Request for proposals. Institutional Support Coordinator. PROSTO Support to Services Accessibility in Ukraine

Location: Kyiv
Duration: until 31 January 2024 with a possibility for continuation  

SALAR International is looking for an Institutional Support Coordinator to the project PROSTO Support to Services Accessibilities in Ukraine. The position shall be a full-time consultancy contract for a period of five months starting as soon as possible.

The coordinator should be an experienced, professional, self-motivated person, who can work effectively in a dynamic and changing environment and manage people and processes to reach the targeted results within a limited time. SALAR International is looking for candidates who are experienced in managing teams and projects in contexts similar to the Ukrainian decentralisation reform. The position requires integrity, innovation, problem-solving skills, professionalism, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to lead others.

About SALAR International & its engagement in Ukraine

SALAR International is a subsidiary to the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR), representing all 290 municipalities and 21 regions in Sweden. As the international branch of SALAR, we work globally in supporting local democracy and good governance in developing and transition countries. Our expertise covers areas such as capacity building on municipal management and service delivery; local and regional development; decentralisation policies; support to local government associations; and European Integration. Geographically, SALAR International’s projects covers countries in Central and Eastern Europe as well as Africa and Latin America.

With support of the Swedish government, SALAR-International has been engaged in Ukraine since 2014 providing support to Ukraine’s decentralisation process through three major initiatives; a) the ongoing Support to Decentralisation in Ukraine (DSP), a nine-year policy- and institutional-building project that aims to strengthen democracy, improve governance and better service delivery to the citizens of Ukraine 2)  Component 2 of the EU-financed Ukraine Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development (U-LEAD) 2016-2021 and 3) since 2021 with the ongoing Support to Administrative Services Development in Ukraine (PROSTO). Further described below.

Building on the achievements of the DSP and PROSTO-projects, SALAR/SALAR-International is currently developing a multi-year programme proposal to Sida for continued support to the decentralisation process and that aims to strengthen local-self governance and empower municipalities to be active agents in Ukraine’s recovery and development. If the proposal is accepted, it is expected that several work areas currently covered by the DSP and Prosto projects will continue within the framework of the new programme and with a start no later than 2024.

Description of the assignment context

PROSTO: Support to Services Accessibility in Ukraine is based on SALAR/SALAR-International’s experience in implementing U-LEAD. The project is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and implemented from June 2021 to January 2024. The main objective is to improve the capacity of local authorities to deliver administrative services for the benefit of the residents in Ukraine.

The Project's main areas of activity are:

• Policy and advocacy – support in advancing legislation and public policies to improve the availability and quality of administrative services in hromadas.
• Expert support – consulting hromadas on how to establish or modernize ASCs, increase the quantity and quality of services provided, work with starostas.
• Training programs – training activities for local governments, ASC management, and staff so that they could provide services to hromadas more effectively.
• Citizen engagement and information sharing – strengthening the ability of hromadas to inform about ASC services and to involve residents in the democratic processes in hromadas.

Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, project activities have been adapted to changing circumstances and needs. In addition, the project initiated crisis and recovery support to hromadas previously occupied by Russia and greatly affected by the war. The crisis and recovery support includes different types of material support and is based on the needs of specific hromadas and assessments of the effectiveness of support.

More information about the project at https://prosto.in.ua/ua/

Organisational set up

The project team includes 15 full-time consultants in Ukraine and a management unit in Sweden. The Institutional Support Coordinator is one of the most senior positions in the Ukrainian office. This person will lead and support multiple units who work directly with hromadas and enhance coordination between them. The coordinator will also work closely with management unit, administrative unit, and report to the management in Stockholm.

The role of the Institutional Support Coordinator

The coordinator shall oversee and ensure that the activities are delivered in partner hromadas according to the project’s objectives and established work plans with a high level of quality and efficiency. The coordinator shall monitor and manage risks and work collaboratively to solve issues that may arise during implementation. In December 2023, the project (in its current form) is going into its last stage of the implementation period and focus will be on wrapping up, reporting and laying the foundation for continued work.

The following is a preliminary outline of tasks that is the responsibility of the Coordinator.

Management and coordination

• Lead the work of the units in Ukraine whose task is to offer comprehensive support, consultations, training  and goods to hromadas and ACSs. Number of people to manage is up to 8-9 persons
• Coordinate the response to hromadas’ requests (mainly Help Desk experts support). This includes disseminating and tracking of requests submitted by hromadas
• Coordinate and monitor preliminary planned events (mainly webinars and training sessions – online and offline) within the units, provide technical assistance and support together with administrative unit, when needed.
• Track the progress of Project activities within the units.
• Ensure that consultants follow same quality standards and approach when delivering support to partner hromadas.
• Ensure good communication and coordination between all units/experts and smooth flow of information and documents between them.
• Ensure that the activities are managed effectively and manage any issues impacting on their delivery.
• Manage risks in coordination with Stockholm office, and, if necessary, suggest changes to work plans and timelines.
• Oversee the work of the experts and specialists in relevant units and manage any issues regarding their performance, in consultation with project management, ensuring a sound and healthy working environment and team cooperation.

Communication

• Identifying best practices achieved by partners with experts’ support
• Keep SALAR International in Stockholm and Kyiv continuously updated about project progress, issues and successes
• Contribute to development of communication material and project communication efforts
• Coordinate efforts and communicate in transparent way with main local, regional and national stakeholders as well as international projects.

Monitoring, evaluation and reporting

• On-going monitoring, reporting and communication with the Stockholm office and together with the Ukrainian team  
• Contribute to final reporting to Sida
• Maintain and contribute to the quality assuring and the monitoring system

Required Skills and Experience

• Minimum Bachelor Level Degree of education in a relevant field of study
• High level of management skills, minimum 3 years of experience in project and team management
• Experience leading teams of minimum 5 team members and proven ability to strategically inspire and energise project teams
• Hands-on experience from implementation of similar projects in Ukraine or in the region
• Understanding of decentralisation and local governance in Ukraine. Previous experience establishing Administrative Service Centres or similar structures is an asset
• Experience of gathering and analysing data, developing evidence-based recommendations
• High level of representation and negotiation skills
• Excellent social and networking skills, ability to develop good relationships with different stakeholders
• Good judgement and ability to respond flexibly in a dynamic environment
• Ability to work effectively in an international team and have a pro-active and collaborative attitude
• Excellent communication (written and oral), reporting and presentation skills
• Fluency of Ukrainian and English

Conditions & Logistics

A consultancy contract will be signed between SALAR International and the consultant, which will outline the conditions for the position in detail. Please note this position is not an employment position, meaning that applicants must be established as consultants and will be liable to pay all relevant taxes and insurances. 

A competitive consultancy fee will be offered to the successful candidate.

Duration, Scope & potential for continuation

A consultancy contract (from starting date until 31st January 2024) will be signed between SALAR International and the Institutional Support Coordinator.

The assignment is a full time position.

If SALAR’s proposal for a multi-year programme in Ukraine is accepted and the assignment has been completed successfully, a continued engagement of the Institutional Support Coordinator can be foreseen in the new programme.

Evaluation of response & selection

Interested applicants should send their proposal, comprising the following documents, to SALAR International no later than September 10th, 2023:

1. A short explanation of the applicant’s suitability for the assignment (maximum one A4-page)
2. Up-to-date CV indicating relevant experience and qualifications

The Coordinator will be selected based on candidates’ professional experience and competences matching the requirements described above.

This Request for Position is issued on August 16th, 2023. Proposals should be sent latest September 10th, 2023, by email to: opportunity@salarinternational.se

Questions should be submitted not later than September 8th, 2023.

Mark your email with Institutional Support Coordinator PROSTO in the subject. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Early applicants are encouraged.

No compensation is paid for proposals and interviews during the recruitment process.

Interviews with shortlisted applicants are expected to be held in person or via Teams/Zoom in the period between the end of August – early September.

Only shortlisted applicants will receive a respond by email after final round of interviews.

The personal information provided by the applicant in the recruitment process will be handled by SALAR International.

Diversity and equal opportunities

SALAR International embraces diversity and respects human rights in all areas of its work. SALAR International strives to create a gender-equal and diverse working environment. Consultants shall respect equal rights of individuals and strive to create an atmosphere where people’s differences are accepted and valued.

SALAR International supports working arrangements that enable personnel to combine work with family commitments.