About SALAR International & its engagement in Ukraine
SALAR International is a subsidiary of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR), representing all 290 municipalities and 21 regions in Sweden. As the international branch of SALAR, we work globally to support local democracy and good governance in developing and transitioning countries. Our expertise covers areas such as capacity building in municipal management and service delivery, local and regional development planning, support for local government associations, decentralisation policies and European integration. Geographically, SALAR International’s projects cover countries in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, the Middle East and the Sub-Saharan Africa.
SALAR International has been engaged in Ukraine since 2014, providing support to Ukraine’s decentralisation process through three major initiatives focusing on building a robust multi-level governance system, increasing accessibility and quality of services at the local level, and enhancing international cooperation between municipalities from Ukraine and the EU. After the full-scale invasion, SALAR International has added crisis support to Ukrainian municipalities, providing them with material assistance.
Description of the assignment context
To address the changing needs of Ukrainian municipalities and national level stakeholders during wartime, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) in 2024 initiated a broader programme in support of multilevel governance and recovery. This programme is called “Polaris: Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine”. It is implemented by SALAR International and planned for four years (July 2024-May 2028).
Polaris Programme aims to work with both short and long-term focus, addressing the needs of the multi-level governance system in Ukraine and in parallel strengthening municipalities’ public service provision, as well as their direct engagement in the recovery and reconstruction processes, in line with the requirements of Ukraine’s EU accession.
Role description
The role European Integration and Local Governance Expert will work to strengthen the capacities and increase the opportunities of Ukrainian municipalities and their associations to engage in international, primarily EU-level, activities, and for long-term relations with EU-peers. The role entails working on the Polaris programme while specifically focusing on the 'Cities4Cities' initiative www.cities4cities.eu, facilitating the development of municipal partnerships between Ukrainian and other European municipalities and supporting Ukrainian municipalities in their international collaboration efforts.
For more information, please download the Terms of Reference.
Deadline: 9 March 2025
