Executive Search for MoE “MykolaivElektrotrans” Supervisory Board

Introduction

The European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI) is seeking a Service Provider (Consultant, Consulting Firm, or NGO) to conduct a thorough, competitive, transparent, and high-quality selection process for at least three independent members of the Supervisory Board of the Municipally-owned Enterprise “MykolaivElektrotrans” of the Mykolaiv City Council (MoE “MykolaivElektrotrans”) in the EUACI partner city of Mykolaiv — under the framework of its Integrity Cities Component.

The Executive Search Consultant will play a critical role in supporting the city of Mykolaiv in the implementation of its Corporate Governance Reform by facilitating the transparent and competitive recruitment of at least three Independent Directors to the Supervisory Board of the MoE “MykolaivElektrotrans”. The Consultant will work in close coordination with the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI), the Mykolaiv City Council, and the Selection Commission established to recommend candidates for appointment.

This Supervisory Board will be a key driver in reforming the enterprise, separating executive and oversight functions, and introducing strategic guidance and control. The quality and independence of the board members will be fundamental to the board’s effectiveness and to the success of the broader governance reform.

This ToR provides further details about the EUACI programme, the role of the Contractor, and the expected qualifications of candidates interested in this tender.

The European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI)

The EUACI is a joint EU and Government of Denmark financed programme aimed at supporting Ukraine in its efforts to reduce corruption at the national and local level through the empowerment of citizens, civil society and state institutions. In January 2024, a new phase of the EUACI is launched. The strategic objectives are that: Corruption in Ukraine is reduced; Ukraine advances with anti-corruption reform; and Reconstruction in war-affected areas of Ukraine is implemented within a framework that incorporates transparency, accountability and integrity.

The EUACI has four intervention areas, namely:

• Support to independent state institutions fighting and preventing corruption; 
• Transparency and accountability of the reconstruction process; 
• Support cities in war-affected areas in enhancing integrity in the reconstruction process;
• Civil society and media in preventing and fighting corruption.

This specific assignment concerns the EUACI’s support for Integrity Cities (intervention area 3). 

The Integrity Cities

The six integrity cities with which the EUACI has entered into a partnership are Chernivtsi, Sheptytskyi, Nikopol, Zhytomyr, Mariupol and Mykolaiv. At the moment, the EUACI has no activities in Mariupol. Mykolaiv is an addition to five Ukrainian cities that have been selected for the implementation of the Integrity Cities concept of the Programme. Based on the agreement with the Mykolaiv City Mayor, the EUACI envisages an Integrity Support Office of experts in the local municipality, headed by an advisor to the Mayor to support the integrity transformation, transparency, and accountability of the reconstruction process.

Background

Mykolaiv City Council is implementing a Corporate Governance Reform for the Municipally-owned Enterprise“MykolaivElectrotrans”. Establishing a Supervisory Board at the MoE “MykolaivElektrotrans” will address its key operational challenges and clarify areas of responsibility and authority: executive functions will be managed by the Director, while the Supervisory Board will oversee control and strategy.

The effectiveness of the Supervisory Board directly depends on the quality of its members. To ensure the board is effective, its composition must be balanced in both quality and quantity, with a majority of independent members. These members must be selected through a competitive process. It is crucial to conduct the broadest and most rigorous selection to guarantee that the board is composed of professionals with the highest standards of integrity.

The Supervisory Board for the MoE “MykolaivElektrotrans” will be appointed by a decision of the Mykolaiv City Council, based on the recommendations of a Selection Commission. In both the public and private sectors, it is standard practice to engage professional recruitment consultants to assist with the selection of Supervisory Board candidates in line with established criteria. These consultants bring a wide network and significant experience in recruiting senior officials, which can greatly enhance the search for qualified candidates.

In this context, the EUACI is seeking a Service Provider (Consultant, Consulting Firm, or NGO) to collaborate closely with the EUACI and its partner city in conducting an executive search for the recruitment of at least three Independent Directors to the Board of Directors of the MoE “MykolaivElektrotrans”. A professional recruiter will ensure a transparent and competitive selection process, and their expertise will be instrumental in identifying candidates who meet the rigorous standards required for this vital governance role.

These Terms of Reference (ToR) provide more details about the assignment.

1.    Objective and results

The objective of the assignment is to conduct a comprehensive, competitive, transparent, and high-quality selection of at least three independent members for the Supervisory Board of the MoE “MykolaivElektrotrans”. Actively assist the Selection Committee throughout the selection process, and provide support during the contract signing and onboarding phases to facilitate the establishment of the Supervisory Board.

2. Scope of work

The Service Provider will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Initial Consultation & Planning:
• Develop a clear vision for candidate requirements, including the list of documents to be submitted by applicants, evaluation criteria, the composition of the Supervisory Board, and the compensation for its members. This should be based on the previous experience and consultations with the partner city Mykolaiv. 
• Develop the Recruitment Plan for identifying candidates to fill the three vacant positions of independent members of the Supervisory Board. The plan should include a draft of the relevant announcement and recommendations for selecting media/platforms to place bilingual announcements.
• Update the Evaluation Methodology approved by Mayoral Decree for assessing candidates during interviews with the Selection Committee.
• Conduct at least 3 interviews with stakeholders and at least 1 offline visit to Mykolaiv.
• Apply lessons learned and methodological approaches from the recent executive search conducted for the Supervisory Board of MoE “MykolaivVodokanal”, ensuring continuity, quality, and adherence to best practices established during that process.

• Market Research & Candidate Identification:
• Conduct comprehensive market research to identify suitable candidates from relevant sectors, ensuring a broad pool of qualified individuals.
• Publish the competition announcement across the selected media platforms to reach potential candidates.
• Manage the submission process, receiving and organizing applications submitted by candidates. 

• Candidate Assessment & Shortlisting:
• Analyze the application documents of all candidates, assess each candidate’s suitability for the position of independent member of the Supervisory Board. This includes verifying the integrity of information, compliance, and references using validated open databases and other reliable sources.
• Provide a detailed candidate assessment report, outlining the qualifications, experience, and fit of each candidate.
• Present a shortlist of at least 2-3 candidates per position for review by the Selection Committee, along with a list of potential replacement candidates, in case of candidate withdrawal, non-appointment, or early termination of a Supervisory Board member’s tenure.

• Selection Interview Coordination:
• Coordinate interviews between the shortlisted candidates and the Selection Committee.
• Maintain effective communication with all applicants, including both shortlisted and non-shortlisted candidates. Clearly communicate deadlines for each stage of the process, ensuring participants are aware.
• Provide feedback and support to the Selection Committee throughout the interview process.

• Selection Support:
• Support the Selection Committee in the final interview process, ensuring all aspects of the candidate’s suitability are discussed and assessed.
• Facilitate negotiations related to terms of service, compensation, and any other contractual matters.
• Conduct a meeting of the Selection Committee to approve the candidates who have been recognized as the best. 

• Post-Selection Follow-up:
• Assist in onboarding the selected candidates, ensuring a smooth transition to the board.
• Provide support for up to three months post-selection to address any potential concerns or challenges.

3. Deliverables:

The Deliverables are presented below in Table 1 with a tentative schedule.

All results are expected to be provided in Ukrainian unless otherwise agreed with the exception of The Recruitment Plan, The List of short-listed candidates with signed job offers and Final Report that should be in Ukrainian and English versions. Electronic copies are sent by email to the particular EUACI contact person.

Table 1: Summary of deliverables/outputs and the tentative timeline for delivery.

The timelines indicated in the table above are indicative. The Service Provider will reflect on and update the timelines for different activities while preparing and updating the Work plan.

4. Timing

The expected duration of the assignment is 20 weeks (up to 90 working days), with a tentative start in July 2025 and completion in December 2025.

5. Payment

Payment will be made in a maximum of two instalments. 

The first installment, representing a maximum of 30% of the total contract value, will be made upon receipt of the Service Provider’s Deliverable 1 and invoice, and contingent exclusively upon the Mykolaiv City Council’s approval of the decision to establish a supervisory board.

The second and final payment will be made upon receipt and approval of the Final Report and a Final Invoice.

Definition of indicators

The performance of the contractor will be judged upon reaching the purpose of this contract as well as obtaining its results, as indicated in the sections “Objective” and “Expected Deliverables” herein respectively. 

Special requirements

By signing the contract, the contractor (and its representatives) agrees to hold in trust and confidence any information or documents (“confidential information”), disclosed to the contractor or discovered by the contractor or prepared by the contractor in the course of or as a result of the implementation of the contract and agrees that it shall be used only for the purposes of the contract implementation and shall not be disclosed to any third party without EUACI authorization.

The contractor reports to the EUACI. The contractor shall de-brief the EUACI prior to finalizing the assignment. 

The developed deliverables can be checked (as a quality assurance) and payments will be provided by the quality assurance results.

6. Requirements for the Service Provider:

Registration as a legal entity, or private entrepreneur or NGO according to Ukrainian legislation.

General qualifications:

1. Proven track record in recruiting board-level executives, particularly for public sector or communal enterprises not less than 3 years of experience
2. Proven track record in recruiting board-level executives, particularly for business sector not less than 6 years of experience
3. In-depth knowledge of corporate governance, municipal governance, and leadership competencies.
4. Strong research capabilities and access to a diverse and qualified candidate pool.
5. Excellent project management and communication skills to ensure transparency throughout the process.
6. Ability to conduct due diligence, including background checks and reference verification of the candidates for different positions
7. Compliance and Ethics:
8. Adherence to ethical standards and legal requirements.
9. Commitment to confidentiality and data security.

7. Estimated budget 

The maximum budget available for this assignment is up to EUR 7,000. 
This amount covers project-related costs, including expert fees. 

Travel and accommodation expenses for a one-person visit to Mykolaiv, with a maximum stay of two nights, will be reimbursed in accordance with the EUACI travel policy.

Bids will be evaluated under the criteria provided below:

HOW TO APPLY

The proposals with:

• A brief methodology outlining the consultant’s approach to executive search and candidate assessment (PDF, up to 2 pages);
• CVs of key staff proposed by the tender participant (up to 2 CVs, maximum 2 pages each, PDF);
• Portfolio of relevant projects demonstrating previous experience in similar assignments (PDF, up to 10 pages);
• Financial offer (proposed budget).

shall be submitted in electronic format only within the below deadline to the email: [email protected], cc [email protected]indicating the subject line “Executive Search for MoE “MykolaivElektrotrans” Supervisory Board_Name”.

The deadline for submitting proposals is June 25, 2025, 18:00 Kyiv time.

Any clarification questions for the bid request should be addressed: [email protected], cc [email protected] no later than June 17, 2025, 18:00 Kyiv time.

Bidding language: English.