Короткотерміновий/а експерт/ка зі співробітництва територіальних громад

Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development Project, UCORD is looking for а Short-term expert on Cooperation of Territorial Hromadas

Expected Start Date: 15.04.2026 
Duration: 15.04.2026 – 20.10.2026 
Location: Remote 
No. of Working Days: Up to 150 Days 

Background  

Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development Project, UCORD, is a technical assistance project supported by Switzerland through the Swiss Cooperation Office in Ukraine (SDC) and implemented by the consultancy company 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: Khmelnytsk, Odesa, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsia & Volynska 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.   

 Introduction  

UCORD is progressing the Renaissance Clusters Grant Programme, which supports six partnership-based initiatives contributing to regional development, local economic growth, and social cohesion. These partnerships bring together hromadas and other stakeholders to jointly implement activities aligned with shared development priorities. 

In parallel, Regional Development Agencies support the preparation and coordination of three regionally significant initiatives involving multiple hromadas, particularly in infrastructure development for water and sanitation.  

Together, these initiatives provide a strong foundation for inter-municipal cooperation. However, there is a need to ensure that such cooperation is formalised, structured, and capable of continuing beyond the duration of grant support. This requires the transition from project-based collaboration towards institutionalised forms of inter-municipal cooperation, in line with the Law of Ukraine ‘On Cooperation of Territorial Communities,’ supported by clear governance arrangements. financing mechanisms and operational frameworks. 

To address this need, UCORD will engage expert to provide targeted mentorship to participating hromadas, focusing on strengthening the design, formalisation, and sustainability of inter-municipal cooperation arrangements. 

Objective of the Assignment  

The objective of this assignment is to support participating hromadas in establishing institutionalised, legally compliant, and financially sustainable inter-municipal cooperation arrangements that continue beyond project funding. 

All inter-municipal cooperation arrangements supported under this assignment will be established exclusively between participating hromadas, in accordance with Ukrainian legislation. Regional Development Agencies will facilitate this process without acting as formal partners or signatories to cooperation agreements. 

Scope of Work 

1. Assessment of Partnerships 

The expert will work closely with participating hromadas to assess each partnership, focusing on the scope of joint activities and their suitability for inter-municipal cooperation under Ukrainian legislation. Expert will also assess the institutional and financial readiness of the hromadas. This assessment will be carried out in close collaboration with participating hromadas, enabling active engagement and understanding of the process. Based on this, appropriate inter-municipal cooperation models will be identified. 

2. Design of Cooperation Arrangements 

The experts will support participating hromadas to design legally compliant and practical cooperation arrangements. This will include guiding hromadas in defining governance structures, decision-making processes, and clear roles and responsibilities, ensuring that these are developed jointly and understood by all parties. 

3. Financial Sustainability 

The experts will support hromadas in developing sustainable financing arrangements. This will include guiding them in defining cost-sharing and budgeting approaches that can be maintained within local financial frameworks. 

4. Operational Frameworks 

The experts will guide hromadas to establish clear operational arrangements for managing joint activities, services, or assets over time. This will include defining responsibilities for coordination, maintenance, and service delivery in a way that is practical and agreed upon by all parties. 

5. Legal Support and Formalisation 

The experts will support hromadas as they prepare and refine inter-municipal cooperation agreements, ensuring alignment with Ukrainian legislation. They will also guide hromadas through the approval process within their local councils. 

6. Capacity Building and Mentoring 

The experts will deliver targeted training and provide continuous mentoring on global best practices and the Ukrainian legal, administrative, and financial framework for inter-municipal cooperation. This will include cross-project sessions to support shared learning, as well as hands-on support to hromadas as they apply these principles in practice. 

7. Coordination with Partnership Mentors

The experts will coordinate closely with existing partnership mentors and relevant stakeholders to ensure alignment of support. 

Deliverables 

1 Partnership Assessment Outputs 

For each partnership, the expert will produce a concise assessment outlining the scope of joint activities, their suitability for inter-municipal cooperation under Ukrainian legislation, and the institutional and financial readiness of participating hromadas. The assessment will also include a recommended model of cooperation. 

2 Draft Cooperation Frameworks 

The expert will work with participating hromadas to develop structured cooperation frameworks for each partnership. These will define governance arrangements, roles and responsibilities, decision-making processes, and the overall structure of cooperation. 

3 Financial and Operational Plans 

The expert will support the development of practical financial and operational arrangements with participating hromadas. This will include agreed approaches to cost-sharing, indicative budgeting, and clear allocation of responsibilities for ongoing implementation. 

 4 Draft Inter-Municipal Cooperation Agreements 

The expert will support participating hromadas in preparing draft inter-municipal cooperation agreements aligned with Ukrainian legislation. These drafts will be ready for consideration and approval by the relevant local councils. 

5 Training and Knowledge Materials 

The expert will deliver structured training sessions and develop supporting materials to strengthen understanding of inter-municipal cooperation. These will draw on global best practices and be adapted to the Ukrainian context, supporting practical application by participating hromadas. 

6 Support to Approval Process 

The expert will support participating hromadas in obtaining formal approval of inter-municipal cooperation agreements by local councils by preparing concise briefing notes and providing a clear description of mandatory approval steps in line with Ukrainian legislation. This will include practical checklists of required procedures and documentation, as well as targeted advisory support during the process, including participation in preparatory meetings or council sessions where needed to facilitate informed decision-making. 

7 Progress Updates 

The lead expert will provide regular updates on progress across partnerships, including key developments, challenges encountered, and planned next steps.  

Qualifications of the Expert 

1 Education & Experience 

• A master’s degree in public administration, Law, Local Economic Development, or a related field. 

• Proven experience in facilitating  IMC agreements or regional development clusters in Ukraine. 

• Proven experience working with/for local governments, amalgamated hromadas, or international donor programs (e.g., U-LEAD, USAID, UNDP). 

2 Skills 

• Deep knowledge of the Ukrainian Legal framework governing inter-municipal cooperation and related budgetary and administrative regulations 

• Strong facilitation and negotiation skills with the ability to mediate between different municipal stakeholders. 

• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to review municipal budgets and legal documents. 

• Ability to prepare clear, structured reports and deliver professional presentations. 

• Good command of English (minimum B2 level). 

3 Specific Experience 

Proven experience in drafting inter-municipal agreements and supporting their practical implementation in Ukraine. 

Reporting 

The expert will report to the relevant Component Leads or their designated representatives. 

Business travel 

The performance of tasks under this ToR and the Contract may require occasional travel within Ukraine other than the expert’s place of residence. In such cases, the expert must obtain prior travel authorisation from the UCORD Project Leader. 

Following each trip, the expert shall submit a travel report with supporting documentation, including invoices, receipts, and other relevant records. Upon approval of the travel report, travel and accommodation costs will be reimbursed in accordance with project procedures. Meals may be provided where included in the programme of activities.  

Response evaluation and selection:

Interested candidates should send their proposals to [email protected] by 13 April 2026.

The proposal should include the following documents:

- а cover letter outlining relevant experience
- Up-to-date CV outlining relevant experience and qualifications
- а preferred day rate