Technical Expert – Civil Society, Media & Social Cohesion – COSMA Project, Moldova

*** Please note this position is contingent on funding approval.

Location: The Republic of Moldova (Various)

Position Status: Full Time

Risk Level: ☐ Level 3 ☐Level 2 ☐Level 1

(Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.

Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.

Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data)

About Mercy Corps

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 — 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 – funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) – 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 citizens’ 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

Mercy Corps is looking for technical experts with relevant experience in supporting civil society and media organizations in Moldova. This could be in the form of implementing programming directly, working with local partners to implement programming, or conducting robust monitoring and evaluation around this programming. We are also looking for strong facilitators for dialogues/trainings/stakeholder engagements or experts with a network across the spectrum of the current polarization, perceived as neutral and trustworthy.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide thematic and technical expertise to support COSMA interventions related to civil society strengthening, support for independent media and media literacy, social cohesion, community engagement, communication strategies, behavioral change communication, social psychology, intersectional pedagogy, experiential learning approaches, mediation, conflict resolution and policy advocacy.
• Contribute to the design, review, and quality assurance of locally led initiatives, grants, and capacity-strengthening activities.
• Support the application of conflict-sensitive, politically informed, and citizen-centred approaches across project activities.
• Provide technical input to assessments, intervention strategies, and Theory of Change refinement.
• Support capacity strengthening of local civil society and media actors through mentoring, advisory inputs, and tailored technical guidance.
• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) processes, including indicator development, reflection sessions, and adaptive management.
• Participate in stakeholder consultations, learning events, and coordination meetings with civil society, media, public institutions, and donors.
• Ensure that cross-cutting priorities – including gender equality, social inclusion, safeguarding (PSEAH), and integrity – are integrated into technical work.
• Prepare or review technical notes, guidance documents, and inputs to narrative reporting, as required.

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.

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

Depending on the specific roles, Mercy Corps is looking for the following types of qualifications in experts. (Individuals are not expected to fulfill all these criteria, just some of them as relevant to their profile.)

• Degree in social sciences, governance, media studies, communications, international development, or a relevant field for this project.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in civil society development, media support and literacy, governance, social cohesion, or related areas.
• Demonstrated experience providing technical advisory support to donor-funded programs or initiatives.
• Strong understanding of the role of civil society and independent media in democratic governance, accountability, and social cohesion.
• Experience working in politically sensitive or polarized contexts, with the ability to apply conflict-sensitive and adaptive approaches
• Strong analytical skills.
• Strong facilitation negotiation/mediation skills.
• Fluency in English as well as Russian and/or Romanian (ideally all three)
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including local partners, public institutions, and international donors
• Previous experience with SDC or similar donors
• Prior experience working in Moldova or Eastern Europe

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

These positions will be based in 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.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, programs participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).