Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) Director

Chemonics seeks a strategic investment fund (SIF) director for the anticipated USAID-funded OEG: New Private Sector Activity: STRONG UA in Ukraine. This new activity will serve as USAID/Ukraine’s flagship trade and competitiveness project from 2024 to 2029. The award will build on the work of the Competitive Economy Program (CEP), which is scheduled to end in October 2025, and will be a major component of USAID’s Economic Stability and Recovery Initiative (ESRI). The new award will work to foster a better business enabling environment, provide support for competitive industries and firms, boost job creation, and increase exports.

The grants and subcontracts lead is responsible for the management of the entirety of the CEP SIF operational team, which includes grants, subcontracts, procurement and environmental compliance team members. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world. The SIF director will be based on Kyiv, Ukraine.

Responsibilities include:

• Oversee the implementation of the Activity’s field-based SIF.
• Apply a lean management philosophy to develop a sound structure and organized processes that ensure the SIF is responsive to the Activity’s implementation needs, and maximizes the use of funds to achieve and exceed the Activity’s expected results.
• Ensure that all activities within the SIF Director’s area of responsibility comply with the terms and conditions of the terms and conditions of the Activity’s prime contract, U.S. and applicable Ukrainian laws, USAID rules and regulations, and Chemonics policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Exercise day-to-day supervision of the SIF team.
• Design and organize capacity building for the most appropriate SIF mechanism(s) to successfully complete work plan activities, contribute to the Activity’s reporting requirements, and meet MEL plan targets.
• Ensure due diligence and compliance with audit requirements, maintaining a sound system for records management.
• Establish and maintain a real-time tracking system for SIF activities including but not limited to real-time data on financial spending, activities organized by geospatial data, status and type of activity, a calendar of all relevant events.
• Analyze, assess, and assist with the administrative and financial aspects and the disbursement of grants and subcontracts, and informing the home office project management unit (PMU) of expenditure shortfalls/acceleration on a quarterly basis (at minimum).
• Implement financial control systems and tools to ensure transparency and accuracy in reporting information.
• Ensure protocols are in place to promote environmental compliance monitoring throughout implementation of SIF and other efforts.
• In collaboration with the home office project management unit, draft approval/waiver requests for grants, restricted goods, etc. related to SIF implementation, ensuring that the required and appropriate approvals are in place prior to activities commencing.
• Prepare and oversee preparation of reports and similar documents as required.
• Liaise with USAID Ukraine as requested by the Chief of Party or designee.
• As a member of the Activity’s team, ensure implementation of program activities in accordance with Chemonics’ business code of ethics and USAID regulations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, international development, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• At least four (4) years of experience working on USAID funded subcontracts and/or grants
• Experience managing a large portfolio (i.e. $10 million or more) of USAID subcontracts and grants strongly preferred.
• Strong leadership capabilities including organizational and problem-solving skills with a robust commitment to providing capacity building to local teams.
• Ability to work quickly and creatively without sacrificing compliance or quality.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to form effective working relationships at all levels
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, prioritize multiple work assignments in an extremely fast-paced environment, meet deadlines, and exercise good, professional judgment required.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to solve complex problems.
• Fluency in English required, proficiency in Ukrainian or Russian is preferred.