Background

The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has had a direct and highly negative impact on economy, social cohesion, resilience, livelihoods, community security, and the rule of law. Recognizing the need to urgently address reconstruction, economic recovery and peacebuilding needs in areas affected both directly and indirectly by the conflict, in late 2014 the Government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community to assess priority recovery needs. In late 2014, the United Nations (UN), the World Bank (WB) and the European Union (EU) conducted a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in mid-2015.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been active and present in eastern Ukraine for the past decade, prior to the conflict, with a focus on community development, civil society development, and environmental protection. Work on addressing the specific conflict-related development challenges discussed above built on this earlier engagement, established partnerships, and started in 2015 through the Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (RPP). The RPP is a multi-donor funded framework programme formulated and led by the UNDP in collaboration with the Government of Ukraine and in cooperation with a number of partnering UN agencies (UN Women, FAO, UNFPA).

The RPP was designed to respond to, and mitigate, the causes and effects of the conflict. It is based on findings of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment (RPA) and is aligned to the State Target Programme for Recovery as well as to the two oblast development strategies up to 2020. It takes into account the opportunities that have arisen from the Minsk Protocol of September 2014 and the renewal of its cease-fire provisions (the latest cease-fire having been agreed in March 2018) and is also fully adjusted to the humanitarian-development nexus. It is an integral component of the UNDP Country Programme and is therefore fully aligned with the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPF). It is closely interlinked with the Democratic Governance and Reform Programme, operating nationally and in all of Ukraine’s regions, and is consistent with the SDGs.

The Programme’s interventions are grouped under the following key Programme components, which reflect the region’s priority needs:

Component 1: Economic Recovery and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure

Component 2: Local Governance and Decentralization Reform

Component 3: Community Security and Social Cohesion.

The Programme, which operates on the basis of a pooled funding arrangement, follows a multi-sectoral programme-based approach and is implemented using an area-based methodology. It is a unifying interventions framework for 11 projects funded by 12 international partners and is worth about 63 million USD.

In October 2018, four UN agencies (UNDP, UN Women, FAO and the UNFPA) have countersigned a new joint project document, funded by the EU. The overall objective of the project is to restore effective governance, support economic recovery and promote reconciliation in the crisis-affected communities of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, thereby enhancing the credibility and legitimacy of local governments in the government-controlled areas (GCAs) of the regions. It will contribute to peace build and prevent further escalation of conflict in Ukraine through effective and accountable decentralization, gender-responsive recovery planning and equal access to services, as well as enhanced economic recovery and development.

This endeavor will be achieved through the pursuit of the following specific objectives:

1.    To enhance local capacity for gender-responsive decentralization and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development and the delivery of services.

2.    To stimulate employment and economic growth by providing assistance to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development through demand-driven business development services and professional skills training.

3.    To enhance social cohesion and reconciliation through promotion of civic initiatives.

4.    To support sector reforms and structural adjustments in health, education and critical public infrastructure to mitigate direct impacts of the conflict.

The need to provide new employment opportunities for people formerly employed in heavy industry, mining and ports in the conflict-affected region, including in agriculture, fishery and related businesses, is urgent. Due to the conflict, bank lending, leasing and other credit (including trade credit) have been limited in the region, and business owners are struggling to access to finance and connect to markets in the rest of Ukraine and beyond and expand their businesses. Inclusive economic growth needs to be advanced through support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and trade development in the priority sectors of economy in the target regions. Such sectors have already been identified in most areas of Luhansk and Donetsk (GCAs) oblasts.

To continue this process and target the planned interventions, UN RPP is seeking a national expert to monitor and support progress of the value chains in one of the prioritized sectors of economy in government-controlled area of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts (hereinafter, the targeted region) – Ceramic production.

Duties and Responsibilities

2. OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The overall objectives of this assignment are:

• Monitor development progress of key value chain links within the prioritized sector of economy (Ceramic production) in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts (GCAs);
• Identify development needs of the key value chain links and recommend interventions to address these needs;
• Contribute to preparation of the value chain development strategy within the prioritized sector of economy (Ceramic production) in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts (GCAs).

3. DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES / SCOPE OF WORK

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Coordinator, Economic Recovery and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure the Consultant shall perform the following tasks:

• Develop a detailed work plan and agree it with the direct supervisor;

• Identify existing and newly created value chain (VC) links within the prioritized sector (Ceramic production) on a regular basis. Maintain and expand a database of such entities;

• Analyse market parameters of the ceramic sector in the target region: functional producers and key customers, feedstock availability, distribution channels, products and prices, partnerships and supporting services. Update such analysis on monthly basis;

• Identify the needs to develop the functional VC in the ceramic sector in the targeted region and prepare an action plan to address these needs. Recommend appropriate interventions and guidelines. Develop monitoring criteria to evaluate success of such interventions;

• Analyse export processes and potential (market trends, supply and demand balance, etc.) within the prioritized sector of economy (Ceramic production). Support search and establishment of business contacts between the key VC links in the ceramic sector in the targeted region and relevant entities outside the target region;

• Monitor industry-specific marketing, exhibition, networking and business development activities in Ukraine and abroad on monthly basis. Recommend participation of the key VC links and VC-related entities; 

• Monitor legal situation, changes in the applicable legislation and regulations that may influence the development of the entities in the prioritized sector of economy (Ceramic production);

• Support implementation of business development activities within the prioritized sector of economy in the targeted region;

• Collect and disseminate success stories of MSMEs from the target and other regions within the ceramic sector VC;

• Develop monthly digests on main opportunities and risks for the development of key VC in the prioritized sector of economy (Ceramic production) in the targeted region;

• Provide, upon the request of the Programme staff, all the required information regarding the implementation of activities (specifically to inform stakeholders about progress and results);

• Prepare, submit and get approval by the direct supervisor a comprehensive report (single spacing, Noto Sans or Arial font, size 11, Ukrainian language) on results of the assignment that includes, but is not limited to the following components:

  • Introduction
  • Background, scope and objectives of work
  • Key findings and conclusions
  • Recommendations for further actions.

4. DELIVERABLES AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

5. PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

UNDP will pay the amount based on daily fee and actual number of working days in a month. Payments must be supported by a duly completed time sheet.

The payments will be paid upon the full completion and acceptance of contractual obligations where upon the Programme Coordinator signs the certification of acceptance.

6. MONITORING/REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The detailed schedule of the assignment will be discussed with the direct supervisor prior to the assignment. The Consultant will directly report to the Programme Coordinator on a monthly basis through meetings\calls\mails. In this report, the Consultant should clearly and concisely identify the work that has been carried out during this period, list major accomplishments, and difficulties/problems encountered during the process. The report should also indicate whether the result was achieved or whether there is a delay in the implementation of the planned activities. In the case of a delay, the reasons and advised solutions should be clearly stated.

Electronic versions of reports and duly completed timesheets should be prepared and submitted for clearance and approval by the Programme Coordinator at the end of each month. The estimated duration of the assignment is up to 40 working days (during the period of August 2019 – December 2019). The final version of the comprehensive report, with UNDP comments taken into consideration, should be submitted to UNDP by 13th of December 2019.

Competencies

7. EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS

• Education: at least Master’s degree in Business Administration, Economics or related fields;
• Expirience: at least 3 years of relevant professional experience in VC development, economic analysis and recommendations development, monitoring and reporting, producing of knowledge materials;
• At least 3 years of working experience in Ceramic production sector, e. g. private entities, professional and business associations, business service providers and others;
• Language proficiency: excellent knowledge of Ukrainian and Russian, at least working level of English.

Required Skills and Experience