Senior Operations Specialist At Chemonics

Chemonics seeks a Senior Operations Specialist for the ongoing USAID Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities in Ukraine activity. The Senior Operations Specialist is responsible for assisting the Chief of Party (COP) and Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) with the development and implementation of management systems, and supervision of project operations and staff. S/he will ensure the coordination and coherence of and adherence to U.S. government regulations and Chemonics’ corporate and field office policies. S/he will work closely with the Compliance Advisor, Finance and Administration Director, Operations Manager, and SIF Team Lead to oversee procurement, subaward, and contract activities and lead a diverse team of local and international staff that manage the divisions on the AGRO project. S/he will also support the COP in the management of the project’s expatriate and local staff, representing AGRO to USAID, maintaining two-way communication throughout the project with the client, field office, home office, and other relevant project organizations. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world. Please note that this position will be based in Kyiv, Ukraine and is an unaccompanied post.

Responsibilities:

• Supports the COP in developing and implementing key management systems that will support project planning, reporting, and performance management; financial management; property and technical procurement systems; subcontracts and grants management; and personnel management
• Operational support to optimize project implementation by ensuring that the Finance and Administration Team and SIF Team acts efficiently and in a client-oriented manner
• Provides advisory services on procurement, human resources, finance, and other required services. Manages daily work of project teams in conjunction with the Finance and Administration Director and the Operations Manager as directed by the Chief of Party
• Identifies challenges, obstacles, and difficulties affecting the operation and effectiveness of project implementation, develops strategies and systems to solve these problems, and works with the COP and USAID as needed to install and implement these strategies and systems
• In coordination with the PMU, AGRO FO Chief Accountant, Operations Manager, and SIF Financial Manager, ensures accurate tracking of field office expenditures, produces annual budget forecasts, and monitors overall financial performance of the project
• Facilitates strategic human resource management, ensures optimal staffing of the project office, and promotes best practices to foster capacity building amongst staff
• In cooperation with Compliance Advisor, ensures compliance with U.S. government regulations, Chemonics’ corporate policies, Ukrainian law, and any supplemental policies developed specifically for AGRO
• Participates in the development of the annual work plan and formulation of other deliverables and reporting to USAID
• Leads the development of the business operations strategy
• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications:

The required and/or preferred qualifications for the position are:

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, international development, or related field
• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible experience in operational and financial management of large-scale, complex, international development assistance programs, experience with USAID activities highly preferred
• Possess a comprehensive understanding of USAID rules and regulations for project implementation, specifically for cooperative agreement
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse teams and deliver in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and persuasively both orally and in writing, and deliver presentations, training, and facilitate meetings effectively
• Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook) are required to effectively implement, analyze, monitor, and manage activity goals, inputs, outcomes, and achievements
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to solve complex problems
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity
• Fluency in English required, proficiency in Ukrainian is preferred