Ірина

IRYNA POPOVA
Senior Project Manager | Program Design & Delivery
Kyiv, Ukraine
[open contact info](look above in the "contact info" section) | [open contact info](look above in the "contact info" section) | LinkedIn
English – fluent | Ukrainian – native | Russian – fluent
Open to international assignments and business travel
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Senior project manager with 10+ years of experience transforming complex ideas into structured, fundable, and executable projects, from concept development, stakeholder alignment, proposal and budget design through approval, launch, implementation, performance management, and evaluation. Experienced in managing $15m+ portfolios and complex multi-stakeholder initiatives involving international organizations, government institutions, donors, private-sector partners, and implementing teams.
Strong track record in end-to-end project delivery, including project scoping and planning, budget and resource management, team coordination, stakeholder engagement, risk management, compliance, adaptive management, and results-based execution. Designed and implemented six strategic programs, facilitated 200+ international b2b negotiations and partnerships, and led operational transformation initiatives across 20+ enterprises.
Experienced executive-level facilitator, speaker, and moderator, having designed and delivered 30+ high-level business and stakeholder events engaging senior representatives of government, international organizations, donors, industry, and the private sector.
CORE PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE
Project design & delivery
• End-to-end project & program management
• Project conceptualization, design & proposal development
• Project planning, WBS & implementation roadmaps
• PMBOOK, agile & lean methodologies
• Results-based & adaptive management
Project execution & control
• Budget, resource & delivery management
• Performance management & KPI tracking
• Risk assessment, mitigation & issue resolution
• Grant management
• Monitoring, evaluation & learning (MEL)
• Donor reporting & compliance
• Process improvement, sops & lessons learned
Sector & technical expertise
• Market systems & private sector development
• Export development & trade facilitation
• Agricultural value chains & agribusiness
• Behavior change & systems change
• High-level facilitation & public speaking

Leadership & stakeholder management
• Cross-functional & cross-cultural team leadership
• Multi-stakeholder coordination & strategic partnerships
• Government, donor & private sector engagement
• Public-private partnership development
• Executive communication & stakeholder alignment
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Project Manager – Agricultural markets development & outreach
Chemonics International | AGRO Program
December 2021 – August 2026 | Kyiv, Ukraine
• Managed a $15m+ portfolio of complex development initiatives, leading projects from concept development and design through planning, stakeholder alignment, implementation, performance monitoring, reporting, and closeout. Coordinate government institutions, international partners, implementing organizations, and 500+ private-sector actors, adapting project delivery to ukraine’s rapidly changing wartime operating environment.
• Designed and managed six strategic programs and multiple project interventions, translating market needs and program objectives into implementation plans, budgets, partnerships, deliverables, and measurable results.
• Managed portfolio implementation, budgets, work plans, resources, risks, partner performance, and donor compliance while maintaining delivery continuity under changing security and market conditions.
• Built and managed complex stakeholder partnerships involving government ministries, donors, business associations, international organizations, and private-sector companies.
• Facilitated 200+ international b2b negotiations and led 10 international trade missions and market-development initiatives across ukraine, Europe, and the MENA region.
• Designed and scaled an operational excellence initiative across 20+ enterprises, applying lean methodologies to improve productivity, lead times, process efficiency, and resource utilization.
• Managed subcontractor and grantee performance, including deliverables, KPIs, risk identification, corrective actions, and efficient resource utilization.
• Chaired a merit review committee evaluating 300+ grant applications representing $120m in proposed funding, leading technical assessment, scoring, panel deliberations, and funding recommendations in accordance with donor requirements.
• Led quarterly, semi-annual, and annual performance reporting, translating implementation data, results, challenges, and lessons learned into management and donor-level reporting.
• Supported government and industry stakeholders with market intelligence, implementation recommendations, and coordination related to agricultural competitiveness and export development.
Communications & Project Manager – Local Systems development & knowledge management
Chemonics International | AGRO Program
August 2020 – December 2021 | Kyiv, Ukraine
• Designed and implemented market-driven development and capacity-building initiatives, combining project management, stakeholder coordination, knowledge management, and performance monitoring.
• Designed, launched, and managed a network of 10 demonstration farms, coordinating partners, implementation activities, knowledge transfer, and performance monitoring.
• Developed a flagship practical learning program connecting agricultural businesses, experts, and market actors to strengthen institutional capacity and disseminate proven practices.
• Managed project work plans, stakeholder engagement, implementation schedules, deliverables, and cross-functional coordination.
• Designed and delivered stakeholder engagement and capacity-building activities involving government, private sector, civil society, and agricultural MSMEs.
• Supported MEL processes through KPI collection, analysis, results tracking, and evidence-based adjustments to project implementation.
• Produced management reports, market analyses, lessons learned, and evidence-based success cases supporting donor reporting and organizational knowledge management.
Communications Manager – Land reform & local governance
Chemonics International | ARDS Project
September 2018 – July 2020 | Kyiv, Ukraine
• Managed communications and stakeholder-engagement components supporting ukraine’s land reform and local governance agenda, combining project planning, government coordination, behavior change, procurement, and performance management.
• Developed and implemented national-level stakeholder and communications initiatives in cooperation with government of ukraine counterparts supporting land reform implementation.
• Designed behavior change communication (bcc) interventions translating complex policy reforms into targeted stakeholder engagement activities.
• Planned and moderated 10 regional public consultations across six oblasts, engaging 800+ government, donor, business, and community representatives.
• Managed implementation plans, project schedules, budgets, reporting cycles, vendors, procurement processes, deliverables, and quality control.
• Coordinated government, private-sector, donor, and community stakeholders across project activities.
• Developed knowledge-management mechanisms to capture and transfer best practices, lessons learned, and implementation insights.
Communications Manager – Anti-corruption & governance
Management Systems International | SACCI Project
September 2017 – August 2018 | Kyiv, Ukraine
• Designed and implemented stakeholder engagement and strategic communications initiatives supporting national anti-corruption reforms.
• Coordinated activities with government institutions, civil society organizations, implementing partners, and project grantees.
• Advised grantees on project communications, stakeholder engagement, implementation alignment, and donor requirements.
• Supported cross-functional initiatives involving the cabinet of ministers and central government institutions.
Anti-corruption Communications & Project Manager – Defense sector reform
Strategic Communications of Ukraine (StratComUA)
March 2016 – September 2017 | Kyiv, Ukraine
• Managed implementation of the ministry of defense anti-corruption program, coordinating project activities with national reform priorities and institutional stakeholders.
• Developed and launched the strategic communications campaign “corruption kills” for the ministry of defense, translating an anti-corruption policy objective into a structured public-facing initiative, from concept and messaging framework to stakeholder coordination and implementation.
• Translated strategic objectives into implementation activities, stakeholder engagement plans, deliverables, and results-based communications.
• Conducted stakeholder mapping and coordinated national institutions, international partners, donors, and external experts to support program implementation.
• Provided strategic advisory and implementation support to senior ministry of defense counterparts on anti-corruption and strategic communications priorities.
Communications Manager – Telecommunications & digital transformation
Stober, Poltavets & Associates (consultancy)
March 2012 – June 2017 | Kyiv, Ukraine/Stockholm, Sweden
• Managed strategic communications and stakeholder initiatives supporting telecommunications and digital transformation projects.
• Led industry advocacy initiatives supporting digital television implementation in Ukraine.
• Managed B2B stakeholder engagement, external communications, media relations, and corporate positioning.
SELECTED PROJECT DESIGN & ADVISORY EXPERIENCE
Project Design & development consultant – International AgriTech & Smart farming initiative
2026 | International | Ukraine/Switzerland/US
• Led development of a multi-year, CHF 12m+ international smart farming and agricultural modernization initiative, transforming a first strategic concept into a structured, implementation-ready project model.
• Designed the project architecture across applied research, technology demonstration, farmer capacity building, education, and knowledge transfer, targeting 300 farmers, universities, students, and sector stakeholders.
• Developed the results framework, work packages, implementation logic, activity sequencing, expert inputs, resource requirements, and 2.5-year implementation roadmap.
• Contributed to development of a CHF 12m+ budget and financing structure, translating technical requirements into personnel, operational, infrastructure, equipment, and implementation cost categories.
• Designed a multi-stakeholder implementation model involving an international technology company, Ukrainian agribusiness, industry association, research institutions, and Ukrainian and european universities.
• Developed project risk management, sustainability, knowledge-transfer, and phase-out frameworks to support institutional ownership and post-project scaling.
• Prepared donor-facing project documentation and presentation materials, translating complex technical and commercial inputs into a coherent investment and implementation proposition.
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Master's degree with distinction | International Relations & World Politics
Kyiv international university | 2003–2010
Project management certifications
Lean green belt (2024, certified) – lgb005427
Lean yellow belt (2023, certified) – lean.org.ua
Lean project management (2022, certified) – lean.org.ua
Supervisor BOOT Camp (2024, certified)
Specialized training
Export alliance mastery program (2025, international certification) – Visionest Institute
Economic training for businesses affected by war in Ukraine (2025, certified) – Ukraine Global Faculty
Communications in pr & marketing (2015, certified) – Higher School of Communications
* PMP Certification – In Progress*