Programme Specialist (Partnership)

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 800 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 Programme Specialist (Partnership) in Kyiv. Travel throughout Ukraine is expected as part of the role.

About the job

Partnerships Specialist will be responsible for leading and coordinating the development of project proposals and budgets with partner organizations. This role ensures timely, high-quality, and coherent proposal packages that align with donor requirements, organizational strategy, and partner capacities. Partnership Specialist will serve as the focal point for coordinating reviews with relevant technical coordinators and support the finalization of the sub-agreement package for submission and sign-off. Additionally, Partnership Specialist will play a key role in strengthening collaboration with local civil society organizations (CSOs) to support program implementation and local capacity development. The role will involve close coordination with area teams, program staff, support departments, and external stakeholders.                                        

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Partnership Development

• Support area and program teams in the mapping, identification, and selection of potential local civil society organization (CSO) partners aligned with strategic and programmatic priorities.
• Lead and coordinate the due diligence process for prospective CSO partners, including review of legal registration, governance structures, financial systems, and programmatic capacities, in close collaboration with relevant departments such as finance, supply chain, grants, MEAL, and others.
• Coordinate and facilitate with the relevant DRC colleagues, CSO organizational capacity assessments using standardized tools and participatory approaches, ensuring findings are documented and inform partnership strategies, capacity development plans, and risk management.

Project design and negotiation

• Support the collaborative development of project proposals and budgets with local CSO partners, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, program strategies, and donor requirements.
• Coordinate review of project documents submitted by partners, including proposals, work plans, and budgets to ensure quality, coherence, and feasibility.
• Lead the process of finalizing sub-agreement packages in close coordination with finance, MEAL, program and grants teams. Ensure all required documents (proposal, budget, project implementation plan, etc.) are complete and compliant before submission. Support submission of sub-agreement packages for internal approvals and ensure timely sign-off.

Reporting and Coordination

• Support the development and delivery of trainings and workshops for staff and partners on proposal development, reporting, grant management, compliance, and accountability as delegated by the Grants team.          
• Contribute to documentation of best practices, case studies, lessons learned, and success stories related to partnership management and CSO capacity strengthening.

Capacity Development of CSO Partners

• Support the development and implementation of tailored capacity development plans for partners based on assessment findings, in collaboration with technical advisors and program teams. Maintain and regularly update the Capacity Development tracker for all partners to monitor progress, track milestones, and document capacity support activities.
• Facilitate or support organization of workshops, training sessions that contribute to partner organization development. Contribute to documentation of best practices, case studies, lessons learned, and success stories related to partnership management and CSO capacity strengthening.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to minimum 3-5 years of experience in grants management, proposal writing, report writing, or a related field within humanitarian or development organizations. Moreover, we also expect the following:

• Master's degree (e.g. political science, international development, Human Rights, Humanitarian Studies) or equivalent professional qualification.
• Proficiency in contract and sub-grant management, including reviewing budgets, agreements, and reports.
• Experience working with international NGOs, UN agencies, donors, or government institutions in partnership management.
• Strong understanding of project cycle management (PCM), partnership procedures, and donor compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of donor regulations (e.g., ECHO, USAID, UN agencies) and sub-grant compliance requirements.
• Strong knowledge of partnership processes and tendency, localization approaches, and funding mechanisms in the humanitarian/development sector.
• Strong understanding of data management systems, SharePoint, and other digital collaboration tools.
• Deep knowledge and understanding of CSO work and their organization trends in Ukraine.
• Full professional proficiency in English.
• Confident user in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint.

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: 6 months contract (first contract signed for 3 months as probation period, renewable).
• Band: G-nm.
• Designation of Duty Station: Kyiv with 30% travel across the country.
• Start date: 1st of July, 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: 17th of June, 2025.

We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible, interviews might be conducted on a rolling basis. DRC reserves the right to select candidate before the vacancy close date once a suitable candidate has been identified.