TERMS OF REFERENCE

Communication expert to assist the selection process of the Director of the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine. 

Background

Since the Revolution of Dignity in 2013/2014, Ukraine has been on a path of enhanced reform toward democratization and increased ties with the European Union. The fight against  corruption has been a cornerstone of Ukraine’s transformation, laying a foundation for economic growth and further democratization.

The Bureau of Economic Security (BES) in Ukraine was established to combat financial and economic crimes. Its creation reflects Ukraine’s broader strategy of developing specialized institutions to address corruption, fraud, and economic misconduct. The BES is tasked with investigating crimes related to public finance, taxes, customs, and other economic  sectors, aiming to protect the state's economic interests.

The BES operates under a legal framework that defines its mandate and governance structure. It was established to centralize the fight against economic crimes, previously scattered across multiple agencies, thereby improving efficiency and reducing the overlap of responsibilities. The agency is designed to work independently but remains accountable to the Ukrainian government.

The selection process for the Director of BES follows a transparent, merit-based approach. The Selection Commission, responsible for overseeing the process, is composed of six members—three nominated by the Ukrainian government and three by international partners. This system aims at ensuring an independent and credible appointment process, much like the structure used for anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine, such as the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP).

Objectives and results

The objective of this assignment is to assist the selection commission of the Director of the Bureau of Economic Security by managing all communication aspects related to the selection process. This includes developing a comprehensive communication strategy, facilitating transparent and timely media engagement, organizing interviews and press briefings for the Commission members, and managing public relations. The focus will be on ensuring that the selection process is perceived as transparent, fair, and merit-based, while addressing any potential crisis communication that may arise during the process. Additionally, the expert will support the Commission in maintaining clear communication channels with stakeholders and the public.

Scope of work:

The communication expert is expected but not limited to:

1. Communication Planning for the Competitive Selection Commission for the Selection of the Director of BES (hereinafter – Commission):

• 1.1. Develop and implement a communications/media plan over a 2-month period, and provide recommendations for plan adjustments if needed. Media plans shall cover a four-week period and be regularly updated and include a brief description of media activities, the party responsible for creation/implementation, communication channels, and key audiences. To ensure systematic communication, the plan should encompass activities/events related to highlighting competition progress as well as general educational information about the competition.
• 1.2. Coordinating and receiving approval of plans from the Commission Chair and Secretariat;
• 1.3. Conducting regular coordination meetings with the Commission and the Secretariat;
• 1.4. Participating in the Commission meetings and other important events of the Selection Process (where possible and needed) to stay informed on the latest developments;
• 1.5. Analyzing plan’s implementation and adjusting plans accordingly.

2. Organization of Commission’s communications and providing leadership in the performance of the communication function:

• 2.1. Coordinating and processing incoming requests from journalists, preparing comments/replies with the assistance of the Secretariat;
• 2.2. Organizing interviews and comments of Commission’s speakers for media;
• 2.3. Organizing meetings and other events with media representatives (e.g., interviews, comments) and other stakeholders (e.g., NGOs and activists) with the support of the Secretariat;
• 2.4. Preparing selection commission members for meetings with media representatives and other public events, including drafting talking points with the support and in coordination with the Secretariat;
• 2.5. Creating informational triggers, drafting materials (press releases, announcements, news, videos), and organizing infographics development based on the Commission's work results ;
• 2.6. Developing draft open-eds and other materials upon request of the Commission members;
• 2.7. Developing content and organizing maintenance of Commission’s pages on social media platforms (FB, Telegram, Twitter) ;
• 2.8. Crisis communication management.

3. Monitoring and reporting:

• 3.1. Organizing regular (weekly; daily in a crisis situation and upon important events/milestones) media monitoring and analysis of key messages;
• 3.2. Preparing final report to the Commission and the donors, which should include best practices from the period and lessons learned.

Start date and period of implementation of tasks

The intended commencement date is the date of signature of the contract by both parties and the period of implementation of the contract will be up to 6 months, with a maximum duration of 50 working days starting from November 2024 – April 2025.

Requirements for the Service Provider

The assignment requires the services of a communication expert with the following qualifications:

• University Degree in Media, Journalism, Marketing, Public Policy, Public Administration, Economics, Law, International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or other related fields.
• Minimum 5 years of demonstrated professional experience in designing, implementing and monitoring communication and media initiatives.
• Demonstrated knowledge of accountability, transparency, and anti-corruption assessments and other methodologies for evaluating vulnerabilities in governance systems, institutions, and processes and of the political and social context in Ukraine as well as civil society and media concerns.
• Demonstrated experience in establishing strong working relationships with international organizations, Ukrainian organizations, and media outlets.
• Demonstrated ability to handle discrete/sensitive political issues with tact and diplomacy.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, and communication skills, including the ability to produce high-quality, practical advisory reports and knowledge products.
• Strong managerial/leadership experience and decision-making skills will be an asset.
• Strong ability to work in teams; creating an enabling environment, mentoring and developing partners and colleagues.
• Proven ability to see through tasks set and deliver results.
• The ability to work under pressure with tight deadlines, flexibility and an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Fluency in Ukrainian and English is required.

Monitoring and evaluation

Definition of indicators

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

The deadline for proposal submission is 24 November 2024, 18:00 Kyiv time.

How to apply

Provide the CV and expected daily rate in EUR within the above deadlines to the Anti-Corruption Expert Viktoria Popyk, the e-mail: [email protected] with the title “Communication Expert for the BES selection process”.

Bidding language: English.
 
Clarification questions:

Questions for the Request for Bid should be addressed to [email protected] no later than 8 November 18:00 Kyiv time.