Introduction

The ILO in Ukraine is wrapping up its Transitional Development Cooperation Strategy 2024-2025 and in 2026 it starts the implementation of its Decent Work Country Programme for Ukraine which focuses on skills, employment, enterprise development, social protection, social dialogue and labour reforms to align Ukrainian labour market institutions closer to international labour standards and the relevant EU acquis as part of country’s journey towards the European Union.

Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work is an ILO Development Cooperation programme that addresses constraints to productivity growth and decent work creation across policy-, industry-, and enterprise-levels in developing and emerging economies. Funded by the Government of Switzerland it identifies root causes of low productivity and strengthens the virtuous cycles between productivity growth and better working conditions. It will be focusing on the following key objectives:

• At the policy-level the programme develops the capacity of ILO constituents and key line ministries to formulate and implement national employment policies and productivity frameworks and promotes social dialogue to ensure the fair sharing of productivity gains between employers and workers.
• At the sector-level and enterprise-levels, it addresses constraints to productivity growth and decent work creation in Ukraine’s enterprises.

In Ukraine, the ILO Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work project will be implemented jointly with the Swiss-funded Competitiveness for Recovery Programme over a period of five years. The ILO project will provide cross-cutting support to the Competitiveness for Recovery Programme by strengthening labour-market conditions and governance to boost competitiveness, addressing labour shortages, improving mobility, enhancing job quality and by implementing broader labour-market interventions such as promoting tripartite social dialogue.

Reporting lines: The Project Manager will report to the Director of the ILO Country Office for Ukraine (CO-Kyiv) who will have a direct supervisory role.

Technical backstopping will be provided by the ILO Decent Work Team in Budapest and the Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work programme team in the Enterprises and Employment Departments at ILO Headquarters, Geneva.

The Project Manager will supervise the technical and administrative staff and international and local consultants hired by the project.

Description of Duties

Project management:

1. Ensure effective coordination and planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of project activities, in line with the Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work in Ukraine project strategy and joint interventions strategy with the Competitiveness for Recovery Programme, and in accordance with ILO policies and programming guidelines and country/action programmes, and administrative and financial procedures.
2. Assume responsibility for the effective management of funds/budget assigned to the project.
3. Manage the human resources of the project, including recruitment and performance management aspects.

Technical leadership and advice:

4. Provide technical support to the project team and international and national consultants and to the stakeholders of the project including employers and workers’ organizations and other key institutions that form part of the Project Advisory Committee (PAC), consistent with ILO policy.
5. Prepare technical and financial reports in accordance with the ILO guidelines and procedures.

Advocacy, networking and partnership:

6. Foster contacts and relations with government, ministries, the employers' and workers' organizations, non-governmental organizations and the donors, and promote opportunities for collaboration towards planning and implementation of the project activities, jointly with the Competitiveness for Recovery Programme.
7. Liaise with the other UN agency counterparts to promote ILO's values, increase the project's visibility and facilitate the scaling-up of the project's interventions.
8. Promote ILO policies in the areas of private sector development and employment creation. Promote the inclusion of gender equality and non-discrimination in all aspects of the project.
9. Undertake local resource mobilization activities with the multi-lateral and bilateral donor community for the development of future activities linked to the project/programme in coordination with the responsible Country Office and PARDEV.

Knowledge management:

10. Drive the project communication and visibility strategy of the project in close collaboration with CO-Kyiv and relevant technical Departments and Units and the Regional Office for Europe at the HQ including the developpment and review of project information and communication materials.
11. Represent the project (and upon request the ILO) in meetings, seminars and evaluations, as relevant to the project’s objectives, and build and enhance strategic partnerships and networks of government policymakers, workers and employers’ organizations and civil society organizations.
12. Plan, organize and conduct seminars, workshops, training and meetings on project technical matters. This may involve developing training and capacity building guides, manuals and other knowledge-sharing materials.
13. Any other duties requested by the Director of the ILO Country Office for Ukraine

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in economics, management and business administration, industrial engineering, social science or a related field. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in one of the aforementioned fields with an additional two years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least seven years of relevant experience, including at the international level, in the management of development cooperation projects. Management experience must cover all aspects of the project cycle, i.e., design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and management of staff and budgets. Relevant fields include private sector development, SME and value chain development, employment, industrial and labour market policies. Experience of working with/through key partners, including the private sector, government institutions, national workers’ and employers’ organisations is essential. Proven experience of working with a United Nations agency will be an advantage.

Languages

Fluent in written and spoken English. Knowledge of Ukrainian is an advantage.

Competencies

• Proven ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms, and to meet all commitments within the prescribed time, cost and quality standards.
• Ability to develop clear strategic goals consistent with the project/programme’s objectives, and to design and synthesise strategies for programme development.
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice.
• Excellent leadership skills, ability to work effectively in a team and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to develop training materials, alternative courses of action, project proposals, policy and procedural matters, and to present them at high-level meetings.
• Ability to promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office, and to focus and guide others to meet objectives at individual and group level.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate reports and to build networks to obtain cooperation with partners.
• Proven capacity to initiate and implement development cooperation programmes and activities with ILO constituents and NGOs, including negotiation skills with governments and social partners, and to mobilise the support of international donor agencies and provide quality services.
• Ability to plan and support the development of individuals’ skills and abilities for a more effective fulfilment of job/role responsibilities.
• Ability to maintain effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or environment, and to adjust effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.
• Drive to seek or encourage others to seek opportunities for different and innovative approaches to organisation challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.
• Demonstrated ability to adhere to strict security protocols and maintain high level of awareness.
• Ability to remain calm, focused, organized and results oriented under pressure and with rapidly changing circumstances.