Вакансія: USAID Economics Resilence Activity looking for Infrastructure 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:

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;

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

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.»

Job Overview

The Big Infrastructure Specialist is responsible for promotion of reconstruction and repairing of the Logistics Infrastructure (roads, railroads), Water, Sanitarian and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and other types of infrastructure. The Big Infrastructure Specialist also directs USAID ERA’s efforts to support partner oblasts, municipalities and consolidated communities to attract financing from the Ukrainian government, other donors and international financial institutions (IFIs) to address critical infrastructure needs connected with economic recovery and growth. The Big Infrastructure Specialist is based in Kyiv (remote) and reports to Big Infrastructure Lead.

Responsibilities

Big Infrastructure Support:

• Monitor IFI funding programs that are pertinent to Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts and make information available to oblast administrations, municipalities and consolidated communities
• Coordinate with IFIs (including but not limited to World Bank, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Danida) and other donors (including but not limited to EU, Canada) to understand requirements of programs and define the potential role of USAID ERA in attracting this financing to eastern Ukraine
• Provide support to public sector partners to prepare quality applications for IFI and donor funding
• Prepare internal documents for the successful preparation and implementation of activities – EOIs, SoW, TORs, RFQ/RFP and so on.
• Oversee work of consultants preparing specific technical document for public sector partners
• Maintain regular contact with ERA government and public sector partners for joint project preparation and implementation (Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of the Community Development, Ministry of Reintegration, JSC Ukrzaliznitca and other)
• Organize public events, reports and other communication efforts to raise awareness of critical infrastructure needs

Grants Management:

• Coordinate gathering information for grant design, procurement, monitoring and Environmental Assessments of ERA program activities related to Big Infrastructure and renovation of infrastructure;
• in coordination with Grants Management team work with partners and ERA technical staff to monitor respective companies, grants and technical assistance activities progress within AOR and ensure that activities are aligned with the USAID ERA plans and performance indicators;
• manage projects in his AOR, including coordination with suppliers/contractors engaged and collection of match documentation

Monitoring & Evaluation:

• support and conduct necessary data collection in order to report against Activity performance indicators
• assist grant applicants in design of monitoring and evaluation plan for the proposed project
• monitor implementation of direct interventions and grant activities
• provide required information and data for M&E reporting in required format

Communication:

• introduce Big Infrastructure program to relevant stakeholders including local business owners, local representatives and business service providers. Foster ongoing positive cooperation with these stakeholders
• represent ERA in a professional manner
• other related tasks as requested by agency management staff

Reporting:

• Produce reporting documents on Transformation Sector activities related to Big Infrastructure and infructructure renovation
• prepare accurate and timely field reports and other project documentation as required; maintain project files
• keep respective activity records in DAI corporate system (TAMIS)

Job Expectations:

In this position, you are expected to share the DAI four core values:

• Integrity: commit to civil and ethical behavior, play by the rules, and do the right thing;
• Responsibility: be accountable to clients, partners, grant recipients, beneficiaries, colleagues, and communities where we work. If you fall short, you own up, fix the problem, and get it right the next time;

• Excellence: adhere to the highest technical and professional standards in innovation, learning, and service;
• Global Citizenship: respect the cultural diversity and treat everyone everywhere with professionalism and dignity to make the world a better place.

Qualifications:

• MA degree and 3 years of experience or a BA degree and 5 years’ experience;
• Demonstrated technical experience in the preparation of big infrastructure projects (social infrastructure reconstruction, building or repairing of highways, WASH infrastructure) on the local and national level;
• Proven understanding of the IFIs requirements for preparation and administration of the project. Experience providing operational or technical assistance to development programming in Ukraine or similar country context is preferable;
• Excellent communications skills and who can relate to people at all levels of an organization;
• An energetic, forward-thinking and creative individual with high ethical standards and appropriate professional image;
• An extremely well organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus;
• Fluency in English and Ukrainian is required.

WE OFFER

Contract length: 12-months employment agreement with a possibility of extension until August 2024. 

Salary Level: We offer competitive market-based salary level for candidates with relevant experience. 

Duty station: Kyiv, Ukraine 

Benefits: all benefits envisaged by Labor Code of Ukraine, corporate medical insurance for employees and immediate family members. 

Start date: December 2022

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English to [відгукнутися], please mention in the subject Big Infrastructure Specialist

Closing date for applications: December 07 , 2022

For further information about the DAI GLOBAL LLC, please consult our website dai.com.