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 Shelter and Settlement Assistant to work in Sumy and/or Shostka with frequent travel within the Sumy region. The position requires regular travel to the field and involves spending at least 50% of working time in Shostka and surrounding areas.
About the job
Under the supervision of the Shelter and Settlement Team Leader and/or Manager, Shelter and Settlement Assistant will provide comprehensive support and contribute to all activities related to the implementation of rehabilitation projects.
Your main duties and responsibilities will be:
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Conducting preliminary consultations with residents (potential assistance recievers) and local authorities in close cooperation with other team members before the start of planned work.
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Communicating with people recieveing assistance: organizing preliminary arrangements for conducting assessments, performing repair work, and signing documents required by the program. Providing complete information about the activities of the DRC, explaining the procedure and scope of work, receiving feedback and forwarding it to the engineer and department manager. Responding to inquiries through the complaint and feedback mechanism.
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Participating in expert damage assessment (including photo documentation). Registering aid recipients, collecting and entering copies of the necessary documents into the database (KOBO tool).
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Processing, updating, analyzing, and exporting data from the database for further reporting in accordance with the manager's requests.
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Preparing and signing documents, including consents to the processing of personal data and agreements with aid recipients.
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Visiting households together with an engineer for a final check of the scope and quality of the work performed. Participating in the preparation and signing of Acts of Completed Work, collecting feedback after project completion.
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Presenting the shelter department at coordination meetings at various levels if needed.
About you:
To be successful in this role we expect from you the following:
Required:
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University education: higher education.
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Work experience: 1-3 years of professional experience.
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Fluency in Ukrainian.
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Computer literacy: confident user of MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
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Comfortable talking about sensitive topics and working with people in distress.
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Interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work effectively with vulnerable individuals and stakeholders from different walks of life.
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Organizational and time management skills, ability to prioritize tasks.
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Personal discipline, punctuality, responsibility in decision-making, honesty, sociability.
Desirable:
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Experience interacting with aid recipients, local authorities, or participating in humanitarian projects.
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At least a basic knowledge of English is an advantage.
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
Band: I
Designation of Duty Station: Sumy or Shostka
Start date: 1st October 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: 29 August 2025
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and DRC reserves the right to proceed with the recruitment before the deadline if a suitable candidate is identified.
Working at DRC
Help applying
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.