Legal Advisor “Law Enforcement Reform”

“Strengthening Ukraine’s EU Alignment in the Rule of Law” is a technical cooperation programme commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office and the European Union and implemented by GIZ in order to assist the government of Ukraine in its efforts to align Ukrainian legislation with the Acquis Communautaire of the European Union, focusing on the negotiation chapters related to “Judiciary and Fundamental Rights” (Chapter 23) and “Justice, Freedom and Security” (Chapter 24) that lie at the heart of the cluster called the “Fundamentals of EU Membership”. The programme aims at enhancing the capacities of key actors within the Ukrainian government to steer and implement a cooperative and participative process of the country’s EU alignment in the rule of law, based on the Rule of Law Roadmap approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. The Programme works closely with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine as well as the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and other related institutions.

Each advisor will support national key actors responsible for the alignment of Ukraine’s law enforcement sector with the EU acquis. They will provide their own legal advice and opinions on key reform initiatives in the law enforcement sector. Also, the advisors bring together renowned Ukrainian and international legal experts providing hands-on and needs-based legal advice on highly specialised legal topics in the sector.

Key responsibilities:

• Compiling analyses, opinions and recommendations and other on-demand legal advice related to law enforcement reform;
• Building up partnerships with renowned international, EU, German and national legal experts and Think Tanks in the field of law enforcement reform within and outside the Programme’s “Expert Platform”;
• Building up and managing a platform of international and national experts and institutions in the area of the fundamentals of the EU acquis communautaire in the rule of law, especially on relevant Law Enforcement/Chapter 24 legislation (“Expert Platform”);
• Carry out activities which accompany the Platform’s work, such as drafting of legal opinions, risk assessments, deliver presentations, and information sessions or consultations;
• Ensuring gender equality in the scope of the programme’s activities and the recommendations of the network;
• Stay abreast with the overall strategic approach of the Ukrainian government vis-à-vis the law enforcement reform;
• Contribute to the success of the programme in all areas through close collaboration with colleagues promoting experience exchange and political dialogue.

Required qualifications, professional experience and personal competences:

• Master’s degree in law, European Law, criminology, or equivalent;
• At least 3-5 years of professional experience in legal reform in law enforcement reform or related fields in the rule of law sector;
• Sound knowledge of the Ukrainian government’s reform agenda in law enforcement, the European Union acquis in general and accession procedures;
• Familiarity with the structure and procedures of the European Union, in particular with regard to EU enlargement processes;
• Access to a network of legal experts in the area of law enforcement reform;
• Excellent command of written and spoken Ukrainian and English; command of another EU language is a plus.
• Strong interest in EU accession policies and Ukraine’s reform agenda aligning with the acquis communautaire;
• Team player with excellent intercultural competences;
• Strong organisational, planning and managerial competences;
• Excellent communication, writing, presentation, and organisational skills;
• Ability to work flexibly and independently, often under tight deadlines, and deliver at pace;
• Good judgement, integrity, and sense of tone;
• Experience with and knowledge of command structures of law enforcement agencies;
• Aptitude for assessing material and content of politically sensitive nature.

We offer:

• Official employment, salary fixed in EUR, performance-related bonuses and 13th salary.
• Medical insurance, 29 vacation days annually.
• Language classes, hard and soft skills trainings.
• Individual and group psychological support.
• Possible flexible and remote work (depending on projects’ needs up to 10 days a month within Ukrainian border).
• Meaningful and valuable work, international environment.

Employment conditions:

Full-time position with 40-hours working week. Place of assignment is Kyiv. Starting as soon as possible. For now, the contract duration is till the end of June 2026. As the programme is currently in the contracting procedure for its second phase, extension until September 2027 is highly likely.

GIZ is an equal opportunity employer and offers an attractive and challenging working environment with opportunities for skill enhancement.

Application:

We are looking forward to your application in English, comprising your CV and a Cover letter explaining your motivation to apply for the job to @email  until COB 11 February 2026, Wednesday. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stages of the recruitment process.

Candidates are requested to submit their documents with the following title:

•  Surname Name_CV

•  Surname Name_Cover letter

By sending the application you give the consent for the personal data processing for recruitment processes solely according to GIZ data privacy regulations. You can familiarize yourself with these regulations by the link Data protection | GIZ