks, Dnipropetrovsk remains resilient, leading youth-driven efforts and recognized for its innovative approaches to youth engagement. This resilience has fostered collaboration between displaced and local youth, exemplified by initiatives driven by local youth centers, which connect displaced youth from Luhansk with their peers in Dnipro.

Other regions, such as Odesa, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv, which remain heavily affected by hostilities, are also home to thousands of vulnerable IDPs in need of urgent support. The conflict continues to impact these regions, altering their demographic landscape and increasing the burden on local communities.

The Youth Embracing Strength (Y.E.S.) project, which started in the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions, aims to safeguard the human capital of young people in war-affected areas. It focuses on supporting both local youth and internally displaced young people who have stayed or relocated within these regions. Many young people in Ukraine have become first responders since the onset of the invasion.

The Y.E.S. project embraces this trend by fostering a localized response where youth volunteers, equipped with the necessary skills and support, play a key role in humanitarian activities. They engage in peer-to-peer outreach, help identify pressing needs within their communities, and connect vulnerable populations with vital services, such as gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. This youth-driven approach amplifies the leadership and innovative potential of Ukrainian youth, ensuring their voices are integral to the country’s recovery.

Youth have proven to be central to the humanitarian response, with many contributing to volunteer efforts and taking an active role in their communities despite the challenges of displacement and ongoing war. The Y.E.S. project recognizes the resilience and determination of youth, ensuring that they are not just beneficiaries but also key drivers of change in their regions.

As the war intensifies, particularly in the eastern regions, there is a pressing need to reinforce the resilience and coping capacities of young people, including in regions like Sumy, Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv, now included in the project’s scope. By extending the project’s reach to these regions, the Y.E.S. project continues to prioritize mental health, resilience, and the safeguarding of young people’s well-being against the war.

Requirements for candidates:

• 3 years of experience in Community engagement, project coordination, management, social work, public administration, development studies or related fields.
• Good communication skills and good command of the working language are required.
• Voluntary service and community engagement can be considered as preference.
• Have affinity with or interest in youth participation, humanitarian relief, post-conflict situations, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN system.
• Experience working with community-based initiatives, humanitarian projects, or development programs, including in conflict-affected areas.
• Understanding of the challenges and dynamics in war-affected regions, particularly as they relate to youth.
• Bachelor degree or equivalent in management, social work, public administration, development studies, or related fields.
• Ukrainian, Level: Fluent, Required
• English, Level: Fluent, Required

You will have the opportunity to apply your talent while working for a noble cause. UN Volunteers receive a monthly living allowance (VLA), as well as life insurance and full health insurance.

This position comes with the following benefits and entitlements for UN Volunteers (National UN Volunteer Specialist):

• Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) (equivalent in UAH): USD 1,587
• Medical and life insurance: Cigna Private Insurance
• Annual leave: 30 days
• Certified sick leave: 30 days annually
• Uncertified sick leave: 7 days annually
• Learning leave: 10 days annually

To apply for a vacancy, please first register on the UN Volunteers platform https://app.unv.org/ and send an application using this link: https://app.unv.org/opportunities/1772454125056256

The final date to apply is November 21 inclusive.