Head of Programs

Who We Are

‍

OpenMinds is a defence tech company solving the hardest problems in the domain of information warfare.

‍

Born from battlefield-tested experience in Ukraine, we now work with more than 30 governments and organisations across the globe, including NATO member states, leading defence and research institutions.

‍

Our team bridges advanced technologies with human expertise, combining machine learning, behavioural science, data journalism, strategic communications and regional expertise.

‍

We believe in speed as a core value, constantly experiment with new solutions, and encourage freedom and leadership in our team.

‍

Who we’re looking for

We are looking for an experienced Head of Programs to lead our Programs department — spanning research, strategic communications, monitoring and evaluation, and project management. This is a hands-on role. We're looking for someone who manages the work rather than the people doing it, and who uses AI to multiply their own output before growing the team.
‍

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will be part of the leadership team shaping the company's direction.
‍

The role is based in Kyiv.

‍

In this position, you will:

‍

— Design programs end-to-end — strategy, narrative approach, and measurement of effectiveness.

‍

— Build and own client relationships, and grow our network of delivery partners.

‍

— Plan and allocate resources across programs - people, budgets, and vendors.

‍

— Build sustainable operations — SOPs, QA checklists, reporting cadence — and use AI tools and automations to compress manual work before adding headcount.

‍

— Grow the team as necessary through hiring and upskilling.

You’re a strong fit if you have:
‍

— Experience delivering social behavioural change or stratcom programs end-to-end.

‍

— A track record of building and owning senior client relationships.

‍

— Experience building, automating, and scaling operations across complex, multi-channel programs.

‍

— Fluency with AI tools and workflows (Claude, ChatGPT, agents) and a habit of using them to replace manual work.

‍

— Experience with programs financial management (budgeting, forecasting, margin oversight).

— Strong editorial and analytical judgment - you can distinguish sharp work from mediocre and know how to get a team to the former.

‍

— Education or experience in Social & Behavioural Sciences, Strategic Communications, or Digital Marketing.
‍

— Fluent English and Ukrainian.

‍

We offer:

‍

— Professional development within a multidisciplinary team with backgrounds in academia, tech, and defence sector

‍

— Modern A+ class office in Kyiv

‍

— Competitive market salary with room for performance-based progression

‍

— Work in a fast-growing company with proprietary AI technologies, solving the most complex problems in the domains of information resilience and national security

‍

— Participation in Tier-1 international industry conferences, events, and closed briefings

‍

— Flexible work arrangements — adjustable hours, location, and hybrid/remote options

‍

— A work culture that values focus, speed, experimentation, strategic thinking, and elegance in the proposed solutions