Deputy Chief of Party, Flagship Mental Health Activity – Ukraine

Project HOPE is an international NGO of engaged employees and volunteers who work in more than 25 countries, responding to the world’s most pressing global health challenges. Throughout our 60-year legacy, Project HOPE has treated millions of patients and provided more than $3 billion worth of medicines to local health care organizations around the world. We have helped build hundreds of health programs from the ground up and responded to humanitarian crises worldwide.

Code of Conduct

It is our shared responsibility and obligation to treat each other with respect, take affirmative steps to prevent matters involving Sexual Exploitation & Abuse and Trafficking in Persons, and to disclose all potential and actual violations of our Code of Conduct, which may include Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption, Discrimination or Harassment. Together we can reinforce a culture of respect, integrity, accountability, and transparency.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Project HOPE seeks a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) to provide operational management and technical guidance for the upcoming USAID Flagship Mental Health Activity. This five-year, roughly $50-$100 million activity intends to support the Government of Ukraine in accelerating development of a modern, evidence-informed, integrated mental health system at all levels. These reforms will foster enhanced accountability, efficiency, and transparency to effectively address the evolving mental health challenges faced by Ukrainians amidst Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, and during its recovery.

The DCOP will lead the technical team and manage partners under the strategic guidance of the Chief of Party (COP). The DCOP supports the COP, acts for the COP as needed, and carries out any other tasks assigned by the COP to ensure proper management of the Activity. They will have strong managerial, budgeting, monitoring, and interpersonal skills to successfully implement the Activity and backstop the COP in a fast-paced environment. The DCOP will lead efforts for decentralization, capacity development, and transparency under the Activity. The DCOP must ensure that implementation is in accordance with USG regulations and procedures and the specifications determined in the Cooperative Agreement.

This position will be based in Ukraine. Ukraine nationals are strongly encouraged to apply. The Flagship Mental Health Activity is anticipated to begin in November 2024.

This position is contingent upon award.

PRINICIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Leadership and Oversight

• Provide technical leadership and strategic direction for the Activity’s technical assistance efforts, ensuring the integration, quality and sustainability of interventions;
• In collaboration with the COP and Objective Leads, provide day-to-day technical oversight for design, planning and implementation of activities in support of Activity goals and objectives;
• Establish and implement a system to ensure technical quality and fidelity across target geographies;
• Collaborate closely with Objective Leads and Technical Director to ensure harmonization of project approaches across technical and geographical areas;
• Oversee capacity development for sub-grantees and other local organizations and networks;
• Assist in the development and implementation of Activity monitoring frameworks and related metrics.

Development and Implementation of Technical Approaches

• Provide technical leadership to the development of the project strategic plan, work plan, and project monitoring, in close collaboration with Government of Ukraine, USAID and other stakeholders;
• Work closely with the COP on setting project priorities and directions, and responding to requests for support from local counterparts;
• Spearhead generation and application of new, innovative approaches for mental health in conflict and post-conflict settings;
• Integrate accountability and transparency mechanisms into Activity Objectives;
• Identify appropriate community-based strategies and lead the formulation of innovative approaches to effectively support mental health interventions;
• Oversee efforts to provide mentoring and capacity building at the community and oblast levels.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Work with M&E staff to design and implement a plan to track data/results related to Mental Health interventions; transparency/accountability efforts; and health systems strengthening/reforms;
• Document successes, lessons learned and challenges in implementation as well as reports of project activities and results to the USAID and GOU, including routine quarterly and annual reports;
• Author/co-author abstracts, presentations, and articles for journals and conferences.

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

• Foster and maintain excellent relationships with USAID and in-country stakeholders as a representative of the project, and develop rapid responses to requests
• Collaborate with all local stakeholders and implementing partners, especially Ukrainian Government Ministries and other implementing partners, to ensure that all activities conform to requirements and regulations;
• Facilitate the project team’s relationship with USAID, the GOU at sub-national and national levels, private sector partners and other key stakeholders such as civil society and technical working groups;

Management

• Supervise technical staff and build, mentor, and manage a team of highly qualified staff to ensure rapid and sustainable results;
• Manage technical contributions of subgrantees, including defining scopes of work.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree or other advanced degree (PhD, MD) in public health or social sciences.
• Minimum of ten years’ progressively experience in a senior role managing large, complex, and integrated programs of similar scope and dollar value with at least five years working in health reform and/or MHPSS programs;
• Previous experience working on USG programs or other donor funded programs focusing on psychosocial support and/or mental health;
• Experience and familiarity with health systems strengthening in Ukraine or other similar Eastern European countries or conflict/post-conflict environments;
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with government, donors, the private sector, and community organizations to advance health objectives;
• Excellent interpersonal, writing, and oral presentation skills;
• Fluency in English and Ukrainian in reading/writing/speaking;
• Management skill in designing, managing, and implementing, monitoring and evaluation of donor-supported programs and technical skill in managing social support, anti-corruption, health systems strengthening, public financial management, community mobilization and/or mental health activities;
• Skilled in building capacity of individuals and organizations;
• In-depth understanding of Ukrainian healthcare system, particularly the legal frameworks and institutional mandates factoring in reforms;
• Proven track record managing a team comprising several technical experts and fostering teamwork, particularly in conflict zones;
• Familiarity with USAID’s administrative, management and reporting procedures and systems;
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with USAID, host-country counterparts and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector;
• Ability to travel within Ukraine and the region.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be mobile in an office environment and able to use standard office equipment.
• Must be able to communicate in verbal and written form and must be able to travel internationally.
• Project HOPE employees may be required to travel or work in countries where working conditions are classified as “hardship.”

Work environment:

• Typical office environment with exposure to a minimal noise level.
• Emergency deployments may be in resource-deprived environments with austere living conditions.
• Travel for extended periods may be by air and/or other modes of transportation.
• While international travel is not a regular part of every job, programmatic needs may require it intermittently.
• Project HOPE employees may be required to travel or work in countries where working conditions are classified as “hardship

Due to the substantial number of inquiries, we receive, only candidates who have met the required experience & qualifications for this position will be considered. No phone calls please.

However, since we are active around the world in the field of public health, we may wish to retain your CV in our database for other/future opportunities, unless you direct us otherwise.

Thank you for your interest in Project HOPE.