Data Protection & Management Officer (Ukraine Response) at Mercy Corps

Data Protection & Management Officer (Ukraine Response) _ Ukraine (Kyiv or Lviv preferred, but not required.), Poland (Krakow or Warsaw preferred, but not required).

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps’ Ukraine response seeks to meet the needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and conflict-affected people where they are: in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova. Through partnerships with local civil society organizations we aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, other humanitarian support, and protection services across the four countries.

The Program Summary

Mercy Corps’ Ukraine crisis response seeks to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and other conflict-affected people where they are: displaced inside Ukraine, refugees in Poland, Romania, and Moldova, or trapped behind frontlines. We aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, in-kind humanitarian support, and protection services across four countries. Almost all our impact will be delivered in partnership: with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian and Moldovan civil society organizations through a granting program that matches humanitarian action with capacity strengthening, and with peer international NGOs through a consortium in Ukraine.

In the initial response to the war in Ukraine, Mercy Corps is focused on the emergency delivery of aid to the affected populations, primarily through Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) and in-kind food and non-food assistance. Mercy Corps will continue this life saving assistance for as long as it is needed but acknowledges that recovery and resilience requires access to steady income alongside functioning markets. Therefore, alongside ongoing emergency activities, Mercy Corps will launch early recovery activities, that will contribute to stabilization of livelihoods and improved resilience for IDPs and conflict-affected individuals. In line with direct investments to support self-employment opportunities, SME and agriculture sectors, this pilot will work as an adaptive response mechanism and will adapt programming according to ongoing analysis of the context and potentially changing needs.

The Position (General Position Summary)

The Data Protection and Management Officer (DPMO) will work on two dedicated work-streams: data protection across Mercy Corps’ Ukraine Response and ensuring program quality as it pertains to data flows and management.

The DPMO’s primary responsibility will cover data protection and management for the entire Ukraine Response. S/he will have oversight of the writing and distribution of effective data storage policies, program filing and archiving systems, standardization, and capacity building related to data usage and protection. The Data Protection and Management Officer will work with IT Teams and the Global M365 Team to technically set up and implement these policies and systems. The secondary function for the DPMO will be to support the Program Quality Team in providing technical guidance and support for data protection and management, programming, coordination, and development across the entire Ukraine Response.

S/he will be aware of good data management practices and be passionate about data protection and privacy. S/he will have oversight of the Mercy Corps Program Management Minimum Standards (PM@MC) function by working closely with the Program Performance and Quality (PaQ) Team Lead and IT Team to advise team members on best practices for program management, in line with our program management standards, as well as regulator and donor requirements. The Data Protection and Management Officer will work collaboratively all team members to support the proper usage and documentation for their work. S/he is highly motivated, an effective communicator, self-driven, and able to move forward complex ideas with limited daily support and direction. S/he is able to work remotely with internal and external stakeholders to achieve common objectives.

Essential Responsibilities

1.     Data MANAGEMENT

• Work closely with the leads of each functional area to develop SharePoint structures and tools to adapt to their teams’ data needs.
• Manage SharePoint access and permissions – for internal and external users.
• Conduct the quarterly audit of SharePoint access and monitor the use of sensitive data.
• Write and communicate policies related to data usage and data management in the Ukraine Response.

2.     Data Protection

• Ensure compliance with data legislation – including Ukrainian and Moldovan data laws and GDPR.
• Advise on and review Data Sharing and Data Processing agreements
• Work with department heads across the response to complete a Record of Processing Activity and associated regular reviews.
• Coordinate with European and Global Data Protection teams on any data incident.
• Provide oversight of personal and sensitive data usage related to Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL), Community Accountability (CARM), and CASH Program
• Facilitate trainings to team members and program partners on data protection principles and best practices.

3.     Risk Management

• Coordinate with the Influence and Risk Team and the Senior Advisor for Risk and Ethics managing risk related to sensitive data in the Ukraine Response.
• Monitor and react to regional specific cybersecurity risks and their effects on the operations of the Mercy Corps’ Ukraine Response.

4.     PROGRAM QUALITY MANAGEMENT

• Provide support to Program Quality Team Lead to support the specific data protection and management functions of the Ukraine Response Programs team.
• Ensure Ukraine Response filing and documentation practices and procedures follow Mercy Corps’, governmental, and donor standards and requirements.
• Provide technical guidance to Program Managers/Directors and Grants Officers to set up effective internal and external program-coordination structures.
• Work with Programs and Program Quality Team Lead to refine processes for program deliverable quality assurance checks, including monitoring, quality assurance/improvement, and spot check procedures.

5.     Communication & Coordination

• Liaise with the MC Global M365 team on global priorities, best practices, and Mercy Corps systems administration.
• Liaise with the Mercy Corps Europe and Mercy Corps Global data protection teams as needed.
• Coordinate Microsoft/SharePoint troubleshooting with local and global Mercy Corps IT teams.

Supervisory Responsibility

None. Autonomous role.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Program Quality Team Lead, Program Performance, Quality, and Learning (PaQ) Lead

Works Directly With: IT Teams, Director of Programs, Program Managers, Grants Officers, MEL and CARM Departments, Finance Director, Operations Director (and associated Managers), Gender and Protection Advisor, Global M365 Teams, and Global Data Protection Teams. 

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills: 

Any skills you have gained through education, volunteering, or life experience that are relevant for the position will be considered. Please explain transferable skills and how they apply to this position in your cover letter or during your interview.

Required Knowledge & Experience:

• Degree in a relevant field.
• Previous experience providing IT desk support to a large organization.
• 3+ years’ experience with Microsoft data storage systems and SharePoint administration.
• Significant experience writing and/or managing data policies and data protection protocols.
• Understanding of GDPR data storage requirements and willing to learn relevance to INGO sector.
• Ability to work across diverse teams and get buy-in from a variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to multi-task and juggle several tasks and relationships at one time.
• Previous experience building staff capacity/training and providing technical guidance.
• Proven ability to work effectively in multi-cultural teams and with technical and administrative staff and consultants.
• Advanced written and spoken English is required.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• • 2+ years’ experience managing Microsoft data storage systems and SharePoint administration.
  • Understanding of, or interest in, database, data lake, and data warehouse concepts.
  • Working language proficiency in Ukrainian, Russian, and/or Polish. 

Success Factors

The successful Data Protection and Management Officer will have exceptional IT skills and experience, in order to provide technical support across the entire Ukraine Response. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and will possess a high level of adaptability and be able to adjust to the constantly changing working environment. Prioritizing, problem solving, ability to seize opportunities, and attention to detail are essential. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organisations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal-opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants, or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary-General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

2022-12-08T11:46:01.000 2023-01-08T23:59:59.000 Full time TELECOMMUTE Ukraine Mercy Corps