Senior Cultural Policy Expert (M/W)

Описание

Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :

• democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
• peace, stability, and security ;
• climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
• health and human development ;

In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results. 

Technical assistance description

Implemented in the framework of the mAIDan Facility Ukraine programme (financed by French MFA), the Technical Assistance (TA) will support the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and selected cultural institutions in advancing reforms to strengthen financial autonomy, improve governance, and enable diversified and sustainable financing, in line with the Strategy for the Development of Culture in Ukraine until 2030 and the Ukraine Facility Plan. The TA will apply an integrated approach combining analytical work, policy and regulatory support, institutional capacity strengthening, and the testing of adaptable organizational and financing models to ensure coherence between reform design and implementation.

The TA will establish a validated analytical baseline through a structured assessment of legal, financial, governance, and operational constraints affecting cultural institutions, leading to the prioritization of reform needs. Based on this evidence, it will support the preparation of feasible and legally compliant policy, regulatory, and legislative solutions, including technical assistance during drafting and stakeholder consultation processes.

In parallel, the TA will strengthen the managerial, financial, and operational capacities of selected cultural institutions, supporting the translation of policy reforms into improved institutional practice. Pilot initiatives will generate practical evidence on organizational and financing models that enhance institutional flexibility and financial resilience, with lessons learned informing policy refinement and sector-wide reform.

The mission will be implemented by a multidisciplinary team of international and national experts in cultural policy, public law, cultural financing, and institutional development. Under the Senior cultural policy expert leadership, the team will ensure analytical coherence, effective coordination with the Ministry of Culture, and the delivery of feasible, compliant, and sustainable reform outcomes.

Objectives of the technical assistance mission 

General objective of the mission

General objective: Strengthen the financial autonomy of cultural institutions, through regulatory and legislative adaptation, and capacity-building of key cultural institutions.

This objective will directly support the modernization of Ukraine's cultural sector, promote diversified and sustainable financing, and advance the implementation of the Strategy for the Development of Culture in Ukraine until 2030 under the Ukraine Facility Plan.

Specific objectives of the mission

• To identify, analyze, and document structural, legal, financial, and managerial challenges faced by cultural institutions in achieving financial autonomy and diversified revenue generation.
• To develop and support the adoption of regulatory and legislative solutions addressing identified barriers to institutional autonomy, in line with the Strategy for the Development of Culture in Ukraine until 2030 and the Ukraine Facility Plan.
• To enhance the managerial, financial, and operational capacities of selected cultural institutions (maximum of 5 pilot institutions) to lawfully design, implement, and sustain revenue-generating activities.
• To develop, adapt, and pilot organisational, legal, and financing models that enable cultural institutions to operate with greater flexibility and financial resilience.
• To ensure that proposed reforms and institutional models are validated through structured consultations with public authorities and cultural institutions.

Indicative activities and results

Indicative activities which the Senior cultural policy expert is to implement:

In close collaboration with other members of the TA (Senior Cultural Institutions Management Expert, Legal & Policy Expert) which Senior Cultural Policy Expert is expected to coordinate, the Expert will:

• Develop a roadmap and workplan outlining logical path to attain the aforementioned specific objectives (including milestones, intermediary deliverables, etc.) ;
• Liaise with beneificiairies (Ministry of Culture, pilot cultural institutions) and (where applicable) donor and other relevant political authorities ;
• Coordinate the deliverables-production of the TA, and ensure quality-control of produced outputs. 

Indicative duration of the mission: up to 100 working days

Most cultural institutions in Ukraine rely on state or local budget financing, which provides a degree of stability but remains insufficient to ensure sustainable development and creates a high level of dependency on political and economic conditions at each governance level. Institutions funded locally face significant regional disparities, as their operational stability and development opportunities are shaped by the economic capacity and political priorities of the respective community or region. This dependence also affects governance: personnel appointments, strategic planning, and program decisions are often influenced by local political leadership rather than institutional needs.

Only a limited number of institutions supported by private investment or international partners can operate with greater independence and managerial flexibility. Overall, the sector lacks diversified, resilient financing mechanisms, underscoring the need for systemic reforms to reduce political vulnerability and strengthen institutional autonomy.

To address systemic constraints, the Ministry of Culture has developed an operational plan aligned with the national cultural strategy, where the liberalization of financing mechanisms is a key measure under Operational Objective 2: Institutional Reform of Cultural Institutions. This framework aims to reduce political dependence, diversify funding sources, and strengthen institutional governance.

Ukraine is advancing a major governance reform across its state-owned cultural institutions, introducing independent Supervisory Boards to strengthen transparency, accountability, and professional oversight. This shift, aligned with the Strategy for Cultural Development until 2030 and OECD corporate governance standards, aims to depoliticize management, improve the use of public funds, and modernize institutional leadership. By separating strategic supervision from daily operations, the reform seeks to make museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions more resilient, efficient, and aligned with European practices, an essential step for post-war recovery and sustainable sector development.

Continuing work on reforms, in November 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted an updated list of paid services that state and municipal cultural institutions are allowed to offer as of 1 January 2026. Under the new regulation, cultural institutions can expand revenue-generating activities by selling merchandise and publications online and offline, operating small cafés, digitizing collections, offering a wider range of media content, providing publishing services, and, where relevant, temporary accommodation and catering. Museums and libraries may also sell goods on commission and rent out equipment, spaces, or temporary structures for events and entrepreneurial activities.

These changes signal a shift toward greater flexibility and diversification of cultural institutions' revenue streams: they allow institutions to supplement public funding with earned income, modernize their services, and respond to demand in contemporary formats. The reform potentially increases financial sustainability, lessens dependence on public budgets, and empowers cultural organizations to explore hybrid financing models aligning well with broader aims to liberalize financing and make the sector more adaptive, resilient, and self-sustaining. These changes are essential to maintain accessibility, support recovery, and ensure sector resilience under wartime conditions and in the longer-term reconstruction period. Expertise France, with its established cooperation with Ukrainian cultural institutions and its strong network of partners, is well-positioned to support policy development and the drafting of regulations for these financing and governance innovations.

Required qualifications:

Education:

• Master's degree or equivalent in public administration, cultural policy, international relations, cultural management, or a related field.

Professional experience :

• At least 10 years' experience in cultural policy, public sector reform, or governance of public institutions.
• Proven experience in leading multi-disciplinary technical assistance projects and coordinating international and national experts.
• Experience in policy development, regulatory reform, and stakeholder engagement, preferably in cultural or heritage sectors.
• Knowledge of national and international cultural governance frameworks and reform strategies.

Key 's kills:

• Strong leadership and coordination skills, with proven ability to manage multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent understanding of public administration, policy design, and strategic planning.
• Ability to facilitate high-level consultations and ensure alignment with national strategies.
• Strong analytical, reporting, and synthesis skills; diplomacy and stakeholder management abilities.

Languages:

• Fluency in English (written and spoken); knowledge of Ukrainian is an asset.

Application procedure

Interested candidates are invited to submit a complete technical and financial proposal including:

For Senior cultural policy expert :

·         A methodology note (at least 2 pages) demonstrating their understanding of the mandate, proposed approach, tools, coordination mechanisms, and overall support plan for the Technical Assistance;

·         A financial proposal, indicating the proposed daily fee and the total estimated number of working days;

·         A detailed CV (maximum 6 pages) highlighting relevant experience in cultural policy, public sector reform, and international technical assistance.

Technical Evaluation Criteria (Desk review and/or Interview based)