Field Coordinator

Host entity: UNFPA

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Emergency preparedness, crisis response, Gender, women's rights, Public health, immunisation

Application deadline: 29/10/2026

Mission and objectives

The UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund, promotes gender equality, reproductive health, youth empowerment. The organization was created in 1969, the same year the UN General Assembly declared “parents have the exclusive right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children”. Together with partners, UNFPA works in 150 countries, and in Ukraine since 1997. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

UNFPA in Ukraine works for:
• creating conditions in which every young person can fulfil the potential, lead a healthy lifestyle, know their reproductive rights and take an active social life;
• conducting sexual and reproductive health campaigns to improve access to health and care services and improve its quality, especially for young people;
• combating gender stereotypes in society (through the media, compulsory education for civil servants on gender mainstreaming, the improvement of national gender policy and anti-discrimination expertise of school textbooks);
• providing information and services to gender-based violence survivors through the creation of crisis centres, supporting the work of mobile teams of psycho-social and support, providing expert support and raising general awareness in society.

Assignment context

The UN Volunteer will be part of UNFPA Ukraine’s field programme presence in the southern region, working in close coordination with the Odesa Hub and relevant Country Office programme and technical teams. The position supports integrated programming across SRHR, GBV, Youth and Population and Development, while also carrying dedicated responsibilities for subnational GBV and SRH coordination.

The assignment supports the implementation/monitoring and coordination of UNFPA’s Country Programme and recovery and recovery interventions, especially across Khersonska and Mykolaivska. It focuses on supporting and strengthening integrated, accessible and sustainable SRHR, GBV and youth-related services, reinforcing local ownership and partnerships, and adapting to evolving context. Key stakeholders include oblast and municipal authorities, local and national civil society organisations and implementing partners, UN agencies, humanitarian coordination mechanism and affected communities. Expected results include relevant, more effective and coordinated service delivery, stronger partnerships and impact, greater integration of community needs into programming as well as projects within the government-led systems.

Task description

Field programme coordination, monitoring and analysis

- Coordinate UNFPA’s day-to-day field presence and implementation across programme areas, monitoring context, programme delivery, emerging needs, gaps and risks and supporting timely follow-up and escalation.
- Provide field-level analysis and evidence to inform programme planning, adaptation and management decisions, including opportunities for integrated programming and improved responsiveness to affected populations.
- Support information flow, reporting, advocacy, learning and management/donor engagement, including field visits and missions.
Partner, stakeholder and inter-agency coordination
- Maintain working-level coordination with authorities, implementing partners, civil society, UN entities and humanitarian coordination mechanisms, supporting implementation, localisation, partner capacity strengthening and resolution of field-level constraints.
GBV Workstream coordination
- Serve as regional GBV Workstream focal point under sub-national guidance, supporting oblast-level coordination, partner engagement and follow-up across national, sub-national and oblast structures.
- Monitor GBV needs, service and geographical gaps and operational constraints, supporting referral pathways, humanitarian funding processes and coordination with Protection and other relevant mechanisms.
- Promote inclusive participation of local and community-based actors and contribute to GBV analysis, reporting, advocacy and coordination products.
SRH Technical Working Group support
- Support the sub-national SRH Technical Working Group in the South, including partner engagement, meeting facilitation, follow-up and escalation of technical issues to relevant SRHR teams.

Skills and experience

- Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience, including at least 3 years of experience in programme/project implementation, humanitarian programming, coordination, monitoring or a related field
- Experience working with implementing partners, civil society organisations, government/local authorities, communities or other programme stakeholders.
- Experience in design and implementation of humanitarian programming
- Experience in at least one areas relevant to UNFPA’s mandate - SRHR, GBV, youth, protection, gender equality is desirable.
- Strong coordination and stakeholder-engagement skills, including ability to work effectively with authorities, implementing partners, civil society organisations, UN entities and communities.
- Good facilitation skills, including supporting meetings, consultations, working groups and systematic follow-up of agreed actions.
- Strong written and oral communication skills, including preparation of programme updates, reports, analytical inputs and briefing materials.
- Good organisational and prioritisation skills, with ability to manage multiple tasks and follow through on commitments across work streams and in a changing operational environment.
- Ability to work collaboratively while exercising a degree of initiative and independent judgement within established programme frameworks and guidance.

Competencies and values

Core competencies:
● Being accountable
● Achieving results
● Thinking analytically and strategically
● Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships

Functional competencies
● Delivering results-based programmes
● Managing information and workflow
● Client orientation

Values:
● Exemplifying integrity
● Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and UN système
● Embracing cultural diversity
● Embracing change

Living conditions

Mykolaiv is a city in southern Ukraine, where security situation remains volatile, with risks of missile and drone attacks and associated disruptions to essential services. As this is a national UN volunteer assignment, the incumbent is expected to be familiar with local living conditions and responsible for arranging their own accommodation and daily living requirements.

The assignment requires regular presence in Mykolaiv and may involve field travel within the southern region, and beyond, subject to UN security procedures and operational requirements.

As it is a national UN Volunteer's assignment, the UN volunteer shall organize his/her accommodation by themselves.

The contract lasts for the period indicated in the vacancy with the possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity, and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. This is a full-time contract.

Allowances:
• Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) USD 2615 (equivalent in UAH) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities, and normal cost of living expenses. This includes Danger and hardship differential for the period while the ICSC applies hardship classification to duty stations in Ukraine as “E”.
• USD 350 entry lump sum, one-time payment.
• USD 120 Exit lump sum for each month served, paid on completion of contract.

Medical and life insurance:
• Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible PFU dependents will receive UNV-provided medical insurance coverage.
• Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. If a UN Volunteer dies during the UN Volunteer assignment, the eligible designated beneficiaries will be entitled to receive a life insurance lump sum.

Leave entitlements:
• Annual leave:  UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment.
• Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period.
• Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle.
• Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.