International Development
Senior Leadership and Management

Chief of Party

Habitat for Humanity International is seeking an experienced Chief of Party to lead the HFH Ukraine Leadership Team, build local partnerships and represent HFHI at government and donor level.

Background and Objective

Nearly 13.5 million people are currently affected by war displacement; more than one-third of Ukrainians have been forced from their homes. Within Ukraine, more than 5.3 million people remain displaced by the war, having moved from the worst-affected eastern regions towards the central and western regions, with significant shelter needs. More than 8 million refugees are currently hosted in the region, with the largest population in the neighbouring countries.

The vulnerability of war-affected populations in Ukraine is exacerbated by the pre-war lack of adequate housing with close to no affordable rental options. Approximately 80% of the national housing stock within the country is estimated to be in sub-standard and energy inefficient conditions requiring upgrading and refurbishment. There is a high level of homeownership in Ukraine (estimated at 90%) because of privatization, yet this housing stock is significantly substandard and energy inefficient. The significant increase in energy prices caused by the war has only exacerbated the vulnerabilities of populations already experiencing energy poverty.

HFHI Ukraine program initiatives deployed in these next three years will ensure equity in design and implementation and seek to build capacity in civil society and government partners. The following operating cornerstones will guide project design and application – and define how HFH will provide sustainable impact in Ukraine:

  • Support equality throughout the housing eco-system: HFH will provide voice and expertise towards housing processes and solutions which ensure equity and inclusion – ethnicity, age, gender, abilities. As women continue to bear a significant burden and are differently and disproportionately affected by the crisis, their representation in all decision-making is critical to sustainable solutions for both the response and the long-term recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine for the entire population.
  • Enable partners in housing: HFH will partner with local civil society organizations in delivering housing solutions, providing HFH experience and resources to enable civil society and governments to effectively lead scalable housing initiatives.
  • Support IDPs and host communities: In areas of significant IDPs, HFH will balance refugee housing with host community housing needs. And in these areas HFH will develop community projects which support both refugees and host residents.
  • Support chronic housing needs and rebuilding: With a housing stock significantly substandard prewar, HFH will balance support for rebuilding/repairing war affected housing as well as refurbishment of existing housing stock.

Scope of Activities and Tasks

The HFH Ukraine Chief of Party (COP) is responsible for the strategic vision, overall delivery, and program results and lead influencing in terms of government housing related policies. The COP will hold both technical, operations and high-level management responsibilities, whilst also serving as the principal liaison between partners, donors, and government and HFH EME Area Office, units of HFHI, and the global network.

Local partners will be selected on the basis of their capacity for adaptive planning and programming and on their ability to deliver enhanced results. The CoP is to ensure effective 360 degree oversight of partnerships, programming, results, and risk.

The COP will report to HFH EME Area Vice President (EME AVP) with ultimate accountability to the EME AVP. The COP will liaise closely with – and be supported by the EME Area Office and HFHI global teams.

The COP will provide overall technical, administrative, financial, partnerships, representation and programme management. Specific duties and responsibilities include:

Management:

  • Oversight and coordination of the HFH Ukraine Team. This includes ensuring an appropriate level of delegation and task sharing across the team. The COP will ensure the quality of programme delivery by providing guidance and feedback on the team’s performance as well as areas for improvement. The COP will provide leadership to ensure effective line management of the project team and vigorous monitoring of the programme’s performance and risk profile.
  • Overseeing the operational aspects of HFH Ukraine implementation, organisation, and performance on behalf of HFHI. This includes ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of the program in line with the donor contracts, managing and flagging to the EME AO AVP any potential scope, challenges, and slow burn rate. Strategic planning and project troubleshooting as and when required.
  • First point of in country contact for donors and similar level stakeholders to promote the profile of HFH in the pathway to permanence landscape. Leading and working in coordination with the HFH global teams, the COP will fully engage with partners and stakeholders and access new opportunities to promote HFH Ukraine program.
  • Co-ordinating and managing on a day-to-day basis the work of HFH Ukraine experts and various inputs of partners and consultants.
  • Building and maintaining strategic relationships with donors, government, local NGOs and other stakeholders relevant to the Program. This includes maintaining all necessary contact and on-going liaison with relevant international organisations, other projects, and stakeholders in Ukraine.
  • Ensuring that all project documentation is kept up to date in required formats and is accessible to HFHI, project monitors, auditors and others as legitimately required.
  • Keeping project progress under continuing review, immediately advising HFHI EME AVP and other internal stakeholders, as appropriate, of any major problems encountered or foreseen.
  • Supporting project monitoring activities, in particular by ensuring access to necessary information and by providing briefings needed to fully appreciate project progress and operational realities.
  • Providing timely and accurate programme and financial reporting to donors on all programme areas, with support of HFHI global teams and the HFH Ukraine team. This includes Quarterly progress reports culminating in annual reports as well as final programme reports.
  • Ensuring that the Ukraine program provides all required outputs and completes all required reports in a timely manner and to a high professional standard and that all necessary pre-approvals by donors are in place before specific project activity commences.
  • Holding ultimate project-level budget oversight, monitoring the overall in coordination with the Finance & Audit Manager.
  • In collaboration with the HFHI EME AO, managing programme security in line with the Security Plan.
  • Representing HFHI in Ukraine.

Technical:

  • Ensuring the overall quality of the services provided to the program partners and donors.
  • Working closely with the Technical Leads to ensure technical quality and provide oversight of all program activities and deliverables.
  • Producing annual workplans for HFHI EME AO and donors’ approval.
  • Working with the MEAL Manager to ensure the implementation of an effective Monitoring Strategy including its development and adherence to the donors log frames.
  • Overseeing engagement with partners including government at the national, state and local level.

Inception phase of Funded Projects

  • Ensuring Inception Activities as specified in donors’ contracts, including participation in kick-off meetings to establish management arrangements, workplans and deliverables.
  • Ensuring coordination with donors to validate the project design, refine the areas of intervention and formulate a detailed workplan shared between the Project team and donor counterparts.
  • Overseeing stakeholder mapping and political economy analysis with project team.
  • Assisting with the recruitment of national Project experts and staff.
  • Verifying the continuing relevance of the results and activities in the approved proposals and assessing whether any adjustments are required.
  • Developing quality management procedures.
  • Finalising communication and operational routines with partners and other stakeholders, including the donors.

Reporting to Donors

The COP will be the main point of contact with the donors in partnership with HFHI fundraising teams. All communication with donors regarding contractual matters will be done by the COP with support from Relationship Managers. The COP and senior technical team leads will communicate directly with donor representatives in Ukraine, particularly through scheduled weekly meetings and regular communication. The COP will ensure that all communication with donors is shared with key fundraising network.   

Team Structure

  • The COP will report to the Europe and Middle East Area Vice President
  • The COP will manage a high-level core team of program leaders, subject matter experts, and operational leaders covering areas of grant management, finance, HR and partnership development.

Minimum Requirements:

 Education

  • An advanced degree at the Master’s level or above in Social sciences, Development studies, Economics or related field.  
  • A bachelor’s degree supplemented by significant strategic leadership experience will be considered.

Years of Related Experience:

  • A minimum of 7 years of related experience is required. At least 5 years’ experience working in/on fragile or post-conflict context preferred.

 Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

  • Demonstrated strategic leadership experience of complex social needs programs, including leadership in both program execution and donor development and coordination. While not required, experiences in Housing ecosystem strengthening, rehabilitation, and/or workforce development is an advantage.
  • Demonstrated leadership and management abilities.
  • Prior experience and success directing similar or larger international donor-funded projects.
  • Demonstrated strategic planning and visioning skills.
  • Familiarity with administrative procedures in the implementation of donor assisted projects.
  • Proven record of aligning diverse, multi-level teams with project mission and vision. Track record of strong commitment to sharing knowledge, documenting experiences, supporting creative initiatives, and sharing credit.
  • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with senior-level colleagues, particularly interacting productively, proactively, and comfortably with government agencies, NGOs, private sector groups, , implementing partners, and donor organizations.
  • Demonstrated strategic agility, diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
  • Fluency in English required, and Ukrainian language skills an advantage.
  • Good understanding of the operating environment/ context in Eastern Europe

Active support of HFHI Values:

  • Humility – We are part of something bigger than ourselves
  • Courage – We do what’s right, even when it is difficult or unpopular
  • Accountability – We take personal responsibility for Habitat’s mission
  • Safeguarding: HFHI requires that all employees take seriously their ethical responsibilities to safeguard our intended beneficiaries, their communities, and all those with whom we work. Managers at all levels have responsibilities to support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents harassment, sexual exploitation, and abuse safeguards the rights of beneficiaries and community members (especially children), and promotes the implementation of Habitat for Humanity’s code of conduct.

At Habitat for Humanity International, we embrace a history rooted in creating equity and take our mission seriously by courageously committing to a culture and workplace where all staff feel safe, welcome, visible, respected, supported and valued. As an equal opportunity employer, we realize that our success depends upon building an inclusive workforce of diverse perspectives and encourage people of varied races, ethnicities, national origins, tribes, religions, ages, gender identities and expressions, genders, sexual orientations, marital statuses, disabilities, veteran/reserve national guard statuses, socio-economic statuses, thinking and communication styles to work with us.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity International is a global Christian-based nonprofit organization which grew out of an intentionally multi-racial community in rural Georgia.  Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat brings together people of all faiths and people of no faith to build homes, communities and hope. Working alongside each other, we help families and individuals build and improve places to call home and achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Habitat for Humanity seeks individuals who have a willingness to affirm these principles and values.

Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

HFHI works through a broad network of national Habitat organizations and other strategic partners, such as corporations, financial service providers, individuals, non-governmental organizations, foundations, local governments, as well as the private sector actors. HFHI supports program and project implementation by national HFH organizations and directly implements projects and programs regionally.

APPOINTMENT DETAILS:

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine with in country and regional travel as necessary.

Contract length: Two years

HOW TO APPLY

Closing date: 10th March 2024

To apply please click ‘Apply Now’

As part of the application process kindly submit an MS Word version of your CV and a cover letter. All application documents (cover letter and CV) should be submitted in English.

Should you require access to information in a different format to facilitate your application please contact us via [email protected]

Please name your submitted files with the following reference: HfH_COPUKR

Red Sea take our responsibility towards protecting your personal data very seriously. The data you provide is processed in line with relevant data protection legislation. For the purposes of this recruitment, and as defined under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Red Sea is defined as the Data Controller.

Red Sea is committed to meeting the standards set out in our Equality and Diversity statement, acting in line with the UK Equalities Act 2010 and building an accurate picture of the make-up of the workforce in encouraging equality and diversity.

Job Overview

Job Title:Chief of Party
Location:Kyiv, Ukraine
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