Chemonics International, an international development consulting firm, implementing USAID’s Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative (UCBI) Project, solicits expressions of interest for a program specialist to be based in Mariupol, Ukraine.

USAID’s Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative (UCBI) complements ongoing USAID efforts to create a prosperous and stable Ukraine. The program provides fast, flexible, short-term assistance to Ukrainian partners in support of a successful, peaceful democratic transition and in promotion of community cohesion in the wake of the conflict in the East.

The program’s overarching objectives are to:

• Increase capacity of vulnerable local communities to manage tensions exacerbated by the conflict in the East;
• Increase constructive engagement between government and citizens in vulnerable communities and;
• Increase citizen resilience against divisive and biased information

Responsibilities for this position include:

The program specialist–Mariupol, will work as part of a team and contribute to UCBI activity conceptualization, development, implementation, and monitoring of grant activities in and around Mariupol. The program specialist will monitor implementation of UCBI activities in Mariupol, providing technical assistance to potential and current grantees, organizing regional meetings for UCBI and USAID/OTI representatives with local stakeholders, as well as reporting on the outcomes of relevant community meetings. Specific duties and responsibilities include:

• Proactively identify and conceptualize new potential activities that are appropriate to respond to the current Ukrainian political situation and UCBI’s established program goals and objectives.
• In coordination with the project technical leadership, work with potential grantees to design or refine grant concepts and proposed activities.
• Provide technical assistance to potential grantees, as required, during the grant preparation and implementation stages, including grant budget preparation.
• Facilitate communication between UCBI staff and grantee.
• Monitor ongoing grants, which may include, inter alia, attending activity events, gathering information requested by UCBI staff in Kyiv/Kharkiv, writing updates and brief reports on grant impact and progress, attend coordination meetings for grant activities.
• Organize regional meetings with grantees, focus groups, community leaders and members.
• Report on relevant community or regional meetings, possibly with translation of relevant documents.
• Monitor to ensure that grant implementation and reporting adheres to grant agreement and timelines.
• In coordination with the grants management staff, assist with processing grantee paperwork; such as price quotes, vendor invoicing, and acts of acceptance.
• Assist with any ad hoc procurement and/or logistics and coordination needs that may arise.
• Together with the technical team, prepare monthly work plans defining program specialists’ responsibilities and goals for each month.
• Provide oral and written translations to and from English as required.
• Regular travel throughout and around Mariupol and environs and occasional travel to other regions of Ukraine.
• Perform any other tasks requested by supervisor. 

Qualifications

• Must already or be willing to reside and be based within Mariupol for the duration of the assignment.
• Familiarity with the socio/political situation in and around Mariupol and southern Donetsk oblast.
• Prior experience working with NGOs and/or local communities and/or youth groups.
• Must be able travel throughout GOU-controlled territory of Ukraine and have access to transportation.
• Native fluency in Russian/Ukrainian required; professional functionality in English highly desirable.
• Computer fluency, including MS Word, Excel, email, internet research, and social media platforms.
• University degree required.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Send electronic submissions to [email protected] by Friday, March 4, 2016. Please insert the position you are applying for (“program specialist-Mariupol”) in the subject line and include your CV, cover letter, and the names and contact information of three (3) professional references. No telephone inquiries, please. Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis and only finalists will be contacted. Interested prospective applicants are encouraged to visit UCBI’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/USAIDUCBI/.