Program Director, Ukraine

Company Overview 

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) strengthens democracy around the world through private enterprise and market-oriented reform. CIPE is one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy and is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Since 1983, CIPE has worked with business leaders, policymakers, and civil society to build the institutions vital to a democratic society. CIPE’s key program areas include Enterprise Ecosystems, Democratic Governance, Business Advocacy, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Anti-Corruption & Ethics, and Trade.  

Position: Program Director, Ukraine (based in Washington, D.C.) 

Reports to: Director, Europe and Eurasia                     

Scope: CIPE is seeking a full-time, exempt position based in Washington, D.C. for a Program Director for Ukraine. This position is responsible for the development and implementation of CIPE’s strategic focus on democratic governance and economic reform in Ukraine. This position includes strategy development and implementation for outreach and engagement on Ukraine resiliency and rebuilding efforts. In addition, the position will focus on program design and implementation responsibilities as well as management and oversight of program staff, consultants, external communications, and grants to local organizations. This position will involve travel. Applicants must be local to Washington, D.C. or willing to relocate within 30 days after start date.

Responsibilities

Strategy

• Develop and implement CIPE’s strategy to support Ukrainian business community in both maintaining the country’s resilience and participating in reconstruction. 
• Analyze, research, and be familiar with the Ukrainian and regional political and economic landscape, identifying opportunities for CIPE programs and partners. 
• Identify and assist with vetting of potential strategic partnerships, local partner organizations and beneficiaries in country and collaborate to design effective democratic and economic-reform programs. 
• Develop both solicited and unsolicited project proposals in the context of the regional socio-political context, CIPE strategy, and donor guidelines.
• Collaborate with multiple CIPE departments to achieve programmatic and strategic organizational goals, including Communications, Grants and Finance, Policy and Program Learning, Centers of Excellence, and other regional teams.  

Program Delivery

• Design, implement, and manage a portfolio of projects and grants in Ukraine to achieve CIPE’s overall goals and strategies for the country and the region. Project responsibilities have the following dimensions:  
  • Oversee, implement, and monitor project activities, in collaboration with local partner organizations and CIPE team members located in Ukraine and Washington, D.C.  

• Develop and oversee project concept papers, proposals, reports, and correspondence.

• Support CIPE staff and partners to refine proposals, monitoring and evaluation plans, and project budgets. 

• Responsible for overseeing the financial management and stewardship of funds, including monitoring project spending, projecting future expenses, approving expenditures, and developing accurate budgets for new projects. This will include financial and operational management of the Ukraine field office and in-country staff.  
• Monitor grantees, contractors, and consultants’ performance to ensure full compliance with objectives, financial and reporting requirements, and evaluation plans.  
• As needed, evaluate projects through on-site visits, file reviews, and coordination with independent evaluators where appropriate.  

• Develop project reports, summaries, and assessments. 

Team Management

• Significant management responsibilities include supervision and development of program staff, such as Program Managers, Program Officers, Program Associates, Program Coordinators, in-country staff, and consultants, when applicable.

• Assist Deputy Director and/or Director with planning for team growth, recruitment, and performance monitoring. Complete and contribute to performance reviews for direct reports and staff in Washington, D.C. and the in-country team.
• Partner with Human Resources on professional development of staff and Human Resources related matters.
• Ensure CIPE projects and activities align and comply with all relevant CIPE, National Endowment for Democracy (NED), donor, or US Chamber of Commerce policies and requirements. 
• Uphold CIPE’s organizational values of business ethics, integrity, openness, fairness, respect and accountability, as well as loyalty to the organization and its mission.

Partnerships and Outreach

• Establish and maintain relationships with donor organizations to identify linkages with CIPE strategies, monitor trends, and assess new funding opportunities for the Ukraine portfolio.
• Work with the U.S. State Department, USAID, and other donors and partners to develop joint projects, grants and/or contracts to further CIPE’s democratic and economic reform initiatives in Ukraine.
• Represent CIPE in Ukraine and the region, including public speaking at events, and facilitating meetings with partners, potential partners, and other key stakeholders, and developing and implementing training programs.
• Contribute extensively to external communications. Tasks include authoring blogs for CIPE’s website, op-eds for external publications, co-hosting podcasts, and participating in major public-speaking engagements in Washington, D.C. and around the world.
• Serve as a professional and technical resource for other programmatic and regional teams across CIPE.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 10 years professional experience with five years’ experience in international development assistance and/ or project management required.
• Master’s degree in International Relations, International Business, Economic Development, Political Science, or Public Policy required.
• Demonstrated management skills with at least five years’ experience supervising staff.
• Demonstrated experience developing program concepts and proposals for donor funding, overseeing programs and grants, and implementing donor-funded projects.
• Demonstrated strong critical thinking and analytical skills, sound judgement, and composure in complex, international environments.
• Strong ability to think strategically.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Fluency in Ukrainian and/or Russian desired.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain good relationships with international partners, organizations, private and public sector representatives, and donors.
• Flexibility to collaborate with a diverse team, in multiple locations and time zones, or work independently and deliver consistent, reliable results.
• Must be able and willing to travel for extended and multiple periods to Ukraine and other locations in the region.
• High degree of culture competence.
• Contribute to an organization-wide culture of innovation, integrity, inclusion, and respect.

Benefits and Perks

Competitive Benefits including medical, dental, vision, short & long-term disability, flexible spending, paid family leave, life insurance, 401(k), commuter benefits, telework, and more!

CIPE offers a salary competitive with other international non-governmental organizations and an excellent benefits package. Applicants must be legally able to work in the United States; CIPE is unable to sponsor employees for work visas.

CIPE is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Americans with Disability Specifications

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The work is performed primarily indoors with occasional exposure to outdoor conditions when required. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Employee’s Responsibility in an Emergency

The employee is expected to respond to emergency situations involving the safety of fellow employees including evacuation of the building.