Country Director, Ukraine, 100%

HEKS/EPER, Swiss Church Aid, supports projects designed to combat hunger, poverty and injustice in over 30 countries on four continents. HEKS/EPER also provides worldwide humanitarian assistance for victims of natural disasters and armed conflicts and supports the Church’s diaconal work in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. In Switzerland, HEKS/EPER champions the rights and causes of refugees and socially disadvantaged people. Through its development and social policy work in the fields of climate justice, access to land and food, migration, and integration, HEKS-/EPER strives for systemic change – globally and in Switzerland.

With the onset of conflict in Ukraine following the Russian invasion on the 24 th of February 2022, 6.5 million Ukrainians (approximately 15% of the population) have been internally displaced while 8 million (approximately 18.5% of the population) have fled to neighboring countries. Major population centers are under siege with civilian infrastructure heavily damaged. Basic commodities are becoming scarce with critical services facing significant strain.

To ensure our work in the field of humanitarian aid in the Ukraine, we are looking for immediately or by appointment for a proactive and experienced:

Country Director, Ukraine, 100%

Your main responsibilities:

Strategy and institutional policy

• Your responsability is the implementation and compliance to HEKS/EPER Foundation Strategic Plan, HEKS/EPER regional strategic plan and HEKS/EPER thematic policies in the field
• You elaborate, implement and review the country strategy for HEKS/EPER in Ukraine

Project cycle management

• Together with the Senior Management Team, you manage, supervise, and coordinate all the activities related to the implementation of HEKS/EPER’s projects in Ukraine according to the proposal guidelines and indicators, budget and work plans
• In consultation with HEKS/EPER’s Emergency desk, you develop new projects in-line with HEKS/EPER strategic plan and thematic policies

Reporting

• You provide the Desk with quality monthly activity reports and annual reports in line with project objectives and indicators
• You provide the Desk and/or the donors with quality intermediate and final project reports as per contract

Finance

• You are responsible for the overall financial management of the delegation
• Your ensure a tight follow up of all budgets including donors contracts and takes necessary actions in case of over/under expenditure

Human resources management

• You manage (supervision, support, training, etc.) HEKS/EPER employees in Ukraine, expatriates as well as local staff
• You lead and directly supervise the Senior Management Team and you recruit HEKS/EPER local staff

Fund raising

• You develop and maintain sound relations with potential donors (institutional, local, etc)
• You identify new funding source
• You initiate and lead the development of new project proposals
• You secure new contracts

Administration

• You implement and update HEKS/EPER delegation’s rules and procedures
• Yoiu ensure that contracts, rules and procedures meet all requirements of national law

Child Safeguarding Policy

• You respect HEKS/EPER Risk Management Policies including: Child Safeguarding Policy, Safety and Security Policy and Anti-Fraud/Corruption Policy, Whistleblowing Policy

To be successful you bring:

• University degree in relevant field
• At least 5 years of experience in emergency settings, at least 2 years as Head of Mission for INGO
• Experience with major donors: BHA, ECHO, OCHA
• Excellent oral and writing skills in English C2, Ukrainian and/or Russian are an asset
• This function requires the mastery of Personal, Social and Leadership Competencies (PSLC), Technical and Methodological Competencies (TMC) and Management and Strategic Competencies (MSC)

In particular:

PSLC :

• Autonomy and ability to decide
• Manage stress and emotions
• Negotiation skills
• Communicate in a clear, concise and responsible way
• Manage conflicts in a constructive way

TMC:

• Know and respect the rules and processes of the different domains concerning one’s activities
• Transform the innovations into shared good practices
• Know and applie the state of the art in Project Cycle Management

MSC:

• Act as a complexity reducer by translating the organizational strategy into clear priorities, goals and operational actions
• Encourage and support the development of staff competencies
• Act as a legal, official representative of HEKS/EPER both locally and internationally

What you can expect from us:

• An international position with a duty station in Kyiv, Ukraine with regular visits to the HEKS/EPER offices
• An opportunity to make a difference in this world
• An interesting and challenging position with scope for design
• Duration 6-12 months, renewable
• Starting date: as soon as possible
• Attractive salary and compensation (R&R)