Program and Communications Specialist

Project Background

The Ukraine Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) (8/27/2018 – 8/26/2024) was designed to strengthen the economy and improve the resilience of businesses and communities in eastern Ukraine following Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the seizure of territory in the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions by Russian backed separatists.

Prior to the war, ERA had focused interventions on Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. In 2019 after Russia commandeered a Ukrainian naval ship and established a blockade, ERA had also added the Sea of Azov (Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts and municipal centers closest to the sea) to its area of operations. With the February onset of war in eastern and southern Ukraine, Russia has significantly damaged or destroyed most of ERA’s previous implementation geography, including Mariupol, Sartana, Rubizhne, and Sievierodonetsk and occupied the cities of Berdiansk, Melitopol and Stanytsia Luhanska.

The further Economic Resilience Activity’s work will be centered on three pillars:

1. Stabilization and Inclusion: building the capabilities of vulnerable populations to be able to capitalize on entrepreneurial and micro, small and medium enterprises’ (MSME) economic opportunities;

2. Business Revival: helping MSMEs relocate and rebuild marketing and supply chains; and

3. New Economy: working with coalitions and leaders to build confidence in the sustainable Ukrainian state, articulate a vision for the future, and put in place the building blocks for a modern, diverse, and MSME-friendly economy post-war.

Nowadays, ERA shifts its focus from interventions targeting businesses and communities in eastern oblasts to supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs), MSMEs, universities and other partners from those regions as they move westward to safety and re-establish operations. As a result, ERA’s area of operations has changed from “the east” to supporting IDPs and partners that originated in the east to other locations “anywhere in Ukraine.”

Scope of Work

The Program and Communications Specialist will serve as primary support staff to the project’s Chief of Party. The ideal candidate will support the Chief of Party on required technical, contractual, communication, and other critical tasks as needed and will collaborate with the project’s team on technical activity coordination, development of contractual deliverables, and compliance with USAID regulations. The selected candidate will lead the project’s communications activities, preparing communications materials and contractual deliverables, in consultation with project staff. The candidate will also supervise any specialized advisors in related communications tasks. Additionally, the candidate will provide support in technical areas as needed, including through research and analysis.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Chief of Party on required technical, communications, contractual, and other tasks
• Serve as technical activity coordinator for specific activities and tasks assigned by the Chief of Party and in coordination with other members of the project team
• Prepare, review, and edit communications materials and compliance with communications regulations, branding and marking plan, among other
• Support in the preparation of quarterly, annual, and other required reports, which includes editing/formatting, technical, contractual, and other project documents as needed, providing document version control, formatting, and review.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive electronic filing of project documentation, organized intuitively so others unfamiliar with the project can easily locate desired files, including electronic and physical (when necessary) filing of key project documents such as letters of understanding, approved quarterly reports, annual plans, etc.
• Provide support to technical areas including qualitative analysis, case study review, literature reviews, statistical analysis, indicator review, collecting and analyzing survey data, and conducting program-related research, among other tasks.
• Data management skills, ability to interpret statistics
• Excellent organizational skills, including attention to detail, and time management; ability to work independently in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment and efficiently organize the workflow of a fast-paced team
• Proactive in anticipating work requirements and problem-solving
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills – ability to establish successful and effective relationships with a variety of people
• Ability to plan, focus on details and priorities, and meet deadlines
• Support the project’s communication actions, including the supervision of STTA consultants for the provision of graphic design, document desktop publishing, and additional, communications-related services
• Any other action or activity required by the COP for the achievement of the project objectives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, business administration, public administration, international affairs, political science, or related field.
• At least two years of experience working in a similar role.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills in English.
• Strong computer skills; ability to work effectively and accurately with, but not limited to, MS Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email, and internet applications, proficiency in Microsoft Windows and virtual platforms such as Google Meet, Skype, Teams.
• Well-organized, attentive to detail, skilled in setting priorities and meeting deadlines, and able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Experience and/or familiarity with international development preferred. Previous experience, preferably with a USAID-funded project.
• Knowledge of Russian/Ukrainian languages preferred but not required.