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Program Development Lead
CARE Ukraine
Contract Start Date:As soon as possible
Contract Duration:1 year
Duty Station:Kyiv (Ukraine) with possible travel to Dnipro and Lviv area offices
Supervisor:Country Director
Background
CARE Ukraine is a country office which comes under the management of CARE Germany. It has been operating in Ukraine since March 2022.
CARE Ukraine’s FY25 portfolio was approx. EUR 13 million, funded by GFFO/ BMZ, ECHO, DANIDA, Czech MOFA, ADA (Austrian Development Agency), AFD (Agence Francaise de Developpement), LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and others. We implement primarily humanitarian programs, in the protection/ GBV, SRH, integrated humanitarian response and WASH/ shelter sectors. Some 10-15% of our programs are recovery/ response, primarily in livelihoods, WASH and womens empowerment sectors. The focus of most programming is the frontline oblasts of Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk oblast. We also have some programming in Odesa.
We have approximately 50 staff, and implement through 12 Ukrainian CSO partners. The country office is in Kyiv, with a support office in Lviv and field offices in Dnipro and Kharkiv.
On 24th February 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marked a significant escalation of the war that started in 2014. It continues to profoundly impact the lives of people across the country at various levels. The front line is continuously shifting and there are areas controlled by Russian forces as well as towns and villages under siege. Aerial attacks on military installations and critical civilian infrastructures are conducted over the whole territory of Ukraine, often resulting in collateral civilian casualties. The conflict has caused the largest population movement in Europe since World War II, with 6.24 million displaced within Ukraine and 7.68 million refugees having fled to neighboring countries. By October 2025, OCHA had counted 17.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
The past winter was anticipated to be the worst in decades. By late autumn, an estimated 60-70% of the country’s electricity generation and gas production infrastructure had been damaged, resulting in scheduled power cuts that meant that millions had only 3 hours power per day and a similar amount each night, and occasional disruptions to water supplies.
CARE Ukraine
CARE prioritizes a locally led response and is partnering primarily with Civil-Society Organizations (CSOs), National NGOs, local authorities, and when needed, INGOs with a longstanding presence in the country and access to hard-to-reach areas. CARE Ukraine deliberately and strategically prioritizes partnerships with local and national Women Led and Women Rights organizations (WLO’s/ WRO’s), in accordance with Gender in Emergencies (GiE) principles.
In the first few weeks after the escalation of the war, virtually all humanitarian aid inside Ukraine was organized and implemented by local actors. These groups (together with local authorities) remain the principal aid providers. Thereby, a considerable proportion of CARE’s resources is dedicated to strengthening and supporting the capacities of local partners.
CARE Ukraine currently partners with 12 local/national organizations, almost all of which are WLO’s/WRO’s. We channel some 80% of our funding through local/national partners. Through the activities that have been implemented so far, CARE Ukraine has been able to reach over 750,000 people, including IDPs and affected populations in hard-to-reach areas.
CARE Ukraine’s country office is in Kyiv. We have an area office in Dnipro and a sub-office in Kharkiv, as well as a support office in Lviv. We are increasingly basing program staff in the east, particularly the Dnipro office. We plan to phase out the Lviv support office in the second half of 2026.
Job summary
The Program Development Lead is a key member of the Program Leadership Team, responsible for the strategic design and development of innovative, high-impact programs in line with CARE’s strategy and sectoral expertise. This role requires strong collaboration and coordination across internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective program development and funding growth. The Program Development Lead reports to the CD Programs and plays a critical role in shaping CARE’s program portfolio and strengthening its impact.
The Program Development Lead will drive business development efforts by:
Program & Proposal Development:
- Identifying and conceptualizing new programs and projects based on needs assessments, donor priorities, and CARE’s strategic objectives.
- Leading the design and development of high-quality project proposals, including objectives, activities, budgets, and timelines.
- Ensuring program designs align with international standards, local contexts, and CARE’s mission.
Internal Coordination & Cross-Team Collaboration:
- Facilitating effective collaboration between Program Implementation, Program
- Quality (Technical Advisors & MEAL), Partnerships, and Program Support teams.
External Engagement & Partnerships:
- Engaging with donors, CARE Member Partners, Peer Organizations and national implementing partners to identify funding opportunities and strategic alliances.
Main responsibilities:
1. Program Development and Partnerships
- Oversee the overall program development for CARE Ukraine, ensuring alignment with the organization’s strategic priorities.
- Identify and pursue new funding opportunities by monitoring donor strategies and funding trends. Provide strategic advice to the Country Director on the benefits and challenges of various funding streams in line with CARE’s strategy.
- Update, adjust and further refine CARE’s donor engagement and fundraising strategies on a regular basis
- Provide leadership in program design in close coordination with national implementing partners, ensuring their proactive engagement in development efforts.
- Foster a culture of effective and respectful partnerships, promoting collaboration and shared values across the country office.
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including program teams, national and international implementing partners, and other CARE Member Partners, to ensure a coordinated and effective approach.
- Represent CARE in relevant meetings, including donor briefings, sectoral working groups, and coordination forums, advocating for the organization’s priorities and strategic objectives.
- Liaise with current and potential donors to strengthen relationships and identify funding opportunities.
- Lead the development, review, and submission of high-quality concept notes and proposals. Facilitate cross-departmental coordination to ensure timely and effective project development and revisions.
- Ensure all proposal submissions are accurate, complete, and meet donor requirements.
- Foster strategic partnerships and alliances to enhance program delivery and impact, including collaboration with NGOs, government agencies, and private sector actors.
- Maintain strong working relationships with donors, representing CARE Ukraine in donor meetings alongside the Country Director (CD) and DCD as needed. Document key discussion points and follow-up actions.
2. Lessons learnt & Adaptive Programming
- Strengthening Adaptive Programming and develop mechanisms to regularly capture and apply lessons learned to improve program design, implementation, and decision-making. Establish processes to systematically document and disseminate lessons learned, best practices, and innovative approaches to inform future programming.
- Facilitate learning exchanges with implementing partners, donors, and sectoral peers to enhance collective impact and continuous improvement.
- Strengthen the use of beneficiary and partner feedback to refine program approaches and enhance responsiveness to community needs.
- Ensure lessons from different thematic areas (e.g., GBV, livelihoods, WASH) are integrated in future program design.
3. Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development
Supervision and Mentoring of Program Development Staff
- Provide regular guidance, coaching, and performance feedback.
- Conduct structured one-on-one check-ins to track progress, address challenges, and support professional development.
Capacity-Building, Training & Knowledge Sharing
- Organize capacity-building sessions on donor compliance, budgeting, logical frameworks, and program design best practices.
4. General
- Deliver high quality results in line with the terms of reference agreed in advance and to do this in a way which maintains the reputation of CARE.
- Comply with CARE policies and practice with respect to PSEA, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
- Contribute to the responsibility of the security of all staff. Ensure the security, health and wellbeing of staff and contribute to staff management and other processes and policies and systems reflect CARE 's principles of equity and fairness.
The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties assigned by line manager
Qualifications & Experience
Education: Master’s degree in development, social sciences, or a relevant field. Professional Experience:
- Minimum 5 years of experience with an INGO in humanitarian or development context.
- At least 3 years of senior management experience in program development, ideally including field operations in both emergency and development settings.
- Experience working within a complex and matrix organizational structure.
- Strong background in needs-based and results-driven program development, particularly in coordination with national implementing partners.
Sectoral & Technical Expertise (preferred):
- Understanding of one of CARE’s core sectors: Protection, Gender/Gender in Emergencies, Livelihoods, Housing and Energy, Access to Services.
- Experience in nexus programming is an advantage.
Donor & Compliance Experience:
- Proven track record working with major donors (EU/ECHO, BMZ, German Federal Foreign Office, key bilateral donors such as SIDA, NORAD, FCDO, RVO, GAC and philanthropies).
- Strong knowledge of financial and technical donor compliance.
Skills & Competencies:
Strategic Thinking & Leadership:
- Strong analytical skills to assess information, evaluate options, and drive strategic planning.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and develop teams effectively.
Representation & Communication:
- Experience representing an INGO in external forums and donor meetings.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
- Strong influencing, negotiation, and coaching abilities.
Adaptability & Cultural Sensitivity:
- Politically and culturally sensitive, with patience, tact, and diplomacy.
- Ability to adapt to dynamic contexts with limited movement and security restrictions.
- Willingness to work flexible hours, especially in emergency settings.
Technical & Language Proficiency:
- Fluency in written and spoken English (Ukrainian and/or a relevant regional language is an asset).
- Strong computer skills (Excel, Word).
- Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
Desirable:
- Knowledge of the Ukraine humanitarian context is an asset.
- Trustworthiness and a strong sense of responsibility.
Accountability within CARE
A commitment to CARE values and CARE’s integrity framework is critical to working with CARE. Any candidate offered a job with CARE will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability:
- Comply with CARE’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behavior protocols.
- Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within our programming area.
- Report any concerns about inappropriate behavior of a CARE staff or partner.
Safeguarding
Children and vulnerable adults who come into contact with CARE as a result of our activities must be safeguarded to the maximum possible extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury, and any other harm. One of the ways that CARE shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.
Gender equality
CARE is committed to meeting the standards of the CARE International Gender Policy (2019). Through this policy, CARE seeks to promote the equal realization of dignity and human rights for girls, women, boys and men in all diversities, and the elimination of poverty and injustice. Specifically, this policy seeks to improve the explicit incorporation of gender in programmatic and organizational practices.
How to apply:
CARE values equal opportunities and diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.
Please send your CV (in pdf format max. 4 pages) and a cover letter in English with the subject title of your Email: Program Development Lead CARE Ukraine by no later than 20 September 2026 to application@care.de
Please note that we will review applications on a rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
References will only be contacted after the interview.