Expert: Public and Affordable Housing / Експерт/ка: Соціальне і доступне житло

Expert: Public and Affordable Housing

1. Objective(s) and Linkages to Reforms

The Recovery and Reform Support Team (RST) at the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine (MCTID or Ministry) is a group of Ukrainian professionals (non-civil servants) funded on a temporary basis through the Ukraine Recovery and Reform Architecture (URA)[1] programme that provides targeted technical support and assists the Ministry in the design and implementation of priority reforms. The RST will assist in filling capacity gaps in the design and implementation of priority reform strategies and programmes, while strengthening links and partnerships between the Ministry`s priorities and relevant donor support.

Priority areas for the RST at the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine will be:

• Transport Infrastructure;
• Municipal Infrastructure;
• Regional Development and Decentralisation;
• Digitalisation;
• Public Administration Reform and Capacity Building.

Housing Policy Reform is one of the top priorities of the Government of Ukraine and the Ministry. Housing Policy sector includes the development and adoption of the Law of Ukraine “On Basic Principles of Housing Policy”, the Law of Ukraine “On Social Housing”, and the State Strategy of Housing Policy (as part of the implementation of the above legislative acts). These amendments are driven by the urgent need to update the legislation on citizens’ rights in housing, which should, among other things, address the problems of providing housing for socially vulnerable groups and internally displaced persons. Directly further reform of the social housing sector remains equally relevant, with the aim of providing social houses to Ukraine’s citizens.

Such legislative developments require special attention from the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine in their further implementation.

The Expert on Public and Affordable Housing will support the implementation of Housing Policy reform at the Ministry, focusing on developing by-laws, and their practical implementation. The Expert will be responsible for supporting the development and implementation of the Law of Ukraine “On Basic Principles of Housing Policy”, the Law of Ukraine “On Social Housing”, the State Housing Policy Strategy, as well as implementation plans and legal secondary acts, and improvement of other legislation related to public and affordable housing. The Expert will prepare information and analytical materials, draft presentations, organise events and meetings, etc.

2. Position and Reporting Line

The Expert on Public and Affordable Housing will be a full-time consultant at the RST and primarily cooperate with the relevant departments of the Ministry.

A highly qualified professional is needed to draft, supervise and support the necessary products (documents) related to the public and affordable housing sector.

The Expert will be subordinated to the RST Director and the RST Deputy Director on Municipal Infrastructure as well as Senior Project Manager on Housing Policy.

3. Duration of the Assignment

This consultancy appointment is expected to start in September 2024 and has an estimated duration till August 2025. Subject to the availability of funding, performance of the selected consultant and the specific needs of the RST, this appointment may be extended.

4. Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Collect, analyse, elaborate and submit of all relevant documents and materials (e.g. work plans, reports, analyses and proposals) needed for the activities of all relevant technical aid projects and expert missions;
• support the identification, collection, and analysis of relevant data and information;
• contribute to the drafting and developing policies, legislation and policy measures in public and affordable housing, as well as concepts, programs and secondary legislation;
• provide all necessary support required to ensure implementation of the new regulation;
• assist in the design, preparation and coordination of implementation of strategic framework in public and affordable housing;
• prepare of timely and quality reports and status updates on implementation progress;
• prepare of slides for presentations and/or information for infographics;
• draft reports and analytical materials for the donors/stakeholders on public and affordable housing related initiatives, the status of their implementation, etc.;
• assist with consultations with relevant stakeholders (as regards draft legal acts and strategic policy documents);
• regularly liaise with EU experts and international financing institutions on the issues related to public and affordable housing in Ukraine;
• other responsibilities as assigned by the RST Director and the RST Deputy Director on Municipal Infrastructure, as well as Senior Project Manager on Housing Policy.

The specified lists of the scope of work, services and expected deliverables can be modified and supplemented on request from the Ministry and in agreement with the EBRD and the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

5. Qualifications, Skills and Experience

 5.1. Qualifications and Skills:

• At least a Bachelor’s degree in Law, International Relations, Public Administration, Economics, Housing, Social Science or other relevant field;
• good understanding of Housing Policy Reform in Ukraine and relevant regulations/legislation;
• strong analytical, communication and presentation skills;
• impeccable ethical standards, and outstanding leadership skills;
• PC literacy in Microsoft software (PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Project), Google Apps (Gmail, Calendar, Google Docs);
• fluent Ukrainian and English.

 5.2. Professional Experience:

• More than 5 years of general professional experience;
• preferably 3 years of experience in housing and/or social policy, public sector consulting or related areas.

 5.3. Other Competencies:

• Proven knowledge and professional experience in housing policy;
• proven knowledge of Ukrainian legislation on housing policy and social housing;
• familiarity with current Ukraine’s reform agenda, good understanding of policy formulation processes and policy dialogues;
• experience with government entities and their mandate and processes is an asset.

6. Funding Source

The funding source of this assignment is the EBRD Ukraine Stabilisation and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account (MDA). Contributors to the MDA are Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, the largest donor.

Please note, selection and contracting will be subject to the availability of funding.

 7. Submissions

Submissions must be prepared in English only and be delivered electronically by August 21, 2024, 23:59 (Kyiv time) to [email protected]

All submissions must include:

• a completed Application Form;
• the candidate’s Curriculum Vitae;
• NDA form;
• contact details of three referees who, if contacted, can attest to the professional and/or educational background of the candidate.

Important notice: only Ukrainian nationals are eligible to apply; civil servants are not eligible to apply unless 6 months have elapsed since they left such employment.

Only applications, which have been submitted using the correct template and are fully completed, will be considered.

8. Selection Procedure

Following the evaluation of all applications received, selected candidates may be invited to the written tests. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to the interview.

[1] Ukraine Recovery and Reform Architecture (URA) is a comprehensive technical assistance programme deployed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in partnership with the European Union, to support critical recovery and reform processes in Ukraine. URA is financed from the Ukraine Stabilisation and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account (MDA) managed by the EBRD.