Head of Programmes CARE Ukraine

Overall Programme Implementation and Quality

• Provide inclusive and cohesive leadership to CARE Ukraine’s programme teams, ensuring coordinated, high-quality implementation in line with the Country Strategy.
• Maintain a strong understanding of Ukraine’s social, political and economic context, initiating assessments to identify emerging needs and opportunities for programme expansion.
• Ensure projects are delivered on scope, time and budget, with day-to-day oversight delegated to the Program Implementation Lead and technical guidance provided by relevant teams.
• Regularly review programme priorities against the Country Strategy, adapting them based on contextual changes, evidence, learning and priorities identified with partners.
• Ensure effective coordination between programme implementation, technical teams, MEAL and Program Development to address challenges, strengthen cross-sector integration and inform new initiatives.
• Oversee strategic programmes and initiatives, ensuring their contribution to CARE Ukraine’s long-term objectives.
• Mainstream gender equality, protection and inclusion across all programmes, ensuring consistent application of CARE’s programme quality standards.
• Lead regular programme review meetings covering progress, quality, risks and monitoring findings, ensuring follow-up on agreed actions.
• Resolve operational bottlenecks between the Programme Department and other Country and Area Office departments.

Oversight and Management of Programme Implementation and Budget

• In collaboration with the SMT, define and oversee an effective, efficient and sustainable programme implementation model, clarifying the roles of CARE and its partners and ensuring appropriate SOPs and systems are in place.
• Support the Partnership Coordinator in overseeing partner due diligence, capacity development plans and partnership agreements, ensuring compliance with CARE requirements, including PSEA.
• Ensure effective use and follow-up of project management tools, including Detailed Implementation Plans, MEAL Plans and monitoring reports, through the Program Implementation Lead and MEAL Coordinator.
• Ensure programmes are responsive to communities, particularly women and girls, and comply with CARE’s principles, values, strategic plans and CI procedures.
• Act as overall budget holder for all programmes, delegating day-to-day budget management to the Program Implementation Lead while retaining accountability for expenditure and donor compliance.
• Oversee financial forecasting, expenditure monitoring and corrective actions, ensuring budget risks and variances are addressed and resources are aligned with programme priorities, in coordination with Finance and Operations.
• Provide direction on significant budget adjustments and resource allocation, and directly oversee specific grants where required.

Programme Quality, Technical Support and Learning

• Maintain and adapt CARE Ukraine’s programme quality framework in line with CARE International and humanitarian standards, including the Core Humanitarian Standard.
• Guide technical leads in ensuring compliance with minimum technical standards and consistent application of appropriate tools, guidelines and SOPs, providing the necessary support to Programme Managers and partners.
• Promote coherent and integrated technical approaches across sectors, particularly regarding gender equality, protection and inclusion.
• Lead regular programme quality reviews with technical teams, MEAL and the Program Implementation Lead, ensuring gaps, risks and improvement actions are identified and addressed.
• Oversee MEAL and information management systems through the MEAL Coordinator, ensuring reliable and timely evidence on programme quality and outcomes and addressing significant system and capacity gaps.
• Set priorities for needs assessments, evaluations, external monitoring and research, ensuring their quality and relevance to programme effectiveness and changing needs.
• Lead the development of a research and learning agenda with MEAL and technical teams, ensuring evidence, implementation experience and good practices inform technical approaches and programme adaptation.
• Ensure learning and recommendations are shared with CARE teams and partners, translated into improvements and reflected in programme strategy.
• Oversee CARE Ukraine’s accountability mechanism, ensuring community feedback informs programme reviews and adaptations in line with CARE standards.
• Ensure partner capacity strengthening addresses identified quality gaps and its effectiveness is regularly reviewed with technical leads and the Partnership Unit.

Business Development

• Support the Country Director in developing and adapting the funding strategy, diversifying donor engagement in line with CARE Ukraine’s Country Strategy.
• Coordinate technical inputs to new programmes, proposals and reports with the Program Development Lead, Program Implementation Lead, technical teams and MEAL Coordinator, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and quality standards.
• Ensure programme design builds on contextual analysis, monitoring findings, lessons learned and priorities identified with communities and partners.
• Promote the meaningful participation of partners and communities in programme design, including the development of logical frameworks, activities and budgets, ensuring proposals address identified needs and include appropriate MEAL components and resources.

Representation and Networking

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with strategic and implementing partners and peer organisations.
• Maintain strong links across CARE International and its membership to mobilise technical expertise and resources in support of the Country Strategy.
• Engage with UN agencies, humanitarian clusters and sector working groups to inform strategic priorities and operational planning, share programme evidence and learning, and fulfil CARE’s coordination commitments, including co-leadership responsibilities.
• Provide programme evidence and technical input to advocacy and communications strategies, working closely with the Advocacy Advisor and Communications Coordinator to promote the visibility and uptake of programme learning.

Team Management and Coordination

• Manage the performance and development of direct reports in line with CARE policies, providing coaching, mentoring and training to strengthen leadership and team effectiveness.
• Oversee recruitment, training and promotion of programme staff, ensuring that key functions are adequately staffed.
• Foster a collaborative and respectful team environment, promoting staff resilience and well-being in challenging contexts.
• Identify staff capacity development needs in collaboration with Human Resources.
• Supervise managers and technical leads, ensuring coordinated implementation of workplans and budgets.
• Lead safeguarding prevention and response across CARE Ukraine’s workplaces, programmes and communities, ensuring compliance with CARE standards and policies on PSEA-CP, Gender Equality and CARE Performance Standards, in coordination with the CARE DE Safeguarding Focal Point and CARE Ukraine HR Manager.

• At least 7 years’ experience in humanitarian and/or development work with national or international NGOs, including 5 years in senior management roles and significant field operations experience.
• At least 2 years’ experience living and working in an emergency or conflict setting.
• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences or a relevant discipline.
• Good understanding of at least one of CARE’s key programme sectors (Protection, WASH/Shelter, SRH or Livelihoods).
• Strong knowledge of international humanitarian and development systems, institutions and donors.
• Proven project management skills, including knowledge of accountability frameworks and substantial experience in financial and budgetary management.
• Demonstrated expertise in gender equality and gender-transformative programming.
• Sound understanding of MEAL systems and experience using data, evidence and learning to assess programme quality, adapt implementation and inform programme design.
• Experience in partnership-based approaches, civil society development and strengthening the capacity of local partner organisations.

• Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop teams through coaching, mentoring and capacity building, including cross-functional teams.
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing approaches and drive improvements.
• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills, including the ability to assess information, evaluate options and plan effectively.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, presentation, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Ability and willingness to work flexible hours and operate in environments with security restrictions.
• Strong commitment to CARE’s mission, values and principles.
• High levels of political and cultural sensitivity, patience, tact and diplomacy.
• Strong sense of responsibility, integrity and trustworthiness.

• Significant experience designing and supporting partner-led programmes.
• Strong and up-to-date knowledge of the humanitarian context in Ukraine.
• Knowledge of Ukrainian and/or other relevant regional languages.
• Experience in training and capacity development.
• Proven representation and networking skills, including the ability to represent CARE effectively in external forums.

• Competitive salary
• Housing allowance
• Risk allowance
• Relocation package
• Vacation according to the country office policies, plus additional days off on public holidays
• Generous R&R policy
• 24/7 group accident insurance
• Health insurance
• Coverage of relevant training and development opportunities