The REC is implementing the project «Local Initiatives for a Sustainable Ukraine» (LINK), the goal of which is to strengthen local capacities for a resource-efficient economy and diversified sources of energy by bringing together policy makers, businesses and civil society at local level to enable positive change in Ukraine. The LINK project comprises three work packages: Local Environmental and Energy Security Action Planning (LESP LINK); Civil Society Support (CSO LINK); and Education for sustainable development (Citizens Pack LINK).

The LINK project aims to:

• integrate environmental and energy security issues into local development planning processes;
• build the capacities of local authorities and identify investment opportunities for prioritised environmental, energy efficiency and energy recovery projects;
• develop mechanisms for the sustainable use and management of natural resources, including energy security;
• foster civic involvement and transparency in governmental decision making;
• support, educate and strengthen local civil society organisations as a key stakeholder in any drive for more accountable and legitimate government, greater social cohesion and democracy, and more inclusive and effective policy making; and
• educate a variety of stakeholders (including families, young people, CSOs and schoolteachers) about the sustainable use and management of natural resources, including energy security, with the help of an interactive multimedia toolkit tailor-made for Ukrainian citizens.

The LINK project builds on the results of successful cooperation with three municipalities (Cherkasy, Ivano-Frankivsk and Poltava) under the REC project “Local Environmental and Energy Action Planning (LEAPs) for Sustainable Development, Energy Diversification and Civic Engagement in Communities in Ukraine”, financed by the U.S. Department of State, which comes to an end in December 2015.
Objectives of the LESP component of the LINK programme

The LESP component of the LINK project will provide support to five local communities in Ukraine, helping them to build their capacities to deal with energy-related environmental issues, improve their environmental planning and investments, and shift towards more strategic environmental management and energy security.

LESP LINK aims to:

• integrate environmental and energy security issues into local development planning processes;
• build the capacities of local authorities to identify investment opportunities for priority environmental, energy efficiency and energy recovery projects; and
• develop mechanisms for the sustainable use and management of natural resources, including energy security.

The LINK project is being implemented in the following partner communities: Cherkasy, Ivano-Frankivsk, Poltava, Berdychiv and Lubny.

The role of regional coordinator

The regional coordinator will be based in Ukraine and will work closely with the REC team and with the five local coordinators who will be hired by the REC to coordinate LESP LINK activities in all five beneficiary municipalities. Two of the municipalities (Lubny and Berdychiv) will be developing local energy security action plans (LESPs) for the first time; and the other three municipalities (Ivano-Frankivsk, Cherkasy and Poltava) have already developed LESPs under the REC’s earlier project. In all five municipalities, the regional coordinator will support the local coordinators in assisting the capacity-building programmes implemented by the REC under the LINK programme, as well as in the implementation of one priority action contained in the action plans.

The role of the regional coordinator is to:

Assist local coordinators in the two municipalities that are developing LESPs (Lubny and Berdychiv), ensuring that they:

• coordinate the gathering of a wide group of stakeholders (representatives of local authorities, civil society, academia, public utility companies, business, media) and the formation of a working group (WG);
• maintain constant communication with the WG;
• facilitate communication and the transfer of knowledge from the REC to the WG;
• ensure compliance with guidelines and procedures set out in the LESP methodology;
• ensure the timely completion of the LESP document;
• facilitate the distribution of work among the WG;
• coordinate the work of each WG member;
• assist in writing/compiling the LESP document;
• compile the final version of the LESP document; and
• follow local procedures to incorporate the LESP as a working document of the district.
• Assist local coordinators in all five municipalities and ensure that they:
• coordinate and assist in the implementation of the REC-organised capacity-building programmes in the municipalities, including training in carrying out energy audits (i.e. using integrated modelling for tracking energy consumption, production and resource extraction in various sectors of an economy, accounting for both energy sector and non-energy sector greenhouse gas emission sources and sinks, and analysing emissions of local air pollutants), as well as training in project preparation and using instruments for financing energy efficiency projects;
• oversee the energy audits of selected sector(s) of a municipality’s economy carried out by local energy experts trained by the REC;
• oversee the development of policy recommendations produced using the results of the energy audit; and
• oversee the process of transforming action plans into concrete project proposals and the implementation of one pilot project supported by the REC.

Timeframe

The position is for a fixed period of 12 months, with the possibility of extension.

Key Tasks

• Coordinate the work of the local coordinators in five municipalities.
• Encourage and motivate local coordinators, municipality representatives, WG members and energy experts.
• Ensure the quality and the timely completion of LESP documents, energy audits, policy recommendations and project proposals
• Oversee the implementation of a pilot project.
• Submit monthly reports to the REC team on the progress of activities.

Anticipated outputs include:

• The timely completion and adoption of LESP documents in compliance with LESP methodology guidelines and procedures.
• The incorporation of LESP documents into working documents for the district.
• The successful completion of capacity-building programmes (LESP development, energy audits, the preparation of project proposals using actions from the LESP, the use of instruments for financing energy efficiency) for staff in all five municipalities.
• Energy audits of selected sector(s) of the municipality’s economy performed and policy recommendations produced.
• The timely preparation of project proposals (using actions contained in the action plan) and the implementation of one pilot project (contained in the action plan) supported by the REC in all five municipalities.
• Monthly progress reports.

Specific requirements

The regional coordinator must have the following set of skills and competencies: 

• knowledge of local governance structures and their functioning;
• an understanding of the principles of sustainable development; knowledge of energy-related issues is an asset;
• a demonstrated ability to coordinate the work of stakeholders/working groups;
• communication and conflict mediation skills;
• an excellent command of the English language; and
• an ability to produce reports.

Application procedure

The REC is inviting applications from individuals with the experience and skills described above.

Applications must include: 

• a CV in English detailing relevant skills and experience; and
• a price offer (in EUR) indicating the monthly fee (please use the REC’s sample price quotation form).

Applications should be submitted to the REC by Monday, November 30, 2015, at 17:00 (UTC+1 Budapest time) to [email protected].

Please include “LESP LINK Regional Coordinator” in the subject line.