Executive Assistant to the COO

The Kyiv Independent is Ukraine's main English-language news outlet. It was founded in November 2021 by a team of reporters and editors who were fired from the Kyiv Post for defending editorial independence. Today we're a team of around 90 people, based mostly in Kyiv. Publishing in English, we serve as Ukraine's voice in the world and the world's window into Ukraine.

About the role

This role supports Zakhar Protsiuk, our COO, who oversees four departments: Reader Revenue, Product & Tech, Marketing, and Communications. You'll sit close to the decisions that keep an independent Ukrainian newsroom sustainable during wartime. You'll coordinate work across departments, work with international partners, and help turn strategy into daily execution.

What you'll do:

• Own Zakhar's calendar, priorities, and daily schedule. Decide what needs his attention and what doesn't, and adjust plans quickly when things change.
• Track commitments across the different departments, and follow up with team members and partners before deadlines slip.
• Prepare Zakhar for meetings with agendas, background, key numbers, and open questions. Take notes and turn discussions into tracked action items.
• Draft emails, messages, and short documents on his behalf in English and Ukrainian.
• Join meetings with international partners and help manage partner relations
• Help produce management reports, presentations, and planning materials such as OKRs and quarterly reviews.
• Support project coordination and suggest process improvements when you see something that could work better.
• Learn the basics of the business (reader revenue, product, marketing, communications) and use that knowledge to anticipate what's needed.
• Arrange travel, conferences, and external events.
• Handle personal errands, appointments, and urgent matters.
• Maintain documentation and keep shared files organized.

Requirements

• Excellent English (C1+), written and spoken. You'll represent Zakhar in emails and speak up confidently in meetings with international partners.
• Fluent Ukrainian.
• Proactive mindset. You don't wait for to-dos. You notice what's missing, ask questions early, and flag when priorities clash.
• Comfort with managing up. You'll remind, nudge, and sometimes insist, including with senior people.
• Ability to understand business context and tech terminology. You're curious about marketing, media, and tech, and you learn fast. Within your first month, you'll understand how the four departments connect.
• Strong organizational skills. Nothing falls through the cracks.
• Strong stakeholder communication skills. You're clear, warm, and professional with colleagues and external partners.
• High digital literacy. You're at ease with common digital tools like Google Workspace, Notion, and Slack. You already use AI tools such as ChatGPT or Claude in your daily work, and you pick up new tools quickly.
• Discretion and trustworthiness. You'll handle confidential work and personal matters.
• Based in Kyiv and able to work from the office at least three days a week.
• EA, project coordination, or operations experience is a plus, especially at a startup or media organization.

We offer

• Competitive compensation
• Health insurance & Mental health support for employees based in Ukraine
• A convenient office in the heart of Kyiv.
• A dynamic, mission-driven team

It’s a full-time position in the Kyiv office (remote days upon agreement)

How to apply

Thank you for your interest in joining the Kyiv Independent. Please submit your CV and a short cover letter explaining why you are interested in this role and how your previous experience would help you succeed in it.

If your application matches our current needs, a member of our hiring team will contact you to schedule an interview. We truly appreciate every application. However, due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may not be able to contact every applicant individually.