Design Thinking Specialist (Part-time)

Ukraine Reforms Architecture 2.0

Duration: 3 months, with possibility of extension

1. Background

The Ukraine Reforms Architecture (URA) is a comprehensive technical assistance programme deployed by the EBRD, in partnership with the European Union, to support critical reform processes in Ukraine. It is financed from the Ukraine Stabilisation and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account (MDA) managed by the EBRD.

URA was designed as a holistic mechanism for stimulating systemic change in Ukraine’s public institutions and improving the business climate in the country. URA fills the critical capacity gaps in Ukraine’s public institutions by supplying reform talent at all levels of government. Since 2016, more than 200 Ukrainian reformers have worked in the project’s various components and contributed to dozens of reform outcomes, strategies and policies.

URA’s operations rest on a number of cornerstone principles: providing support to committed reform champions, ensuring sustainability of reform capacity-building efforts through implementation of Public Administration Reform (PAR), drawing on Ukrainian reform talent and ensuring local ownership of the reform process, and offering demand-driven, results-oriented and flexible assistance in focal points of Ukraine’s public administration.

Contributors to the MDA are Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, the largest donor. 

2. Scope of Services and Tasks

The Design Thinking Specialist will carry out the following tasks:

• Manage the preparation and delivery of creative problem solving and experience sharing ‘labs’ under the Innovation in Government Lab of the Reformers Hub, particularly with respect to the sessions’ content;
• Conduct research on topics of relevance to the Reformers Hub, including public sector management and innovation, as a basis for the design of thematic lab sessions;
• Co-design, together with the Reformers Hub team, the programme and activities of creative lab sessions, using Design Thinking tools and techniques as well as other innovation approaches;
• Facilitate half-day (3-4 hours each) thematic lab sessions involving civil servants from URA host institutions and URA reform experts in problem solving and experience sharing on defined topics;
• Prepare and administer feedback questionnaires and/or other forms of feedback collection to gauge the experiences and needs of lab participants;
• Provide follow-up support to the Reformers Hub team in the design and implementation of lab sessions.

3. Profile

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of using design thinking methodology and facilitation approaches to deliver workshops across various subject areas, previous experience applying design thinking to the policy context will be considered an advantage;
• Qualification in and/or significant experience using design thinking research methodologies preferred;
• Excellent communication skills and ability to mobilise participants’ interest and engagement;
• Strong problem-solving skills and creativity, proactive and constructive attitude;
• Interest and curiosity about the field of public policy in general and Ukraine’s reform process in particular, previous professional exposure to public sector/government work will be considered an advantage;
• Ability to take initiative and work flexibly;
• Ability to complete tasks in a timely fashion and work in a team;
• Excellent Ukrainian and English language skills.

4. Reporting and Deliverables

The Design Thinking Specialist will be engaged by the Ukraine Reforms Architecture Foundation (URAF). S/he will working closely with the URA team and report to the lead of the Reformers Hub initiative – Project Management Consultant – Evaluation, Learning and Knowledge Management based in London and URA programme Operation Leader.

The Design Thinking Specialist will liaise with key counterparts internally and externally including: London and Kiev-based URA PM Consultants, the Reform Support Teams, the Reforms Delivery Office, civil servants in URA host institutions, and others as needed.

The Design Thinking Specialist shall carry out the scope of services as set out above under Section 4 in a timely and accurate manner.

The Design Thinking Specialist shall ensure timely delivery of progress reports from project assignments and provide documents and amendments to documents to the relevant counterparts and the Project Management Team as and when needed.

The key deliverables include:

• 2 lab sessions designed and held by August 2022;
• Regular preparatory meetings and communication with the Reformers Hub team for the design of lab sessions;
• Development of materials for lab activities;
• Facilitation of lab sessions;
• Feedback and all other material collected as part of the design and delivery of lab sessions;
• Weekly reporting on project implementation;
• Follow-up recommendations on the design and implementation of lab sessions.

5. Duration and proposed timeframe

This consultancy appointment is expected to start in May 2021 and has an estimated initial duration of up to 3 months. Subject to the availability of funding, the performance of the selected consultant and the specific needs of the URA programme, this appointment may be extended. The probation period is one month.

6.Funding Source

The funding source of this assignment is the EBRD Ukraine Stabilization and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account (MDA). Contributors to the MDA are Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, the largest donor. Please note selection and contracting will be subject to the availability of funding.

Important notice: only Ukrainian nationals are eligible to apply; civil servants are not eligible to apply unless 6 months have elapsed since they have left civil service employment.

 7. Contact

If interested in the position, please submit a CV and a cover letter (in English only) to Andrea Garaiova at: [email protected] by Monday 24 May 2021.