Експерт/ка зі стратегічного планування регіонального розвитку для проєкту UCORD

Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development Project, UCORD is looking for a Regional Development Strategic Planning Expert (Component 1) (National). This is a short-time position, and it is expected that the successful candidate will become a permanent core team member.

Location: Ukraine
Expected start date: 22.11.2024
Duration: 22.11.2024 – 30.03.2025
Days: Up to 45

Background

Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development project, UCORD is implemented with the support of Switzerland via the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation through NIRAS Sweden AB.

UCORD aims for citizens, businesses, and public authorities to contribute and equally benefit from recovery actions and coherent regional development that fosters improved quality of life, resilience, peace, and social cohesion in Ukraine. The project currently supports six pilot oblasts of Ukraine: Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Odesa and Volyn oblasts as the starting points, targeting capacity development and awareness-raising initiatives spread throughout the country. UCORD consists of three components:

Component 1 embeds regional policy development in Ukraine by supporting and strengthening Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) in pilot oblasts.

Component 2 seeks to improve public service delivery in the WASAW (water supply, sanitation, and waste management) sector, focusing on the environment.

Component 3 aims to construct social cohesion through culture, dialogue, and creative industries. 

In this context, UCORD is looking to engage a Regional Development Strategic Planning Expert who is expected to perform the following tasks:

• Related workplans, timeframes, methodologies and relevant data assessment that is agreed with UCORD;
• The elaboration of the Strategy, as well as the Implementation Plan of the mentioned strategy is provided according to the developed documentation as above and according to p. 4.1 of this Scope of Work. This also should consider the relevant legislation of Ukraine governing the regional strategic planning, as well as international standards and regulations, including SMART- specialization, the integration of Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Integrate human rights and  gender equality into the analysis and development of targets, baselines and indicators in the Strategy;
• Due to the restrictive/precautionary measures related to the war or any other possible difficult conditions, the Working Group meetings may be held online. If remote mode is used, all video recordings of the Working Group meetings shall be provided to UCORD;
• The Expert will develop and agree with the UCORD on methodology of the strategy designing process of the Region Development Strategy for Khmelnytskyi oblast until 2027 together with the Implementation Plan 2025-2027, while considering results-based principals, SMART – specialization, place-based approach, gender-based aspects and approaches aimed at ensuring human rights and environmental safety. Additionally, the Expert will develop an expert work schedule with specific activities, expected results and success indicators;
• It is also expected that the Expert will provide all necessary support to the regional authorities in the official launching and approval of the project`s activities in the Khmelnytskyi oblast (i.e. the preparation of all necessary documents, provision of technical support, etc.);
• The expert will provide advisory support to the Working Group on the preparation of the analytical part of the Strategy and will conduct, together with the Working Group, a survey of the population and business of Khmelnytskyi oblast and carry out several focus groups/interviews (offline and/or online, depending on the proposed methodology) with key stakeholders to understand the current profile of the oblast and compile a list of potential ideas for improving the situation. At least 1 (one) meeting of the working group will be conducted;
• During this phase of the project, the Expert will coordinate the work of the Working Group in Khmelnytskyi oblast on the preparation of the Implementation Plan;
• Conducting strategy sessions/workshops with stakeholders to come up with a commonly accepted strategy;
• The expert is expected to provide all necessary support to the oblast administration in conducting the above-mentioned public hearings. The expert will organise the collection of feedback. After the feedback is collected, the necessary changes (if any) will be made to the document;
• At the end of assignment, the Expert shall prepare a final report with clear description of fulfilled tasks and achieved results, including recommendations on the next steps for further support and development of Khmelnytskyi oblast to achieve sustainable development. The report must be reviewed and approved by UCORD;

More detailed information you can find in ToR 

Candidate Qualifications

Education & Knowledge:

• A master’s degree in economics, public policy, or other related fields;

Experience:

• Minimum 15 years of proven experience working in consulting regional and local authorities on recovery planning, strategic planning, local economic development, and sector reform implementation issues;
• Minimum 5 years of proven experience working in legal and policy advice in the field of LSG and public administration reform; drafting laws and other legal documents in social-economic development both at national and municipal level;
• Experience advising senior government officials and contributing to high-level policy formulation and institutional reforms.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, including coordinating between national, oblast, local authorities and the private sector

Skills:

• Expertise in advising and drafting policy recommendations for government bodies, focusing on SME development.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and consensus-building skills, with the ability to engage senior government officials, regional authorities, international organisations, and private sector leaders.
• Expertise in designing and delivering capacity-building programmes for public institutions
• Excellent analytical and writing skills, with the ability to produce strategic documents, reports, and frameworks that influence policy and practice.
• Monitoring and evaluation skills.
• Team work experience with international experts
• Knowledge of strategic planning, smart specialization and regional development funding.
• Knowledge of the European experience of regional development strategy creation.

Evaluation of response & selection

Interested applicants should send their proposals to [email protected] on November 20, 2024

The proposal should contain the following documents:
Cover letter highlighting relevant experience
Up-to-date CV indicating relevant experience and qualifications, including at least three contact references;

The proposal should be submitted in English.