Programme Officer, NO-B (TA, 364 days), Chisinau, Moldova (for Moldova nationals/residents only) #135786

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to education 

UNICEF Moldova is the implementing partner of the EU-funded programme “Strengthening Moldova’s education system for the most disadvantaged children”, together with OHCHR. The overall objective of the programme is to strengthen the capacities of the Moldova’s education system in fostering the inclusion of vulnerable children from ethnic minorities, particularly Roma, refugee and other children at risk of drop-out, through a human rights-based approach, in alignment with recommendations from the Enlargement Report, with the “Roadmap for inclusion of refugee children in the Education System of the Republic of Moldova” endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Research in 2025, and with education-related aspects of the European Child Guarantee initiative.

How can you make a difference? 

The Programme Officer, NO-B, reporting to the Education Specialist, NO-C, will support the implementation of the “Strengthening Moldova’s education system for the most disadvantaged children” programme. The incumbent of the post will provide professional technical assistance and support for programme planning and implementation, management and evaluation of programme/project activities, data analysis and progress reporting, in support of programme goals and objectives.

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results:

• Contribute to country programmes by supporting knowledge management through providing professional assistance in data collection and analysis, complete and accurate reporting as well as participation in the Programme Knowledge Network system of “lessons learned” and other corporate-level databases.
• Participate in information exchange with partners as well as in the development of training and orientation material by providing professional technical assistance. Participate in the preparation of, and making professional contribution to, the preparation of programme reports required for the management.

• Undertakes field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and decides on required corrective action.
• Collaborate with partners to carry out a rigorous and transparent approach to evaluation and participate in the major programme evaluation exercises in consultation with the supervisor, the Representative, the Operations Manager, the Evaluation Officer and others to improve efficiency and quality of programme delivery. Participate in annual sector review meetings with government counterparts. Collaborate and prepare program status reports in a timely manner, as required.

• Support a rights-based programmes approach in the formulation of programme goals and objectives and development of strategies and implementation frameworks. Collaborate with partners and assist in the strengthening of quality child rights-based programmes through consistent and effective planning, design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of programmes and projects. Contribute to coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme planning and design.
• Provide professional technical assistance in preparing viable recommendations on project implementation, innovative approaches, new initiatives and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfilment of the rights of children and women.

• Provide government authorities with technical assistance and support in planning and organizing training programmes for the purpose of capacity building and programme sustainability.
• Promote and maintain the building and reinforcing of the commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners by identifying these partners and partnerships and providing continuous support, coordination and collaboration for sustainability.

• Facilitate partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, in order to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme/project status and implementation and movement/distribution of supplies. Establish and maintain linkage to the Regional Programme Knowledge Network to ensure the availability of current and accurate programme data.
• Collaborate with the Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of programming endeavours and to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and accountability. Approve allocation and disbursement of funds ensuring they are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated in accordance with the programme budget allotments (PBA).
• Maintain close collaboration with Regional Advisers and HQ Officers for overall coordination.
• Provide professional support in provision of technical advice, negotiation, advocacy and promotion of area/country level goals, leading to agreement on practicable and priority actions to be supported by the UNICEF programme.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

Minimum requirements:

• Education: A university degree in one of the following fields: Social Sciences, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or another relevant technical field.
• Work Experience: A minimum of two years of relevant professional work experience.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in Romanian and working knowledge of English.

Desirables:

• Experience in managing programmes in education and/or EU-funded programmes.
• Experience working in a developing country.
• Background/familiarity with emergency.
• Knowledge of Russian or another official UN language.

For every Child, you demonstrate

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from targeted underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member’s original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.