Description of the context
To address the changing needs of Ukrainian municipalities and national level stakeholders during wartime, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has initiated a broader programme in support of multilevel governance and recovery. This programme is called “Polaris: Supporting Multi-level 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.
The Programme’s support is provided through two operational components: one focusing on policy and collaboration with national stakeholders, and the other providing direct support to municipalities. The support encompasses six thematic areas: Education, Fiscal Decentralisation and Budgeting, Administrative Service Provision, Locally-led Recovery, Municipal Enterprises, and International Municipal Cooperation. In addition, the Programme will provide material support to meet short-term material crisis needs of municipalities.
The Polaris Programme's Education Thematic Area, together with Ukrainian partners (at the national, regional and local levels), is working to establish an effective system of financing and multi-level governance in the field of education. Operationally, the Programme's education experts are divided into two levels: the national education team and the local and regional education team. These terms of reference refer to the expert(s) who will be part of the Local Level Education team. The unit supports territorial communities in improving the quality and accessibility of educational services, forming effective educational networks, introducing educational innovations and establishing productive communication with educational stakeholders.
Role Description
This task involves working within the thematic team “Education at the Local and Regional Levels.” The core of the team supports communities in establishing sustainable educational networks and coordinating educational management efforts to improve the quality of the educational process within the community. This technical assignment pertains to a new area of the team’s work, which focuses specifically on early childhood education (preschool).
Main responsibilities
- Conducting (both as part of a team and independently) activities in institutions, communities, and regions to enhance their institutional capacity for the management, modernization, and operation of preschool education institutions in the context of implementing new legislation and establishing a new regulatory framework;
- Analyse the current state of the community preschool education system and develop recommendations for the founding body, governing body, and school administration on bringing it into compliance with the requirements of the new legislation;
- Identifying gaps in the regulatory and legal framework governing the operation of preschool education institutions that prevent the full implementation of the new legislation, and formulating proposals for the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to address these gaps;
- Assisting local self-government bodies in establishing an effective network of traditional preschool education institutions and introducing alternative forms of preschool education to ensure full coverage of children by the preschool education system;
- Promoting understanding among local self-government bodies regarding the development and establishment of various forms of organization and operation of preschool education, including private institutions;
- Coordinating activities with education experts at the local and regional levels who work in the field of general secondary education to carry out joint initiatives;
- Collecting, verifying, documenting, and disseminating best practices in the management of preschool education in communities and regions;
- Assisting the Education Local team lead in organizing and conducting events in communities and regions.
Please send your CV (no more than 3 pages) and cover letter (no more than 1 page in PDF format) to
For more information, please download the Terms of Reference.
Deadline: 08 October 2026
