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- Tier 1: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed term (FTA) appointments (defined as โinternalโ candidates)ย
- Tier 2: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA) and personnel on regular PSA contracts
- Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Background
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.ย
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization in fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.
Over the past decade or more, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP) has created automated systems for separate aspects of its work. As a result, it now has 14 different information systems.ย These include systems to facilitate online application processes (front-office work), automate business processes (back-office work), and store data on beneficiaries and the type of support they receive.ย However, these systems have been created in such a fragmented manner, and use such different software and technologies that it is impossible to link them up and make them interoperable.
This situation creates numerous inefficiencies. For example, citizens may have to submit the same documents several times in order to apply for different types of benefits or support.ย Case managers cannot access documentation on all the past and present support received by any given household or individual beneficiary. Apart from not having access to data which can help improve the timeliness and type of support provided, this situation has also reduced the Ministryโs capacity to identify and eliminate fraud.ย It hinders evidence-based policymaking, as data cannot be easily retrieved and merged to assess targeting efficiency. The latter is currently a source of great frustration within the Ministry, as it limits the data available to guide and inform the current reform processes. Lack of digital links to the territorial offices means that there is no way to document geographical inequalities in access to social services.ย
The Ministry has drawn up a Theory of Change (TOC) to underpin digitalization in the context of the Restart Reform Programme. Among them are three intermediate outcomes, namely:ย
- Most-used social and employment services are pro-activated;ย
The โDigital Transformation of Social Protectionโ Project, implemented by UNDP, aims to achieve the above objectives by addressing the fragmented digital infrastructure of the social protection system. UNDP Moldova envisioned a digitalization-oriented workstream dedicated to the meticulous redesign and digitalization of the social protection services. It aims to significantly enhance the functionalities of provision of social services, optimizing them for improved usability by MLSP personnel, management, and the public at large. UNDP has committed its support to the Ministry in constructing a new, integrated digital system โ eSocial โ for social protection services. The eSocial platform is Moldovaโs central digital infrastructure for managing social service programs. It is designed to consolidate multiple fragmented systems and processes under a common digital umbrella. Through secure, role-based access and integration with government platforms like MPass, MNotify, MLog, and MPay, eSocial enables standardized workflows, centralized data, and inter-institutional coordination. Additionally, the establishment of the Digital Center for Social Innovation (DCSI) within the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection in 2024, is working to ensure self-sufficiency in software development and adaptation of automated systems to future demands.ย
The MLSP is currently implementing several major reforms, namely that of social services (RESTART); that of the National Employment Agency (NEA); that of the State Labour Inspectorate (SLI); and that of the National Council for Determination of Disability and Work Capacity (CNDDCM). Through the โDigital Transformation of Social Protectionโ Project, UNDP is supporting the digital aspects of all the reforms listed above, conferring transparency and efficiency to the comprehensive reform effort. This transformation will enable the Ministry to connect social benefits, services, employment programs, and energy subsidies into a coherent support framework. It strengthens Moldovaโs capacity to build a shock-responsive, citizen-centered, and evidence-driven social protection systemโaligned with the principles of human dignity, inclusion, and the Sustainable Development Goal 1.3: \"Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems for all.\"
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Employment and Social Protection Programme Specialist, the IT Strategy and Coordination Specialist will play a central role in the continued development and implementation of digital solutions within the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP), with a focus on the strategic direction of the Ministryโs digital transformation process, business process alignment and support for digital systems integration under the eSocial platform.
More specifically, the IT Strategy and Coordination Specialist will be responsible for:
Ensure strategic alignment and successful implementation of IT initiatives for the eSocial platform
Provide business analysis expertise to guide the development and enhancement of eSocial modules, ensuring alignment with MLSP institutional needs and end-user experience. Develop workflow diagrams based on a comprehensive set of user stories. Devise module implementation Gantt charts and monitor adherence to project milestones, development budgets, and quality assurance standards. Provide continuous feedback and recommendations for improvement based on user testing and post-implementation insights. Review and assess the outputs of external IT development contractors to ensure that implemented functionalities align with the documented business processes, user requirements, and quality standards established for the eSocial platform. Define data security, access control, and privacy requirements.Coordinate mapping and assessment of digitalization needs
Collaborate with Beneficiary institutional stakeholders (MLSP, CNDDCM, NEA, SLI, etc.) to identify and document detailed business and technical requirements. Review the legislative framework, background documents and relevant strategies or policies. Translate institutional processes and reform goals into system features, user stories, and functional specifications. Conduct stakeholder interviews to understand current data challenges and formulate recommendations.ย Identify key use cases and user stories for data integration and analytics (e.g., policymaking, monitoring, planning).ย Ensure that proposed workflows and system functionalities reflect real user needs and enhance administrative efficiency. Prioritize eSocial features based on institutional urgency, user feedback, and integration dependencies.Coordinate stakeholder Coordinationย
Supervise and coordinate the activity of the Development Unit engaged by the Project. Serve as a liaison between IT development teams, institutional users, and MLSP IT departments to ensure coherent communication and expectation management. Facilitate coordination among UNDP, the Ministry and subordinate agencies to secure input, validate processes, and foster alignment with ongoing reforms. Support change management and onboarding processes by contributing to user communication strategies, training plans, and transition readiness. Maintain consistent engagement with stakeholders throughout all development and deployment stages. Coordinate with external state institutions and agencies involved in the digitalization process to ensure alignment, data exchange, and compliance with national standards and interoperability frameworks.Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy.
Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia. Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners. Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDPโs engagement in this area. Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.Institutional Arrangements:
Theย IT Strategy and Coordination Specialist will work under the supervision of the Employment and Social Protection Programme Specialist, in close cooperation with the UNDP Moldova Country Office and overall project team, for an effective achievement of results, anticipating and contributing to resolving project-related issues and information delivery.
He/she also will collaborate with other UN projects, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and other national stakeholders. The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
Achieve results LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact Think Innovatively LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems Learn Continuously LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences Adapt with Agility LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands Act with Determination LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results Engage and Partner LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration Enable Diversity and Inclusion LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivityCross-Functional Competencies:
Project Management ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goalsย Strategic Thinkingย ย ย ย ย ย Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDPโs mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight. System Thinking ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the systemย Knowledge Facilitation ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas.ย Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange. Data analysis ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data to form meaningful insights and aid effective business decision making Digital transformation design ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Practical and strategic skills in digital transformation for governments and organizationsย Relationship Managementย ย Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understandingRequired Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (Masterโs degree or equivalent) in Social Sciences, Business Administration, Economics, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field(s).ย A first-level university degree (Bachelorโs degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.Experience:
Minimum 5 years (with Masterโs degree) or 7 years (with Bachelorโs degree) of progressively responsible relevant experience (at the national or international level) in project delivery of IT or digital transformation products.ยLanguage(s):
Fluency in English and Romanian (as national language) is required.ย Knowledge of one or more minority languages relevant for Moldova, including Russian, Romani, Gagauzian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian and sign language, is an asset.ยRequired Skills:
Proven track record of successfully managing and delivering complex IT projects, in the public or private sector. At least 2 (two) years of experience in project delivery methodologies (such as Agile, Scrum,) and tools (such as JIRA, Asana etc.).Desired Skills:
Prior assignments related to the thematic areas of social protection, labour or employment.ย Experience in working, liaising, and collaborating with UN agencies, governments, NGOs, civil society organizations, and public international organizations. Proven experience in leading the development of a digital product. Additional training and/or certification in project management (e.g. PRINCE2, PMP, Agile, etc.) would be an advantage.ยEqual opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.ย
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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