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.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous references 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.

Amid a dynamic socio-economic context of Moldova, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP) is embarking on a deeply transformative process. The “Digital Transformation of Social Protection” Project - funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) - stands as testimony to this momentum forward. Moldovan social protection system faces substantial challenges caused by inefficiencies, limited digital integration, and an unmet demand for institutional framework and service delivery better addressing contemporary socio-economic uncertainties. The MLSP's endeavour is to reengineer this landscape, enhance its digital infrastructure and create a framework that is efficient, inclusive, resilient, and adaptable to changing contexts and conditions. 

The Ministry has launched three 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). These initiatives are not just a response to evolving needs but a visionary stride towards a future where social protection is seamlessly inclusive, empowering, and a realized right for every citizen, as defined by the 2030 Agenda.

The Project aims to address the fragmented digital infrastructure of the social protection system, which currently operates with multiple, disparate, and non-interoperable information systems. This fragmentation causes binding inefficiencies in data management and service delivery and undermines the ability to provide timely and appropriate support to beneficiaries. By developing a new, integrated Information System – eSocial, the Project aims to achieve delivery of social protection & employment services in a more coherent, accessible, and resilient way, enhancing the Ministry's ability to meet existing demands and adapt to future changes.

The Project's strategic approach is rooted in Moldova’s national priorities, as defined by the RESTART Reform of Social Assistance and the UNDP Country Programme Document for the Republic of Moldova (2023-2027). The Project is designed to leverage technology as a key driver of change, streamline processes, enhance user experience, and strengthen institutional resilience. It involves comprehensive mapping and optimization of current business processes, ensuring they are streamlined and designed for the best possible user experience.

Complementing the processes above, the Project supports the enhancement and institutionalization of the Ministry’s capacities to lead ongoing efforts of digitalisation of social protection services via a dedicated Digital Center for Social Innovation (DCSI), which will ensure the intervention’s sustainability and advancements. DCSI experts engaged by the Project support the development of the eSocial digital platform and its adoption within MLSP and subordinated institutions: ATAS (regional agencies for social assistance), STAS (regional structures for social assistance), NEA, SLI, CNDDCM, AGSSSI (the Agency for the Management of Highly Specialized Social Services), etc.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Technical Support Assistant for eSocial will provide basic operational and technical support to staff from MLSP, Territorial Agencies for Social Assistance (ATAS), and Territorial Structures for Social Assistance (STAS) to facilitate their access to and use of the eSocial platform. The position will focus on assisting users with routine technical issues and ensuring smooth access to the system. She/he will be responsible for:

User Access and Account Support

  • Support MLSP, ATAS, and STAS staff in obtaining and activating access to the eSocial platform.
  • Assist users with account setup, login procedures, and access permissions in coordination with the MLSP ICT Department.
  • Help users recover passwords, reset accounts, and resolve basic access issues.
  • Ensure that user accounts are created, updated, or deactivated in accordance with established procedures.

First-line Technical Assistance and User Guidance

  • Provide first-line support to users encountering basic difficulties while navigating the eSocial platform (e.g., logging in, accessing modules, completing simple actions in the system).
  • Guide users step-by-step through routine platform tasks, either remotely or in person where required.
  • Respond to user questions related to basic functionality and platform navigation.
  • Escalate more complex technical or system-related issues to the appropriate IT specialists.

User Support and Issue Tracking

  • Assist the UNDP Capacity Building Analyst in organizing and delivering practical user support during training sessions, workshops, or onboarding activities.
  • Help demonstrate simple platform operations and support staff during hands-on practice sessions.
  • Support the preparation and distribution of simple user guidance materials, such as quick reference guides, instructions, short video tutorials and FAQs.
  • Record and track user requests, access issues, and frequently encountered technical problems. Group requests by type and track their resolution status.
  • Communicate recurring issues or user difficulties to the MLSP ICT Department, Capacity Building Analyst and IT teams to support continuous improvement of the platform and support processes.

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 Technical Support Assistant will work under the supervision of the UNDP Social Protection Manager, in close cooperation with the Capacity Building Analyst and the eSocial product and IT teams, 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 will also collaborate with the ICT Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the DCSI team, STAS and ATAS staff. The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP administrative rules, regulations, policies, and strategies.

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination. 

Cross-Functional and Technical Competencies

Business Management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management:    

  • Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfill and understand the real customers' needs. 
  • Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. 
  • Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. 
  • Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management - Digital Awareness and Literacy:

  • Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value. 
  • Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed. 
  • Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends.    

Business Management - Communication:    

  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. 
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

Digital - Storytelling:    

  • Ability to empathise with people's perceptions, motivations, feelings and mental models and craft narratives to build an emotive argument for change accordingly.
  • Ability to present data, insights or information in compelling ways to mobilise resources, talent or action. 
  • Ability to choose media and channels that is fit for purpose to reach specific target audiences. 

Digital - Facilitation of digital innovation:    

  • Ability to facilitate groups and individuals through a digital innovation process.

Digital - Design thinking:    

  • Solving problems by putting people at the centre, visualising ideas and making them tangible in order to improve them through and iterative process of developing and testing. 
  • Strong empathy skills, being able to put yourself "in someone else's shoes", understand needs, abilities, preferences, motivations, (everyday) experiences from different perspectives as well as their cultural, social, economical and political contexts. Ability to identify and challenge assumptions, (cognitive and social) biases and dominant mental models by generating new perspectives and frames that help redefine the problem, solution and opportunity space. 
  • Being able to work with incomplete information, ambiguity and opposing views, needs and constraints and synthesise them into solutions that are viable, technically feasible and useful.

Information Management & Technology - IT Customer Support:    

  • Ability to support l customers on IT-related issues and generate and contribute to continuous improvement processes to deliver a great user experience. 
  • Knowledge of ISO 9001 desirable. 
  • ITIL certification or similar is desirable.

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum education requirements:

  • Secondary education is required; OR  
  • University Degree in IT/Computer Sciences, Engineering, Business Administration, Public Administration, or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Minimum years of relevant work experience:

  • Minimum of 5 years (with high school diploma) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible technical support, software development, or digital transformation experience is required

Required skills:

  • Experience in the use of computers, office software packages and web-based management systems.

Desired skills:

  • Experience in working on interventions/projects in the ICT, smart technologies areas is an asset;
  • Experience in technical support for a governmental digital platform is an asset;
  • Experience in supporting the enhancement of services in the areas of labour, employment or social services is an asset;
  • Experience in working, liaising, and collaborating with UN agencies, governments, NGOs, civil society organizations, and public international organizations is an asset.

Required languages:

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

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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