Deputy Project Director - Eyes on Russia - Internal

Role details:

• Contract Type: Continuing under current contract type
• Start date: 1st April 2026 with a gradual handover before
• Contract length: 1st April - 31st December 2026
• Hours needed for this role: Full-time, 40 hours per week
• Location: This role could be based in London, from our Ukraine office in Kyiv or remotely. You need to be able to work on UK/EA time zone.
• Closing date: 20/03/2026
• Travel: Occasional travel, including to Ukraine. 3-4 times per year

About the Role

In this role, you will:

• Lead a diverse team investigating war crimes and conflict-related events and uncovering critical insights for Ukrainian beneficiaries.
• Provide high-impact briefings informed by high quality investigations and analysis, and deep regional knowledge.

We’re looking for someone who thrives in fast-paced environments, stays ahead of emerging risks, and is passionate about using OSINT to drive meaningful change.

Key responsibilities:

• Defines and oversees the strategic impact the project aims to achieve, and the nature and scale of the outputs and outcomes needed to do so, aligning with CIR values and donor goals, alongside the Project Director.
• Builds a strong relationship with senior donors alongside the Project Director, ensuring they have full confidence in the quality and impact of CIR’s work, and in the responsiveness of CIR to donor priorities.
• Provides technical guidance and mentorship to a multidisciplinary team of OSINT analysts, investigators, and specialists, including quality control of outputs and collaborations.
• Provides strategic direction to the project management team on how the project’s resources should be allocated to activities to maximise outcomes, impact and value for money, and to meet commercial targets if relevant.
• Oversees design of Monitoring and Evaluation framework by Monitoring and Evaluation specialist, project manager and senior technical staff including Theory of Change, Results Framework and mechanisms for collecting and synthesising data.
• Develops and inspires a cohesive and complimentary team dynamic where members support and assist each other across components, contributing to the overall success and impact of the project.
• Ensures the project’s risk management process draws on the diverse knowledge and insights of the team, to generate information required by CIR’s standard risk register, and to comply with donor reporting schedules.
• Leads discussions with existing and potential new donors to expand or extend the project, advocating technical methodologies and deliverables, and collaborating with the project manager and CIR leadership to develop resource plans and budgets.

Qualifications and Competencies

Essential:

• An experienced, confident manager and leader for a diverse team in often changing environments. The Deputy Project Director will have experience applying adaptive management, and in establishing a productive working culture where team members work well together and deliverables are consistently met to a high standard.
• Strong networking / stakeholder relationship building and management experience, including with a range of stakeholders, including government departments – ideally in Ukraine.
• Experience of overseeing projects in complex conflict settings, and skilled at adaptive programme risk management.
• Strong understanding of OSINT methods and application within Human Rights and Justice & Accountability.

Highly Desirable:

• Strong OSINT skills with experience in leading investigations.
• Native Ukrainian or Fluent in Ukrainian with deep contextual knowledge of Ukraine.

Working Arrangements

The role will be full-time and can either be office based, hybrid or remote with the opportunity to work from CIR’s offices in London, if desired, or its office in Kyiv. CIR encourages flexible working and is happy to agree a working pattern to suit the successful applicant.

Recruitment Process

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter, and answer the application form question. For this role there will be one interview with representatives from CIR’s strategic or senior management team. CIR encourages applicants from under-represented communities. CIR is an equal opportunities employer. If you require adjustments or additional support to complete this process, please let us know in your application.