Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate and promote durable solutions for displacement affected populations.
DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, currently DRC employs over 700 staff in Ukraine and implements emergency response in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (humanitarian mine action) sectors, using direct interventions, support to duty bearers and civil society organizations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue and adapt its durable solutions portfolio to the evolving context.
DRC is currently looking for a Legal and Liaison Officer in Kyiv.
About the job
Legal and Liaison Officer will provide legal support to the Representation of DRC in Ukraine, and to register international technical assistance projects.
Your main duties and responsibilities will be:
- Communicate with state authorities, municipal institutions, and their departments/branches/structural units to ensure the proper registration of international technical assistance projects.
- Prepare the necessary documents for the registration of international technical assistance projects, including but not limited to memoranda, partnership agreements, letters, etc..
- Participate in events, meetings, and consultations to facilitate the registration of international technical assistance projects.
- Conduct analytical work on updates in legislation and judicial practice on matters relevant to the activities of the Representation of the Danish Refugee Council in Ukraine.
- Upon the instruction of the direct supervisor, review and/or draft documents (letters, complaints, any other legal documents addressed to/received from state authorities, courts, prosecution bodies, police, notaries, justice bodies, etc.) for compliance with the current legislation of Ukraine.
- Provide support to other departments in coordinating, developing and amending legal documents.
- Continuously monitor changes in legislation and provide legal analysis on relevant issues concerning the Representative Office's activities to the direct supervisor.
About you
To be successful in this position, we expect you to have at least 2 years of legal work experience in a representative office of a foreign organisation/charitable foundation/non-governmental organization or at least 2 years of professional legal experience in the position of legal counsel.
Moreover, we also expect the following:
Required
- University higher professional education in law/international relations/public management and administration.
- Diplomatic and communication skills.
- Experience in legal analysis, research and legal expertise in the relevant legislation on corporate, contractual and labour issues; experience in drafting contracts, protocols, applications, requests, etc.
- Languages: Fluency in Ukrainian.
- Computer literacy: confident user in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Desirable
- Legal experience in foreign non-governmental organizations.
- Experience in registering project registration cards for international technical assistance.
- Experience of working in representative offices of foreign organisations and registering international technical assistance projects
- Proficiency in English.
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:
- Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
- Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
- Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
- Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
- Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.
We offer
- Contract length: 3-month probationary period, with the possibility of extension depending on funding and quality of work performed.
- Band: H nm.
- Designation of Duty Station: KYIV.
- Start date: 01/10/2025.
Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for employees on national contracts; please refer to our website for more details.
Application process
All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English.
Applications sent by email will not be considered.
Closing date for applications: 01/09/2025.
Working at DRC
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DRC as an employer
Founded in 1956, DRC Danish Refugee Council is Denmark’s largest, and a leading international NGO. We have continuously been ranked as one of the best NGOs in the world - and are one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. In over 30 countries, we protect, advocate and build sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement-affected people and communities.
By working in DRC, you will be joining a global workforce of over 6,000 employees. We pride ourselves on our:
- Professionalism, impact & expertise
- Humanitarian approach & the work we do
- Purpose, meaningfulness & own contribution
- Culture, values & strong leadership
- Fair compensation & continuous development
DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process.
Danish Refugee Council is an equal opportunity employer and we consider all applicants based on individual merit and qualifications, regardless of personal characteristics or attributes. We are committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce, aiming for a 50% balance of men and women in management roles and ensuring that at least 50% of management roles are filled by national staff. We recognize that a diverse and inclusive team is crucial for achieving our organizational goals and making a positive impact on the communities we serve.