Job Information
DAI Operations Manager - Ukraine Operations Officer in Kyiv, Ukraine
Operations Manager - Ukraine Operations Officer
City/Country Location Details Kyiv, Ukraine
Employment Status Full-Time Regular
Job Type Corporate
OPERATIONS MANAGER, Ukraine Operations Office
DAI seeks qualified applicants for a full-time Operations Manager, to be based in Kyiv, Ukraine. This is an immediate opportunity and interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible for consideration.
BACKGROUND
DAI has a significant presence in Ukraine, with five active projects totaling more than $758 million. While these projects vary in scope and focus, they are all involved in intricate and complex operational processes, including grant programs, procurements, and sub-contract relationships. The pressure on the project teams has been intense due to first the COVID 19 pandemic followed by Russia’s invasion, as USAID Ukraine has added significant new funding and responsibilities. In some cases, this required the projects to pivot significantly from their original objectives, and thus created gaps in alignment between the skills needed for success and those possessed by the core team.
Procurements have become a large part of DAI’s Ukraine projects’ portfolios, which has put increasing pressure on project teams to procure goods and services quickly and efficiently. This level of activity and scrutiny requires continuous oversight to ensure efficient, timely, and compliant operations.
As the number of procurements and other operational processes grow, however, it has become increasingly necessary for DAI to field a cross-project operational team to a) remove implementation roadblocks affecting all projects, b) build the capacity of project operations teams, c) serve as a liaison between members of DAI’s Home Office and field teams, and d) ensure compliance through focused oversight and training of project personnel.
ROLE’S PURPOSE
The Operations Manager for the Ukraine Operations Office will support DAI’s Ukraine project teams by providing operational and administrative management in the following areas: a) sharing pertinent operational information across the portfolio of projects; b) initiating/supporting action on operational issues that affect all Ukraine projects; c) providing operational surge support for specific projects when necessary in areas including procurement and subcontracts, contractual compliance, recruitment and human resources management, and travel/security logistics, particularly for new awards and project add-ons/extensions; d) supporting logistics and scheduling for leadership trips to Ukraine; e) overseeing day-to-day operations of the office; f) supervising departmental local staff to ensure DAI and USAID policies, rules, and regulations are being followed; and g) undertaking other activities as assigned by the Principal Manager, Programs Performance in. S/he will work in partnership with the appropriate staff within DAI’s Ukraine projects to support streamlining of processes and approaches in a variety of areas.
OBJECTIVES AND DUTIES
The Operations Manager will be based in Kyiv, Ukraine and will be responsible for the following :
Oversee day-to-day operations of the office, including office share arrangements and billing across Ukraine projects
Provide information and support to Ukraine project teams to ensure adequate information flow and coordination for improved implementation
Ensure office staff comply with DAI and USAID policies and regulations in all areas of their work
Serve as a resource for DAI home office (HO) project management teams and field teams to facilitate and streamline support for project operations, including pipelines, invoices, contractual analysis, and other HO tasks
Serve as main POC to assist various projects in resolving Ukraine-wide issues and to coordinate support and services
Coordinate across projects to achieve operational optimization and efficiency in procurement, grants, and consultant hiring
Serve as the point of contact for the VP, Implementation - Ukraine and other DAI leadership in terms of logistics and scheduling of visits to Ukraine
Provide operational surge support for specific Ukraine projects when necessary
Coordinate with HO PMTs to ensure strong information flow and coordinated actions with field teams on issues germane to the entire Ukraine portfolio
Review procurement and approval practices at the Ukraine Operations Office both for internal office activities and on behalf of Ukraine projects
Maintain all office files in accordance with DAI policy and ensure files are shared with relevant projects and filed in accordance with project filing requirements
Routinely conduct spot checks of files
Other relevant tasks as requested by the Principal Manager, Programs Performance and/or VP, Implementation - Ukraine
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s Degree (or foreign equivalent) or above in political science, international development, public/business administration, international relations, other social sciences, or a similar relevant field.
At least five years of relevant operational, administrative, and financial management experience and management of a contract in both the field and home office settings.
Demonstrated knowledge and skills in operations, administration, financial planning and management, human resources, and procurement, among other management support areas/functions at both the field and home office levels on international donor-funded projects
Demonstrated knowledge of internal controls and audit processes (e.g. procurement, subcontract agreements, etc.
Ability to manage multiple tasks and shifting priorities without compromising the quality of work
Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team
Demonstrated knowledge and familiarity with USAID regulations (AIDAR) and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
Strong communication abilities
Proficiency with MS Office software, especially Excel
Excellent English writing, speaking, and reading skills
Experience managing, engaging, and communicating effectively with project staff and stakeholders at multiple levels
Experience in Ukraine desired
Proficiency in both writing and speaking Ukrainian is strongly preferred
REPORTING:
This position will report to the Principal Manager, Program Performance for the Ukraine Portfolio within DAI’s Home Office in Bethesda.
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