USAID AGRICULTURE GROWING RURAL OPPORTUNITIES ACTIVITY IN UKRAINE (AGRO)

Operations Manager

Background:

USAID Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities in Ukraine (AGRO) Activity is a seven-year cooperative agreement between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Chemonics International, Inc. It began on November 15, 2019.

The AGRO Activity is to accelerate the economic development of rural Ukrainian communities with the greatest need through a better governed agricultural sector that encourages more productive, modern, and profitable micro, small, and medium agricultural enterprises (MSMEs) that are successfully integrated into competitive markets both in Ukraine and internationally.

The Activity objectives are aligned with the three elements of the market systems conceptual framework: the core value chain, supporting functions, and rules and regulations.

To effectively address the food crisis that emerges in Ukraine and internationally, AGRO works for the restoration of the agricultural sector, in particular its modernization, efficiency improvement, and diversification, which contributes to the long-term economic recovery of Ukraine and the improvement of global food security.

Within the USAID Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI-Ukraine), AGRO will provide assistance enabling Ukraine to store roughly 1.5 million tons of grain as part of the USAID's broader efforts to maintain the rate of production and export of grain from Ukraine to other countries of the world.

AGRO operates on the basis of the market system conceptual approach (https://beamexchange.org).

In September 2022, the estimated cost of the Activity was extended to US$120,000,000, and its implementation period was extended through November 13, 2026. AGRO employs 56 long-term CCN employees.

Position Description:

To contribute to achieving AGRO’s overall goals, the Operations Manager is to be responsible for ensuring that sound management principles and tools are employed in the operations of the AGRO Activity and in the implementation of its work. The Operations Manager is responsible for a wide range of administrative, legal (incl. contractual and human resources - related) and financial management issues for the AGRO Activity.

Operations Manager works in a Finance and Administration Team that consists of the F&A Director, Accounting Office (incl. Chief Accountant), Office Manager, IT Specialists, Operational Procurement Office, Translators/Interpreters, Administrative Assistance and Drivers.

Principal Duties and Obligations (Essential Functions):

Administrative Management, law-related matters

• Ensuring compliance of the AGRO Activity operations with the applicable USAID regulations and Chemonics policies and procedures;

• Ensuring compliance of the AGRO Activity operations with the applicable requirements embedded in the Cooperative Agreement between USAID and Chemonics to implement AGRO Activity;

• Ensuring compliance of the AGRO Activity operations with the applicable Ukrainian local law regulations;

• Supervise and manage delivery of adequate and timely support from the Finance and Admnistrative Team to the AGRO’s ongoing operations (law-related matters, accounting and bookkeeping, HR management, office management, procurement, translations, IT support, transportation, etc.);

• Support project registration / re-registration in compliance with local law;

• Coordination of the local outsoursed law companies to receive from them timely and high-quality legal services to support AGRO Activity’s operations;

• Oversee the set-up and maintenance of office administrative systems;

• Maintain systemic files and archives of all relevant administrative, contractual and personnel documentation;

• Administer office and residential lease agreements for AGRO Activity.

Human Resources Management

• Supervise project human resources management, including personnel recruitment and hiring, registration of project expatriate personnel in accordance with local law, etc.;

• Support the development and implementation of a field office personnel policy manual;

• Draft and update staff schedule for the AGRO Activity;

• Organize and manage orientation of new team members.

Procurement

• Under the supervision of the FAD, review and negotiate office lease agreements and residential lease agreements;

• Jointly with the Procurement Specialist, organize the procurement of goods and services in support of project operations, ensuring compliance with the applicable USAID regulations and the Chemonics Field Office (FO) Commodity Procurement Handbook and Subgrants and Contracts Manual;

• Maintain an accurate inventory, including regular inventory check, of all durable property.

Financial and Accounting Management

• Support the Chief Accounant to oversee field office finances and budget, review expenditures;

• Ensure that planned and incurred costs are allowable, allocable and reasonable in accordance with USAID cost principles and Chemonics policies and procedures;

• Work closely with internal and external auditors during field program audits;

• Support AGRO financial transactions as needed.

Ad Hoc Assignments

• Serve as the main point of contact for the home office Project Management Unit (PMU) for all matters related to project finance.

• Perform any other tasks assigned by the COP or DCOP consistent with the needs and requirements of the Activity.

As well as:

• Use Microsoft Teams as needed to carry out tasks and collaborate with other activity staff;

• Participate as directed in collection and analysis of Monitoring and Evaluation (MEL) data;

• Prepare sections of reports, plans, success stories and similar documents as requested;

• Participate in regular activity Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) discussions;

• Comply with Chemonics’ standards of business conduct.

Terms of work, SOW Timing and Reporting Relations:

One-year fixed term employment agreement with possible extension each work year up to the end of the AGRO implementation (November 14, 2024, with potential extension through November 14, 2026), subject to availability of respective tasks in the successive AGRO Annual Work Plans.

Operations Manager works in a Finance and Administration Team under a direct supervision of, and reports to the Finance and Administration Director or his/her designee, or other person(s) as designated by the Chief of Party, and, in the absence of the Finance and Administration Director, performs his/her duties.

Primary Work Location: Kyiv, Ukraine.

Periodic travel to other parts of Ukraine.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• a minimum of two years of experience in a similar position;

• appropriate academic credentials, such as a Master degree in the field of law, economy, business administration or other relevant fields or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience;

• experience supervising and overseeing project office administration, human resources, procurement, inventory management and compliance;

• experience working on USAID or other international donor-funded technical assistance project is desirable;

• knowledge of Chemonics management practices and systems would be an advantage;

• native speaker of Ukrainian;

• good English writing and speaking skills required;

• very good interpersonal relations skills, team building skills, etc.;

• attention to detail, strong organizational and prioritization skills required; experience designing and conducting training is a plus;

• ability to work independently and in a team;

• ability to work under time pressure in a multi-task environment;

• experienced user of Microsoft365 applications: proven ability to manage and implement work using Microsoft365 tools such as Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Planner, PowerPoint, etc.;

• demonstrated success working in a multinational, multilingual team under pressure and tight deadlines;

• willingness and ability to travel as required.

Application Instructions

Send electronic submissions to [email protected] by July 31, 2023. Early applications are encouraged. Please submit your CV and cover letter with "Operations Manager" in the subject line; please do not forget to additionally indicate your name in the subject line of your e-mail. No telephone inquiries, please. Only finalists will be contacted.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.