Current vacancies

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, opportunity 

UNICEF Moldova is the implementing partner of the EU4Moldova: Focal Regions Programme, funded by the European Union and implemented in partnership with UNDP. The overall objective of the five-year programme (2019-2024) is to strengthen the economic, territorial, and social cohesion in the Republic of Moldova through facilitating inclusive, sustainable, and integrated local socio-economic growth and improving the standards of living of children, adolescents, and all citizens in the two focal regions Cahul and Ungheni.[1]

Policies and investment decisions made by the local authorities have a direct impact on children’s lives and Moldova needs civil servants and civil society organizations who understand the value of investing in children and youth. Within this framework, UNICEF Moldova will provide support for expanded coverage and strengthened quality of social services and a more efficient, effective, transparent, and equitable way of developing and implementing policies, including adequate financing in favour of children, adolescents, and youth. An important aspect of this work involves building the capacity of professionals of level-one and level-two Local Public Authorities (LPAs) in planning and budgeting for children and youth policies.

As part of the program, in 2021, a public finance training course was developed and delivered with UNICEF support to build the capacity of local public authorities. The LPAs’ representatives learned about linking multi-year planning to budgeting; programme-based budgeting; performance indicators; processes, procedures, and best practices in public procurement; and budget monitoring and reporting.

How can you make a difference? 

1. Purpose of the consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to support Cahul and Ungheni (LPAs level one and two) to strengthen their capacities in child focused budget formulation, execution, and monitoring, particularly linked with preparing programme-based budgets, defining performance indicators as well as public procurement.

In seeking to further build Public Finance Management and budget planning and analysis skills, the consultant will support local stakeholders in budget and expenditures analysis at district and municipal levels and in planning, costing and executing local child related social sector service budgets which better link the budget preparation and implementation to children, adolescents and youth related policies, contributing to enhanced access to quality and equitable services for child, adolescents and youth.

2. Details of how the work should be delivered

The consultant will deliver 1,5-days training sessions on PFM and will develop a guideline for the local authorities on child-friendly budgeting. Simple language is to be used and should deliver clear messages on the agreed topics. The workshops will be facilitated in the two districts, Cahul and Ungheni, targeting LPAs and local stakeholders.

The consultant is expected to:

• Develop a capacity building methodology and program in line with UNICEF’s intervention in public finance
• Discuss the set training program and the session’s content with UNICEF
• Provide detailed report to UNICEF after each topic delivered
• Coordinate all logistics of executing the training sessions
• Deliver two workshops at local level on child focused budget formulation, execution, and monitoring
• Develop a guideline for the local authorities on child-friendly budgeting, incorporating insights and lessons learnt from the provided workshops and developed training materials.
• Give feedback to UNICEF on issues that may require more specialized intervention
• Comply with UNICEF policies and practice with respect to UNICEF code of conduct

3. Deliverables and delivery dates

*Exact deadlines will be mutually agreed upon contract signature

Changes to the agreed dates for deliverables must be mutually agreed in writing by UNICEF and the consultant.

4. Reporting requirements

The selected consultant will report to the UNICEF Moldova Social Policy Officer, who will regularly communicate with the selected consultant and provide feedback and guidance on his/her performance and all other necessary support so to achieve objectives of the consultancy.  At each stage, the deliverable shall be sent to the Social Policy Officer and Social Policy Specialist in copy.

The consultant will produce the above-mentioned deliverables and products during the assignment implementation. All deliverables will be prepared and presented electronically to UNICEF for approval. The reporting language is English. Performance indicators for evaluation of results.

5. Work location and official travel involved

The work will be provided remotely and will require at least 4 missions (up to 10 days, overall) to Cahul and Ungheni districts, in order to conduct in-person training sessions and on the job support to the local authorities. The consultant is expected to cover costs, arrange and schedule such visits, including transportation. The UNICEF office will facilitate introductions to key informants. Consultant will make and pay for own travel arrangements.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• Advanced University Degree in economics, finance, international development, or a related field;
• A solid knowledge of PFM instruments and proven experience (at least 8 years) with government social sector budget process and budget analysis, at national and decentralised levels;
• Familiarity with the child rights and social protection in Moldova;
• Experience with collecting and working with complex financial data sets;
• Demonstrated experience conducting capacity building with public servants, and familiarity with ethical guidelines when working with human subjects;
• Fluency in Romanian, both oral and written;
• Working knowledge of English is a minimum. Good command of English is a strong asset, both oral and written.

For every Child, you demonstrate

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

For more details on the consultancy assignment and requirements, please refer to attached Terms of reference (ToR)

 2025_ToR_Nat Indiv Consultant_Capacity building PF4C Cahul&Ungheni_VA.docx

HOW TO APPLY: Your online application should contain the Technical and Financial Offers (templates below). Please secure the Financial Proposal *.pdf document with a password on document view; the password will be requested only from technically qualified candidates.  

 Technical Offer_Capacity building PF4C Cahul&Ungheni.docx

 Financial Offer_Capacity building PF4C Cahul&Ungheni.xlsx

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.