Technical project officer

About us:

Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) has had a permanent presence in Ukraine for more than 25 years. Since February 2022 Hungarian Interchurch Aid has doubled down on its efforts to provide help to those in need – both in Hungary and Ukraine. From tangible, in-kind food aid to cash assistance, community-based relief and psychosocial help, HIA’s response to this crisis is multisectoral and flexible. Supported by other members from ACT Alliance, HIA is present on both sides of the border and is providing assistance to those in need, wherever they are seeking help.

HIA is officially registered with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine as a nationwide organization. Coordinated from its regional offices in Kyiv, Berehove, and Lviv, HIA has already carried out country-wide humanitarian and development work since 2015. Our current programme in Ukraine encompasses 20 regions from Berehove in the West to Zaporizhzhia in the Southeast.

General role:

Under the overall supervision of the Program Manager - Ukraine and the direct supervision of the Program Manager - Kyiv, the project officer supports the successful implementation of various humanitarian projects of the Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) in Ukraine. The successful candidate will contribute to the planning and preparation of humanitarian actions in selected regions. She/he will support coordinating and administrating the humanitarian actions implemented by HIA in the field. The project officer also contributes to monitoring and evaluation activities related to project implementation as well as to the design of new programs and project proposals targeting the fulfillment of the emergency needs of war-affected communities in Ukraine. 

To efficiently fulfill her/his role, the project officer collaborates with other HIA staff, especially with supervisors, modality leads, technical experts, access coordinators, communication and MEAL officers, and program and partnership development colleagues. The project officer also participates in cluster coordination activities to support program management and project implementation.

Besides her/his main responsibilities other duties may be required as determined by the organization's needs an

Responsibilities:

• Action planning and preparation:
  1. Following the guidance of the Program Manager evaluates and selects locations for infrastructure developments according to donor requirements.
  2. Coordinates with the administration and authorities of selected communities about needs, and support needs assessment
  3. Based on the results of needs assessment, compiles technical specifications, descriptions, and BoQs of different infrastructural developments (repairs, reconstructions, new constructions, equipping development sites, etc.)
  4. Based on the technical specifications, descriptions, and BoQs, supports the procurement of technical services, materials, and goods.
  5. Supervises and revises technical designing and planning procedures
  6. Participates in relevant cluster meetings and coordinates with relevant clusters to support effective action planning 
• Action coordination and administration
  1. Coordinates with local partners (municipalities, local governments, NGOs, focal points etc.) about the prerequisites and the implementation of infrastructural developments (repairs, reconstructions, new constructions, equipping development sites etc.)
  2. Manages requests for permissions and authorization processes 
  3. Coordinates with contractors about the implementation of the works, and revises work progress compared with the plans.
  4. Coordinates with service providers about the progress of specific services as defined and stipulated in service contracts
  5. Makes monitoring visits at repair/reconstruction/construction sites, ensures quality control of works
  6. Organizes and coordinates the controlling of deliveries and handover processes
  7. Prepares handover documentations 
  8. Prepares certificates of completion for signing and issuance. 
  9. Trains colleagues involved in the delivery and handover process about administrative and controlling tasks
  10. Participates in relevant cluster meetings and coordinates with relevant clusters to support action coordination 
• Monitoring and evaluation
  1. Collects necessary information for reporting and evaluation
  2. Supports reporting to HIA management and donors by providing narrative information and data about implemented actions.
• Design of new programs and project proposals
  1. Coordinates with local partners (municipalities, local governments, NGOs, focal points, informal groups, etc.) to support preliminary needs assessment as required by the HIA's Program and Partnership Development Department.
  2. Contributes to budget planning by supporting market research and price estimation.
  3. Participates in relevant cluster meetings and coordinates with relevant clusters to support effective program design 

Requirements:

• Bachelor's technical degree (e.g. civil engineering, architecture, construction management, mechanical engineering, etc.)
• Professional experience as a technical project officer or manager
• Experience in supporting or implementing procurement procedures
• Experience in the use of technical design and budgeting software
• Strong knowledge of office programs (especially MS Excell)
• Strong coordination, facilitation, and teamwork skills
• Demonstrated partnership-building and relationship-building skills
• Strong administrative skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Accuracy and working on high standards
• Working knowledge of English (spoken and written) 
• Capacity to deal with fast-moving tasks in a high-pressure environment that requires flexibility
• Ability to quickly adapt to evolving project requirements

Assets

• Experience in the humanitarian/emergency response sector
• Experience in the NGO sector
• Experience in the WASH/winterization modalities
• Experience in technical Inspection tasks and duties
• Readiness to learn and get involved in other modalities (especially SNFI)