DAI

ACTIVITY OVERVIEW

DAI Global is implementing the USAID-funded Governance and Local Administration (HOVERLA), based in Kyiv, Ukraine. This project is designed to support Ukraine advance self-reliant local governance including legislative reforms, participatory strategic planning methodologies, service improvement, local economic development, civil society engagement, and capacity building of sub-national government entities. 

Objective 1: Ukraine's system of local self-governance is increasingly institutionalized and effective

Objective 2: More self-reliant subnational governance

Objective 3: Citizens play an increasingly influential role in local governance processes

Objectives and Duties:

The Chief of Party is responsible for overall implementation, technical and administrative management, and results of the HOVERLA Activity. S/he provides in-depth leadership in all technical and crosscutting areas to achieve HOVERLA’s objectives and oversees all financial and administrative matters.

The Chief of Party will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following detailed tasks: 

• Serve as the primary liaison with USAID and GoU and provide overall leadership and technical direction, ensuring an integrated vision and strategy among different objectives and actors.
• Provide exemplary leadership, vision and direction for the Program.
• Provide ongoing analysis of strategic communications, the political/reform context, and overall decentralization and local governance environment.
• Strategic and operational planning, including timely preparation of the annual implementation plan.
• Effective coordination and engagement with all Activity stakeholders across the public, private, and other donor sectors.
• Maintain a productive partnership relationship with USAID.
• Spearhead stakeholder engagement, ensuring that positive and mutually reinforcing relations are maintained with HOVERLA subcontractors, GoU stakeholders, and cooperating partners.
• Manage and develop staff, sub-contractors, and consultants to achieve expected results.
• Ensure high quality standards of technical assistance and support to Activity stakeholders.
• Ensure quality control and the overall performance of the project. Identifies issues and risks related to activity implementation in a timely manner and suggests appropriate adjustments.
• Provide technical guidance in the areas of local government performance and decentralization.
• Forster a project ethos of adaptive management, ensuring that continuous analysis of programming informs development of activities across HOVERLA objectives.
• Ensure that all GoU crosscutting priorities are integrated into activity design.
• Oversee all financial and administrative matters.
• Develop work plans for project activities
• Oversee the participatory planning process to produce a strategic plan for project deliverables
• Provide technical support in all program areas to team as needed
• Oversee implementation of Monitoring and Evaluating Plan.
• Provide timely and accurate reporting to USAID on all program areas
• Present findings in both written and oral presentations as required.
• Coordinate program activities with other donors.
• Oversee an effective and accountable Grants under Contract system.
• Ensure compliance with USAID, USG and GOU laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Other tasks as required to achieve the Objectives and Expected Results. 

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

The Chief of Party will supervise the Deputy Chief of Party, the Operations Director, the Communications Director, the Grants Director, and the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Director as well as other senior staff members.

Qualifications: 

• Experience successfully implementing donor-funded development activities, with preference given to implementing activities related to local governance, decentralization, community development, civic engagement, and service delivery/infrastructure improvement. At least four years of this experience implementing donor-funded development activities must be in senior program management, meaning that the candidate must have four years experience managing teams of 20 or more people in an office/organization responsible for implementing technical assistance activities in a developing country context.
• Prior experience in managing international donor programs in Ukraine, Central and Eastern Europe, or the former Soviet Union is preferred, but not required.
• Demonstrated track record of collaborating and communicating successfully with USAID, government counterparts, and other donors in complex development environments.
• Demonstrated ability to establish strong working relationships with governance sector professionals, including elected representatives and staff at all levels of government, local governance experts, public administration and public finance professionals, engineers, local economic development and service provision experts, civil society, journalists, and other donors.
• A demonstrated track record of building and effectively managing strong teams.
• An advanced degree (master’s, PhD, JD) and at least ten years’ experience in public policy, public administration, urban planning, or related field.
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.
• Fluency in Ukrainian and/or Russian desired.

Base of Operations: 

Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukraine is currently an unaccompanied post

Reporting:

The Chief of Party will report to the Senior Portfolio Director for Eastern Europe.

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine (currently an unaccompanied post)

Period of Performance: Start date on/around May 1, 2024 (upon USAID approval) – till February 28, 2026 (extendable until end of the contract, based on project needs)