Project Coordinator for Regional and Local Economic Development and Labour Market Integration

The Sustainable Economic Development (SED) Cluster of GIZ in Ukraine comprises various projects implemented on behalf of the German government supporting Ukraine to develop a resilient and competitive economic sector. Partners of the projects are Ukrainian ministries on the national level, administrations on regional level, stakeholders on the municipal level, and private sector companies. 

The “JobConnect” project supports the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture (MoEEA), the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity (MoSPFU) and the State Employment Service (SES) in developing an integrated, digital and data-driven labour market approach that complies with EU standards, at the interface with social policy. This is achieved through (1) better coordination of labour market and social policy (and stakeholders), including with regard to EU requirements, and capacity building for the political partner; managing the Secretariat of the Gender Alliance; (2) strengthening, modernising and integrating relevant labour market institutions in line with EU frameworks, in particular the SES; and (3) testing digital and data-driven approaches. “JobConnect” is being implemented for integrated delivery by a cross-project team in conjunction with the SIGA project “REYOIN”. REYOIN enhances the employability of the working-age population in Ukraine through active labour market policy measures and support for labour market policy processes, particularly at the (4) local level in selected regions (Lviv, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Odessa, Ivano Frankivsk) and with regard to SES services. Implementation takes place in close cooperation with the World Bank and other international organisations.

Project Coordinator for Regional and Local Economic Development and Labour Market Integration you will closely cooperate with public and private institutions, civil society and other partners mainly on local level, as well as ensure interaction with other relevant (GIZ) projects. This position will be working as part of a team of international and national experts (GIZ and external ones) in a sensitive and complex environment which is highly dynamic.

This position foresees frequent travel within Ukraine and occasional travel to EU countries.

Key responsibilities:

• Coordinate the implementation of regional/local level project activities in selected municipalities, ensuring alignment with REYOIN / JobConnect objectives and timelines,
• Facilitating cooperation and building partnerships with regional/local level stakeholders (e.g. local authorities, employment centres, CSOs, etc.) involved in socio-economic development and labour-market integration (especially at the interface with social policy),
• Support the design and roll-out of regional/local level interventions that promote e.g. social innovation, up- and reskilling, employment promotion, social inclusion, EU-Integration, etc.,
• Ensure structured cooperation, communication and knowledge exchange among municipalities, project partners and relevant experts, including regular consultations, peer-learning activities, experience-sharing initiatives and follow-up support where required,
• Support municipalities and project partners in the analysis, design and implementation of labour market and socio-economic integration measures, including capacity development and organisational strengthening activities,
• Support interaction between regional/local level and national structures to strengthen ties and provide input for national strategies and local on labour market integration, at the interface to social policy,
• Contribute to the planning, results-based monitoring, data collection and knowledge management processes, ensuring timely and accurate reporting on project activities / results,
• Prepare terms of reference, supporting procurement and steering of external service providers and other implementing partners, incl. quality implementation of services delivered and compliance with GIZ procedures,
• Contributing to communication activities, including inputs to success stories, regional updates, visibility materials and preparation of content for public events.
• Maintain and facilitate the close coordination and cooperation with the other parts of the REYOIN / JobConnect team, other GIZ projects ensuring that local activities are harmonised with other processes and strategic priorities,
• Plan, organise and facilitate workshops, trainings, study visits, round tables and multi-stakeholder events to support project implementation and stakeholder engagement.

Required qualifications, professional experience and personal competences:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in political sciences, economics, international relations, law, social sciences or any other relevant field,
• Minimum 3 years of proven professional experience in a comparable position,
• Knowledge of relevant EU programmes, -strategies and -approaches,
• Experience in regional/local economic development and/or social protection/policy topics on the local level and/or labour market policy,
• Working experience with vulnerable groups (in Lviv, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Odesa and/or Ivano-Frankivsk regions would be an asset),
• Proven track record in working with Ukrainian municipalities,
• Knowledge about promoting gender responsive or gender transformative policies is considered an asset,
• Proven experience in liaising with stakeholders such as government officials, private sector representatives, and civil society actors, including proven experience initiating and/or facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues, especially public and civil society sector,
• Excellent representative competences and diplomatic skills, in particular networking and negotiating as well as a high degree of discretion, integrity and sense of tone,
• Advanced project management skills and ability to self-organise and prioritise tasks,
• Ability to perform under pressure, including timely delivery of high-quality results,
• Strong communication and team skills, including cooperation with people of different backgrounds and cultural backgrounds,
• High proficiency in written and spoken Ukrainian and English is mandatory; knowledge of German is considered an asset,
• Very good working knowledge of digital office applications,
• Readiness and ability to take on new topics and/or tasks and upskill, if necessary,
• Willingness to travel locally and abroad (depending on the security situation).

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.
• Working in a team of highly committed, motivated and engaged colleagues.

Employment conditions:

Full-time position with 40-hours working week. Place of assignment is Odesa. Starting as soon as possible. The contract duration will be 12 months with the possibility of extension.

GIZ is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic.

We particularly encourage veterans and people with disabilities to apply.

Application:

Application comprising of the candidate’s CV and a cover letter in the English language explaining the motivation to apply for the job is to be sent to @email until COB 26 August 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