Chemonics International шукає European Integration Specialist

Chemonics International, a global consulting and international development firm, seeks a European Integration Specialist, long-term position, for the USAID Competitive Economy Program (CEP). CEP is a five-year program funded by the US Agency for International Development. The purpose of CEP is to support startup businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), increase domestic market competition, and support the competitiveness of Ukrainian firms in international markets. CEP achieves these objectives through five components: improve the business-enabling environment and business climate, support emerging industries, promote export capabilities, support WTO participation and compliance, and help lower costs of trade across Ukraine’s borders. 

The European Integration Specialist (Specialist) will support and contribute to the implementation of a broad array of CEP activities relating to approximation of Ukrainian legislation with the European Union (EU), Ukraine’s European integration international trade and trade policy formulation and e-commerce. The Specialist will monitor and report Ukraine’s EU integration initiatives and progress of the implementation of Ukraine’s EU integration interventions. The Specialist will assist Government of Ukraine to implement global and regional trade rules to facilitate Ukraine’s integration into the global trading system and its economic integration with the European Union. The Specialist will also be responsible for delivering technical leadership and day-to-day management support of international trade, e-commerce activities, and activities relating to Ukraine’s EU membership bid, including direct technical assistance, training programs, and technical management of grants, subcontracts, and other support in response to USAID and Government of Ukraine requirements and the approved annual workplan.

The Specialist will assist CEP in supporting the Government of Ukraine in its policy endeavors towards the EU integration and the implementation of the EU regulatory framework, Association Agreement, and the European Commission recommendations on granting Ukraine candidate status and prospective opening of accession negotiation process. The Specialist will monitor and advise CEP leadership and technical leads on the process of harmonization of Ukrainian legal system with the EU’s legal system as well as on the process of approximation of the Ukrainian legislation with the EU acquis communautaire.  

The Specialist will provide research, reviews, analytical notes, assessments of the legislative proposals, policy tools and interventions related to Ukraine’s EU Integration. The Specialist will cooperate with CEP technical teams to support the development and implementation of new laws and regulations relating to international trade and e-commerce and laws required to be passed by Ukraine in order to meet its European integration obligations. In cooperation with government counterparts and private sector stakeholders, the Specialist will coordinate routinely with key stakeholders to monitor and evaluate the impact of CEP-supported work and identify other opportunities, such as anti-corruption initiatives, that offer synergies and complement CEP activities.

In cooperation with other teams, the Specialist will engage with government at the central and local levels to promote healthy market competition, increased transparency, participation of startups and SMEs in the local economy, and increased exports of Ukrainian products. The Specialist will also coordinate regularly with the communications, monitoring evaluation and learning (MEL), grants and subcontracts, and finance and operations teams.

The Specialist’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Support planning and implementation of international trade, European integration and e-commerce activities, and advise project teams on priority initiatives and directions of the program in relation to international trade and policy formulation activities.
• Support program assistance in implementing EU, WTO, bilateral and multilateral legislative compliance reforms through compliance review of existing laws and regulations, drafting necessary amendments/changes, and preparing explanatory notes.
• Work closely with the GOU to advance international trade policy and international trade-related laws with focus on laws pertaining to technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, trade in services, integration to EU internal market, trade facilitation, IP rights, trade defence, government procurement, etc.
• Assist in preparing, updating, and monitoring implementation of Ukraine’s EU/DCFTA legislative action plans and support where relevant Ukraine’s EU membership bid.
• Support various legislative drafting groups by taking part in the meetings, preparing answers to inquiries, and planning efforts.
• Provide legal support in addressing inquiries related to Ukraine’s regional trade agreements at the request of stakeholders, if feasible.
• Support efforts in simplifying and streamlining the import and export procedures, reducing time, costs and number of documents required.
• Conduct legal research, analysis, and drafting relating to international trade and compliance with EU regulatory regime.
• Contribute to the enhancement of the dialogue between the Government of Ukraine and non-governmental entities (think tanks, academia, business sector representatives) in support of trade policy and trade facilitation initiatives.
• Support program’s assistance and interventions related to monitoring and advising on application of international trade sanctions in response to russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
• Prepare technical scopes of work for short-term consultants, develop requests for applications (RFA) to award grants, and requests for proposals (RFP) to award subcontracts, coordinating and overseeing assignments of consultants, grantees, and subcontractors relating to international trade and EU integration.
• Facilitate the planning and implementation of meetings, training programs, workshops, and other events relating to international trade and EU integration and other relevant matters in cooperation with government counterparts, local stakeholders, other donors and programs, and other program staff.
• Identify solutions to challenges, opportunities to advance reforms, and increased coordination and collaboration with government counterparts, local stakeholders, and other donors and programs.
• Contribute in a timely manner to program annual work plans, MEL, Communications plans and reports, documentation of lessons learned, success stories, newsletters, reports (daily, weekly and quarterly), and routine requests from USAID.
• Participate in regular meetings with USAID, government counterparts, other local stakeholders, COP/DCOP, and other program staff as required.
• Perform other tasks as assigned consistent with the qualifications, this scope of work, and the general requirements of the program.

The required and/or preferred qualifications for the Specialist position are:

• Advanced degree in law, with specialization in EU preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience working in Ukraine as a practitioner and providing legal advisory to the government and/or for donor-funded projects preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in Ukrainian legislation and policies related to conformity with EU laws, international and regional trade agreements it is a party to, especially WTO and EU/DCFTA required.
• Demonstrated professional excellence and strong oral and written communication skills required.
• Effective cross-cultural interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to resolve higher level work and issues with senior host-country counterparts, donor representatives, and senior-level USAID staff required.
• Fluency in Ukrainian and English required.

Application Instructions:

Please send a CV and brief letter of interest in English indicating related experience and achievements by March 10, 2023 to [email protected]. Please include your name and “European Integration Specialist” in the subject line. Please note the position is open for Ukrainian citizens only. The post of assignment is CEP’s Kyiv office. Candidates will be reviewed and interviewed on a rolling basis until position is filled. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.