Candidates About

LANGUAGES: English – Russian – Latvian

Summary of qualifications:

• 25 years of experience working in civil society development projects funded by international
  donors with successful career growth. Extensive knowledge of donors’ standards and policies in
  the related fields.
• Comprehensive experience in promoting community participation and engagement, gender
  equality, civil society development, and promoting transparency and accountability through
  cooperation and advocacy campaigning with the national government, Parliament, civil society,
  business, resource sector and media.
•  Valuable combination of expertise in project management, strategic planning, M&E, reporting,
  institutional development, finance, and grants management.
• Extensive experience in international/local governmental and civil society sector in developing
  economics.
• Dynamic team player and efficient coordinator, consistently motivating others toward success.
  Strong aspiration to gain new knowledge and skills, to move towards new achievements to
  make a difference in everyday lives of people.

Professional experience:
02/2013 to now: Institute for National and International Development Initiatives
Position:
Deputy Director/Consultant
Responsibilities:
Provision of primary support to the functions of the Director in supervising the activities of the organization
and defined under it’s projects, including all technical inputs required. Assistance to the Director in the timely
tracking, coordination and reporting of information related to all project activities. Management of donorfunded
programs (WB, USAID, etc.) in the areas of extractive industries transparency and social
accountability, natural resource management, local communities engagement and development, gender
equality and good governance promotion. Community engagement and development activities with an
overall goal to strengthen public participation in extractive industry social projects, raise awareness
and involvement in promoting transparency, accountability and social responsibility of extracting
companies (EITI, Open Government Initiative, etc.)

10/2012 to 10/2013: American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS)
Position:
USAID Community Connections Program Coordinator
Responsibilities:
 Coordination and management of all aspects of the professional exchange program in three countries
(Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan);
 Development, regular update and implementation of the program strategy, PMP, operational plans,
communication strategy and budget to ensure attainment of program goals and objectives in line with
USAID requirements and policies;
 Design of thematic program rationale/frameworks for professional exchange programs;
 Training and technical assistance to local partners in three countries (government and nongovernment
entities);
 Communication and establishing effective working partnerships with multi-stakeholder environments
(civil society, senior government authorities, international organizations, academia and media);
 On-going monitoring and evaluation of program activities, reporting and analysis.

11/2010 to 09/2012: The Representative Office of the National Democratic Institute in Kazakhstan
Position:
Senior Program Officer – Gender Equality
Responsibilities:
 Management of NDI KZ programs, including democracy and governance assistance, strengthening
women’s political participation and leadership, policy reforms, human rights, and good governance;
 Development of partnerships between policy-makers and relevant stakeholders in the national
government, Parliament, media and civil society; advocacy and network strengthening;
 Participation in overall program strategic planning, project design (project proposal and strategy
design). Sound knowledge of LFA, PMP design, other M&E methods and tools for project design,
management and evaluation;
 Conducting local communities’ needs assessment; gender assessment and analysis; participation in
development of desk reviews and research;
 Designing and conducting training (project management, advocacy tools, financial sustainability, etc.)
and large-scale international events (conferences, public discussions, etc);
 Providing technical assistance to local partners (NGOs, civil initiative groups, communities, etc.);
 Development of analytical reports and program analysis.

01/2008 to 04/2010: Counterpart International, Dialogue Initiative Program
Position:
Grants Manager
Responsibilities:
 Overall responsibility for financial management of sub-grants for media actors and CSOs, awarded by
USAID through the CPI program:
 Management of 40+ grant portfolios in accordance with USAID standards (ADS, AIDAR, etc.)
 Development and ongoing monitoring of grant agreements and all additional documents (budgets,
work plans, etc.);
 Management of grant procedures according to USAID and Counterpart International corporate
policies and guidelines (all stages from pre-award procedures to grants close-out arrangements);
 Communications with grantees on financial reporting schemes and procedures;
 Assistance and advice on grants reporting procedures or any other related issues;
 Financial grants management training;
 Conducting grant close-out procedures and providing any necessary documentation/feedback to
grantees and donor.

10/2005 to 09/2007: American Bar Association / Rule of Law Initiative
Position:
Institution Building Advisor and Outreach Coordinator
Responsibilities:
 Coordinating IBA Program activities with liaisons, staff and partners in Kazakhstan. Providing
organization strategy development advice to both ABA KZ and its grantees and partners.
 Conducting sustainability workshops and facilitating sustainability planning with partner organizations.
 Providing consultations and training for partners based on needs identified and outlined in sustainability
plans and subsequent consultations.
 Conducting needs assessments for local and partner NGOs and providing appropriate follow-up trainings
(capacity building, project management and design, monitoring and evaluation of the projects, institutional
sustainability and development, fundraising, community development, PRA/PCA, networking, etc.)
 Developing and maintaining partnerships between ABA/ROLI and civil society technical assistance
providers in Kazakhstan.
 Assisting in development of the NIS RIBA and Kazakhstan work plans.

10/2004 to 10/2005: Counterpart International Inc.
Position:
Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Specialist
Responsibilities:
Implementation of the full cycle of monitoring and evaluation activities in the framework of grant projects,
awarded by Counterpart International Inc. in Kazakhstan. Designing regular and final program reports on the
projects. Work with Support Centers (in the frames of Counterpart’s program on civil society initiative
support) – consultations, technical and informational assistance in reports writing and monitoring and
evaluation procedures conducting. Introducing and implementing new M&E tools and methods.
Development of M&E plans and programs for grantees and partner NGOs. Organization and carrying out
presentations, training and other informational and educational events for NGOs. Providing technical
advisory support to the local communities and rural NGOs in the area of community development,
interaction with local government, development of social enterprises and fundraising activities.

01/2003-05/2004: “Rakhimzhan” LLC
Position:
Franchise Project Coordinator
Responsibilities:
Launch and organization of new company’s structure (opening of MANGO franchise shop Almaty – overall
project management), contacts with Spanish partners, internal coordination and management of the shop
(merchandising, staffing, etc), financial work (sales, franchise reports), PR, events, media-planning.

01/2002-11/2002: “Agro-Invest” JSC, grain company
Position:
Secretary/Interpreter/Translator
Responsibilities:
Contacts with local and foreign clients, technical and contract translations, document work, visas,
communications, solving some organizational problems, administering documents and mail turnover.
Education
 Modern University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russia. Bachelor of Economics, 2002
 University of Latvia, Faculty of Management and Economics, Master
 Program: Management and Environment
 University of Latvia, Faculty of Management and Economics, BA
Program: Production management

Other training:
2012 – Training course “Gender-sensitive budgeting” (Academy of Public Administration, UN Women,
Astana, Kazakhstan)
2011 – 1-year online certificate program on monitoring & evaluation (by NDI DC)
2011 – Training course “Effective communication & communication strategies” (IWPR, Kyrgyzstan)
2009 – Workshop on USAID financial regulations and procedures (USAID CAR, Almaty, Kazakhstan)
2006 – Institutional Building Workshop (ABA/ROLI, Istanbul, Turkey)
2005 – Training course “Costs effectiveness evaluation” and “Tools for evaluation capacity development in
different types of organizations” (trainers from the International Program Evaluation Network)
2003 – Training courses at Punto Fa, S.L., Barcelona, Spain – general financial and franchise store
management; human resources management

Languages and other skills:
 Russian
 Latvian
 English
 Spanish
 French

Experienced computer user (MS Office Suite, database software, Internet, etc.)

Participation in international programs:
Since 2013 to now (twice a year) – Facilitator of the Open World Program (sponsored by the U.S. Congress)
2005 Country Observer for Mid-term Overall CSSI Program Evaluation in Kyrgyzstan
1997-1998 Alumna of the international student exchange program YFU (Youth For Understanding),
sponsored by US Government