Department: Operations and Compliance

Job Title: Senior Operations Officer

Reports to: Director for Finance and Administration

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Application Deadline: September 13, 2023

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 a full-time Senior Operations Officer (SOO) to support effective and efficient day-to-day management and financial operations in the Ukraine’s office. The SOO will work under the direct supervision of the Director for Finance and Administration, and ultimately the Resident Senior Country Director. This position requires a high degree of discretion, strong organizational and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, a positive demeanor, and willingness to work in the support of others within the organization.  The position has supervisory responsibilities. 

Job Responsibilities:

• •  Manage and coordinate all operational aspects needed for the daily implementation of programs and policies and procedures in support of a busy, donor funded organization

• •  Oversee and deliver procurement functions including contracting long- and short-term service providers and maintaining a preferred Vendor database, engaging consultant agreements to ensure they meet donor and organization regulations, as well as serve as a contact point for agreement terms negotiations with the vendors

• •  Streamline financial, and administrative, operations and compliance procedures and put in place any tools, forms, and processes to strengthen internal controls in accordance with donor and organizational regulations

• •  Work with program teams to ensure procurement processes align with organization and donor policies, are understood by staff, and processed effectively

• •  Manage office and apartment leases and facilities

• •  Oversee and coordinate human resources, including legal compliance, recruitment, contractual and performance management systems

• •  Ensure that donor-specific administrative reporting requirements are met, with coordination between field and HQ-based program staff

• •  Coordinate data collection that contributes to timely budgeting and procurement planning, including developing grant specific procurement and operational plans

• •  Manage the operational budget

• •  Contribute to fiscal year, audit, and project close out reporting requirements in coordination between field and HQ-based program staff

• •  Coordinate closely with the Country Security Manager to ensure all operational functions take into account security requirements

• •  Take the lead with organizing operations and logistics for visiting international delegations

• •  Support liaising and responding to HQ and donor requests

• •  Other duties as assigned

Qualifications/Requirements:

• •  Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university required, preferably in the accounting, financing, business administration, legal studies  or related fields;

• •  Experience managing/working in an administration, operational and procurement function;

• •  Experience working for/with international nongovernmental organizations is an advantage;

• •  Minimum 4 years of relevant experience;

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

• •  Strong organizational skills with clear attention to detail and deadlines;

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

• •  Experience in optimizing and overseeing financial, operational and procurement systems

• •  Strong background in financial administration, office management and procurement;

• •  Ability to remain highly organized while handling multiple tasks under tight deadlines;

• •  Excellent reporting and document handling skills;

• •  Possess the interpersonal skills necessary to build relationships with all levels of staff, program partners, international personnel and consultants;

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

• •  Ability to complete tasks with limited supervision;

• •  Ability to show initiative, good judgment, and resourcefulness;

• •  Ability to handle sensitive issues and address inclusion matters with integrity;

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

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: Senior Operations 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 September 13, 2023. 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. NDI offers a competitive package of remuneration and benefits. Actual salary will be negotiated with successful applicants based on qualifications and experience.