Project Coordinator - Helvetas Moldova

Job Title: Project Coordinator

Contract Type: Full-time

Deadline: 25.05.2025

Start Date: 02.06.2025

Duty Station: Chisinau, Moldova

Employer: Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation in Moldova

Background

Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation is a leading Swiss non-governmental organisation committed to international development cooperation and humanitarian response.

In Moldova, Helvetas has been active since 2018, primarily through the OPTIM project – “Opportunities through Technologies and Innovation in Moldova” – supporting economic development in the Agri-Food and ICT sectors. The project is currently in its second phase (until 31.12.2026), financed by the Swiss Government.

OPTIM aims to enhance employment and income opportunities, especially for excluded groups, by addressing systemic constraints in selected markets. It uses the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach to enable sustainable, large-scale impact through partnerships, innovation, and private sector engagement.

The OPTIM project supports businesses' resilient growth, enhanced competitiveness, and access to high-value markets. It contributes to adopting climate-smart and efficient agricultural technologies and practices, emphasising digital solutions for farm management and cost optimisation in the agri-food sector.  

It focuses on access to markets, technologies, and finance for private sector growth and skills development for employability and better economic opportunities for the population of Moldova.

Helvetas is pleased to announce an opening for the Project Coordinator position under the upcoming extension of the team within OPTIM project.

Position Overview

The Project Coordinator plays a critical role in coordinating the work of sectoral Component Managers and ensuring coherence, synergy, and strategic alignment across the OPTIM project. This position ensures that interventions complement effectively, leverage mutual learnings, and collectively contribute to systems-level change.

In addition to cross-component coordination, the Project Coordinator contributes to market intelligence and trend analysis, informing adaptive strategies that keep OPTIM relevant, agile, and forward-looking.

Key Responsibilities

1. Coordination & Strategic Synergy

• Facilitate regular coordination between Component Managers and other relevant team members to ensure cross-sectoral integration, knowledge sharing, and strategic alignment.
• Identify opportunities for synergy and collaboration across Agri-Food and ICT interventions to enhance overall project impact.
• Support the implementation of a systems-thinking approach across interventions, ensuring that Component Managers operate with a shared understanding of project goals and strategic direction.
• Ensure alignment between intervention-level outcomes and the project's overall Theory of Change.

2. Market Intelligence & Strategic Analysis

• Lead or contribute to high-level market and trend analyses that inform the design and adaptation of sectoral interventions.
• Maintain a forward-looking view of Moldova’s economic landscape, including emerging technologies, private sector dynamics, labour trends, and macroeconomic shifts.
• Synthesize market intelligence to guide program strategy and support systemic change ambitions.

3. Monitoring, Learning, and Communication

• Support results measurement and internal learning processes to capture, document, and share learnings across components.
• Collaborate with the Monitoring and Results Measurement (MRM) and Communication teams to ensure interventions are evidence-based and communicated effectively to stakeholders.
• Contribute to reports, learning briefs, and donor communications as needed.

4. Partnership and Operational Oversight

• Support Component Managers in managing relationships with key partners, co-facilitators, and service providers to ensure delivery quality.
• Provide operational guidance to streamline implementation and resolve cross-cutting issues affecting multiple interventions.
• Support quality assurance processes and contribute to capacity building within the team.

Key Competencies and Requirements

• Strong understanding of market systems and systemic approaches to development.
• Excellent coordination and facilitation skills, with the ability to build bridges across teams and sectors.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to synthesise complex information.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal), negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Fluency in English and Romanian. Russian is an asset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; familiarity with knowledge management tools is a plus.

Qualifications and Experience

• University degree in economics, development studies, business administration, or a related field. Postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in development cooperation, private sector development, or project management, preferably within an MSD or systems change framework.
• Experience with OPTIM sectors.
• Experience with cross-functional team coordination, strategic planning, and facilitating adaptive management.

Why Join Us?

At Helvetas, you will join a highly motivated team working on innovative approaches to inclusive economic development. As Project Coordinator, you will contribute to shaping impactful, scalable solutions in Moldova’s most critical economic sectors, while fostering team cohesion and adaptive leadership.

References

Please indicate at least two references in your CV or application.

Application process

The willing candidates must submit their CV and motivation letter to the following email: hr@optimproject.md 

Please indicate in the subject line the position you are applying for.

Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for the interview. References will be checked.

Deadline: 25.05.2025

This is a local position; therefore, only citizens of the Republic of Moldova or others legally authorised to work in the country are eligible to apply. We reserve the right to choose the most suitable candidate.

Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation is committed to achieving workforce diversity with regard to gender, ethnolinguistic background, age, etc. Individuals from different minority groups and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

*The information you provide during the application process will only be used to progress your application or to fulfil legal or regulatory requirements if necessary. We will hold it securely, whether in electronic or physical format.