Короткостроковий/ва національний/на експерт/ка з питань реформування адміністративно-територіального устрою та регіональної політики

Location: Kyiv

Expected start date: 21 July 2025

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, Volyn and Odesa oblasts as the starting points, targeting capacity development and awareness-raising initiatives nationwide. 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. 

Under Component 1, UCORD aims to contribute to the implementation of Chapter 22 of the EU Aquis “Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments”, recommendations from the EU Ukraine Report 2024, and the updated State Strategy for Regional Development for 2021-2027, in particular, tasks 13, 14, 15 in the area of capacity building of state regional policy actors, operational objective 1: Development of institutional capacity of public authorities based on EU best practices, strategic objective: Development of effective multi-level governance; operational objective 2: Meeting the needs of the population for quality administrative and public services. 

In this context, UCORD is looking to engage a Short-term National Expert on reforming the administrative and territorial structure and regional policy, who is expected to perform the following tasks: 

• The expert will analyse the Constitution of Ukraine, other laws and regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in the field of administrative and territorial structure of Ukraine. Prepare proposals for a draft Law of Ukraine ‘On the Administrative and Territorial Structure’, in which a community is defined as an administrative and territorial unit (ATU) of the basic level and the list of ATUs is fixed – community, district, region, and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
• The expert will analyse the administrative and territorial structure of Ukraine at the level of communities and districts, based on the results of the 2020 reform. Prepare conclusions and proposals based on the lessons learnt. Develop proposals for a new methodology for assessing the capacity of communities and the effectiveness of local self-government bodies. 
• The expert will develop proposals for a new version of the official translation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.
• The expert will prepare proposals for granting legal capacity to a community in the form of a legal entity under public law.
• The expert will develop proposals for the distribution of powers between the levels of public authorities and their consolidation in the Ukrainian legislation.
• The expert will develop proposals for amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On Local State Administrations’ (new version) on bringing their status closer to prefectural-type bodies and providing administrative supervision of local self-government bodies by local state administrations.
• The expert will analyse the situation of the territories bordering russia. Prepare proposals on the procedure for managing depopulated areas where it is impossible to form communities in accordance with the law and methodology, as well as the procedure for managing and providing services to citizens in situations where there are no local authorities in the communities.
• The expert will analyse and prepares amendments to the Electoral Code of Ukraine regarding local elections. 
• The expert will provide consultations to MinDevelopment on promoting advocacy for amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On Bodies of Self-Organisation of the Population’, providing for different formats of their formation and functioning at different levels (draft law No. 6319).
• The expert will provide consultations to MinDevelopment on promoting advocacy for amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On Associations of Local Self-Government Bodies’ to increase their role in shaping state policy on local self-government development.
• The expert will prepare proposals for the introduction of regional self-government in Ukraine and the implementation of Chapter 22 of the EU Aquis “Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments”, recommendations outlined in the EU’s Ukraine Report 2024. 
• The expert will prepare proposals for amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine based on the European model of local self-government, introduction of regional self-government, reform of local executive power at the subnational level.

Candidate Qualifications

Education & Knowledge:

A master or PhD degree in economics, public administration, law or a related field.

Deep knowledge in the following areas is required:  

• Ukrainian Constitutional Law and Administrative Law and Procedure.
• Theory and Practice of Public Administration and Region Policy.
• Legal mechanisms of reform, especially constitutional, judicial, administrative.
• Ukrainian Legislative Process.

Experience:

• At least 15 years in leadership roles within law, public administration, analytical centers or NGOs

• At least 15 years Proven practical experience in developing or implementing key political-legal reforms, especially constitutional, judicial, administrative, regional policy and local government, civil service reform.
• Experience working within the Cabinet of Ministers or central executive bodies in leadership or expert roles.
• Participation in drafting, reviewing, and promoting legislation
• Active participation in public councils, expert commissions, think tanks.
• Record of publications in law, politics, or public administration
• Proven track record in managing and coordinating complex projects with multiple stakeholders

Skills:

• Ability to organize and deliver consultative processes with a wide range of stakeholders, with a special attention to government entities
• A track record of effective communication and liaison with the government

• Ability to formulate long-term development and reform strategies.
• Capacity to analyze complex legal, political, and institutional problems, assess risks and consequences
• Proven skills in leading teams and managing projects.
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse stakeholders: civil servants, MPs, public, international partners
• Capacity to provide high-quality expert assessments and recommendations to senior leadership
• Skills in planning, organizing, and monitoring project execution
• Ability to conduct legal and political research

Evaluation of response & selection: 

• The expert will collaborate with the UCORD Component 1 Leader;
• Interested applicants should send their proposals to [email protected] no later than July 11, 2025

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.