Economic Resilience Specialist

HOPE International’s strategy focuses on long-term development, which includes a commitment to journeying with communities through times of disaster, war, or crisis. When a crisis happens in a community where we serve, we want to respond in ways that care for those we serve while maintaining a view towards long-term development. The economic resilience specialist will serve on the Ukraine Resilience Support team, ensuring good stewardship of Ukraine Assistance funds dedicated to supporting the resilience of small businesses, greenhouse and open-field farms, agricultural activity, and other strategic opportunities as they emerge. Secondarily, they will advise on improvements to HOPE’s crisis preparedness plans and strategies for crisis and resilience response. Should other crises arise in the network, they will be asked to provide crisis management leadership to local response teams. This is a 2-year term role, with a possibility of extension following review at 18 months.

• Location: Lancaster, PA or Durham, NC preferred. Remote possible, United States
• Level: Senior Professional
• Type: Full-time
• Reports to: Senior director of integrated strategy

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Promote and fulfill the mission and vision of HOPE International.

Ukraine Resilience Support

• Collaborate with the Ukraine Resilience Support team and steering committee to develop and maintain a strategy for effectively deploying Ukraine Assistance funds towards economic resilience-building activities, updating the strategy periodically as the context evolves.
• Develop and maintain relationships with other organizations participating in Ukraine response efforts, sharing best practices and context-specific lessons.
• Manage the Ukraine Resilience Support grant program. This includes working with the HOPE Ukraine team and members of the Ukraine Resilience Support team to identify and evaluate partners, review grant applications, solicit approvals, and follow up with granting partners on reporting requirements.
• Travel to Ukraine (security permitting) at least twice a year to encourage partners and conduct assessments of grants.
• Provide regular and timely reports to the Ukraine Resilience Support steering committee on activities and progress.
• In collaboration with International Accounting, review and update HOPE’s Disaster Response Fund and Ukraine Assistance granting forms and processes.

Strengthen HOPE’s crisis preparedness plans and response strategies

• Collaborate with leadership to review and recommend improvements to HOPE’s crisis preparedness plans and crisis management protocols.
• Collaborate with human resources and spiritual integration to review and recommend improvements to HOPE’s approach to staff care during and following a crisis.

Lead crisis management teams (if necessary)

• In the event of a crisis impacting one of HOPE’s programs, organize and lead a crisis management team to coordinate communication and response.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Personal commitment to the mission and vision of HOPE International
• 5-10 years of professional experience in disaster response, post-crisis development, or related field. Strong preference for experience supporting economic resilience in active-conflict and post-conflict zones
• International field experience required, experience living and working in Eastern Europe is highly preferred
• English fluency is required. Ukrainian and/or Russian proficiency preferred
• Highly detail-oriented and organized
• Proven ability to be a self-starter and willingness to be adaptable to changing demands
• General knowledge of grant writing and external funding requirements
• Strong people management experience and skills
• Willingness and ability to build the capacity of others
• Strong relationship management experience and skills
• General knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite