Communications Manager / Менеджер з комунікацій

Chemonics International Inc.  

SCOPE OF WORK  

Position: Communications Manager for the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ)

Estimated Period of Performance/Level of Effort: Short-term (12 months)   

Position: Communications Manager for the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ)

Background:

The High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) is a judicial governance body tasked with conducting qualification assessments of current judges and selecting new judges. In 2019, the powers of the previous HQCJ were terminated due to its inefficiency in assessing judges’ qualifications. Despite re-evaluating over 2,000 judges, many negative conclusions from the Public Integrity Council were ignored.

A gap in the law existed for two years following a Constitutional Court ruling on the formation procedure of the HQCJ. This was addressed with the adoption of a new law in the summer of 2021, allowing the process to resume. Subsequently, a new composition of the HQCJ was selected through a competitive process, and it has been operational for a year.

During its first year, the new HQCJ completed procedures initiated by its predecessor, including the 2017 selection of judicial candidates. It also concluded two competitions announced in 2019 for local courts and courts in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The HQCJ established two subsidiary bodies: the Public Integrity Council (PIC) on August 14, 2023, and the Public Council of International Experts (PCIE) on April 29, 2024. The PIC’s resumption enabled the continuation of judge qualification assessments, while the PCIE became integral to the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) competition process.

Last year, the HQCJ launched significant competitions to fill 550 vacant appellate court positions and 25 HACC judge positions. Eligible participants include judges, lawyers, academics, and individuals with at least seven years of legal experience. The next stage involves anonymous testing and practical tasks for appellate court candidates.

On November 23, 2023, the HQCJ announced Ukraine’s second competition for HACC judges, accepting applications from March 1, 2024. Out of 238 applicants, 160 candidates proceeded after document verification. The PCIE, comprising six foreign legal experts, assists the HQCJ in ensuring candidates meet professional ethics and integrity criteria.

The HQCJ has implemented electronic document submissions and launched an electronic candidate dossier system on May 1, 2024, optimizing activities and budget use. This system will form the basis for an electronic judicial dossier.

The TCA supports the HQCJ in publicizing the recruitment of judges for the Court of Appeals and the HACC. Communication activities are planned by the end of 2024. A short-term communications manager will be appointed to advise on and help implement the HQCJ’s communication efforts and will be tasked with coordinating and enhancing the Commission’s outreach and engagement activities.

Responsibilities:

• Implement communication and anti-crisis communication strategies developed by the USAID Transformation Communications Activity (TCA) for HQCJ
• Manage HQCJ’s internal and external communications, ensuring visibility, coherence, accuracy, and timeliness of published information
• Assist in planning and executing informational and communication campaigns to inform the public about judicial reforms and initiatives undertaken by HQCJ
• Develop and implement communication tools, procedures, and guidelines to ensure coherence in HQCJ’s communications
• Produce and manage communication content for publications, the HQCJ’s website, and social media networks
• Build and expand relationships with local and national media, respond to media queries, and identify new media opportunities to promote HQCJ’s activities
• Supervise and coordinate the organization of media events (press conferences, press briefings, off-record events)
• Establish and maintain relationships with HQCJ stakeholders to ensure that stakeholders are informed about HQCJ’s activities, decisions, and processes.
• Perform other tasks assigned by TCA or the USAID Justice for All (J4A) Activity related to this TOR

Deliverables/Outcomes:

• Recommendations on the implementation of strategic communications are provided as evidenced by examples in the monthly report (links, screenshots, materials)
• Communication materials developed with the support of the expert resonate with citizens, providing accurate and timely information about the work of the HQCJ and its impact on judicial reform. The expert should collect examples of the target audience’s (TA’s) public feedback on published materials 
• Communicational campaigns/materials produced with the management/support of the expert regarding reforms, anti-corruption, and GESI
• Report with on reach and impact of the material/campaign regarding HQCJ activities and judicial reform
• Established and maintained strong relationships with HQCJ stakeholders
• Recommendations provided on effective communication about judicial reform and work of the HQCJ. Examples of effective communications should be provided in the monthly report.  
• Exit strategy with recommendations on topics, tools, and instruments for communication
• Weekly and monthly reports on all progress and challenges encountered

One final report summarizing all activity conducted, key accomplishments, and lessons learned/recommendations

Qualifications:

• At least 7 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in the media sphere, public relations, communications, or advocacy 
• Master’s degree in communications, journalism, linguistics, management, or other related areas 
• Proven track record of communication projects 
• Creative and critical thinking 
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally, ability to communicate effectively at all levels 
• Ability to work both in a team and autonomously with minimum supervision but within the respect of given constraints and guidelines 
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to visualize complex data 
• Outstanding ability to prioritize, coordinate and communicate at all levels with the different types of stakeholders 
• Outstanding time management 
• Understanding of mechanism of cooperation and interaction of state institutions
• Fluency in oral and written Ukrainian 
• Strong professional working level of English 
• Experience in working with government bodies and donor-founded projects is highly preferred
• Experience in usage of tools related to social media analysis; Artificial Intelligence; visualization is highly preferred.

Application instructions:

To apply, please submit your application via the following link no later than July 23, 2024 https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6116f86e2e7d442f96cc45447742b1d6

Please complete the required information and upload your cover letter and CV for consideration. 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.

Chemonics values the protection of your personal data. If you are in the European Union, please read our EU Recruiting Data Privacy Notice to learn how we process personal data. You may access the notice via the following link: https://chemonics.com/eu-recruiting-data-privacy-notice/.