Anunțuri de Angajare

Position:                                Economic (Business Reporting) Expert (further Consultant)

Location:                               Chisinau, Moldova

Period of Performance:       March - September 2023

Total Level of Effort:             up to 30 days

Work Plan Activity:               Reducing the reporting burden on the business community

Background

The USAID Moldova Institutional and Structural Reform Activity (MISRA) is a five-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Nathan Associates Inc. MISRA’s objective is to stimulate a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the regional crisis, improve the institutional, business, and trade enabling environment in Moldova by supporting Moldova’s public institutions and the private sector to accelerate the implementation of trade liberalization mechanisms, adopt structural and investment climate reforms, accelerate financial sector reforms, improve economic governance in the public sector, and enhance strategic communications between the private and public actors. MISRA builds on prior and ongoing USAID and US Government activities in the business enabling environment and trade facilitation space to strengthen Moldova’s economic growth and resilience, and by doing so, increase transparency and accountability.

Activity Overview

The subject of reducing the reporting burden on the business community has been in the Government's sights for several years. Although the authorities have made some progress in this regard, such as the automation and digitization of many reports, Moldovan companies still incur huge costs to prepare various reports for state institutions.

The representatives of the business community claim that the state must undertake more considerable efforts to simplify the reporting process and to reduce – to the maximum – the costs related to reporting. On the official website www.raportare.gov.md there are listed around 100 types of reports requested by the Fiscal Service depending on the specifics of the business, 27 types requested by the National Bureau of Statistics and 5 reports requested by the National Insurance Company in Medicine and the National Social Insurance Company.

More specifically, according to the data provided by a Moldovan IT Business association, companies in the Telecom sector must submit 50 reports, and the IT sector presents a total of 31 reports, most of which are requested monthly and quarterly. For a Moldovan company, with an average turnover of EUR 1 million, the effort of the financial department for reporting during a year is equivalent to that of a full-time employee, for 2 months – one-half of the time spent on tax reporting, and the other half on statistics.

The state authorities must receive the information they need from the companies, but this can be done in a simpler way, which consumes less time for the entrepreneurs. As a result, by spending less time completing reports, an administrator or financial manager can devote more time to the development of the company, optimize its activities, and increase its competitiveness.

To simplify the bureaucratic procedures and to reduce the reporting burden for entrepreneurs, there was created a working group made up of experts from the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization (MOEDD), the Ministry of Finance, the State Fiscal Service, National Bureau of Statistics and representatives of the business environment to find ways of reducing redundant reporting. The final objective in this process is optimization of the reporting for companies with a turnover of up to 18 million lei, comprising 94% of total current entities, starting with the 2024 fiscal year.

Based on the MOEDD’s request for support, MISRA will provide technical assistance and expertise necessary to achieve this proposed reform through one Business Reporting Expert.

Responsibilities and Tasks

In coordination with MISRA technical staff, the Business Reporting Expert will:

• Participate at government Working Group meetings as required.
• Map the reports that businesses must currently submit to various state authorities.
• Identify overlapping or unnecessary data in the reports and propose optimization or alternative sources of information for the state, including through improved laws, regulations, digitization, and data sharing.

Deliverables

The Business Reporting Expert will deliver an assessment report on the reports that businesses must submit to various state authorities, prioritizing the Tax Authority and National Bureau of Statistics. The report should identify, among other information: types of reports; data and information requested; frequency of reporting; overlaps in reporting among various state authorities; and detailed recommendations on optimizing the process, including on laws and/or regulations.  

Supervisory Responsibilities and Reporting

The Expert will report to MISRA Deputy Chief of Party and Economic Specialist.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, or public policy.
• Ten or more years of professional experience in taxation, accountability, economics, public policies, statistics, or a related field.
• Demonstrated knowledge of business reporting, with a focus on taxation and statistics.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with government counterparts.
• Experience working with state institutions, USAID, and/or other donor organization is preferred.

How to Apply

We welcome your CV and, preferably, cover letter at Moldovajobs@nathaninc.com. Please apply by March 31, with “Economic (Business Reporting) Expert” in the subject line. This short-term position will remain open until filled.