Vassiliy Lakhonin

Program Manager

Portfolio Manager

PMO / Program Operations

Compliance Program Manager

Location: Almaty, Kazakhstan (UTC+5)
Email: vassiliy.lakhonin@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassiliy-lakhonin/
Portfolio: https://vassiliylakhonin.github.io/
GitHub: https://github.com/vassiliylakhonin
Phone: available on request

Work Authorization and Mobility

• Citizenship: Kazakhstan
• Work mode: remote, hybrid, onsite
• Geography: Central Asia, MENA, Europe, U.S. time-zone overlap
• Relocation: open to discuss based on role scope and sponsorship conditions

Professional Summary

Program and portfolio leader focused on delivery reliability, donor compliance, audit readiness, and cross-border coordination. Experience includes multi-country reporting systems, KPI governance, evidence controls, and AI-assisted reporting workflows with human quality checkpoints.

Core Skills

Program Management, Portfolio Management, PMO, Program Operations, Compliance, Governance, Audit Readiness, Risk Management, KPI Tracking, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), MEL/MEAL, Stakeholder Management, Vendor Management, Reporting Quality Assurance, Cross-functional Coordination, Cross-border Delivery, Change Management, Process Improvement

Professional Experience

DAI | Regional Monitoring and Evaluation (Performance) Manager | Almaty, Kazakhstan

Apr 2023 - Apr 2025

• Managed performance and reporting systems for a 14M USD USAID-funded regional program across 4 Central Asian countries.
• Delivered 100% on-time quarterly and annual donor reports for 8 consecutive quarters.
• Reduced partner submission delays by 40% through structured data collection and QA workflows.
• Built M&E capacity across 15+ implementing partners.
• Improved partner self-reported data confidence from 6.2/10 to 8.7/10.
• Maintained audit-ready documentation for two USAID audits with zero findings.
• Coordinated KPI tracking across 4 country offices and HQ.
• Piloted AI-assisted reporting workflows and reduced report preparation time by 25% with quality controls.

Independent Consultant | Program Design and Delivery Operations | Multiple Clients

Apr 2021 - Mar 2023

• Delivered project coordination, program design, and facilitation for international organizations and private-sector clients.
• Supported SaaS and e-commerce launch delivery: rollout planning, sprint testing cycles, metrics tracking, and vendor coordination.
• Supported Women in Transportation and Logistics initiatives: workshops, events, and community growth to 100+ members.
• Mentored youth civic engagement participants in a U.S. Consulate-supported hybrid program.

DAI | Project Management Specialist / Training Consultant | Almaty, Kazakhstan

Mar 2019 - Feb 2021

• Coordinated a USAID-funded portfolio across 5 Central Asian countries.
• Managed timelines, budget tracking, and stakeholder coordination.
• Delivered 25+ project deliverables on time over 24 months.
• Supported donor audits in 2019 and 2020 with zero findings.

Researcher and Research Expertise Services | Multiple Clients

Jan 2014 - Dec 2018

• Conducted desk research, fieldwork support, and policy-focused analysis for regional studies.
• Managed data collection, translation, and database setup for multi-country research projects.
• Contributed to policy briefs and peer-reviewed outputs.

Education

Master in Politics and Security (Central Asia)	OSCE Academy in Bishkek	2013
Bachelor in Sociology (Dual Degree with Bard College, NY)	American University of Central Asia	2012

Certifications and Professional Development

• Future of AI, BlueDot Impact, 2026
• AI Business Fellowship and Agents Intensive (Google), Perplexity, 2025
• Procurement and Cybersecurity Training, DAI, 2023-2024
• Project/Program Management for Development Professionals, Humentum / PM4NGOs, 2019 and 2022

Additional Information

Languages: Russian (native), English (professional working proficiency)

Proof Links

• Main profile: https://vassiliylakhonin.github.io/
• Recruiter page: https://vassiliylakhonin.github.io/for-recruiters.html
• Donor reporting case study: https://vassiliylakhonin.github.io/case-study-donor-reporting.html
• Audit readiness case study: https://vassiliylakhonin.github.io/case-study-portfolio-audit-readiness.html