Junior Project Manager for the Development of the Automated Information Complex for Education Management (AIKOM) for Preschool Education — Lifting Education Access and Resilience in times of Need in Ukraine Program

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (LEARN-2.2-ECEIT-TA3 - Junior Project Manager for the Development of the Automated Information Complex for Education Management (AIKOM) for Preschool Education) UKRAINE Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine Program GPE TF0D0613 Assignment Title: Junior Project Manager for the Development of the Automated Information Complex for Education Management (AIKOM) for Preschool Education No . LEARN-2.2-ECEIT-TA3 Ukraine with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association (hereinafter referred to as the World Bank) have signed the agreements for the Program “Lifting Education Access and Resilience in times of Need in Ukraine” (hereinafter referred to as the LEARN or Operation). LEARN was developed to address critical challenges and provide essential support to the education sector, aligning with the Ministry of Education and Science’s (MoES) Strategic Action Plan. The objectives of the Operation are to (i) improve teaching and learning conditions; and (ii) strengthen management capacity of the education system. The objective of this assignment is to support project management for the development of the AIKOM software and hardware module in the field of preschool education, including participation in work planning and coordination, monitoring of task implementation, support of communication with stakeholders, and administrative support for the processes of development and acceptance of functionality. The Consultant will be contracted through competitive selection in line with the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” September 2025 (“Procurement Regulations”). The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the Procurement Regulations, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. MOES now invites qualified interested persons to submit their expression of interest in Ukrainian and English as provided in the Terms of reference. The detailed Terms of Reference and submission modalities for the assignment are attached to this Request for Expression of Interest. The deadline for submission of applications is 14:00 am Kyiv time August 25, 2026. TERMS OF REFERENCE for the provision of consulting services (individual consultant) Junior Project Manager for the Development of the Automated Information Complex for Education Management (AIKOM) for Preschool Education Procurement No. LEARN-2.2-ECEIT-TA3 Program "Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine" (LEARN) Grant URTF No. TF0D0612 I. Background The Government of Ukraine is implementing a comprehensive reform of the education sector aimed at strengthening teaching and learning conditions and enhancing management capacity at all levels of education, which is one of the key tasks on Ukraine's path to EU accession. With the adoption in 2024 of the new Law of Ukraine "On Preschool Education", which entered into force on 1 January 2025, active transformation processes have also encompassed the preschool education sector. Early childhood and preschool education ranks first among the strategic priorities defined by the Strategic Action Plan of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine until 2027, approved by Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine No. 276 dated 7 March 2024. The ultimate goal of the reform is to ensure access to quality preschool education for every child, including children with special educational needs. This goal is to be achieved through a number of strategic objectives: accessibility, highly qualified and motivated staff, alignment of the quality and content of education with European requirements, and the functioning of effective systems for monitoring and quality assessment, management, and financing. European Commission's 2024 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy notes the steps taken as a certain degree of progress. It highlights the following task — to ensure the implementation of preschool education legislation that introduces measures aligned with EU principles and focuses on quality early childhood education, guaranteeing access for children of early and preschool age, fair rules for the operation of preschool education entities, and decent working conditions for staff. The implementation of this reform is also accompanied by the development of a draft Preschool Education Development Strategy, presented during the "First Steps Forward" event, new secondary legislation, and additional budget allocations. These reforms, the most transformative in over three decades, will be implemented in two phases. The first phase envisages capacity development at the national and local levels for the implementation of reforms on a limited scale, in approximately 35 territorial communities, combined with careful process evaluation to prepare for scale-up. The second phase envisages the implementation of the Strategy at the national level. To support the first phase of the preschool education reform, the Government has requested additional resources under the technical assistance component financed through the Investment Project Financing instrument of the "Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine" (LEARN) project. In 2024, Ukraine and the World Bank signed agreements for the "Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine" (LEARN) operation. The objective of LEARN is to: (i) improve teaching and learning conditions; and (ii) strengthen the management capacity of the education system. Total financing for LEARN amounts to USD 451.0 million and combines the following World Bank financial instruments: Program-for-Results (PforR) financing – USD 389.9 million, and Investment Project Financing (IPF) – USD 61.1 million. Program-for-Results (PforR) is implemented through a loan of USD 235 million provided from Bank resources and supported by the Advancing Needed Credit Enhancement for Ukraine (ADVANCE Ukraine) Trust Fund, financed by the Government of Japan. This is formalized through a Financing Agreement between Ukraine and the International Development Association for the Program (CREDIT No. 9721-UA). An additional USD 150 million is provided under the Special Program for Ukraine and Moldova Recovery (SPUR) of the IDA Crisis Response Window, as set out in the Loan Agreement between Ukraine and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the Program (LOAN No. 7626-UA). On 1 July 2025, a Financing Agreement (Additional Financing: Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine Program) was signed between Ukraine and the International Development Association (CREDIT No. 7905-UA) in the amount of USD 4.9 million. In addition, USD 30 million of Investment Project Financing (IPF) is provided under the Grant Agreement between Ukraine and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association, acting as administrator of the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Reform Multi-Donor Trust Fund (GRANT URTF No. TF0C5794). On 19 December 2025, a Grant Agreement (Additional Financing for the Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine Project) was signed between Ukraine and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association, jointly acting as the Supervising Entity for the Global Partnership for Education Fund and as administrator of the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Multi-Donor Trust Fund (GRANT GPE No. TF0D0613, GRANT URTF No. TF0D0612), in the amount of USD 31.1 million. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has established the Early Childhood Education Development Office (ECEDO). Functioning as a technical implementation office within the Ministry, ECEDO provides operational and expert support to coordinate overall reform efforts across several areas, including access and financing, education content and teacher professional development, inclusion, quality assurance, legal and regulatory frameworks, and cross-sectoral cooperation. The Office will also be responsible for monitoring the implementation of reforms in early childhood and preschool education (ECPE). The establishment of ECEDO strengthens the capacity of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to manage donor-financed technical assistance, support participating communities, ensure coherence among reform components, and integrate project results into national systems for long-term sustainability and scalability. To improve information support for management activities in Ukraine's education sector, the software and hardware complex "Automated Information Complex for Education Management" (AIKOM) was established, with its tasks, purpose, and operating procedures defined by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1255 of 2 December 2021. The tasks to be performed by the Consultant will contribute to strengthening management capacity in the field of preschool education by supporting the development of the relevant AIKOM module. II. Objective of the Assignment The objective of this assignment is to support project management for the development of the AIKOM software and hardware module in the field of preschool education, including participation in work planning and coordination, monitoring of task implementation, support of communication with stakeholders, and administrative support for the processes of development and acceptance of functionality. III. Scope of Work 1. Task Planning and Coordination maintain the up-to-date task plan and project schedule; maintain the task backlog and participate in prioritization together with the Project Manager; track task completion deadlines and record implementation status. 2. Team and Stakeholder Coordination organize working meetings, take minutes, and record decisions made; support communication between the development team and business stakeholders; prepare informational materials for project stakeholders. 3. Documentation and Reporting prepare status reports on project progress; maintain the task, risk, and issue register (issue/risk log); participate in the preparation of presentation and reporting materials for management and the donor. 4. Risk and Change Management participate in identifying project risks and assessing their impact; participate in supporting the change management process and prepare accompanying documentation. 5. Administrative Support of the Project organize working meetings and workshops; maintain project documentation in the task management system (ClickUp and others); organize and archive project materials. IV. Expected Deliverables Updated task plan and project schedule. Meeting minutes and register of decisions made. Status reports on project progress. Register of project tasks, risks, and issues. Project documentation in the task management system. V. Performance Indicators The Consultant's performance will be assessed against the following indicators: timeliness of completing assigned tasks and preparing materials; quality of maintaining project documentation and reporting; active participation in team processes and communication with stakeholders; diligence in supporting deadline monitoring and risk management processes; positive assessment by the Project Manager of the quality of support provided. VI. Reporting and Coordination The Consultant reports to the Project Manager for the development of the Automated Information Complex for Education Management (AIKOM) for preschool education and works under his/her direct supervision. The Consultant coordinates activities with the Team Leader of the World Bank's operations management team. The Consultant submits monthly reports to the Project Coordinator or Co-coordinator of the project in hard copy. The reports must contain a description of the services provided by the Consultant during the reporting period. VII. Duration and Format of the Assignment The Consultant will provide services until 31 December 2028. The contract may be extended subject to satisfactory performance of the assignment and mutual agreement between the Consultant and the MoES. The Consultant will provide services under this Contract on a full-time basis for the entire duration of the contract, with a level of engagement equivalent to full-time employment, to the extent necessary for the proper performance of the tasks defined in the Scope of Work. VIII. Minimum Qualification Requirements higher education (not lower than a bachelor's degree) in information technology, project management, general management, or other relevant fields; at least 1 year of experience in a position of Junior Project Manager, Project Assistant, Project Coordinator, or a similar role (experience in IT projects will be an advantage); basic knowledge of project management methodologies and practices (Agile/Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall); confident use of task management and document management tools (ClickUp, Jira, Trello, MS Office/Google Workspace); ability to prepare meeting minutes, status reports, and project documentation; attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and ability to work effectively in a team; proficiency in Ukrainian at a level sufficient for business communication and documentation; English at a level not lower than B1. IX. Desirable Skills and Qualifications experience participating in projects in the public sector or within international technical assistance; basic understanding of the education sector and/or digital government registry processes; meeting facilitation skills; practical experience participating in Agile/Scrum processes (sprints, daily stand-ups, retrospectives). X. Application Package Interested candidates should submit their CV in Ukrainian and English to: kateryna.kovtun@mon.gov.ua, copy: serhiy.artemenko@uiherp.org and marina.chubenko@mon.gov.ua . Email subject line: "Selection for the position of Junior Project Manager, Preschool Education Module, AIKOM: [NAME]". Application deadline: August 25, 14:00 Kyiv time. If the applicant fails to submit a CV in both languages, the Client reserves the right to reject the applicant's submission.