Project Manager, Electoral Preparedness and Integrity, Ukraine

Context

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is an intergovernmental organization of 35 member states, with a mission to support sustainable democracy worldwide through policy-relevant knowledge, capacity development, advocacy, and the convening of dialogues. The Institute pursues this mission by developing, sharing and enabling the use of comparative knowledge to reform-makers, combining research, global knowledge tools, and technical assistance to support democratic reform and influence policies and politics at the national and global level.

The Regional Europe Programme (REP) has a strategic objective to support democracy in Europe, with an emphasis on Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. In Ukraine, International IDEA aims to support state and civil society organizations in enhancing the resilience and quality of democratic institutions and processes. Key areas of our engagement relate to electoral processes and political finance, parliamentary strengthening, and promoting the expertise and capacity of civil society organizations to participate in decision-making processes.

International IDEA programming in Ukraine has expanded significantly. The Programme’s key areas of focus are provision of support to parliamentary strengthening and to enhancing electoral integrity; other areas of work may include activities to foster greater civic engagement in democratic processes, support to strengthening the culture of constitutionalism, digitalization, promotion of gender equality and women’s participation in political and public life.

The Project Manager will lead the design, planning and implementation of assigned projects and activities under International IDEA’s Ukraine programme portfolio, contributing to Ukraine’s democratic resilience, institutional recovery and reform agenda. Based in Kyiv, the incumbent will work as part of a larger Ukraine programme team based in Kyiv and Brussels, in close coordination with other Project Managers and programme staff, and will also work closely with the Central Election Commission of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and other key national institutions and partners.

Duties And Responsibilities

Programme Management and Coordination

• Manages and coordinates assigned projects and activities under International IDEA’s Ukraine programme portfolio, with a focus on one or more thematic areas, including electoral assistance, ICT and cybersecurity, training, voter education, strategic communication, electoral risk management, parliamentary strengthening, constitution-building, political finance, foreign information manipulation and interference, regional development, and EU integration. The specific portfolio will be determined based on programme needs and the relevant experience of the successful candidate;
• Leads the design, planning, implementation, monitoring and learning of assigned projects and activities, ensuring timely, high-quality and results-oriented delivery;
• Develops and updates workplans, activity plans, timelines and implementation tools, and ensures effective day-to-day coordination with colleagues based in Kyiv, Brussels and HQ;
• Monitors relevant political, electoral, parliamentary, reform and socio-economic developments in Ukraine and contributes contextual and technical analysis to inform programme design and adaptive implementation;
• Identifies and manages operational, political, security and reputational risks related to assigned projects and activities.
  
  

Project Development and Resource Mobilization

• Identifies emerging needs and programmatic opportunities in consultation with Ukrainian counterparts, International IDEA colleagues and partners;
• Contributes to the development of project concepts, concept notes and funding proposals in close collaboration with colleagues in Kyiv, Brussels and HQ;
• Supports donor engagement, communication and visibility related to assigned projects and contributes to resource mobilization efforts.
  
  

Partnership Development

• Maintains and develops partnerships with key stakeholders in Ukraine, including the Central Election Commission, election administration bodies, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, relevant ministries and state institutions, academia, think tanks and civil society organizations;
• Fosters effective cooperation with International IDEA’s Member States, donor agencies, international organizations and democracy assistance actors based in Kyiv;
• Co-creates project interventions with national counterparts and partners to ensure relevance, ownership and sustainability.
  
  

Representation and Thematic Interventions

• Represents International IDEA in meetings, coordination platforms, technical discussions, public events and high-level forums, as assigned;
• Delivers thematic presentations, contributes to policy dialogue and ensures International IDEA’s visibility in areas relevant to the assigned portfolio;
• Prepares thematic briefs, analytical notes, talking points, presentations and other technical inputs to support programme activities and external engagement.
  
  

Procurement, Consultant and Partner Management

• Manages and/or coordinates the engagement of external consultants, experts, service providers and implementing partners, ensuring the quality and timely delivery of outputs;
• Prepares or contributes to terms of reference, technical specifications, procurement documentation and evaluation processes related to assigned activities;
• Ensures that procurement and service provision are carried out in accordance with International IDEA’s procurement policies and procedures and relevant donor requirements;
• Provides guidance to designated staff, consultants, interns and partners involved in the implementation of assigned projects and activities.
  
  

Programme and Budget Planning

• Leads programme and budget planning for assigned portfolio components and contributes to broader Ukraine programme and regional planning processes;
• Monitors budget execution, expenditure planning and financial delivery of assigned projects in coordination with relevant finance, budget and programme performance colleagues;
• Ensures oversight of project funds in accordance with donor agreements, International IDEA regulations and approved workplans.
  
  

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning

• Leads monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning for assigned projects and activities, ensuring alignment with International IDEA’s results-based management system;
• Tracks progress against outputs, outcomes, indicators and donor requirements, and contributes to programme-related progress reports;
• Identifies lessons learned, good practices and opportunities for adaptive programming and knowledge sharing across the Ukraine programme.
  
  

General Profile

• Combines in-depth knowledge, acquired through post-graduate academic achievements, excellent skills and significant experience in their field;
• Combines in-depth knowledge in current democratization trends and challenges, especially in Ukraine, as well as in the broader Eastern European region, with a particular focus on democratic governance, electoral processes, parliamentary development, constitutional reforms, FIMI, political finance and democracy assessment frameworks;
• Manages assigned projects throughout the project life cycle, i.e. from strategic planning and project design, funding and budgeting to project assessment and accountability; leads meetings and discussions, supervises publications and input from external providers;
• Has contributed to publications on their relevant subject; is recognized as a knowledge resource in their broad professional community;
• Has the intellectual leadership to integrate innovation into their field of expertise;
• Fosters team-based activities in their unit; collaborates with other entities of the Institute;
• Acts as a model and mentor for colleagues;
• Is expected to travel globally to any geographical area involved in their projects;
• Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with Institutional guidelines;
• Acts in accordance with International IDEA’ s core values; Respect, Integrity and Professionalism;
• Integrates gender equality, diversity, and social inclusion (GEDSI) considerations into all tasks and activities, in alignment with the Institute’s Core Values and commitment to the GEDSI policy.
  
  

Reporting line

• Ukraine Programme Lead
  
  

Education And Experience

• University degree, preferably post graduate in political science, law, international relations, public administration or other related discipline;
• Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant experience in strengthening democracy and accountability in Ukraine;
• Experienced in the fields of electoral assistance, parliamentary support, FIMI as well as other rule of law and human rights-related fields in Ukraine;
• Demonstrated experience in conceptualization, formulation and management of project activities;
• Experience in fundraising and project design is essential;
• Demonstrated experience in report writing and reporting under a results-based management (RBM) system;
• Experience of working in an international context considered an advantage.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Ukrainian is required.;
  
  

Terms Of Contract

• Local Post.
• Fixed term appointment for one (1) year.
• Remuneration - USD 4 570 gross per month
  
  

Please note as this is a local post, International IDEA will bear no costs relating to the relocation of the selected candidate to the duty station. This position is open to those legally authorized to live and work in Ukraine for the duration of the contract. International IDEA is not able to support work permit applications.

Use of AI in Recruitment

International IDEA places strong emphasis on human input in recruitment. Candidates must disclose any use of AI tools. All application materials, written assessments, and interview responses (as applicable) must be entirely human-generated and reflect the candidate’s own knowledge, skills, and experience. The use of AI to generate content or misrepresent qualifications is not permitted. AI‑powered assistive technologies (such as screen readers or speech‑to‑text tools) may be used for accessibility purposes to ensure equal access to the recruitment process.

Applying For This Position

• Applications should be submitted online no later than 23:59 (CEST) 29th July, 2026.
• Please note that all applications must be made in English.
  
  

Selection Process

• Evaluation of qualified candidates will include a written test assessment and up to two (2) interviews.
• Candidates selected to proceed to the next stage of the process will be contacted once all applications have been carefully reviewed.
• All candidates will be notified of the status of their application via email once the process has been finalized.
  
  

Due to the anticipated volume of applications, International IDEA will review applications on a rolling basis, and the vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline. Applicants are therefore encouraged to apply early.

International IDEA is an equal-opportunity employer which seeks to further diversify its staff in terms of gender, culture and nationality.

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is an intergovernmental organization that supports sustainable democracy worldwide.