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Month: September 2026
The Supervisory Board of SFE “Forests of Ukraine” has launched a competitive selection process for the position of General Director of the enterprise. Following an open procurement procedure, TALENT ADVISORS LLC (Odgers) has been engaged as an independent external consultant to conduct the search for and professional assessment of candidates.
The selection process is based on clear rules, consistent criteria and professional assessment of candidates.
“For the Supervisory Board, it is essential that confidence in the outcome of the selection process begins with confidence in the process itself. We have defined the selection criteria and stages in advance and provided for several levels of professional assessment. At the same time, the final decision on the successful candidate rests exclusively with the Supervisory Board. For us, transparency means clear rules, consistency in decision-making and the same approach to assessing every candidate,” said Mark Vytvytskyy, Chair of the Supervisory Board of SFE “Forests of Ukraine”.
Executives from both the corporate and public sectors are invited to participate. Key factors in the assessment will include the scale of responsibility, the complexity of management challenges and demonstrated results. Core requirements include at least five years of senior management experience, experience in implementing strategies and transformation programmes, managing significant resources, improving efficiency and operating in crisis conditions.
“We expect the new leader to bring a new standard of management — modern, transparent, ethical and results-oriented. The General Director must be capable of ensuring the stable operation of the enterprise during its transformation, improving its efficiency and economic return to the State, while maintaining a balance between economic, environmental and societal interests,” added Mark Vytvytskyy.
The selection process will comprise several stages: verification of compliance with the established requirements, professional assessment and interviews, preparation of a shortlist, additional background checks, and final interviews with the Supervisory Board. Shortlisted candidates will also present their vision for the development of SFE “Forests of Ukraine” and their priorities for the first year in office.
The Supervisory Board will make the final decision based on the results of all stages of the selection process, including interviews, presentations and completed background checks.
Detailed terms of the selection process, the position profile and candidate requirements:
on the commencement of the competitive selection process for the position of Chief Executive Officer of the State Specialized Forest Enterprise «Forests of Ukraine»
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Application Period:
Open from 15 September 2026 until 18:00 (Kyiv time) on 12 October 2026
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The Supervisory Board of the State Specialized Forest Enterprise «Forests of Ukraine» (hereinafter referred to as SE «Forests of Ukraine» or the Enterprise) announces the commencement of the competitive selection process for the position of Chief Executive Officer of SE “Forests of Ukraine».
SE «Forests of Ukraine» is one of the largest state-owned natural resource companies in Europe and a strategic enterprise of Ukraine, managing state forest resources while maintaining a balance between economic efficiency, environmental responsibility and the public interests of the state.
Established as part of the large-scale reform of Ukraine’s forestry sector, the Enterprise consolidated state forestry assets into a single national management system, laying the foundation for the introduction of modern corporate governance approaches, improved operational efficiency, digitalisation of processes and transparency in the use of state resources.
Alongside its commercial objectives, the Enterprise performs important state functions in the areas of environmental safety, protection of natural resources, forest fire prevention, support for the country’s defence capability and restoration of forest areas damaged by hostilities.
The Chief Executive Officer of SE «Forests of Ukraine» is a strategic leader of national scale, capable of effectively managing one of Ukraine’s largest state assets and one of the largest forestry companies in Europe.
The mission of the Chief Executive Officer is to ensure the effective functioning and strategic development of SE «Forests of Ukraine», combining a business approach to management with responsible delivery of the Enterprise’s public mission. The role holder ensures implementation of the strategy, efficient use of resources, development of a professional team, improved operational and financial efficiency, and the introduction of the principles of integrity and modern corporate governance.
- Managerial experience: a total of at least 5 years, meeting at least one of the following criteria:
- As a Director, Member of the board or Head of a large functional area (Operations, Finance, Commercial Director, etc.) in a large company with complex territorial distributed management structure and/or international or regionally extensive structure;
- As a Head of a central executive body or other senior leadership position in a state authority that involved management of significant resources, budget and extensive reporting structure.
* Corporate and public sector experience are evaluated equally based on authority, scale, and results. - Strategic experience: practical experience in the development and implementation of strategically significant projects for enterprises, institutions or organizations, central executive authorities, international organizations, and/or organizations responsible for the management or implementation of international projects aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and financial performance.
- Financial management: practical experience in managing budget and financial performance of an organization (for private sector candidates – management of enterprise profitability; for public sector candidates – budget management).
- Operational efficiency: confirmed experience in improving operational and/or financial efficiency and ensuring sustainable growth of activity results.
- Corporate standards: understanding of modern principles of corporate governance, compliance, internal control, risk management and anti-corruption.
- Stakeholder relations: understanding of interaction features with Supervisory Boards, government authorities, regulators, international organizations, financial institutions and other key stakeholders.
- ESG & Sustainable development: understanding of sustainable development principles, environmental responsibility, ESG approaches, and modern international practices in natural resource management.
- Crisis management: confirmed experience in crisis management, ensuring business continuity and making management decisions under conditions of uncertainty and increased risks.
- Team leadership: understanding of the principles of building high-performing leadership teams, developing leaders, succession planning, and implementing modern human resource management practices.
- Education and language: higher education at the Master’s degree level or Specialist’s educational and qualification level. Proficiency in the Ukrainian language (for citizens of Ukraine).
- Practical experience in implementing corporate governance principles, compliance frameworks, internal controls, risk management systems, and anti-corruption practices.
- Practical experience in implementing ERP systems, automating and digitizing key business processes, management reporting, and data-driven management.
- Practical experience in building high-performing management teams, developing leaders, creating a talent pipeline and introducing modern people management practices.
- Additional education in business or management; completion of international executive development programmes.
- Command of English.
- Is not a physical person who is a citizen and/or resident of a country recognized by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as an aggressor state;
- Is not a person subject to sanctions under the legislation of Ukraine, as well as sanctions imposed by other states or international organizations, where such sanctions may affect the ability to properly perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer, except for sanctions imposed by an aggressor state;
- Has not been deprived of the right to hold relevant positions or engage in relevant activities, and is not subject to any statutory restrictions related to liability for corruption or corruption-related offences.
The preliminary selection of candidates for the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Enterprise will be conducted with the involvement of the executive search firm TEDVISORS LLC.
Candidates who successfully pass the preliminary stages of the selection process may be invited to participate in subsequent assessment stages, which will include: interviews, evaluation of managerial and leadership competencies, presentation of their strategic vision for the development of the Enterprise, as well as a comprehensive review of their business reputation, integrity, and reliability.
Only candidates shortlisted for the subsequent stages of the competition will be notified of the outcome of the review and invited to continue participating in the selection process.
After the competitive selection process, the Supervisory Board of the State Specialized Forest Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” will make a decision regarding the candidate to be appointed as General Director of the State Specialized Forest Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”.
The submitted documents must be signed by the applicant, and copies of documents must be certified by the applicant’s signature accompanied by the statement “Certified true copy of the original”:
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An application for participation in the competitive selection process and consent to be appointed as Chief Executive Officer. |
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A biographical statement with a color photograph (curriculum vitae/resumé) (in Ukrainian/English). |
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A motivation letter regarding appointment to the position of Chief Executive Officer (in Ukrainian/English). |
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A copy of an identity document. |
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Copies of higher education diplomas, copies of academic degree certificates (if applicable), and/or documents confirming an academic title (if applicable). |
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A copy of the employment record book (if available) or copies of documents confirming relevant work experience and/or professional experience in the relevant field. |
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Consent to the processing of personal data and to the verification of the submitted documents and information. |
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A declaration and assurance regarding the absence of indicators of an impaired business reputation. |
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A letter confirming the absence of conflicts of interest or providing information on any relevant conflicts of interest together with a proposal for their elimination or management. |
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Letters of recommendation (if available) and/or any other supporting documents submitted at the candidate’s discretion (in Ukrainian/English). |
All individuals interested in participating in the competition should submit their application package via email to: