Risk and Compliance Specialist

13 June 2024

Kyiv

AGRI-UKRAINE GRAIN EXPORT LOGISTICS

USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) is one of USAID’s core partners implementing the $350 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative – Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine) that was established in 2022 to bolster Ukrainian agricultural exports and alleviate the global food security crisis exacerbated by the war. Under AGRI-Ukraine, ERA partners with public and private companies to complement and leverage urgently-needed grain transportation and transshipment investments.

INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS

ERA also directly supports the Government of Ukraine, including the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), the State Customs Service and Ukrainian Railways, to upgrade 42 of Ukraine’s border crossing points (BCPs). Modern and more efficient border infrastructure and customs procedures will reduce export costs and increase export capacity, enabling  Ukraine to scale trade and advance its path to EU integration.

About the job

The Risk and Compliance Specialist is integral to the Finance and Operational Team. They will ensure the project strictly follows USAID regulations, guidelines, and organizational policies. This role is pivotal in managing and mitigating financial and operational risks while safeguarding the organization’s compliance with all relevant standards and requirements. The Risk and Compliance Specialist can be in Kyiv or Lviv and reports to the Risk and Compliance Officer.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Risk Management:

  • Prepare risk assessments to identify potential financial, operational, and compliance risks impacting project initiatives.
  • Implement risk mitigation strategies and action plans, collaborating with relevant stakeholders to minimize identified risks.
  • Continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of risk mitigation measures, providing regular reports and updates to senior management as directed.
  • Implement crisis management and business continuity plans to ensure the organization’s resilience in facing unforeseen challenges.

Compliance Oversight:

  • Ensure strict compliance with USAID regulations, guidelines, and policies, focusing on accuracy for allowable costs, procurement procedures, and financial reporting.
  • Monitor adherence to the terms and conditions of contracts and agreements, including grant agreements, subcontractor agreements, and procurement contracts.
  • Establish and maintain robust internal controls in alignment with DAI policies, USAID rules and regulations, and the terms of our contracts.
  • Conduct regular financial and operational documentation reviews to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance with USAID, DAI, and local legal requirements as directed.
  • Support internal and external audits and investigations, ensuring all audit findings are appropriately addressed and corrected.
  • Update the Field Operations Manual (FOM) and publish the changes as per instructions therein.
  • Help coordinate in-house learning sessions to build team capacity in areas of weakness.
  • Provides consultation to staff and management on compliance matters.

Risk and Compliance Specialist Essential Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Basic understanding and acumen
  • Leadership skills
  • Ability to influence management.
  • Technical accounting expertise
  • People skills
  • Ability to commission, deploy, and monitor effectiveness.
  • Efficiency and time management

 About you

  • Bachelor’s/ master’s in finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
  • Experience in audit regulations, compliance requirements, and risk management best practices.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Prior experience with USAID-funded projects and risk management in the international development sector is highly desirable.
  • A proficient level of English and Ukrainian is required for this position.

 WE OFFER

Contract length: 12-month employment agreement with a possibility of extension.

Benefits Package:

  • 28 calendar days of annual leave
  • 10 days of internal well-being paid leave per annum
  • Medical Insurance for ERA staff and their families
  • Life Insurance for ERA staff
  • Coverage of all expenses for the business trips
  • Military reservation is possible and granted if you are on a relevant military register

Start date: July 2024

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English to ukraine@dai.com

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.

Closing date for applications: July 23, 2024

Finance Officer/Accountant

12 June 2024

Lviv/Kyiv

AGRI-UKRAINE GRAIN EXPORT LOGISTICS

USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) is one of USAID’s core partners implementing the $350 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative – Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine) that was established in 2022 to bolster Ukrainian agricultural exports and alleviate the global food security crisis exacerbated by the war. Under AGRI-Ukraine, ERA partners with public and private companies to complement and leverage urgently-needed grain transportation and transshipment investments.

INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS

ERA also directly supports the Government of Ukraine, including the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), the State Customs Service and Ukrainian Railways, to upgrade 42 of Ukraine’s border crossing points (BCPs). Modern and more efficient border infrastructure and customs procedures will reduce export costs and increase export capacity, enabling  Ukraine to scale trade and advance its path to EU integration.

About the job

The Finance Officer will be pivotal in supporting financial management and compliance within the USAID ERA project. This position will maintain accurate financial records, prepare financial reports, and ensure adherence to USAID regulations and guidelines. The Finance Officer will collaborate with the finance team to allocate and utilize resources for various projects and programs. The Finance Officer is based in Kyiv or Lviv and reports to the Finance Manager /Senior Finance and Compliance Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Ensures that accounting policies and practices are carried out in accordance with GAAP standards and local accounting standards; project internal controls are established and implemented by DAI policies, USAID rules/regulations, and the contract terms.
  • Monitors and reports on partner/vendor payment schedules and obligations.
  • Assists in preparing information for any contractual financial reporting requirements (if applicable);
  • Conducts daily reviews of backup documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance with DAI’s regulations.
  • Initiates wire requests for field project implementation.
  • Verifies vendor invoices for accuracy.
  • Verifies the accuracy of expenses and project accounting codes.
  • Audits travel requests and expense reports for accuracy and compliance.
  • Prepares and submits monthly financial reports for review to the Finance Manager and Senior Finance and Compliance Manager.
  • Responsible for recording and assigning costs based on approved budget in the field accounting system (vFER);
  • Uses field accounting system (vFER), cloud software for backup documentation, and DAI’s operations system (TAMIS), etc., regularly.
  • Supports preparation of internal and external audits.
  • Analyzes and reconciles project inventory regularly, ensuring that the value/purchase price of project assets reflected in the inventory register agrees with the total shown in the cumulative non-expendable account balanc
  • Ensures accurate and timely processing of invoices, advances and reimbursements, checks, and wire transfer payments.
  • Performs monthly bank reconciliations and routinely monitors bank account balances.
  • Compiles backup documentation for all project-related transactions and ensures completeness and appropriate review and approvals are documented; scans and uploads the backup documents in DAI archiving systems.
  • Maintains files on grant/ procurement/subcontractor documents and modifications as applicable.
  • Responsible for maintaining file management systems for soft and hard copy documentation.
  • Ensures taxes are paid, tracked, recorded, and reported to Ukraine tax authorities and USAID.

About you

  • A. Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or equivalent.
  • 4+ years of relevant experience and progressive responsibility in finance and accounting, office administration, and project operations at the mid-level of an organization
  • Experience with enterprise accounting software and Microsoft Office suite
  • Demonstrated knowledge of internal controls and audit processes (e.g., procurement, local subcontract agreements, etc.)
  • Demonstrated report writing skills in English is required.

WE OFFER

Contract length: 12-month employment agreement with a possibility of extension.

Benefits Package:

  • 28 calendar days of annual leave
  • 10 days of internal well-being paid leave per annum
  • Medical Insurance for ERA staff and their families
  • Life Insurance for ERA staff
  • Coverage of all expenses for the business trips
  • Military reservation is possible and granted if you are on a relevant military register

Start date: July 2024

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English to ukraine@dai.com

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.

Closing date for applications: July 23, 2024.

SCULPTING ANIMALS FROM PRYMACHENKO’S PAINTINGS AND LEARNING TO WEAVE — A CHANCE TO RESTORE MUSEUM IN KYIV OBLAST

03 February 2023

Ivankiv village community will raise money to restore Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, which was destroyed by Russia’s shelling during the invasion of Kyiv Oblast in March 2022. 

The museum, which held paintings by Mariia Prymachenko and rushnyky (traditional embroidered towels) by Hanna Veres, burned down. Fourteen of the artist’s paintings were saved by local residents, but the embroidered pieces were destroyed. However, many other rushnyky have been preserved in the collections of local craftswomen, Vyshhorod Local History Museum, the personal collection of Yurii Veres (Hanna Veres’ grandson) and in other museums and private collections in Ukraine and around the world. 

In Ivankiv, guests will have a chance to attend weaving workshops, try sculpting the amazing animals depicted in Mariia Prymachenko’s paintings, and enjoy local cheese pancakes. In addition, visitors will be invited to help rebuild the museum complex, and donors to restore the community’s infrastructure damaged due to Russia’s shelling.  

“Right now we don’t have premises to welcome guests and teach them how to weave, but in the spring we can hold such events in the open air. Culture is also important during war,” said Nadiia Biriuk, Culture Department Head at Ivankiv Raion State Administration. “Craft workshops will help locals who were under occupation last March to recover psychologically. And having cultural solidarity routes in our community will provide local craftswomen with work, which is very much needed now.” 

The village of Ivankiv in Kyiv Oblast, with its historical and local history museum, weaving traditions, folk painting and cuisine, will become one of the stops on the cultural solidarity routes currently being developed by the Network to Protect the Cultural Heritage of Ukraine through a Solidarity Economy, created with ERA’s assistance last November. The network was established to promote local craft producers, draw attention to restoring cultural monuments, and engage the international community in rebuilding Ukraine. 

 

FARMER RESUMES PRODUCTION IN LIBERATED CHERNIHIV OBLAST

25 January 2023

Pavlo and Nataliia Chemerysky from Chernihiv Oblast have been developing their apiary for six years. They don’t sell honey in large batches, but rather create gift boxes with honey and nuts for corporate clients. The family united local beekeepers and created BILAR service cooperative. The Chemeryskys are planning to plant a hazelnut orchard in Chernihiv Oblast.

Two years ago, the Chemeryskys purchased a production facility in Trysviatska Sloboda, Chernihiv Oblast, and began renovating it. However, due to Russia’s shelling in February and March 2022, the workshop was partially damaged, as well as the car and trailer next to it. Restoration work began after Russian troops retreated from Chernihiv.

“Russian troops shelled Trysviatska Sloboda. There were 15 shell remnants near the production facility, and a car, some windows, and the roof were partially damaged, but we will restore it all,” says Pavlo Chemerysky.

Now the couple are establishing cooperation with Vytvirnia farm in Vinnytsia Oblast. Soon they plan to launch and export a new product for children, juice with honey. To meet all export requirements, certificates confirming product quality and safety are required. That’s why Nataliia Chemeryska participated in a consulting program for small and medium-sized enterprises organized with USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) assistance. ERA’s consultant audited the BILAR cooperative and recommended implementing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards in food production.

“Since we plan to export our joint product, we need to prepare. HACCP is one of the steps towards it. The consultant told us about the requirements for food production, production areas, and compliance with sanitary requirements, which we are going to implement in our premises. We have 35 square meters where we will have a workshop for pumping, packaging and storing honey. In the spring, we will carry out internal work to equip the workshop in accordance with the recommendations,” says Chemeryska.

Growing nuts for their production needs is one more area of development. The Chemeryskys have already planted a walnut orchard in Vinnytsia Oblast, and plan to plant a hazelnut orchard in Chernihiv Oblast.

They are confident that they will make their plans come true. They also believe that Ukraine will win, but in the meantime, businesses should make efforts to support the economic front

COMPANY FROM DONETSK OBLAST OFFERS UKRAINIAN ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE INSTEAD OF RUSSIAN

11 January 2023

Areal IT company from Kramatorsk, a member of the Eastern Ukrainian IT cluster, created with USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), offers Ukrainian businesses the opportunity to replace 1C Russian software with its own product, Areal-accounting.

The company has already attracted a new client from Lviv, a representative of the retail and wholesale trade.

“We offer businesses the opportunity to stop using Russian 1C accounting software. Our company has created an alternative, and now we need to convince business to use our IT product. We have already signed an agreement with the owner of a clothing chain that has its own production. This is a new case for us, but we have managed it, so we can continue to cooperate with retailers; we know how to program and set up accounting of goods and warehouse balances,” says Pavlo Zaitsev, Areal director.

Online meetings held by Areal specialists in social networks help to find new customers. The company is currently negotiating with a business from Dnipro and a higher education institution from Poltava which were attracted through such meetings.

Areal moved from Kramatorsk to Lviv last year, and recently hired three IDPs from Kramatorsk and Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, expanding the staff to 10 employees.

“Over the past year, we have not lost any clients from the state, municipal or private sector. We support about a hundred companies with software maintenance. This is very important for us because it helps us get back on track in Lviv, where there is strong competition among local IT specialists. We believe that we will grow significantly this year,” says Zaitsev.

LOANS FOR GENERATORS AND ENERGY EDUCATION – HOW BUSINESS SURVIVES IN BLACKOUT

24 December 2022

On December 22, in cooperation with the Reform team under the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine (MEU), Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) held the eighth online dialogue platform “Support for Business in Wartime: Relocation and Recovery”.

About 60 representatives of businesses, Oschadbank, Lviv City Council, and energy efficiency consultants took part. They talked about alternative energy supply for businesses and support programs for small and medium-sized enterprises during war and emergency power outages.

Participants learned about energy equipment import companies.

“Since October, we have supplied the Ukrainian market with more than 19,000 charging stations for lighting homes and supporting small businesses: salons, coffee shops, doctors, garages. We live in conditions when energy is an opportunity to work and be in touch. Now people need small charging stations. We provide an example of how our equipment can be used at home. These stations will make a significant contribution to energy accumulation. The market has increased tenfold; we continue to supply a huge number of generators and predict the growth of energy security for families, as part of forming an energy-independent country. At the same time, we need to invest time and money in educating people how to use electrical appliances,” said Valerii Yakovenko, DroneUA co-founder and representative of EcoFlow.

A delivery company representative described the options for ordering generators and Starlinks in the USA and EU countries.

“We faced enormous challenges with importing power equipment. Later the government lifted the duty on importing such goods. There is a major shortage in the Ukrainian market, so we need imports. We have a program, Shopping, where people can buy goods in the USA and EU at manufacturer’s prices, and we will deliver these goods to Ukraine. Since autumn 2022, stores selling uninterruptible power stations, generators, and Starlinks are the most popular. We use airlines and trucks to deliver this equipment to Ukraine. Orders are increasing, people need communication and electricity. Now in Poland we are accepting rechargeable batteries for shipment, but they must be new,” said Olena Tverdovska, Customer Support Director at Nova Poshta Global.

Businesses can purchase a generator and other equipment for alternative energy supply with a loan from Oschadbank. Such a loan is calculated for a period of 6 to 60 months, and entrepreneurs should contribute at least 30%.

“You can buy equipment abroad and get a deferred payment of up to several months for the period of its delivery. Such loans are taken out by legal entities and entrepreneurs who trade, produce, and provide services. A positive credit history is required. Entrepreneurs from government-controlled and newly liberated territories (except Kherson) can apply for loans. Currently, more than 20 applications worth UAH 18 million have been processed. The average time from submitting a loan application to money disbursement is 7–10 days,” said Andrii Popyk, Head of the Department of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Business at JSC Oschadbank.

Regional programs to assist businesses with electricity supply are currently being implemented in Ukraine. Lviv City Council has introduced relocation vouchers up to UAH 100,000. Entrepreneurs who have re-registered their business in Lviv Oblast can receive this money to reimburse rent for premises. There are also compensation vouchers for partial reimbursement of property damaged by shelling. Lviv City Council offers energy supply vouchers covering up to 50% of the cost of generators, batteries and power banks for small businesses such as coffee shops, bakeries, health centers, hairdressers and other socially important institutions. The business should also perform a social function and become a so-called invincibility point, allowing people to recharge their phones, warm up, and drink hot tea. To reduce the burden, businesses have been exempted from paying advertising tax. Another support program operates in Zakarpattia Oblast. Oschadbank signed a memorandum with Zakarpattia Oblast Administration, which pays 30% of loans for the client.

Anton Shapkovskyi, Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy Consultant of  USAID Municipal Energy Reform Project in Ukraine, spoke about compliance with requirements for installing generators in industrial premises and on the street.

“Now people are starting to return equipment for repair due to non-compliance with operating requirements. Generators are placed near pharmacies or shops on the street, under the windows of neighboring houses. This can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, as well as the risk of electric shocks due to damaged cables; often such installations are not earthed, and pedestrians can be injured. It is necessary to ensure that fumes are properly ventilated away from people and apartments,” said Shapkovskyi.

Participants also learned why homemade equipment should not be used instead of  bought equipment. For safety reasons, it is advisable to use certified equipment for charging speed, especially for powering expensive devices. It is possible to import energy equipment from the USA and EU, and resumption of  supplies from China is planned in February. Participants also discussed inevitable changes in energy supply that are necessary to restore a sustainable new economy of Ukraine.