Senior Project Manager on Inland Waterways Transport (Категорія 1)

Senior Project Manager: Inland Waterways Transport

(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.

Inland waterways transport reform, as part of the broader Transport Infrastructure priority area, remains one of the key priorities of the Government of Ukraine and the Ministry. The development of an efficient, safe, and competitive water transport system is essential for meeting the transport needs of the national economy, improving logistics connectivity, and strengthening Ukraine’s integration into European and international transport networks.

Sea and river ports, together with inland waterways and related infrastructure, form an important part of Ukraine’s transport and industrial system. Their effective functioning directly influences the competitiveness of the national transport sector, the efficiency of cargo flows, and the country’s capacity to support economic recovery and reconstruction.

The reform is aimed at improving the management, operation, and development of inland waterways and inland waterways infrastructure in line with modern international requirements, EU standards, and best practices. This includes enhancing the technological and technical capacity of the sector, improving regulatory and institutional frameworks, and supporting the development of sustainable and efficient transport infrastructure.

The Senior Project Manager on Inland Waterways Transport is needed to provide legal and strategic support to this area of recovery and reform, including strategic planning, coordination, and monitoring of the implementation of reforms in the field of inland waterways transport in Ukraine. The main objective is to support the Ministry in developing and implementing policies, regulations, programmes, and projects aimed at the recovery, modernisation, and sustainable operation of the water transport sector.

2. Position and Reporting Line

The Senior Project Manager on Inland Waterways Transport will be a full-time consultant within the Recovery and 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.

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: 

• coordination of RST activities and expert team inputs related to inland waterways transport reform, including mentoring and guidance of the expert team assigned to the project;
• cooperation with relevant stakeholders, including experts, government officials, donors, associations, the business community and other partners, including through participation in sectoral working groups related to inland waterways transport reform;
• identification of problems, obstacles and regulatory barriers arising during reform implementation, preparation of analytical materials and proposals for their elimination, and communication of key issues requiring decisions by the RST Director;
• analysis of national and international standards, EU requirements and best practices for the operation and development of inland waterways transport and their integration into strategic and regulatory documents;
• project management support, including development of reform implementation plans, roadmaps, schedules, risk management and change management tools;
• support in the development, preparation, adoption and approval of laws and by-laws in the inland waterways transport sector;
• consulting and expert support in the preparation, development, submission and approval of strategies, programmes, concepts, action plans and other strategic documents in the inland waterways transport sector;
• preparation of proposals for the restoration and development of inland waterways transport infrastructure;
• providing advisory, analytical, organisational and project management support to the Ministry in relation to the preparation, coordination and implementation of infrastructure projects, including the development of public-private partnership (PPP) mechanisms to leverage private investment, structured in close collaboration and synergy with the maritime sector;
• preparation of timely and high-quality reports, status updates and public communication materials on the progress of inland waterways transport reform for the Ministry, the RST Director and publication purposes;
• performing other responsibilities as assigned by the RST Director and the RST Deputy Director.

Expected deliverables:

• draft laws and by-laws in the inland waterways transport sector developed, reviewed and supported in the course of their preparation, submission and consideration under the national legislative procedure, aimed at implementing relevant EU acts provided for under the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement and the National Programme for the Adaptation of Ukrainian Legislation to the EU acquis;
• draft by-laws and other implementing acts developed, reviewed and supported in the course of their preparation, submission and consideration under the national legislative procedure, with a view to implementing the Law of Ukraine “On Inland Water Transport”;
• advisory, analytical, organisational and project management inputs prepared to support the Ministry in matters related to the preparation, coordination and implementation of infrastructure projects, including, where relevant, projects involving PPP mechanisms and other private investment models, developed in close alignment and coordination with the maritime sector;
• recommendations and inputs for regular reports to international donors in the required formats, including monthly and quarterly reports, annual work plans in the inland waterways transport sector, and final reports on the results of the ITA Project implementation;
• regular progress reports prepared on the development and implementation of inland waterways transport reform, highlighting key milestones, challenges, and recommendations.

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 maritime/inland waterways 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:

• proven knowledge of EU transport acquis and strategic priorities for EU integration;
• familiarity with current Ukraine’s reform agenda, good understanding of policy formulation processes and policy dialogues;
• experience with the reform implementation in Ukraine, especially as related to the inland waterways sector will be considered as an asset;
• 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.