Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a UN agency that works in about 170 countries and territories, helping eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience. It thereby helps them sustain progress and achieve Sustainable Development Goals. In Ukraine, UNDP operates in three programme priorities: Democratic Governance and Inclusive Social Fabric, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Recovery and Growth, and Sustainable Environment and Energy Transformation.

Since the start of the hostilities in 2014 and the full-scale invasion in 2022, UNDP in Ukraine has been present on the ground, through its hubs around the country, supporting regional and local authorities and civil society partners in their emergency response and crisis management.

Lessons from the past years informed the development of UNDP’s Country Programme Document (2025-2029) and the scale-up of the Area-Based Recovery (ABR) Framework. The Framework’s programmatic pillars of Reconstruction, Returns, Resilience, and Reforms are focused on ensuring community recovery and creating conditions for the return to a development pathway in Ukraine.

Addressing the country’s complex reconstruction and recovery requires a holistic, systems-based response that empowers all parts of society - including government, local authorities, the private sector, and citizens - with the capacity and resources to respond effectively. To ensure a whole-of-society approach, the framework offers an integrated, participatory, and inclusive methodology to advance recovery in communities most affected by the war.

Regular duty trips to partner hromadas throughout Poltava oblast will be required to ensure effective outreach, coordination, and monitoring of ABR initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities

I. Implement Civic Engagement Activities and Support Inclusive Recovery Initiatives

Support implementation of programme activities related to civic engagement, participatory governance, and community-led recovery at the local level within the Area-Based Recovery approach.
Conduct community-level assessments and stakeholder mapping to identify community needs, capacities, gaps, and priorities, with specific attention to veterans, youth, IDPs, women, people with disabilities and other underrepresented groups ensuring evidence-based and data-driven inputs.
Facilitate inclusive participatory processes in partner hromadas, including local problem analysis, community profiling, consultations, and co-creation of community priorities.
Support the establishment, functioning, and continuous strengthening of Community Engagement Working Groups (CEWGs) in partner hromadas, ensuring their role as inclusive platforms for dialogue, coordination, and participatory decision-making.
Prepare and regularly update work plans for community mobilization activities, ensuring that planning, prioritization, and sequencing of activities are informed by data, assessments, stakeholder feedback, and monitoring results.
Provide technical support to communities, local authorities, civil society organizations, and informal civic groups in the design, implementation, and monitoring of community-led initiatives, including grant-supported activities.
Support community-based reintegration of veterans, including facilitation of veterans’ participation in civic engagement platforms, cooperation with veterans’ organizations and local authorities, and integration of veterans’ perspectives into community planning and recovery processes.
Contribute to the design and delivery of capacity development activities (trainings, workshops, peer exchanges) for community actors, including local authorities, civic leaders, veterans’, women and youth groups, focusing on participation, collaboration, and local governance.
Ensure coordination, documentation, reporting, and communication of civic engagement activities and results, including support to visibility actions and partner or donor visits.
Collaborate closely with Area-Based Recovery (ABR) thematic teams (including local governance, civic engagement, rule of law, and public services) to ensure coherence, sustainability, and alignment of civic engagement mechanisms supported under UNDP programming at the local level.

II. Engage and Coordinate with Stakeholders to Ensure Effective Collaboration and Alignment

Ensure regular and structured engagement with key regional and local stakeholders, including oblast and hromada administrations, civil society organizations, community-based groups, and relevant public institutions, to support inclusive civic participation in recovery and development processes.
Facilitate participatory consultations, dialogue meetings, and working sessions with communities, local authorities, CEWG members, veterans’ groups, IDPs, youth and women representatives, people with disabilities and other target groups to collect inputs, co-create solutions, and validate proposed approaches, plans, or initiatives.
Promote meaningful inclusion of veterans, youth, women, IDPs, people with disabilities and other underrepresented groups in CEWGs and other civic engagement mechanisms, strengthening their participation and leadership in local recovery governance.
Support coordination and communication between local-level stakeholders, CEWGs, and relevant oblast level and national institutions, ensuring community perspectives are reflected in broader policy, planning, and coordination processes.
Liaise with civil society organizations, academic institutions, and subject-matter experts, as relevant, to support evidence-informed discussions, quality facilitation processes, and informed community inputs within civic engagement activities.
Systematically document stakeholder feedback, CEWG discussions, and agreed action points, and ensure their integration into project implementation, reporting, and follow-up activities.

III. Provide Coordination and Operational Support to Ensure Smooth Planning, Implementation and Reporting

Coordinate closely with UNDP programme, operations, and technical teams to ensure that civic engagement, inclusion, and community perspectives are reflected in the planning and implementation of Programme activities.
Support coordination with implementing partners, service providers, and contractors, as relevant, by facilitating communication, sharing community-level inputs, and flagging social or operational considerations affecting implementation.
Contribute to monitoring implementation from a community and civic engagement perspective, documenting feedback, social risks, implementation challenges, and lessons learned to inform adaptive programme management.
Provide support to procurement-related processes, as required, including preparation of Terms of Reference, participation in evaluation or review processes, and coordination during delivery of goods and services, in line with UNDP SOPs.
Support organization of coordination meetings, consultations, and field missions, facilitating effective collaboration among community representatives, local authorities, partners, and UNDP teams.
Assist in preparation of progress, monitoring, and results-oriented reports, ensuring reflection of civic engagement, inclusiveness, and sustainability aspects of Programme implementation.

IV. Ensure the mainstreaming of gender equality and women’s empowerment considerations in the field of expertise, and promoting a safe, enabling environment free of discrimination and abusive behaviour in line with corporate standards and knowledge sharing

Assist with ensuring the Programme contributes to the promotion of gender equality by reaching, involving, and benefiting both women and men.
Use the principles of gender-responsive communications in line with the UNDP corporate standards.
Be aware of relevant gender issues and concerns in the field of expertise.
Support the promotion of team culture of gender equality and zero tolerance to any sexual misconduct in the team through leadership and personal example.
Demonstrate respect for gender equality in professional interactions, identify and address sexism and gender discrimination.
Assist with informing and briefing personnel and partners about corporate sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse policies.
Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

4. Institutional Arrangement

The Community Mobilization Officer will work under the direct supervision of Civic Engagement Specialist and the strategic guidance of the ABR Programme Manager.

Competencies

Core
Achieve Results:	LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively:	LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously:	LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility:	LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination:	LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner:	LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:	LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Thematic Area	Name	Definition
Business Direction & Strategy	System Thinking	Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Business Development	Knowledge Facilitation	Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange
Business Management	Project Management	Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Business Management	Partnerships Management	Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
Business Management	Communication	Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
Business Management	Monitoring & Evaluation	Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns
2030 Agenda: People	Gender	Gender Equality and Institutional Transformation

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements	Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Social Sciences, Public Administration, Law, Political Science or related field is required; or A first-level degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with additional twoyears of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.
Min. yearsof relevant work experience	Minimum 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in civic engagement, inclusive recovery and/or community development.
Experience, Knowledge, and Skills	Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
Desirable Criteria	Demonstrated professional experience applying the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) and/or Area-Based Recovery approaches in community-level programming, including participatory planning, stakeholder engagement, and inclusive implementation. Demonstrated experience in providing advisory support and/or advocacy to civil society organizations and local authorities in the areas of civic engagement, social inclusion, and community based reintegration of veterans is a strong asset. Previous experience with UN/UNDP, public sector institutions, and/or international organizations
Required Language(s)	Fluency in Ukrainian and English is required.
Professional Certificates	N/A
Other	Ability and readiness to undertake regular field missions to project locations in target oblast.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

Community Mobilization Officer, NPSA-9, DS-Poltava, National position