Recovery Specialist / Фахівець(-чиня) з питань відновлення

U-RESTORE is a five-year initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Cowater International in partnership with Ukrainian civil society and academic institutions. The project seeks to enhance the resilience of local communities, particularly women and groups in vulnerable situations, in 12 hromadas across two oblasts in government-controlled areas of Ukraine by fostering a collaborative and transparent local recovery process. U-RESTORE will increase the effectiveness of national ministries and hromadas in coordinating and managing gender-responsive and inclusive recovery, while strengthening Ukrainian civil society to better support recovery and hold government accountable. The Project will work with civil society organizations, especially those representing women and groups in vulnerable situations, to influence recovery decision-making in hromadas and foster inclusive and transparent governance. It will also implement social infrastructure reconstruction and small-scale economic development projects responding to priority community needs.  

Description of Position: The Recovery Specialist is responsible for planning, coordinating, and ensuring the high-quality implementation of capacity building activities and inclusive local recovery processes in target hromadas. The Specialist serves as a key link between the technical team in Kyiv, communities, central government bodies, and civil society partners, providing methodological support, expert support, and quality control of the implementation of activities.

Responsibilities: 

1. Inclusive Recovery Processes 

• Plan and facilitate participatory consultations, community dialogues, and Local Recovery Committee (LRC) meetings, ensuring inclusive participation of women, youth, and marginalized groups. 

• Ensure the systematic integration of inclusive participation practices, actively promoting the engagement of women, youth, and vulnerable groups across all recovery processes. 

• Provide expert guidance to hromadas on project tools for recovery planning and monitoring. 

• Deliver continued coaching and mentorship to partners, supporting their effective use of inclusion, accountability, and community engagement approaches. 

• Support hromadas and partners in applying project-developed tools for inclusive recovery planning and monitoring. 

• Сoordinate and support the implementation of daily project activities, including organizing events and travel, producing high?quality meeting notes and reports, and contributing to project planning and management. 

2. Capacity-Building and Technical Support 

• Coordinate the delivery of assessments, training, workshops, and peer learning events for CSOs, WLOs, and hromadas. 

• Contribute to the adaptation of training materials and methodologies to local contexts. 

• Monitor partners progress in terms of their capacity building goals and plans. 

• Draft the TORs for consultants, review their reports and monitor results of their technical assistance. 

3. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) (with technical guidance from MEL Specialist) 

• Collect data on community engagement, participation quality, and inclusiveness of recovery initiatives in target hromadas. 

• Support the roll-out of community scorecards, participatory monitoring tools, and other accountability mechanisms. 

• Document case studies, lessons learned, and community feedback to inform adaptive project management. 

4. Coordination and Reporting 

• Maintain regular coordination with regional teams, partners, hromadas, CSOs, and WLOs to ensure smooth information flow and timely follow?up on inclusion issues. 

• Produce analytical inputs, including field notes, concise reports, and contributions to project monitoring and donor reporting, specifically highlighting trends, risks, and progress related to inclusion and accountability in recovery processes. 

Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Sociology, Gender Studies, Development Studies, or a related field (Master’s degree an asset). 

• Minimum 5 years of experience supporting local governance, recovery, community-driven development, or social inclusion programs. 

• Practical experience working with local governments in Ukraine. 

• Understanding gender equality, social inclusion, and community accountability principles. 

• Demonstrated experience in facilitating participatory processes, trainings, or community engagement events. 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders. 

• Strong skills in data collection, documentation, and reporting. 

• Fluency in Ukrainian and working level of English are required. 

• Willingness to travel regularly to project sites. 

• Commitment to human rights, gender equality, and inclusive governance. 

• Ability to operationalize abstract frameworks into practical field-level activities. 

• Strong organizational and follow-up skills. 

• Problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork. 

Employment Conditions: 

This is a national position and will be filled by a Ukrainian national based in Kyiv. 

Application Process 

The application deadline is April 3, 2026. To be considered, please send your documents to [email protected] using the following format: Last Name, First Name – Position Title, salary expectation. 
 
We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We particularly welcome and encourage applications from women, individuals of diverse backgrounds and identities, as well as Ukrainian nationals.   

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer. Employment is based on merit and qualifications relevant to professional experience and position requirements. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other status protected by law. 

We thank all applicants; however, only that shortlisted will be contacted. 

About Us 

Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company founded in 1985. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada and with corporate hubs in Montreal, Canada, Brussels, Belgium, and London, UK. Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements, and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017. 
We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow.