Operations Assistant

The vision of Norwegian People’s Aid is Solidarity in Action. We are a politically independent membership-based organization working in Norway and more than 30 countries worldwide. Founded in 1939 as the labor movement’s humanitarian solidarity organization, NPA aims to improve people’s living conditions and to create societies that are more just and more democratic. NPA’s international work covers three core areas: Mine Action and Disarmament, Democratisation and Just distribution of power and resources, and Humanitarian Action and Crises response. NPA is opening a Mine Action and Disarmament program to protect civilians from the threats posed by explosive ordnance (EO) in Ukraine.

NPA is seeking an Operations Assistant with English proficiency in Mykolaiv.

We also consider candidates with disabilities.

The position is open to both men and women — our team already has a significant number of qualified specialists!

NPA operates in full compliance with Ukrainian law and requires male candidates to have updated military documents.

The Operations Assistant is a member of the program operational team and is to support the Operations Manager, STFM, and the Operations Officer in operational planning, reporting, coordination, communication, and liaison with NMAA, Mine Action Centre, and other national stakeholders.

General Responsibilities:

• Support the Operations Manager and Senior Technical Field Managers in planning, reporting, and coordinating NPA MAD Ukraine’s operational program and activities closely;
• Support the Operations Officer with daily duties;
• Liaise with national stakeholders on operational issues.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Work with the Operations Officer in developing required documentation ensuring continuous and smooth running of operations, which may include but is not limited to requesting task orders, access letters, working permissions, etc.;
• Assisting and closely collaborating with the Operations Officer in liaison with the NMAA, Mine Action Centre, and other national stakeholders on behalf of the Operations Manager and NPA;
• Coordinate with senior operational staff to generate operational plans and reports;
• Support the Operations Officer in preparing operational plans to be submitted to the NMAA, NPA Management, and other relevant stakeholders, as assigned by the Operations Manager/Senior Technical Field Manager;
• Assist in arranging and conducting field visits of operational activities by the plan prepared together with the STFM/OM;
• Serve as a focal point for operational inquiries from external humanitarian demining organisations and stakeholders in the Operations Officer’s absence, or as directed by the Operations Manager/Senior Technical Field ManagerUpdate office tools for tracking of operational teams, including maps and operational notice boards;
• Analysis of operational data and preparation of operational progress analyses for senior management;
• Support Operations Manager/ Senior Technical Field Manager in translating of operational-related documents when required;
• Cover the duties of the Operations Officer in their absence;
• Act as a Ukrainian-English interpreter for OM and STFM when needed;
• Act as Field Assistant in the field during mine action activities when needed.

Required qualifications:

Must have:

• Experience in project planning, reporting, coordination, and analytical skills;
• Higher education;
• Good knowledge of office administrative procedures;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with both local and international staff;
• It is essential to have excellent computer skills;
• Proficient in both verbal and written communication in Ukrainian and English;
• Valid driving licence;
• Must be able travel throughout Ukraine when required.

Desirable:

• Knowledge and understanding of International Mine Action Standards, Ukrainian National Mine Action Standard and operating procedures;
• Strong ability in the use of GIS and data collection software;
• Experience in the humanitarian sector (especially in Humanitarian Mine Action) will be an advantage;
• Previous experience in Humanitarian Mine Action operations.

Personal Competencies:

• Ability to function under pressure with minimal supervision;
• Willingness & ability to travel within the country;
• Willing to adjust working hours because of the weather and other operational conditions;
• The desire to learn new topics as required;
• Ensure good timekeeping;
• Demonstrate a proactive attitude at all times;
• Maintain a neat appearance within working hours and in the office environment.

What we offer:

• Official employment by Ukrainian legislation;
• Decent official salary;
• Medical insurance;
• 24 days of annual vacation;
• Positive working environment in a well-established and growing humanitarian organization.

This position involves business trips to the controlled territory of Ukraine.

Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to each one. If you do not hear back from us within 3 weeks of submitting your application, it means that your application was not successful.

NPA is an equal opportunities employer. The NPA will not discriminate against any candidate based on age, gender, ethnicity, religion, or any other quality. The recruitment process is conducted transparently and the selection is made solely based on the candidates' abilities.

As part of our recruitment process, we will screen candidates against applicable sanctions lists to ensure compliance with donor requirements and legal obligations. We will use a candidate’s full name to perform sanctions screening.

We take the privacy and security of your personal information very seriously and will only use it for the purpose of sanctions screening and for no other purposes. The sanctions screening platform is called CSI Watchdog and you can find their privacy policy here. Your personal data will not be shared with any governments or other third parties. Our Head Office in Oslo will verify any positive matches of a candidate’s name with a sanctions list to assess whether the match is a true or false positive. Please note that if you are found to be on a sanctions list, we will not be able to continue with your application or offer you employment. If you have any questions or concerns about the use of your personal information in this way, please do not hesitate to contact us.