Project Title: Rada za Evropu: Capacity-Building in Support of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Job Description

• Agency: UNDP
• Title: Parliamentary Development Expert
• Practice Area – Job Family: Democratic Governance
• Vacancy End Date: (Midnight New York, USA) 25/07/2016
• Time Left: 4d 20h 57m
• Duty Station: Kiev, Ukraine
• Education & Work Experience: I-Master’s Level Degree – 5 year(s) experience
• Languages Required: English, Russian, Ukrainian
• Grade: SB4
• Vacancy Type: Service Contract (SC)
• Posting Type: External
• Bureau: Europe & the CIS
• Contract Duration: 6 month (initially with a possibility of extension)

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU) plays a pivotal role in the implementation of Ukraine’s reform agenda and in particular the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. The role of the VRU in this process is becoming increasingly visible to Ukraine’s international partners as well as to its general population. It is therefore crucial that the VRU is reformed and “modernised” and is able to sustain its responsible constitutional role over time. This particularly becomes necessary when the legislative burden is set to increase in connection with the full implementation of the Association Agreement from 2016 onwards.

In order to quantify and substantiate the institution’s needs a “Memorandum of Understanding between the European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada on a joint framework for parliamentary support and capacity-building” was signed on 3 July 2015. The scope of the parliamentary support programme was set out during a 3-month Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) carried out between October 2015 and February 2016, under the leadership of the former European Parliament President Pat Cox. The NAM deployed several expert fact-finding missions and conducted intensive discussions with VRU leadership, reform-minded individual MPs as well as with the Government of Ukraine. UNDP provided substantive technical support to the NAM through a Senior Parliamentary Reform Expert and its Democratic Governance Team.

The Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) provided a structured and detailed “diagnostic” of the VRU as well as with recommendations for reforms; will help with development of a long-term VRU Reform Strategy. The Strategy’s implementation will, hopefully, allow mobilising both technical and material support from the international community. The NAM report was presented to the public during the Ukraine Week in the European parliament in March 2016.

Based on NAM findings and recommendations, UNDP and European Union have launched a new Rada za Evropu: Capacity-Building in Support of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Project. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of the VRU to produce quality legislation and monitor its implementation, including legislation pertaining to the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, to fulfil its Constitutional prerogatives and to serve a model and a driving force of the reforms. The project duration is 24 months. The project budget is EUR 1,3 mln.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Project Team Leader, and in cooperation with the leadership and administration of the VRU and with the support of short-term experts, the incumbent will perform the following functions:
• Design and implement parliamentary development activities under the project;
• Develop and operationalize practical links with the European Parliament and other partner parliaments, as well as other relevant institutions, to enable leveraging parliamentary development expertise in support of the VRU;
• Initiate, manage and follow up on partnerships with national counterparts and CSOs;
• Conduct research and analysis, process data, elaborate necessary documentation to operationalize and steer project initiatives and activities;
• Lead the process of developing knowledge products, by codification of experiences and lessons learnt in the parliamentary development area;
• Draft policy recommendations on parliamentary development in line with the NAM recommendations and provide technical advice to the Parliament on the implementation of the NAM recommendations;
• Provide technical advice, liaise with the key stakeholders, officials of the Parliament, partner organizations, international and national advisors and experts in the areas of the Project intervention;
• Contribute to strengthening of the Parliament’s law-making and oversight functions, with a specific focus on EU Accession Agreement and integration related legislative processes;
• Closely cooperate and coordinate with the stakeholders that are/will be active in the area of project intervention to better integrate UNDP’s and other’s interventions in the area of Parliamentary support and to avoid duplication;
• Assure effective implementation of project support to implementation of the Ukraine Open Parliament Action Plan;
• Perform other duties as requested.

Measurable outputs of the work assignment:

• Policy advice to the Verkhovna Rada provided;
• NAM recommendations are implemented;
• Project targets met with an emphasis on quality and timeliness.

Performance Indicators for evaluation of results:

• Project technical activities are implemented in a timely fashion with an emphasis on measurable results and quality, and properly reported.

Competencies

• Proven analytical capacity and strategic thinking;
• Ability for planning and establishing priorities, coordinating and monitoring the work of others, and delegating responsibility where appropriate;
• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Resourcefulness, initiative, and maturity of judgment;
• Excellent communications, organizational and management skills in a complex multi-stakeholder environment;
• Ability to handle effectively multiple tasks without compromising quality, team spirit and positive working relationships;
• Ability to work in team and under pressure;
• Strong analytical skills.

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree or equivalent in political science, public administration, law, international relations, social sciences or related field;
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience at national or international levels in parliamentary development or closely related fields;
• Experience in development of inter-institutional networks would be an asset;
• Excellent knowledge of computer applications ;
• Fluency in Ukrainian, Russian and English is a must.

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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