HR & Organizational Development Expert for SARDI | EU4Reconstruction Stream 2 

General background 

EU4Reconstruction. The European Union (EU), together with Denmark, Germany, France and Lithuania, launched EU4Reconstruction, a €37 million Team Europe Initiative (TEI) that unites the strength, experience and solidarity of the EU to support Ukraine’s ongoing recovery and reconstruction. 

The initiative aims to strengthen governance, improve public investment management, and enhance coordination across levels of government, with a strong emphasis on EU values. The TEI is divided in two parallel streams; one stream is composed of GIZ (Lead Organisation) and Expertise France (Partner Organisation), and the other gathers the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (Lead Organisation) and Central Project Management Agency (Partner Organisation). 

EU4Reconstruction will reinforce the leadership of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, strengthen the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure (SARDI or Agency), empower local governments to manage reconstruction professionally and sustainably, and support civil society and independent media to play an active role in oversight, ensuring public trust and reducing corruption risks. 

The Programme will strengthen the policy dialogue around reconstruction and recovery and will focus in particular on the governance of public investment management, public infrastructure management at national, regional and local levels and how to link this with necessary capacity development to make the system work. Part of this process will ensure that the stakeholders in the programme and their policy and regulatory setup are prepared for EU accession. This will, in particular, ensure resources are allocated effectively, transparently, accountably and with broad inclusion in infrastructure planning and execution, reflecting the subsidiarity principle. 

Denmark, together with Lithuania, implements Stream 2 of the EU4Reconstruction programme aimed at strengthening the capacity of the SARDI and its subordinated entities to act as contracting authority and project implementation unit for major reconstruction projects. 

This assignment concerns Output 2 of Stream 2 of the EU4Reconstruction: SARDI has the capacity to operate as a transparent, efficient, and EU-compliant institution, effectively managing sustainable and accountable reconstruction efforts, and more specifically, sub-output 2.1 “Strategy formulated, and support facilitated for reforming SARDI aligned with GoU priorities and revisit the mandate of institutions and the relationship with the CPO, PMG, RORs, NIDI to reflect their role in reconstruction and enhance the effectiveness and accountabilities of the full institution and RORs”. 

SARDI and its ecosystem. SARDI was established by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, dated 13 January 2023. It was created through the renaming of the State Road Agency of Ukraine and the merger with the State Agency for Infrastructure Projects. 

SARDI is structured around a central authority in Kyiv and a broad network of regional and subordinate entities, including 24 Regional Offices for Restoration and Infrastructure Development (the SARDI ecosystem). 

SARDI is currently struggling to retain and attract qualified staff due to the low salary levels and lack of modern HR practices. To address these crucial capacity gaps, there is a need to strengthen the Agency’s internal human resources policies and practices to ensure SARDI’s ability to manage reconstruction effectively and sustainably. 

In addition, SARDI is currently undergoing institutional transformation, which requires careful structuring and support from an HR perspective. 

By reinforcing its internal capacity, the Agency can ensure greater resilience, operational continuity, and long-term sustainability of its recovery and infrastructure development efforts. 

In view of the above, the Agency – supported by the EU4Reconstruction – seeks an HR & Organizational Development Expert for SARDI to strengthen SARDI human resources transformation, who will be embedded within the Agency and refer directly to the SARDI deputy head responsible for SARDI strategic transformation and work closely with the SARDI HR team. 

Objective 

The objective of this assignment is to provide technical assistance and capacity development for SARDI in the area of human resources and organizational development, ensuring that HR policies, practices, and institutional structures are aligned with modern standards, and that staff capacity is strengthened to meet the Agency’s expanded mandate. 

Scope of work 

The scope of work of the assignment includes different tasks, including, but not necessarily limited to: 

HR Assessment & Gap Analysis:

• In close cooperation with the SARDI and EU4Reconstruction Project Manager, develop detailed terms of reference for a comprehensive assessment of needs and gaps in staff policies and practices across SARDI headquarters, RORs, CPO, NIDI, and PMG. 
• Facilitate comprehensive HR assessment. In particular, assess current young talent and veterans’ engagement policies. 
• Carry out staff surveys to identify factors influencing retention and attraction. 
• Deliver recommendations and a detailed plan for closing gaps in human resources management. 
• Technical assistance for the monitoring and adaptation process for the HR plan implementation. 

Development of HR Policies and Procedures:

• Based on the results of the assessment, draft and support during approval of the internal regulations, guidelines, and frameworks for HR management, including talent management, to reduce reliance on external consultants. 
• Provide technical assistance for designing and implementing structured career development pathways and incentive schemes to strengthen staff motivation and retention. 
• Advise SARDI leadership on the personnel classification process, ensuring the system is compliant with national regulations and effectively supports ongoing institutional reforms. 

Professional Development & Certification Programmes 

• In close cooperation with SARDI and the EU4Reconstruction Project Manager, design and support delivery of tailored detailed training and certification programmes for staff of SARDI central office, RORs, NIDI and other subordinate entities, inter alia, to build expertise in newly delegated project areas. 
• Support the development of a “corporate university” based on one of SARDI’s subordinated entities to build a structured in-house training capacity and programs; 
• Support engagement of young professionals and veterans, including those with disabilities, possibly in cooperation with NIDI and selected universities 

Organizational Transformation & Restructuring 

• Ensure HR reforms are embedded into SARDI’s broader institutional transformation strategy. 
• Provide advisory support during the restructuring of SARDI’s ecosystem on HR matters, assist with the development of standard HR documentation for SARDI ecosystem transformation and transfer of staff; 
• Support with development staff retention strategies, motivation schemes, and career development pathways. 
• Support with the development of a corporate web-portal for the SARDI ecosystem, including the preparation of detailed functional requirements. 
• Develop recommendations for establishing and implementing an effective internal communication system across the SARDI ecosystem. 
• Provide advisory support on setting up internal communication channels informing about the Agency’s key results and achievements. 

Deliverables 

It is expected that the Consultant will demonstrate tangible progress through the implementation of agreed activities and the provision of analytical and coordination outputs, as detailed below: 

1. Detailed terms of reference for a comprehensive HR assessment and gap analysis across SARDI headquarters, RORs, CPO, NIDI, PMG, and affiliated entities; 
2. Joint comprehensive HR assessment report covering needs and gaps in staff policies and practices, and a detailed plan for closing gaps in HR management; 
3. Staff survey tools, survey implementation, and analytical report on retention and attraction factors; 
4. Monitoring framework and ongoing technical assistance reports on monitoring and adaptation of the HR plan implementation; 
5. Draft internal HR regulations, policies, guidelines, and frameworks in line with the plan for closing gaps in HR management (at least a new regulation and/or changes to effective regulations); 
6. Advisory report supporting staff classification and grading processes in coordination with the Government of Ukraine; 
7. Training needs assessment for SARDI central office, RORs, NIDI, and subordinate entities; 
8. Design of tailored training and certification onboarding and personal development programmes and support during delivery of the programmes; 
9. Concept note and operational model for the establishment of the SARDI corporate university within a subordinate entity; 
10. Action plan and implementation support report on engagement of young professionals, veterans, and persons with disabilities; 
11. Review and inputs to the SARDI’s institutional transformation strategy on HR matters; 
12. Advisory support delivered and templates of HR documentation developed supporting organizational restructuring and staff transfer processes within the SARDI ecosystem; 
13. Advisory notes and technical inputs on various HR issues; 
14. Detailed functional requirements for the SARDI corporate web-portal; 
15. Action plan and implementation support on setting up the internal communication channels in the SARDI ecosystem. 

Written deliverables should be in Ukrainian, unless otherwise specifically indicated herein or agreed with the EU4Reconstruction. Deliverables should be translated into English upon request of the Agency / EU4Reconstruction. 

Qualification 

The contract will be awarded to the expert meeting the following criteria: 

General qualifications: 

1. Master’s degree (or higher) in Human Resources Management, Organisational Development, Public Administration, or a related field. 
2. Minimum 10 years of professional experience in HR management and organizational development, preferably within public sector institutions. 
3. At least 2 years of direct cooperation with public sector institutions under capacity-building projects. 

Adequacy for the assignment: 

1. Proven track record in designing and implementing HR policies and procedures aligned with EU standards would be an asset. 
2. Experience conducting HR assessments and gap analyses, including drafting compliance frameworks and monitoring tools. 
3. Demonstrated capacity to design and deliver professional development programmes, certification schemes, and training workshops. 
4. Practical experience advising on organizational restructuring, staff retention strategies, and corporate governance reforms. 
5. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with proven ability to prepare analytical reports, policy documents, and training materials. 
6. Demonstrated ability to work in complex institutional environments and coordinate with multiple stakeholders. 

Experience with the region and languages: 

1. Practical experience working in Ukraine. 
2. Fluency in Ukrainian and English (written and spoken). 

Budget, timeframe, and location 

The maximum budget available for this assignment is EUR 30,000 (inclusive of all applicable expenses and taxes). 

Payments to the Consultant shall be made on a monthly basis against the Consultant’s timesheet and invoice for the respective period. Payments shall be based on the actual days worked, the agreed daily fee rate, and the expenses incurred by the Consultant during the period (if any). Payments will require verification of completion of deliverables and approval of the Consultant’s timesheets and expense outlay by the Project Manager for SARDI strategic development. Travel costs and other reimbursable costs will only be accepted if they are in compliance with the guidelines in the contract. 

The intended commencement date is the date of signature of the contract with the Consultant, and the period of implementation of the contract will be 11 months, with a start in January 2026. The assignment includes up to 230 working days per full term of the Contract (up to 21 working days per month). 

The expert is expected to work from the premises of the Agency. 

Reporting and management 

The performance of the Consultant will be judged upon reaching the purpose of this contract as well as obtaining its results, as indicated in the section “Objective” and “Deliverables” herein respectively. Moreover, the performance of the Consultant will be judged upon the successful implementation of all the specific activities indicated in Section “Scope of work” of this document. 

By signing the contract, the Consultant agrees to hold in trust and confidence any information or documents (“confidential information”) disclosed to the Consultant or discovered by the Consultant or prepared by the Consultant in the course of or as a result of the implementation of the contract, and agrees that it shall be used only for the contract implementation and shall 

not be disclosed to any third party. The Consultant also agrees not to retain copies of any written information or prototypes in its archive and for its use. 

The expert will report to the Project Manager for SARDI strategic development, who will review/approve deliverables indicated above. Regular planning and reporting sessions with the SARDI Deputy Head, other representative of the Agency and EU4Reconstruction are expected. 

How to apply 

The deadline for submitting the proposal is 10 February 2026, 18:00 Kyiv time. 

All interested candidates should submit the following documents in English: 

• Completed Annex 1, including: CV for Key staff (Section 3), Supplier’s Technical Proposal / Methodology (Section 4) and Workplan (Sections 5) 
• Financial offer (Annex 2, forms 1 and 2) in EUR, including daily fee and other related expenses (taxes, if applicable), with calculation of maximum 230 working days. 

If these documents are not submitted in line with the requirements above, the bid will not be considered. 

The proposal shall include the aforementioned information and should be submitted within the above deadline to [email protected] cc to [email protected] indicating the subject line: “HR & Organizational Development Expert for SARDI”. 

Bidding language: English. 

Any clarification questions regarding the terms of reference should be addressed to [email protected] cc to [email protected], not later than 6 February 2026, 18-00 Kyiv time. 

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