Context

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is an intergovernmental organization of 35 member states, with a mission to support sustainable democracy worldwide through policy-relevant knowledge, capacity development, advocacy, and the convening of dialogues. The Institute pursues this mission by developing, sharing and enabling the use of comparative knowledge to reform-makers, combining research, global knowledge tools, and technical assistance to support democratic reform and influence policies and politics at the national and global level.

The Regional Europe Programme (REP) has a strategic objective to support democracy in Europe, with an emphasis on Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. In Ukraine, International IDEA aims to support state and civil society organizations in enhancing the resilience and quality of democratic institutions and processes. Key areas of our engagement relate to electoral processes and political finance, parliamentary strengthening, and promoting the expertise and capacity of civil society organizations to participate in decision-making processes.

International IDEA programming in Ukraine has expanded significantly. The Programme’s key areas of focus are provision of support to parliamentary strengthening and to enhancing electoral integrity; other areas of work may include activities to foster greater civic engagement in democratic processes, support to strengthening the culture of constitutionalism, digitalization, promotion of gender equality and women’s participation in political and public life.

The Voter Education Officer will support the Central Election Commission of Ukraine in strengthening its capacity to communicate effectively with voters and stakeholders, and in the development and implementation of voter education, public awareness and information campaigns aimed at promoting informed and inclusive participation in democratic processes.

The incumbent supports programme implementation through technical advice, voter education and communication materials, stakeholder engagement, public outreach, and activities related to social media monitoring, information integrity and resilience against foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). The role also supports the communication and visibility of International IDEA’s work in Ukraine through content development, media engagement, events and digital communications, in close coordination with Headquarters.

Duties and Responsibilities

Communication Capacity Strengthening, Voter Education and Information Integrity

• Provides technical expertise and implementation support aimed at strengthening the communication, public outreach and voter education capacity of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine and other relevant electoral stakeholders;

• Supports the Project Manager in the development of voter education approaches, communication strategies, public information initiatives and outreach campaigns related to electoral processes, democratic participation, electoral integrity and institutional resilience with a special focus on marginalized groups (women, people with disabilities, internally displaced people, refugees, veterans, etc.);

• Advises on and supports the design, testing and implementation of voter education and public information materials, tools and campaigns aimed at improving public understanding of electoral processes, promoting informed participation and strengthening trust in democratic institutions;

• Supports programme activities aimed at addressing misinformation, information disorder and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), including through voter education, strategic communication and public awareness initiatives;

• Contributes to the development of methodologies, guidance materials, analytical products and practical recommendations related to voter education, electoral communication, public outreach, information integrity and resilience;

• Supports social media monitoring and analysis activities, including the identification of voter information needs, communication trends, emerging risks and issues relevant to electoral communication and information integrity;

• Prepares analytical summaries, briefing notes, communication materials and technical recommendations for electoral stakeholders, programme partners and International IDEA;

• Coordinates and oversees the work of consultants, service providers and implementing partners engaged in voter education, communication, public outreach, social media monitoring and related activities;

• Contributes to the visibility and communication of International IDEA’s activities in Ukraine through the preparation of communication content, event materials, success stories and other outreach products, in coordination with International IDEA’s Communications Team.

Cooperation and Stakeholder Engagement

• Works in close coordination with International IDEA’s Communications Team at Headquarters to ensure that communication products and visibility activities are aligned with organizational standards, messaging and branding requirements;

• Establishes, coordinates and maintains effective working relationships with electoral management bodies, state institutions, civil society organizations, media-related stakeholders, academic institutions and other relevant actors engaged in voter education, communication and information integrity;

• Provides technical advice and support to programme teams, consultants and partners, and contributes expertise on voter education, public outreach and information integrity to programme design, implementation and adaptive management processes;

• Represents International IDEA in meetings, consultations, conferences, working groups and stakeholder engagements related to voter education, electoral communication, public outreach and information integrity, as required.

General Profile

• Combines in-depth knowledge, acquired through post-graduate academic achievements, excellent skills and significant experience in their field;

• Combines in-depth knowledge in current democratization trends and challenges, especially in Ukraine, with a particular focus on democratic governance, electoral processes, parliamentary development, constitutional reforms, FIMI, political finance and democracy assessment frameworks.

• Contributes to assigned projects throughout the project life cycle, i.e. from strategic planning and project design, funding and budgeting to project assessment and accountability; supports meetings and discussions, reviews publications and input from external providers;

• Can work with minimal guidance and supervision;

• Adds value to team-based activities in their unit; collaborates with other entities of the Institute;

• Acts as a model or mentor for less experienced colleagues;

• Can be expected to travel globally to any geographical area involved in their projects;

• Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with Institutional guidelines;

• Acts in accordance with International IDEA’ s core values; Respect, Integrity and Professionalism;

• Integrates gender equality, diversity, and social inclusion (GEDSI) considerations into all tasks and activities, in alignment with the Institute’s Core Values and commitment to the GEDSI policy. 

Reporting line

• Project Manager, Democratic Resilience and Capacity Building

Education and Experience

• University degree in communications, journalism, political science, public administration, social sciences or another relevant field;

• Minimum five (5) years of relevant professional experience in strategic communication, public information, voter education, media relations, institutional communication or related fields, preferably within international organizations, public institutions, electoral bodies or donor-funded projects;

• Experience producing high-quality communication products and supporting communication campaigns, public outreach, voter education or related initiatives for diverse audiences and platforms;

• Experience in communications related to democratic governance, elections, public institutions or civic participation;

• Experience engaging with a range of stakeholders, including government institutions, electoral bodies, media, UN entities, NGOs and other partners, is considered an advantage;

• Experience of working in an international context, e.g. in an intergovernmental organization, is considered an advantage;

Terms of Contract:

• Local Post.

• Fixed term appointment until 31 Dec 2027.

• Remuneration - USD 3 418 gross per month

Please note as this is a local post, International IDEA will bear no costs relating to the relocation of the selected candidate to the duty station. This position is open to those legally authorized to live and work in Ukraine for the duration of the contract. International IDEA is not able to support work permit applications. 

Use of AI in Recruitment
International IDEA places strong emphasis on human input in recruitment. Candidates must disclose any use of AI tools. All application materials, written assessments, and interview responses (as applicable) must be entirely human-generated and reflect the candidate’s own knowledge, skills, and experience. The use of AI to generate content or misrepresent qualifications is not permitted. AI‑powered assistive technologies (such as screen readers or speech‑to‑text tools) may be used for accessibility purposes to ensure equal access to the recruitment process.

Applying for this position:

• Applications should be submitted online no later than 23:59 (CEST) 04 August 2026. 

• Please note that all applications must be made in English.

Selection Process:

• Evaluation of qualified candidates will include a written test assessment and up to two (2) interviews.

• Candidates selected to proceed to the next stage of the process will be contacted once all applications have been carefully reviewed.

• All candidates will be notified of the status of their application via email once the process has been finalized.

Due to the anticipated volume of applications, International IDEA will review applications on a rolling basis, and the vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline. Applicants are therefore encouraged to apply early.

International IDEA is an equal-opportunity employer which seeks to further diversify its staff in terms of gender, culture and nationality.