Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action โ helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within Now, and for the future.
About the Project
The planned Strengthening Social Cohesion through Civil Society and Mass-Media in Moldova (COSMA) project โ funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) โ aims to strengthen social cohesion in Moldova by enabling civil society organizations and independent media to act as trusted intermediaries between citizens and institutions, promote inclusive dialogue, and reinforce accountability in a highly polarized environment. Through a facilitation unit model, the project supports locally led initiatives that respond to citizensโ priorities, expand civic participation at the local level, and improve the quality, independence, and sustainability of civil society and media actors, with a particular focus on regions and communities where cohesion is most at risk.
General Position Summary
The Team Leader provides overall strategic, technical, and operational leadership for the COSMA Facilitation Unit, ensuring high-quality implementation, adaptive management, and effective stakeholder engagement.
Essential Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Direction
Provide overall strategic leadership for the COSMA Facilitation Unit, ensuring the project remains firmly focused on facilitation, local ownership, and systems-level change rather than direct implementation.
Translate the projectโs Theory of Change into adaptive, realistic annual workplans that respond to Moldovaโs evolving political, social, and media environment.
Ensure that citizen-centred, conflict-sensitive, and politically informed approaches are consistently applied across all project-supported initiatives.
Steer the project to deliver against agreed outcomes while maintaining flexibility to adjust strategies based on learning and contextual change.
Stakeholder Engagement & Representation
Serve as the primary interlocutor with SDC, ensuring open, constructive, and transparent communication.
Represent the project in engagements with government institutions, civil society organizations, independent media, donors, and other relevant stakeholders.
Act as a trusted, neutral broker in a polarized context, maintaining the projectโs credibility and independence.
Facilitate coordination and alignment with complementary donor initiatives and national processes.
Facilitation & Grant Oversight
Oversee the design and management of transparent, accountable grant mechanisms supporting locally led civil society and media initiatives.
Ensure that administered funds are allocated based on clear criteria, citizen priorities, and risk-informed decision-making.
Provide strategic oversight of partner selection, performance monitoring, and risk management without substituting for local leadership.
Ensure safeguarding, integrity, and compliance standards are applied across all supported partners and subcontractors.
Operational & Financial Management
Lead the establishment and day-to-day management of the Facilitation Unit based in Moldova.
Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and expenditure tracking in line with SDC requirements, including management of coordination and administered funds.
Ensure timely, accurate narrative and financial reporting to SDC.
Maintain effective internal controls, fiduciary oversight, and audit readiness.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)
Oversee the implementation of a robust MEL system aligned with SDC logframe requirements and adaptive management principles.
Promote learning, reflection, and evidence-based decision-making within the team and among partners.
Ensure that risks, assumptions, and contextual changes are regularly reviewed and reflected in project adaptations.
Support evaluations, reviews, and knowledge-sharing processes.
Team Leadership & Capacity Development
Recruit, manage, and mentor a diverse Facilitation Unit team, fostering a culture of professionalism, accountability, and collaboration.
Effectively manage a team that embraces a culture of openness with a commitment to bridging the divides currently underpinning the threats to social cohesion in Moldova
Ensure clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations across the team.
Support capacity strengthening of local partners through guidance, coaching, and structured learning opportunities.
Risk Management & Safeguarding
Lead proactive political economy and risk analysis, ensuring that project activities are conflict-sensitive and do not exacerbate polarization.
Ensure strong safeguarding, protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEAH), and integrity systems are in place and functioning.
Act decisively to manage reputational, fiduciary, and operational risks in close coordination with SDC.
Safeguarding Responsibilities
Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.
Supervisory Responsibility
Project Team Members
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our programme participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Knowledge and Experience Requirements
Masterโs degree in international development, social sciences, public policy, or related field;
Minimum 10 years of experience leading complex development programs, especially in enabling projects/programs to realizing a facilitation across divides rather than a direct implementation role, and in establishing effective coordination/collaboration with other projects/programs;
Experience in governance, civil society, media, or social cohesion programming
Experience managing programs with large numbers of subawards/subcontracts and managing equitable partnerships/locally led program approaches
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, Community-Based Organizations, NGO partners, and local communities.
Demonstrated experience working in complicated settings and being perceived as a trusted, neutral actor;
Professional experience in eastern Europe, especially Moldova, with an in-depth understanding of locally significant socio-cultural factors;
Proven experience navigating complex and high-pressure operating environments;
Experience working on SDC programs โ particularly contracts โ preferred
Fluency in English, Romanian, and Russian
Success Factors
A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures, and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. S/he will have a proven ability to learn quickly, multi-task, prioritise, take initiative, be accountable for results, understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details, problem solve, work within a complex and sensitive setting, and to follow laws and security protocols. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments, and prioritise effective written and verbal communication in all situations.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This position is based in Chisinau, Moldova, with travel required to project locations across the country. The project will have nationwide coverage focusing on regions where social cohesion is particularly at risk, e.g., Gagauzia and the Northern region
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organisations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.
Team Engagement and Effectiveness
Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.
We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.