Senior Partnership Officer (Support) at Nonviolent… · Odesa

Job Title: Senior Partnership Support Officer

Department: Programming

Division : Programme Implementation

Duty Station: Odesa (with frequent travel to NPs programme sites including Mykolaiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, Donetsk/Dnipro)

Line Manager: Programme Manager – Partnerships (PM-P)

Line Management Responsibility: N/A

Position Type: Full-time

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is a dynamic, international non-governmental organisation. We work with people affected by violent conflicts to enhance their security and dignity through Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP). We work to reduce violence, protect civilians in countries affected by violent conflict and its aftermath, and help transform the world’s response to conflict situations.

Overview

NP occupies a unique space in the protection response in Ukraine; simultaneously providing direct protection to at-risk civilians and providing hands-on support to front-line volunteer collectives to directly contribute to the sustainability and safety of their actions. NP promotes responsible partnerships and ‘localisation in practice’ and is currently building out its Partnerships Support Department to provide increased direct and dedicated support to its partners in Ukraine including national non-governmental organisations (NNGOs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and local volunteer collectives. In 2024 NP is piloting a Tier system for partnership and an open call for proposals for grants.

Job summary

The Senior Partnership Support Officer supports the Programme Manager – Partnerships in the day-to-day operational coordination of NP Ukraine's partnership portfolio, facilitating the consistent application of partnership procedures, quality documentation, timely follow-up and effective implementation of partnership processes throughout the project cycle.

The position combines independent management of an assigned portfolio of partner projects with broader operational coordination and technical support to Partnership Support Officers. Acting as a key operational support to the Programme Manager – Partnerships, the Senior Partnership Support Officer helps address complex implementation challenges, facilitates coordination between partners, Partnership Support Officers, Partnerships Finance Officers and NP field teams, and consolidates relevant information to support management oversight and decision-making.

The role provides technical guidance to Partnership Support Officers, supports partner capacity strengthening and contributes to the continuous improvement of partnership systems and responsible partnership practices, including Duty of Care. While the Senior Partnership Support Officer facilitates operational coordination across the department, overall portfolio accountability and management decisions remain with the Programme Manager – Partnerships, and individual Partnership Support Officers retain responsibility for their assigned projects.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct Partner Portfolio Management and Project Cycle Support

• Serve as the primary operational focal point for an assigned portfolio of partner organisations, maintaining regular communication and providing direct support throughout the partnership project cycle.
• Independently manage the day-to-day programmatic and operational aspects of assigned partner subgrants, including project development, contracting, implementation, reporting, monitoring, amendments and closure.
• Support partner identification, mapping, Calls for Proposals, selection, due diligence and capacity assessment processes, including preparation and review of documentation and follow-up on identified risks.
• Prepare and coordinate partnership agreements, Memorandums of Understanding and amendments for assigned projects, ensuring completeness, accuracy, timely processing and compliance with NP procedures.
• Review partner concept notes, project proposals, workplans, logical frameworks and narrative reports, providing feedback and ensuring alignment with approved activities, project objectives and donor requirements.
• Conduct regular partner check-ins and on-site monitoring visits, track implementation progress, indicators, deliverables and reporting deadlines, and follow up on agreed actions and corrective measures.
• Coordinate with Partnerships Finance Officers and NP field teams on budget revisions, payments, implementation challenges and other matters affecting assigned partner projects.
• Ensure timely and complete project closure, including final narrative reporting, documentation and follow-up on outstanding obligations.

Portfolio Operations, Technical Coordination and Risk Management

• Coordinate day-to-day partnership management processes across the department, supporting timely completion of key deliverables, consistent application of procedures and effective follow-up by responsible officers.
• Maintain a consolidated overview of project implementation progress, reporting schedules, partnership agreements, amendments, monitoring activities, outstanding actions and operational risks across the partnership portfolio.
• Provide technical guidance and support to Partnership Support Officers on complex partnership issues, contractual matters, documentation quality, compliance requirements and implementation challenges.
• Coordinate portfolio-wide on-site monitoring planning, consolidate monitoring findings and track implementation of agreed corrective actions, while individual Partnership Support Officers remain responsible for monitoring their assigned partners.
• Identify recurring operational challenges, implementation delays and compliance risks, facilitate practical solutions and escalate significant matters to the Programme Manager – Partnerships.
• Facilitate routine operational coordination between the Partnerships Department, NP field teams and relevant technical departments to support timely resolution of partnership-related issues.

Partner Capacity Strengthening and Responsible Partnerships

• Provide practical guidance and mentoring to assigned partners on project cycle management, reporting, compliance, organisational development and implementation challenges.
• Coordinate the identification of partner capacity-strengthening needs and support the planning and delivery of relevant training, mentoring, learning exchanges and resource-sharing activities in collaboration with NP teams.
• Support the operational implementation of partner Duty of Care activities, including identification of needs, coordination with relevant NP teams and follow-up on agreed actions.
• Facilitate partner feedback, mutual learning and meaningful participation in programme planning, promoting equitable, accountable and mutually beneficial partnerships.
• Provide technical guidance and peer support to Partnership Support Officers, encouraging knowledge sharing and consistent partnership management practices without formal line management responsibilities.

Partnership Systems, Documentation and Continuous Improvement

• Coordinate the maintenance of partnership mapping, databases, trackers and reporting systems, ensuring accurate and timely updates across the portfolio, with individual officers responsible for their assigned project records.
• Ensure consistent application of partnership procedures, documentation standards and filing requirements, including the use of SharePoint and Salesforce.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of partnership management tools, templates, guidance materials and standard operating procedures to strengthen operational efficiency and quality.
• Consolidate partnership implementation updates, monitoring findings, operational risks and lessons learned, identifying opportunities for improving partnership processes and partner support.
• Prepare consolidated portfolio updates, operational analysis and recommendations for the Programme Manager – Partnerships to support management oversight, planning and decision-making.

Perform other duties and assignments as required within the scope of the position.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• Post-secondary education in Project Management, International Development, Social Sciences, Human Rights, Humanitarian Studies or a related field.

• Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience, including at least 2 years in partnership management, grants management or humanitarian project implementation.

• Demonstrated experience in managing partner projects throughout the project cycle, including project development, due diligence, partnership agreements, narrative reporting, monitoring and closure.

• Experience working directly with local and national NGOs, civil society organisations or community-based organisations, including providing technical support and capacity-strengthening assistance.

• Good knowledge of donor compliance requirements, humanitarian principles, localisation approaches and the operational context in Ukraine.

• Experience coordinating multiple projects, partnership processes or cross-functional activities is an advantage.

• Ukrainian citizenship.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to independently manage multiple partner projects and competing priorities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify operational risks, address complex partnership issues and propose practical solutions.
• Ability to coordinate partnership processes across multiple projects, maintain consolidated operational information and ensure timely follow-up on agreed actions.
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical guidance, mentoring and support to colleagues and partner organisations.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with partners, field teams and other NP departments.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience with project management, reporting and tracking systems; familiarity with SharePoint and Salesforce is an advantage.
• Fluency in Ukrainian and strong working proficiency in English, both written and spoken.

Key Challenges

• Working with small and newly created organisations requires very high attention to detail, patience and constant support.
• Building and sustaining collaborative partnerships, negotiating, and resolving contentious issues and conflicts of interest.

Working Conditions:

• This position requires travel to insecure locations. You must be prepared to travel and to spend time away from the duty station.
• Demonstrated ability to adhere to strict security protocols and maintain high level of professionalism.

Application Process:

• Candidates meeting the above requirements are requested to submit a CV (max. 2 pages) and cover letter (max. 1 page), through our website detailing their experience and how they qualify for the Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The closing date for applications is October 29th, 2026.
• Candidates may be selected before the closing date; apply early.
• As part of the recruitment process, shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a technical assignment.

SPECIAL NOTICE:

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability.

Nonviolent Peaceforce acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of employees, contractors, volunteers, interns, communities we work with, and other stakeholders and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance and complies with best practices in the Humanitarian and Development sector. NP expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We prioritise ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. NP also participates in the InterAgency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

NO FEE

We never ask for payment as part of our selection process, and we always contact candidates via our corporate accounts and platforms. If you are approached for payment, this is likely to be fraudulent. Please check whether the role you are interested in is posted hereon our website.