Senior Project Manager on Railway Infrastructure (Категорія 1)

Senior Project Manager: Railway Infrastructure

(Category 1)

1. Objective(s) and Linkages to Reforms

The Recovery and Reform Support Team (RST) at the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine (MDCT 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 Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine will be: 

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

The Railway Transport Reform is one of the largest and one of the top priorities of the Government of Ukraine and the Ministry in Transport Infrastructure sector. Reforming the railway industry according to European models, in particular, the adoption of the Law of Ukraine “On the Safety and Interoperability of Railway Transport in Ukraine” and the Law of Ukraine “On the Railway Transport Market”, is one of the Ukraine Plan indicators and is an important precondition for Ukraine’s European integration course. 

The Senior Project Manager on Railway Infrastructure will be primarily responsible for coordinating, managing, and overseeing the implementation of projects related to Railway Transport Reform in cooperation with the Ministry, ensuring alignment with the requirements of the EU acquis and taking into account priorities defined in the Ukraine Plan, Annual European Commission’s Enlargement Reports on Ukraine, the National Transport Strategy of Ukraine up to 2030, and other relevant strategic documents.

The Senior Project Manager will lead project planning and execution, monitor progress and risks, ensure effective coordination among stakeholders, and support the development and implementation of project-related activities, including preparation of analytical, presentational, and reporting materials. The role will also include providing managerial and strategic support to the Ministry during the EU accession process in areas related to railway transport, as well as coordinating activities and resolving organisational and operational issues linked to the EU–Ukraine Solidarity Lanes project.

2. Position and Reporting Line

The Senior Project Manager on Railway Infrastructure will be a full-time consultant within the Reform Support Team (RST). The consultant will report to the RST Deputy Director on Transport Infrastructure and work in close collaboration with the Deputy Ministers responsible for the reform. The Senior Project Manager is needed to draft, supervise and support the necessary products (documents) related to Railway Transport Reform.

3. Duration of the Assignment

The consultancy appointment is expected to start in August 2026.

Duration of the assignment has an estimated duration till July 2027, subject to the availability of project funding, the consultant’s performance, and the specific requirements of the RST. This appointment may be extended.

4. Main Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Project Manager is expected to support the Ministry with the following:

• support in development of the railway sector reform agenda and work plans;
• cooperation with relevant stakeholders (experts, government officials, donors, etc.) in the context of railway transport reform;
• analysis of current legislation in the railway sector and preparation of comments for its improvement;
• drafting Ukrainian legal and sub-legal acts in accordance with the EU–UA Association Agreement;
• legal expertise for draft laws and bylaws during their approval by the Ministries, Cabinet of Ministers, Parliament, and other state agencies;
• support of the draft Law “On Safety and Interoperability of Railway Transport of Ukraine” during its parliamentary consideration in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine until its adoption;
• drafting, submission into the national legislative procedure and support of the draft Law “On the Railway Transport Market” during its parliamentary consideration in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine until its adoption;
• drafting other laws and secondary legislation for the implementation of the provisions of the above-mentioned laws of Ukraine;
• providing legal support for the creation (reorganisation) of public administration bodies in the field of railway transport in accordance with the EU acquis;
• unbundling of JSC “Ukrainian Railways” and implementation of a new tariff system (in line with the EU acquis);
• assistance in the implementation of the public service obligations concept for passenger transportation;
• improvement of railway operational processes and services;
• attracting and coordinating financing and technical assistance for the recovery and development of Ukraine’s rail transport sector including the development of PPP mechanisms to leverage private investment for rail infrastructure projects;
• planning Ministry activities (e.g., holding or participating in meetings, workshops, study visits, etc.) related to European integration and implementation of the National Transport Strategy of Ukraine in the railway sector;
• raising public awareness of the progress of railway sector reform in Ukraine;
• mentoring and coordination of the expert team assigned to the project;
• performing other responsibilities as assigned by the RST Director and the RST Deputy Director.

Expected deliverables:

• Ukrainian legal and sub-legal acts aligned with the EU–UA Association Agreement in the context of railway transport reform;
• draft Law “On the Railway Transport Market” developed and submitted into the national legislative procedure for adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine;
• draft bylaws for the implementation of the provisions of the above-mentioned laws of Ukraine;
• public service obligations concept for passenger transportation developed;
• recommendations and inputs for regular reports to international donors in the required formats, including monthly and quarterly reports, annual work plans in the railway sector, and final reports on the results of the ITA Project implementation;
• regular progress reports prepared on the development and implementation of railway sector reforms, highlighting key milestones, challenges, and recommendations;
• analytical and advisory inputs prepared to support the Ministry in structuring public-private partnerships (PPPs) and private investment models for the restoration and development of rail infrastructure. 

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: 

• Master’s degree or equivalent of a post-graduate degree in Law, International Law, Economics, Transport, Finance or other relevant field;
• a degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Public Administration/Public Affairs, or Public Policy is an advantage;
• excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills with impeccable ethical standards;
• strong analytical and presentation skills, including the ability to assess complex legal, financial, and institutional structures of projects related to railway transport;
• PC literacy in Microsoft software (PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Project), Google Apps (Gmail, Calendar, Google Docs);
• fluency in Ukrainian and English.

5.2. Professional Experience:

• minimum 7 years of professional experience;
• minimum 5 years of experience in transport infrastructure and/or public-private partnerships;
• experience in project management, public or business administration, business consulting is an advantage.

5.3. Other Competencies:

• demonstrated expertise and practical experience in public financial management will be considered an asset;
• experience with the reform implementation in Ukraine, especially as related to the railway sector will be considered as an asset;
• familiarity with current Ukraine’s reform agenda, good understanding of policy formulation processes and policy dialogues;
• proven knowledge of EU transport acquis and strategic priorities for EU integration;
• ability to manage competing priorities while ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of deliverables;
• experience in working with government entities, public institutions, and international financial organisations is an asset;
• impeccable ethical standards.

6. Funding Source

URA is implemented with the financial assistance of the EBRD-Ukraine Stabilisation and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account (MDA), contributors to which are Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.

Please note, that 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 03, 2026, 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, that 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 will be invited to the written tests. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to the interview.

^[1] The 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.