About International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES): IFES advances democracy for a better future. We collaborate with civil society, public institutions and the private sector to build resilient democracies that deliver for all. Our technical assistance and applied research develop trusted electoral bodies capable of conducting credible elections; effective and accountable governing institutions; civic and political processes in which all people can safely and equally participate; and innovative ways in which technology and data can positively serve elections and democracy. Since 1987, IFES has worked in more than 145 countries, from developing to mature democracies. In accordance with IFES’ approach: A society is able to reach its full potential in a world in which people of all genders are fully engaged as equal partners in their families, workplaces and communities. Based on international human rights standards and best practices, IFES promotes political participation, justice and equal rights around the world. IFES reflects these values in its programming and workplace culture.

The greatest assets of IFES are our team members. IFES offers competitive benefits and pay, as well as the opportunity to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment. Every member of the IFES team is responsible for carrying out the mission of IFES and integrating IFES values into their work every day: Commitment to Excellence, Effective Communication, High-Quality Decision-Making, Accountability, Teamwork and Collaboration.

PRIMARY FUNCTION/PURPOSE:
The Deputy Country Director will provide operations and programmatic oversight of the IFES Ukraine country office. Under the direction of the IFES Ukraine Country Director, the Deputy Country Director’s job responsibilities will include:

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the Country Director in overseeing the management of the country office team, ensuring roles and responsibilities align with scopes of work and lines of supervision are clear within the team.
• Working with the Country Director, develop and maintain constructive relationships with key stakeholders, including but not limited to government, civil society and donors.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with international NGOs and the donor community to ensure successful implementation of the project and avoid duplication of efforts.
• Working with the Country Director, develop and implement country strategies aligning organizational goals with local needs and opportunities.
• Oversee Ukraine country office operations as per IFES and donor policies, rules, and regulations.
• Support sound fiscal management of projects, including approval of country office expenses and evaluation of spending and burn rates in consultation with the Country Director.
• Contribute to the development of project planning, preparation, and update of project work plans and operational matrixes in consultation with the Country Director.
• In conjunction with IFES Ukraine staff, support the organization of workshops, trainings and meetings related to civil society engagement, in line with the overall framework of the IFES Ukraine project(s).
• Support reviews and timely completion and submission of periodic programmatic reporting including bi-weekly reports, quarterly, annual and final reports, and/or any other reports as per donor requirements.
• Contribute to research papers, analytical pieces, success stories, and any other documentation required by IFES, donors, implementing partners, and/or any other external stakeholders.
• Oversee specific project activities as directed by the Country Director.
• Serve as an operations and program related point of contact for donors and key stakeholders in Ukraine.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Management:

• Ensure, in conjunction with IFES HQ team, compliance with IFES and donor rules and regulations, particularly with respect to fiscal management.
• In coordination with the Country Director and IFES HQ team, assist in the identification, recruitment, and hiring of in-country office staff, as well as local and international technical consultants.
• Provide general supervision and mentoring of country office staff, including performance appraisals, staff development and other management issues.
• Provide oversight and management of technical consultants, including review of all relevant consultant reports and deliverables.
• Assist in program development for IFES in Ukraine by identifying additional technical needs in-country, contributing to the development of project proposals and reaching out to the international donor community to diversify IFES funding sources.

POSITION SCOPE: Manage and perform highly technical work requiring ingenuity and capacity to evaluate and respond to new and changing issues. Support Country Director in the technical implementation of IFES programming. Oversee varied activities and processes to support effective project implementation, reporting, and compliance.

DECISION MAKING/PROBLEM SOLVING: Identify risk factors with the potential to disrupt the achievement of program/project goals. Analyze issues, problems, or opportunities and propose appropriate courses of action, based on knowledge of professional principles and best practices. Participate in the development and implementation of strategies to track and mitigate risk and its potential impact.

Maintain a collaborative working relationships with senior-level stakeholders within and outside IFES to ensure timely and successful achievement of project goals and objectives. Represent IFES with external contacts at professional and government levels in the absence of the Country Director.

SUPERVISION EXCERCISED: Oversee international and national staff and consultants and participate in project monitoring and evaluation.

RELATED SKILLS OR KNOWLEDGE:

• Demonstrated leadership and project management skills.
• Thorough knowledge of USAID and non-US financial regulations and compliance requirements.
• Detailed oriented and organized.
• Demonstrated ability to manage staff, prioritize and handle multiple tasks and consistently meet tight deadlines.
• Strong leadership, problem-solving, coordination, and consensus-building skills.
• Strong consultative, collaborative and participatory way of working.
• Exceptional interpersonal, presentation, oral and written communication skills to meet the diverse technical and managerial requirements of the program and to effectively coordinate with a wide range of stakeholders.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION:

• Master’s degree in international politics, international development, public policy, or related field.

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience working with international NGOs, or a combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated professional experience and knowledge in managing components of international development-funded programming.
• Experience living and working overseas, preferably within the assigned region and/or other transition environments.
• Knowledge of local/regional politics and development preferred.
• Experience working on civil society-focused capacity building, democracy, and governance programs.
• Proficiency in Word, Power Point, Outlook, and Excel.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Fluency in written and spoken English required.

TRAVEL: Travel is required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT: Non-standard office work environment in Kyiv, Ukraine. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.