Port Logistics Specialist

18 October 2023

Odesa/Kyiv

Since 2018, USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) has focused its activities on eastern Ukraine. In 2022, it expanded its geography of cooperation to other regions due to Russia’s full-scale invasion and occupation of part of Ukraine. In 2023, given the military and political circumstances and challenges, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) changed ERA’s priorities.
ERA is one of the implementers of the U.S. Government’s Interagency Agriculture Resilience Initiative – Ukraine (AGRI – Ukraine), which aims to support Ukrainian agricultural production and exports and help address the global food crisis exacerbated by Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. USAID supports the Government of Ukraine, including working with the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI) and the State Customs Service, through ERA, to modernize border crossing points to improve grain trade and exports, passenger traffic, and perceptions of Ukraine. ERA is also implementing the Economic Stability and Recovery Initiative (ESRI), which focuses on job retention and creation and assists small and medium-sized enterprises.
USAID ERA prioritizes work on AGRI and rehabilitating EU-facing border crossing points (BCPs). The AGRI component is extending its technical assistance to Ukrainian Agri-traders and logistics companies supporting them in increasing capacity and potential of grain export logistics. The BCP component includes complex construction management and procurement of equipment and service for BCPs to become more efficient in processing big cargos of grain and other commodities through the border.

About the job

The Port Logistics Specialist at the USAID Economic Resilience Activity will be responsible for improving the technical capacity of Ukrainian sea and river ports and increasing the throughput capacity of AGRI products in these sea and river ports. The ideal candidate will have experience in analyzing the grain, oilseeds, and other AGRI commodities port transshipment market in Ukraine, assessing the development of grain terminals, and forecasting potential cargo bases. The Port Logistics Specialist reports to the AGRI Director and is based in the Odesa or Kyiv office of USAID ERA.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Analyze the grain, oilseeds, and other AGRI commodities port transshipment market in Ukraine.
  • Assess the development of grain terminals and provide technical opinions regarding the upgrade needs.
  • Assess any need for transshipment port equipment in coordination with sea and river port management and key stakeholders.
  • Analyze and provide detailed information on Ukrainian sea and river ports railway stations and road points and/or BCP’s real traffic capacities.
  • Forecast cargo flow through Ukrainian ports and transshipment capacities utilization and its surrounding infrastructure.
  • Communicate effectively with government and port authorities and have knowledge of relevant representatives.
  • Join and closely follow the efforts of the AGRI team in promoting, reconstructing, and repairing various agricultural commodities export facilities.
    Reporting:
  • Prepare accurate and timely field reports and other documentation as required.
  • Monitor and report on the progress of Ukrainian ports’ development in terms of expanding and improving the export of AGRI commodities.
  • Support the MEL with deliverables related to the logistics of sea and river ports.

About you

  • Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
  • At least 8 years of experience in logistics, supply chain management, and sea and river port operations.
  • Strong knowledge of the AGRI commodity export industry, including logistics and supply chain management.
  • The ability to prioritize competing tasks, set realistic deadlines, and manage time efficiently.
  • Experience working with USAID or other international development organizations is a plus.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Fluent English and Ukrainian are required.

WE OFFER
Contract length: 12-month employment agreement with a possibility of extension.
Benefits: all benefits envisaged by the Labor Code of Ukraine, corporate medical insurance for employees and immediate family members.
Start date: November 2023

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

Closing date for applications: October 30, 2023.

For further information about DAI GLOBAL LLC, please consult our website era-ukraine.org.ua.