UKRAINE – DEPUTY COUNTRY DIRECTOR PROGRAM (M/F) – KIEV

Education / academic background: University degree in relevant field

Specific skills and experience:

More than 5 years of experience in Humanitarian context and one experience at the same position.

– Very good capacity of Management

– Good writing skills

– Capacity to work in fast changing context that requiring constant adaptation and in a very competitive environment

Language: Fluent in English

Desired start date: 01/04/2023

Duration of the mission: 1 year

Location: Kyiv

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI’s interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in some twenty countries, the SI teams – 2500 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers – intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.

About the mission

The conflict in Ukraine has seen a dramatic and rapid escalation since 24th February 2022 with massive multidimensional attacks from Russian troops throughout Ukraine, from the East, North, and Southern borders that affected a large part of the country including the capital, Kyiv. This attack has been immediately followed by massive displacements, and more than 4 500 000 Ukrainians have taken refuge in neighboring countries. About 6 500 000 are internally displaced, mostly in the Western part of the country. In the East, impacts of the conflict are felt and humanitarian operations support people remaining on the frontlines.

SI strategy is to support the population in transit, the IDPs where they are settling and the population on the frontline directly affected by the ongoing conflict through a multisectoral approach including WaSH, Shelter, NFI, Food Security, and Multi-Sectoral Cash activities.

Mission: size, bases, budget, number of expatriates and national staff:

The coordination in Kyiv was the last base opened in the country around September-October 2022. Prior to that SI opened and developed activities in Lviv, Uman, Odesa, Mykholaiv, Dnipro, Donetsk, and Kharkiv. From November 2022 SI also opened activities in Kherson. The mission is also supervising and supporting projects in Moldova with a base in Chisinau working for Ukrainian refugees and host communities.

The budget projected was approximately 30 million for 2022-2023 (from the start to mid-2023). SI expects to support the Ukrainian population in both countries for an expected amount of 24M EUR.

The setup of the mission is the following:

One coordination based in Kyiv
One operational base in Lviv Oblast and sub-base in Uman Raion (Cherkasky Oblast) focusing on IDPs response
One operational base in Mykolaiv with a sub-base in Odesa focusing on humanitarian aid delivery to populations in need in Mykolaivska, Khersonska and Odeska Oblasts.
One operational base in Dnipro
One operational base in Kharkiv
One operational base in Chisinau (Moldova) focusing on refugee response.

Key current donors include BHA, ECHO, UNICEF, UHF, and CDCS.

The mission is evolving and currently counts around 40 expatriates and 130 national employees.

General objective:

In close collaboration with the Country Director (CD), the DCD’s prime objectives are to provide leadership and management of the strategic programming, overseeing the strengthening of SI’s programme development, quality and accountability. The DCD ensures the internal coherence between program activities and is responsible for ensuring that programs are driven by needs, based on evidence, adaptable to contextual changes and conflict sensitive, monitored closely and resourced appropriately. – Strategic direction: definition and adaptation of the mission program strategy- Donor relation, in support of the CD, through the management of the Grant department- Program development: leadership in proposal writing- Quality: Strengthening processes ensuring impactful and accountability of SI’s programming in country- MEAL : Management and stregthening of the MEAL department.

Priorities for the 2/3 first months:

Implementation of new distribution SOPs
Streamlining of project management tools
Resource mobilization and donor diversification

A salaried position:

According to experience, starting from EUR 3080 gross per month (2800 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 700.

SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate’s country of origin and the place of assignment.

Breaks: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months (with a USD 850 break allowance, allocated by Sl). To these breaks periods, SI grants one (1) additional rest day per month worked.

Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

LIVING CONDITIONS:

Individual, comfortable room in the guesthouse, with electricity 24/7.
Internet and Phone network available
Restaurants and international food are available
Numerous and diverse cultural events

Living conditions in Kyiv are very good with an easy access to a wide range of restaurants, cafes…

Security :

Very low criminality
Safe sanitary environment and relatively good medical facilities
Frequent air alarm and air strikes
Curfew 00:00 – 05:00

Security risks are low, and restrictions are very limited.

However, when going on the field bases, living conditions are more basic, with fewer opportunities for socialization, as well as some individual movements’ restrictions. Security levels vary according to the different geographical locations and changes of context.