Program Development Lead - CARE Ukraine

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Interim Program Development Lead

Duty Station: Hybrid role, 60% Kyiv (Ukraine) with occasional travel to CARE Ukraine sub offices, 40% home-based

Contract Start Date: November 2025

Contract End Date: 28 February 2026

Level of effort: Up to 45 working days, as per task order

Contract Management Responsibility: Deputy Country Director – Program

Background

CARE Ukraine is a country office in the CARE International federation which comes under the management of CARE Germany. It has been operating in Ukraine since March 2022.

CARE Ukraine currently has an FY25 portfolio of 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, WASH and womens empowerment sectors. The focus of most programming is in the frontline oblasts of Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Mykolaiv, with some programming in Dnipropetrovsk oblast. We have 71 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, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv.

CARE Ukraine is seeking an interim Program Development (PD) Lead to support program development until a long-term PD is recruited and comes on board. The interim PD Lead is required to start as soon as possible, ideally by early November 2025. The role will be completed by 28 February 2026. During this four-month period the interim PD Lead is required to work up to 45 working days, as per task orders issued by CARE Ukraine. At least 60% of the time the consultant is required to be based in Ukraine, working out of the Kyiv office, including at the outset of the consultancy and during peak proposal development periods. The balance of the time (up to 40%), the consultant may work from home, in a location not more than 2 hours’ time difference from Kyiv (ie GMT +2 to GMT + 4).

Program Development Lead role

The PD Lead is responsible for leading CARE Ukraine’s efforts to design new programs and raise new funding. He/ she works with the Program Quality (PQ) Lead, the Partnership Unit, Finance Department, HR Department and Safety and Security Manager to develop quality, winning concept notes and proposals for submission to donors.

Tasks which are undertaken by the PD Lead include

• Lead the proposal development planning process, including analysis of funding calls, development and monitoring of proposal development plans, organizing proposal kick-off meetings, ensuring the engagement of the relevant teams and ensure timely submission of CARE Ukraine proposal checklists and other assessments
• In collaboration with technical advisors and others, lead the development of high-quality narrative components for Concept Notes and Proposals, in line with CARE Ukraine’s priorities and donor requirements
• Perform a principal role in consolidating technical narratives, budget and relevant annexures with the contributions from relevant technical, finance and other team members, partners and other stakeholders, ensuring their alignment to the purpose of the call/ opportunity; and edit and proofread content to ensure high-quality final proposal output
• Make informed and strategic decisions on the technical and contextual content included in the narrative.
• Closely work with DCD P, Program Quality Lead and Technical Advisors to gather information and insights to enhance the quality and relevance of concept note/proposal content.
• Deliver high-quality, tailored content for technical and financial proposals or related documents in full compliance with CARE Ukraine and quality standards.
• Ensure consistency in proposal writing by complying with CARE Ukraine standards and donor requirements.
• Leading the GO/ NO GO process for new prospects
• Coordinating the concept note/ proposal development process, ensuring that relevant members of the team collaborate, and that the concept note/ proposal is completed and submitted prior to the deadline
• Development of boiler-plate language for concept notes and proposals
• Writing key non-technical sections of concept notes/ proposals, and supporting technical staff in the writing of technical sections
• In the case of major proposals where an external (consultant/ secondment) proposal writer is recruited, manage the work of the proposal writer
• Ensure that any concept note/ proposal that is submitted is compliant with donor requirements and CARE policies

Interim PD Lead role

• The consultancy is to provide interim support for program development while recruitment for the Program Development (PD) Lead position is underway.
• The Interim PD Lead will focus on the writing of new proposals and concept notes which are due for submission either within the period of the consultancy, or soon thereafter.
• The priority tasks for the Interim PD Lead are thus to lead the development, review, and submission of high-quality proposals, concept notes and donor pitches and ensure all submissions are accurate, complete, and meet donor requirements.

Priority proposal development tasks

• Lead on the design, development and submission of the Later -day Saints Charities full proposal for 2026
• Lead on the development of and submit the ECHO Single Form for CARE Ukraine proposed actions under the HIP in FY26
• Lead on the development of and submit CARE Ukraine’s proposal in response to the expected GFFO and BMZ calls for proposals for FY26
• Lead on the design, development and submission of the UN Ukraine Humanitarian pooled fund proposal for 2026
• Lead on the design, development and submission of the concept note for the anticipated DANIDA FY26 humanitarian CfP
• Lead on the design, development and submission of the International Climate Initiate ‘IKI’ concept note anticipated to be launched in November 2025

NB: this isn’t an exhaustive list flexibility

Lower priorities are

• To monitor donor funding strategies and trends and to propose adjustments to CARE’s donor engagement and fundraising strategies
• to foster strategic partnerships and alliances with INGOs, CSOs, government agencies, and private sector actors

Required qualifications and skills

• At least five years’ experience in program development with international NGOs or national CSOs
• At least three years’ experience working in a context similar to that in Ukraine, or in a HO role in support of program development in a context similar to Ukraine
• Understanding of the Ukraine context
• Strong team management skills
• Experience and excellent skills in collaborating across teams
• Demonstrated strategic thinking ability
• Excellent English writing skills with proven ability to develop high quality concept notes and proposals

Desired qualifications and skills

• Experience preparing proposals for submission to donors such as Netherlands DGIS, DANIDA, SDC, GFFO, BMZ, ECHO, Humanitarian Pooled Fund ECHO, other European MoFA’s, UN, HPF etc.
• Experience working in support of humanitarian/ development programs in Ukraine
• Experience living in Ukraine
• Master’s degree or equivalent in a field relevant to international humanitarian or development programs
• Experience working in both humanitarian and development contexts
• Experience with both institutional donors and foundations

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

Please send your complete application package (CV, motivation letter, references)as well as your availability to application@care.de no later than 20 November 2025 with the Subject: Program Development Lead - CARE Ukraine.

Due to the urgency of the position, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.