Department: Operations and Compliance

Job Title: Administrative Officer

Reports to: Director for Finance and Administration

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Application Deadline: November 5, 2021

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is a non-profit organization working to strengthen democracy worldwide. NDI programs are supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), UK, Sweden, Canada, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and other donors. NDI and its partners have been working in Ukraine since 1992.

Position Summary: NDI seeks an Administrative Officer (AO) to support effective and efficient management of the Ukraine office’s day-to-day operations. The AO will be responsible for coordinating assigned administration functions under the direct supervision of the Director for Finance and Administration, and ultimately the Resident Director for Operations and Compliance and the Resident Country Director. As part of this position, the AO will be expected to be the main point-of-contact for employees on certain administrative matters to ensure compliance with internal policies and processes. This position requires a high degree of discretion, strong critical thinking skills, sound judgement, a positive demeanor, and willingness to work in the support of others within the organization. This position does not have supervisory responsibilities. 

Job Responsibilities:  

• Apply knowledge and understanding of NDI’s policies, related procedures, and donor regulations to day-to-day responsibilities, including guidance to staff that ensures accurate interpretations and adherence for programs;

• Build trust-based, collaborative and respectful relationships across the organization and within the Operations and Compliance Team to create a positive work environment based around effective communications and responsiveness to requests from across the organization;

• Draft, review and manage vendor/consultant contracts, including negotiations and ensuring compliance with terms and conditions;

• Facilitate leasing for NDI’s office, residences and temporary lodging in Ukraine through coordinating with landlords and headquarters to ensure all documentation requirements are met;

• Coordinate applications for temporary residency of expatriate personnel;

• Ensure accurate personnel records are maintained in accordance with Ukrainian legislation, regulations and NDI policy;

• Coordinate visits by consultants, visiting staff and delegations to Ukraine;

• Prepare financial documents for payment, including vouchers and credit card reconciliations;

• Provide logistical support to program activities, as necessary; and

• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor(s) even at non-traditional working hours, when required.

Qualifications/Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university required, preferably in business administration, legal studies or other related field; 

• Minimum four (4) years of relevant and progressive experience in administrative or operational support to management;

• Knowledge about donor regulations, particularly the governments of the United States, Canada, Sweden or Great Britain; 

• Strong organizational skills with clear attention to detail;

• Substantial experience with vendor management, including contract negotiations, document review and implementing tracking systems;

• Known by colleagues for collegial attitude towards cross-team collaboration;

• Reputation for a strong work ethic, trustworthiness, effective time management skills, and problem solving;

• Demonstrated the ability to prioritize tasks and work under pressure;

• Fluency in Ukrainian is required; Strong written and oral communication skills in English are required;

• Possess strong interpersonal skills to effectively build relationships with all levels of staff, program partners, international personnel and consultants, political actors, and the NGO community; 

• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team;

• Working knowledge of Google Apps (Gmail, Calendar, Google Drive, and G+), and PC-based word processing and spreadsheet applications; and

• Willingness to work beyond usual working hours and, when necessary.

Submission Guidelines: Suitable and qualified candidates are requested to send a CV and motivation letter in English to the following email address: [email protected], with the subject line (Ref: Administrative Officer). Your CV and motivation letter should demonstrate your interest and qualifications for this position, and be submitted as a single PDF file. 

Deadline: The deadline for submitting applications is November 5, 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the written assessment, and finalists only will be invited for an interview.

NDI welcomes and supports a diverse, inclusive work environment. As such, our commitment is to promote equal employment opportunities for all applicants seeking employment and employees. NDI makes employment decisions based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to any grounds such as age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, etc.