Helvetas is an organization specialized in development cooperation and humanitarian response, anchored in Switzerland, and operating in over 35 countries across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Our vision is a just world in which all people determine the course of their lives in dignity and security, using environmental resources in a sustainable manner
We are seeking a motivated and empathetic professional as per next year 2026 Q1 or upon agreement: International Team Leader (F/M/D) – 100% Technical assistance for competitive economy programme in Ukraine (2026–2030) based in Kyiv, Ukraine – With frequent travel to regions
YOUR MAIN TASKS
As International Team Leader, you will ensure that competitive value chains programme runs efficiently and effectively in line with Helvetas values and donor requirements. You will carry overall responsibility for its strategic, technical, and operational management, guiding its contribution to Ukraine’s recovery by fostering a competitive, resilient, and inclusive private sector.
You will lead the programme team and manage resources, translating the strategic vision into annual work plans, budgets, and operations. Ensuring coherence across all domains – SME support, innovation, enabling environment, access to finance, and value chain development – you will also engage closely with ministries, local governments, business associations, academia, and civil society.
Your role will include overseeing blended finance instruments, SME support mechanisms, and innovation hubs, while fostering public–private dialogue and advancing reforms aligned with the EU acquis. Cross-cutting priorities such as the green transition, digitalisation, gender equality, and inclusion will be integrated throughout.
Representing the programme with international partners, Ukrainian authorities, and international partners, you will be its key ambassador, ensuring strong visibility and alliances. At the same time, you will guarantee effective monitoring, evaluation, knowledge management, and adaptive learning to deliver results of the highest quality.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Conduct the overall management and coordination of the program, including its human and financial resources, as well as its strategic, technical, and administrative management procedures.
Ensure that the program and its management structure are implemented in accordance with HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation’s administrative systems and procedures and donor requirements.
Provide strategic guidance, oversee and coordinate all activities of the team and partners in the program.
Ensure adequate monitoring, knowledge management, and general dissemination of the program, as well as its internal and external communication at the local, national, and international levels through various channels.
Build alliances, establish and maintain good relationships with the donor, counterpart, and program partners, as well as potential partners and allies who may join the program.
Ensure coordination and actively seek synergies with other projects implemented by HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation, as well as with other projects funded by the international donor programmes.
YOUR QUALIFICATIONS
Basic training in Economics, Political Science, Administration or similar fields
Master’s degree in strategic management, Project Management, Public Policy, Business Administration, International Cooperation, Economics, or similar fields.
At least 12 years of professional experience, including 8 years in senior management roles in development cooperation or the private sector.
Demonstrated expertise in competitiveness, private sector development, SME support, or enabling environment reforms.
Experience with donor-funded programmes (preferably international donors (e.g. SECO, SDC, EU) and project cycle management.
Track record in stakeholder engagement with government, private sector, and international partners.
Excellent analytical, conceptual, and facilitation skills.
Experience with EU acquis alignment, green transition, and digitalisation is a strong asset.
Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian is a strong asset.
Willingness to travel extensively within Ukraine and abroad.
OUR OFFER
At Helvetas, you will be part of a purpose-driven organization where your work creates meaningful global impact. We foster a caring and collaborative culture built on trust, flexibility, and accountability. You will grow in a professional environment that values integrity, empathy, and continuous learning. → We care. We commit.
We offer you an interesting challenge in a motivated team with attractive working conditions.
A full-time contract of 2 years with the possibility of extension up to 3 years. (2026–2030), attractive working conditions, and a challenging and rewarding position in a multicultural team. You will lead a flagship international programme at the heart of Ukraine’s economic recovery, with a mandate to shape competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability.
READY TO APPLY?
Please submit your complete application (motivation letter, CV, and certifications) via our online portal. For additional information please contact Thomas Mauget, Eastern Europe Regional Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (Thomas.Mauget@helvetas.org), or visit our website www.helvetas.org.
Kindly be aware that the contract will be an international expat contract based on our Swiss terms.
Helvetas, Swiss Association for International Cooperation, founded 1955 as Switzerland’s first private organization for development cooperation, is registered as a denominationally and politically independent, non profit oriented, specialised development association.
Helvetas is primarily committed to working towards the elimination of the causes of poverty and marginalization in the South and the East. Its mission is to actively contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of economically, socially and politically disadvantaged people within the frame of the Human Rights, with a focus on self-initiative activities and self-help in rural areas.
Together with some 44’000 members and their local groups, Helvetas is as well actively engaged in Switzerland with respect to solidarity in development, to promoting fair trade, and raising public awareness of the cultural wealth of development and transition countries.
In its international programme, Helvetas concentrates its actions in four working areas:
1. Infrastructure in Rural Areas including initiatives regarding water and sanitation, access and mobilization, livelihood, rehabilitation and construction of basic infrastructure,
2. Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, also comprising projects in the fields of climate, disaster risk mitigation and sustainable livelihood management,
3. Education and Culture, including a number of successful initiatives in Vocational Education and Training (VET), support to and lobbying for reforms in the VET System, improvement of teaching and learning environments, modernization of curriculum, assessment and development of learning materials, human resource development, development of alternative financing approaches, awareness-building and income generation through artistic forms of expression, promotion of cultural exchange and diversity of cultural expressions.
4. Civil Society and the State, which integrates projects supporting good governance, decentralisation and civil peace building/conflict sensitivity.
Helvetas’ development initiatives are guided by five approaches: striving for equality between men and women (gender), learning through dialogue between different cultures, protecting the environment, acting with economic and social responsibility and conflict prevention.
Helvetas is not only oriented towards material needs, such as procuring food and improved living conditions, but also towards aims regarding social, cultural, and spiritual aspects. These include the overcoming of paralysing dependence, reduction of inequality between the sexes, ethnicity, castes, building up of self-confidence or the strengthening of responsibility towards other human beings and the environment. Helvetas acts on the basis of human rights and makes every effort that these are also respected by its partner organizations. Also important are the promotion of democratic, decentralised structures, opportunities for participation, and joint responsibility as citizens.
For its international programmes, Helvetas’ mission is:
- to cooperate on a partnership basis with and in favour of the poor and disadvantaged population groups in the poorer regions of development and transition countries
- to share knowledge and experiences between Switzerland and partner countries as well as to further promote mutual exchange between partner countries
- to strengthen local structures and sustainable development and to promote human rights
- to develop suitable measures that prevent or mitigate violent conflicts
Wherever indicated, Helvetas applies a multi-stakeholder approach involving partners of civil society, the state and the private sector in reaching development goals. On the basis of participatory approaches, Helvetas strengthens its partner organizations. Their institutional sustainability is a key concern which is addressed through capacity building of the partner organizations. Furthermore, to leverage the best utilisation of its knowledge, to strengthen internal learning and to share experience and lessons learnt with other development actors, Helvetas (in 2000) elevated Knowledge Sharing (KS) to a strategic level. Helvetas nowadays plays a leading role in KS for Development, striving for continuous learning through an intranet and face-to-face workshops. Helvetas supports facilitation of international Communities of Practice (CoP), e.g. the “Water-for-food”-network () or the “KM4Dev” (Knowledge Management for Development) (www.km4dev.org).
Helvetas currently employs 77 staff (56 full-time posts) at the Head Office in Switzerland, and 45 expatriates (42 full-time posts) and 630 local staff in 20 developing and transition countries. In 2009, Helvetas had a turnover of around 64.3 Mio CHF; 54.2 Mio CHF for programme support abroad, 3.4 Mio CHF for information and advocacy activities in Switzerland, and 6.7 Mio CHF for administration and fundraising in Switzerland.
Helvetas’ Board of Directors (15 members) determines the overall strategy based on the bylaws and executes financial control functions. The operational implementation is with the Secretary General and the Management Board (7; Heads of Departments and Secretary General) based on department and working area strategies and financial plans. The International Programmes Department (19 full-time posts) at the head office is divided into a geographic team (steering, coordination, controlling of the country programmes) and the thematic team (technical assistance and expertise, monitoring). In the partner countries, programme offices with programme directors (15) are responsible for the implementation of projects and country strategies. The finance department (4) at the head office operates the financial control system. The Programme direction and programme country projects are audited yearly by an external, independent auditing company (KPMG, Zurich). Helvetas is ZEWO certified, avails a risk analysis system and a well elaborated monitoring and evaluation system.
Helvetas’ monitoring and evaluation system pursues three objectives: a) to provide information for strategic steering, b) to allow organisational learning and c) to assure accountability to its constituencies, donors and the ultimate beneficiaries. Helvetas conducts therefore a) periodic monitoring, b) internal and external evaluations, c) qualitative case studies and d) impact assessments in a set of selected projects. For the periodic monitoring Helvetas has developed an electronic Project Monitoring System (pms), which is linked to its Internal Control System.
Helvetas introduced a decentralized management system in 1990, delegating a high degree of autonomy to the country programme directors. A project monitoring system enables the programme directors to delegate operational responsibility to national project managers and staff. The Helvetas programme offices are responsible for coordination and strategic issues.
Helvetas has links with networks and partner organisations, e.g. being actively involved in the SDC governance network, the KOFF (Competence Centre for Peace Building) intervision group on conflict sensitivity and gender network at university of Bern. Strategic partnership agreements exist particularly with SCA, SKAT and KOFF.
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