Project Manager – SDG Finance [Open to internal and external applicants]

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP Moldova supports the Government of the Republic of Moldova in strengthening public finance management, domestic resource mobilization, and development financing systems so that public resources are mobilized, allocated, and used more effectively in support of national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals. This work is closely linked to Moldova’s EU accession process and implementation of the EU-Moldova Growth Plan, which place increasing demands on fiscal governance, expenditure efficiency, public investment management, revenue mobilization, institutional capacity, and the effective implementation of reforms.

In this context, UNDP works closely with the Ministry of Finance, the State Tax Service, line ministries, and other national institutions to strengthen the analytical and institutional foundations of fiscal policymaking. The approach combines support to public finance reforms with applied policy analysis, institutional capacity development, knowledge exchange, and access to regional and global expertise. Particular emphasis is placed on ensuring that reforms are embedded in government systems and processes rather than implemented as stand-alone interventions.

Public Finance for Development in Moldova

Since 2009, the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, in partnership with UNDP, has supported Moldova in modernizing its public finance management system. Over successive phases, the cooperation has evolved from support to programme-based budgeting and analytical reporting towards a broader public finance agenda focused on expenditure efficiency, fiscal analysis, domestic resource mobilization, and stronger institutional capacities for evidence-based decision-making.

The current Public Finance for Development in Moldova project is implemented under Component 1 of the regional Public and Private Finance for Development (PPFD) programme, financed by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic. The project builds on previous cooperation between UNDP and the Government and supports implementation of the Public Finance Management Development Strategy 2023-2030, while contributing to broader reforms associated with Moldova’s EU accession and economic governance agenda.

The project aims to strengthen the institutional, regulatory, and analytical capacities of the Government to improve the quality of public finance management and better align fiscal policies and public expenditure with national development priorities and the SDGs. It supports the transition from individual analytical exercises towards sustainable government functions, methodologies, and institutional practices that can be applied systematically across sectors.

A central area of intervention is the continued development and institutionalization of spending reviews as a regular instrument of public expenditure management. UNDP supports the Ministry of Finance and relevant line ministries in applying the national Spending Review Methodology, strengthening analytical capacity, assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of public programmes, and improving the use of evidence in budget preparation and medium-term expenditure planning. The objective is not limited to identifying potential savings, but also to support better prioritization of public resources, improve value for money, and strengthen the link between policy objectives, programme performance, and budget decisions.

This work builds on earlier spending reviews in priority sectors and on the progressive establishment of the legal, methodological, and institutional framework required for spending reviews to become a permanent government function. The reform is particularly relevant as Moldova faces growing investment and reform needs while fiscal space remains constrained, increasing the importance of ensuring that existing public resources generate stronger development results.

A second major area of engagement is domestic resource mobilization and tax policy. Through the Tax for SDGs initiative, UNDP supports the Ministry of Finance and the State Tax Service in strengthening the analytical basis for tax policy decisions and in using taxation not only as a revenue instrument, but also as a tool to advance broader development objectives. Areas of support include health-related and environmental taxation, analysis of tax expenditures, assessment of fiscal and distributional implications of tax policy options, and institutional capacity development. Analytical work under the initiative helps national counterparts assess trade-offs between revenue, competitiveness, social outcomes, and behavioral effects and supports more evidence-based approaches to tax reform.

Complementing this work, Moldova participates in the Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) initiative implemented jointly by UNDP and OECD. TIWB provides specialized technical assistance to strengthen tax audit capacities, including in areas such as transfer pricing and international taxation. The initiative contributes to protecting the national tax base, improving the effectiveness of tax administration, and strengthening national capacity to address increasingly complex cross-border tax issues.

The project also supports broader analytical and policy work related to development finance, including the use of fiscal instruments to support national priorities, the assessment of financing needs and policy options, and the integration of public finance considerations into wider development planning. This builds on earlier UNDP-supported work, including the Development Finance Assessment, which helped map Moldova’s public and private financing landscape and identify opportunities to improve the alignment of financing flows with national development objectives.

Biodiversity Finance

UNDP Moldova also implements the GEF8 Umbrella Programme to Design a National Biodiversity Finance Plan, which supports the Republic of Moldova in developing a systematic approach to identifying biodiversity financing needs, expenditure patterns, financing mechanisms and opportunities for mobilizing and improving the effectiveness of financial resources for biodiversity.

The project forms part of the global Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) and supports implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including through development of Moldova’s first national Biodiversity Finance Plan. Technical implementation is undertaken in close cooperation with national counterparts, the UNDP Climate Change, Environment and Energy Cluster and relevant regional and global BIOFIN expertise.

Within the present assignment, the Project Manager will support the effective administrative, operational and financial management of the BIOFIN project, including planning, contracting, monitoring, reporting and coordination of project implementation. Substantive and technical leadership for biodiversity policy and biodiversity finance will be provided by the Climate Change, Environment and Energy Cluster and the relevant Green Finance Specialist(s).

Strategic relevance

The project is implemented at a time when Moldova’s public finance system is assuming an increasingly important role in the country’s EU accession process and implementation of the Growth Plan. Public finance management is closely connected to the Government’s capacity to plan and execute investments, absorb external financing, manage fiscal risks, improve public services, and demonstrate credible implementation of reform commitments.

Current reform priorities include expenditure efficiency, medium-term fiscal planning, public investment management, tax policy modernization, revenue administration, digitalization of public finance systems, and stronger alignment with EU economic governance requirements. The effectiveness of these reforms increasingly depends not only on policy design, but also on the ability of institutions to implement, monitor, and sustain them over time.

Recent engagement with international financial institutions has similarly highlighted implementation capacity, expenditure efficiency, fiscal sustainability, and institutional effectiveness as important elements of Moldova’s reform trajectory. This reinforces the relevance of practical support that combines policy analysis with institutional strengthening and effective implementation.

Through the Public Finance for Development project, UNDP therefore provides a platform for sustained cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, State Tax Service, line ministries, and other national institutions on public finance reform. The project also facilitates access to Slovak, regional, and international expertise through the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub and relevant global initiatives, supporting peer learning and the adaptation of international good practices to Moldova’s institutional and EU accession context.

The project forms part of UNDP Moldova’s broader effective governance and development financing work, helping strengthen the connection between fiscal policy, institutional performance, and development outcomes. Its implementation is based on close partnership with national institutions, evidence-informed policymaking, national ownership, and the progressive integration of new analytical approaches into regular government processes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

The Project Manager- SDG Finance will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Moldova Policy Specialist and in close coordination with the Effective Governance and CCEE Cluster Leads. The incumbent will ensure the effective implementation of the Public Finance for Development project and contribute substantive and analytical support to UNDP Moldova’s work on public finance management, taxation and development finance.

The Project Manager will also support the operational, administrative and financial management of the GEF8 Biodiversity Finance (BIOFIN) project, working in close coordination with the Climate Change, Environment and Energy Cluster, which will provide substantive and technical leadership for biodiversity-related work.

The Project Manager will combine project planning and implementation responsibilities with technical coordination, quality assurance, partnership management, monitoring and knowledge development. The incumbent will work closely with the Ministry of Finance, the State Tax Service, relevant line ministries, the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, and other national and international partners engaged in public finance reform.

More specifically, the SDG Finance Project Manager will be responsible for:

Project planning, management and implementation

• Coordinate the operational and financial planning of assigned projects’ activities, including annual work plans, procurement, recruitment, budgeting and implementation schedules, in line with strategic direction provided by the Policy Specialist and the Country Office.
• Manage the day-to-day implementation of projects’ activities, ensuring timely delivery of outputs, efficient use of resources and compliance with UNDP rules, procedures and agreed work plans.
• Coordinate the work of the Project Associate, consultants, service providers and technical experts engaged under the assigned projects, provide operational and substantive guidance as appropriate, and facilitate effective interaction with national counterparts and partners.
• Monitor projects’ risks and implementation challenges and propose appropriate corrective or adaptive measures.
• Ensure effective coordination between project activities related to spending reviews, taxation, domestic resource mobilization and broader public finance reform.

Technical coordination and quality assurance

• Guide and support the technical coordination of Public Finance for Development project activities related to public finance management, expenditure efficiency, taxation and development finance, including implementation of project-supported spending reviews.
• Support implementation of the Tax for SDGs initiative and Tax Inspectors Without Borders activities, including coordination with the Ministry of Finance, State Tax Service, line ministries, UNDP, OECD and relevant technical experts.
• Review analytical studies, technical reports, methodologies, policy notes and other project deliverables, and coordinate revisions to ensure consistency with agreed objectives and quality standards.
• Undertake background research and analytical work and contribute to policy briefs, analytical summaries, presentations, briefing materials and talking points.
• Coordinate with relevant UNDP regional and global initiatives to facilitate access to technical expertise, methodological guidance and international experience.

Partnership building, resource mobilization and policy coordination

• Maintain effective working-level coordination with the Ministry of Finance, State Tax Service, relevant line ministries and other national institutions involved in project implementation.
• Support the substantive preparation and organization of policy consultations, technical meetings, workshops, missions and other project-related engagements.
• Maintain regular coordination with the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub and contribute to engagement with development partners, international financial institutions and other stakeholders active in public finance reform.
• Support the Policy Specialist and Effective Governance and CCEE Cluster Lead in identifying emerging priorities, partnerships and potential areas for further UNDP engagement, including through substantive inputs to concept notes, project proposals and resource mobilization initiatives

Monitoring and reporting

• Monitor implementation of the assigned projects against approved work plans, results frameworks, indicators and agreed milestones, and ensure systematic collection of information and evidence required for reporting.
• Coordinate the preparation of project progress updates, narrative reports and other required reporting for UNDP, national counterparts, donors and relevant regional or global programmes, in consultation with the respective substantive programme leads.
• Monitor the assigned projects’ financial delivery, commitments and expenditure in coordination with relevant programme and operations colleagues.
• Support progress reviews, risk assessments, project assurance processes and timely operational and financial closure of activities.

Knowledge management and capacity development

• Document lessons, good practices and implementation experiences and support their dissemination within UNDP and among national and regional partners.
• Support national counterparts in strengthening institutional and analytical capacities through technical workshops, peer learning, practical guidance and experience exchange.
• Facilitate knowledge transfer from Slovak, regional and international public finance experience to national counterparts and support adaptation to Moldova’s institutional context.
• Contribute to knowledge, communication and visibility products and to broader Country Office analytical and programme work on public finance management, taxation and development finance.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangements:

The Project Manager -SDG Finance will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Moldova Policy Specialist and in close coordination with the Effective Governance and CCEE Cluster Leads. The incumbent will oversee the day-to-day work of the Project Associate and coordinate the work of consultants and technical experts engaged under the assigned projects, as applicable.

The Project Manager will work in close cooperation with relevant UNDP Moldova Country Office teams and with the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, including the Regional Programme Specialist for Public Finance for SDGs, to support effective project implementation, ensure alignment with regional and global approaches, facilitate access to technical expertise, and contribute to timely resolution of substantive and operational issues. This coordination will be particularly relevant for activities related to public finance management, Tax for SDGs, Tax Inspectors Without Borders and broader SDG finance work.

The incumbent will maintain regular coordination with national counterparts, including the Ministry of Finance, the State Tax Service and other relevant public institutions, as well as with development partners and technical stakeholders engaged in public finance management, taxation and development finance.

For the GEF8 Biodiversity Finance project, the Project Manager will be responsible primarily for operational, administrative and financial coordination, including work planning, procurement and contracting processes, financial monitoring, reporting and implementation follow-up. The Climate Change, Environment and Energy Cluster, under the guidance of the Programme Specialist, will provide substantive and technical leadership for biodiversity policy, BIOFIN methodology and related technical outputs.

The Project Manager will also contribute to knowledge exchange and coordination between country-level activities and relevant regional and global initiatives, including by sharing implementation experience, analytical findings and lessons that may inform broader Public Finance for SDGs work.

The incumbent is expected to ensure full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and procedures, and to contribute to the effective implementation of internal control systems.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve results LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management Competencies:

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional and Technical Competencies:

Business Management

• Project Management
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Results-based Management
  • Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
• Partnerships Management
  • Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Business Direction & Strategy

• Systems Thinking
  • 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 system.

2030 Agenda: Partnerships

• SDG Finance
  • Public Finance for the SDGs
  • Taxation and the SDGs

2030 Agenda: People

• Gender
  • Financing for Gender Equality

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Finance, Public Administration, Public Policy, Business Administration, Development Studies, Political Science, Social Sciences, Environment or Natural Resource Management, or another relevant field is required; or,
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s 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 2 years (with a master’s degree) or 4 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible relevant experience at the national or international level in one or more of the following areas: project or programme management, public policy, economic or governance-related work, public finance, fiscal or tax policy; development finance or sustainable development applied support to development programmes or institutional reform initiatives.

Required skills:

• Experience in coordinating activities involving multiple stakeholders, consultants, experts and/or partner institutions
• Experience in analytical, policy, institutional or development-related work
• Proficiency in standard office software and web-based management systems.

Desired skills:

• Experience working with or supporting government institutions, public authorities or government-led reform programmes.
• Experience in public finance management, taxation, economic policy, development finance or related areas.
• Experience coordinating technical assistance, consultants, analytical assignments or multidisciplinary expert inputs.
• Experience in policy dialogue or capacity development.
• Previous experience with UN agencies, international financial institutions, international organizations or development partners.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Romanian is required.
• Working knowledge of one or more minority languages relevant for Moldova, including Russian, Romani, Gagauzian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian and sign language, is an asset.

Certificates:

• Additional training and/or certification in project management, public administration, economics, finance, monitoring and evaluation, or related fields will be considered an advantage

Equal 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.

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.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. 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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