Старший програмний/а менеджер/ка, Виборча програма

Background

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to strengthen democratic institutions around the world by engaging civil society and promoting openness and accountability in government. NDI has been supporting local democratization efforts in Ukraine since 1992. For more information about NDI, please visit: www.ndi.org 

General overview of the position

The Senior/Program Manager (PM) will play a pivotal role in supporting NDI’s elections program activities in Ukraine, under the primary direction of the Resident Deputy Country Director, and ultimately the Resident Senior Country Director.

The S/PM’s primary responsibilities include contributing to NDI’s election programming strategy; collecting and analyzing election-related news and information; staying up to date with relevant legislation, regulations and reforms; coordinating election-related programming across teams and with various partners; representing NDI at conferences and activities; liaising with NDI headquarters-based teams regarding NDI election programming; and serving as NDI’s main contact for election-related inquiries.

The position may have supervisory responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all election-related matters, facilitating communication and coordination among internal teams, external partners, donors and relevant stakeholders.

Program Development and Implementation:

• Oversee budget planning and management for elections-related activities.
• Drive the development and implementation of comprehensive short-term, medium-term, and long-term elections-related activities strategies, working closely with sector program managers and/or senior staff to achieve organizational objectives.
• Lead the forward planning process for the program, orchestrating cross-team coordination and collaboration to maximize program effectiveness and efficiency.
• Lead and contribute significantly to the development, design, and organization of elections-related activities and events, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives, including DC elections functional team coordination and technical discussion.
• Facilitate collaboration with team leadership, other team members, and as required across other teams to identify and coordinate regional programmatic activities and priorities, including the development of program concepts and content for proposals, ensuring alignment with broader institutional strategies and approaches. Lead and oversee team members in the planning, design and evaluation of NDI’s projects in collaboration with local and international partners, in-house experts and external experts and advisors.
• Provide expert guidance and support to the internal teams, and partner organizations, overseeing the coordination of reporting and monitoring, and evaluation activities.
• Play a central role in elections-related activities design, strategic planning, and operational implementation, ensuring that they adhere to timelines and objectives.
• Facilitate advanced training sessions, meetings, workshops, and events to enhance the capacities of elections-related partners and advance NDI’s goals.
• Take a lead role in the preparation and presentation of regular elections-related reports, including weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, integrating sophisticated analysis and insights.
• Conduct in-depth analysis of political, social, and civic contexts, as well as legal framework and/or changes in the elections legal environment, relevant to the program’s focus area, contributing to the development of analysis papers and strategic updates.
• Maintain a general working knowledge of relevant program trends and issues occurring external to NDI.

Administrative and Operational Support:

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with program partners, stakeholders, and relevant institutions, fostering effective communication, collaboration, and strategic alliances.
• Provide supervision, mentorship, and guidance to assistants, interns, and support staff, ensuring adherence to programmatic and administrative standards and protocols.
• Lead the coordination of logistical arrangements for program activities, including travel, events, meetings, and consultations, with a focus on strategic planning and execution.
• Prepare comprehensive documentation, including concept papers, project proposals, work plans, monitoring and evaluation plans, and reports, demonstrating a high level of expertise and professionalism.
• Ensure rigorous compliance with budgetary, procurement, and financial procedures, including the management of program expenses, subawards, and contracts.

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work expected from individuals in this role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, and duties required. Additional duties may be assigned as needed to support the organization’s goals and objectives.

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university; 
• Minimum five (5) for a Program Manager level and seven (7) for a Senior Program Manager level, years of practitioner experience in the elections field;
• Knowledge of the Ukrainian electoral system in detail;
• Broader understanding of alternative electoral systems (preferred)
• Experience designing and implementing projects from scratch;
• Oral and written fluency in Ukrainian and English;
• Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively build relationships with all levels of stakeholders; 
• Confident presentation skills to discuss NDI’s programs and the electoral environment amongst diverse stakeholders
• Strong analytical and judgment skills for identifying problems, drawing conclusions, determining options for resolution, and recommending next steps.
• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team;
• Working knowledge of Google Apps (Gmail, Calendar, Google Drive, and G+), and PC-based word processing and spreadsheet applications.

Remuneration Package

NDI Ukraine’s salaries are subject to applicable employment taxes established by the government legislation. Gross salary reflects a 40-hour per week work schedule. Healthcare insurance coverage is available from the first day of employment. The full benefits of local staff members of the NDI-Ukraine office after the probation period include 20 days of paid vacation leave per year, paid sick leaves, and officially observed Ukrainian holidays.

Deadline: The deadline for the submission of the required documents is by close of business on November 26, 2024. 

Selection Process: Interested applicants are invited to apply via the Application Form: https://forms.gle/fiR6cfjcyyQCA5bz9. 

Only candidates who are long-listed will be invited to the written test stage. Successful candidates from this stage will proceed to the interview. For certain positions, a pre-screening recording may be required, and an additional interview with the Program Senior Director may also be conducted.

In Ukraine, NDI employs Ukrainian citizens and occasionally third country nationals who have the authorization to work in Ukraine.

The NDI Ukraine is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic, and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the organization.

The NDI Ukraine is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, and encourages all applicants, regardless of their abilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

The NDI Ukraine actively supports the recruitment of veterans and encourages qualified individuals with military service backgrounds to apply, recognizing the unique skills and experiences they bring to the workplace.

The NDI Ukraine has the authority to re-promote the vacancy, terminate the recruitment process, provide an appointment at a lower grade, or offer an appointment with a revised job description or for a different duration.