Background

The project Promoting rural agriculture development and quality employment for the most vulnerable (EMAG) is financed by the European Union and implemented by UNDP to support Moldova’s transition from crisis response toward long-term resilience, inclusive growth, and EU-aligned reforms. Building on EU–Moldova priorities in employment, labour market modernization, and agricultural governance, the project promotes an integrated approach that links employment services, social protection, and agricultural support through digitally enabled service delivery. By strengthening institutional capacities and modernizing core digital public services - particularly those serving vulnerable rural populations - the project aims to improve access, transparency, and effectiveness of public support measures, while contributing to Moldova’s broader reform agenda on modernization, social inclusion, and sustainable rural development.

In 2025, the Republic of Moldova continues to navigate a challenging socioeconomic and geopolitical context. The country is transitioning from crisis response to longer-term resilience building, while its reform agenda – centered on economic modernization, energy transition, and governance strengthening – is being tested amid rising regional risks, growing public expectations, and constrained fiscal space.

Agriculture remains a central sector of the Moldovan economy, employing over one-fifth of the workforce and contributing around 12% of GDP. Including food processing, the agri-food sector accounts for 16% of GDP and 45% of total exports. Moldova’s fertile land supports diverse production and underpins the rural economy. However, the sector is characterized by a dual structure: large, competitive enterprises coexist with numerous small, low-productivity farms. Informality is widespread, with more than half of salaried agricultural workers employed without formal contracts.

Digital modernization of public services in both employment and agriculture is progressing but remains uneven. Key institutions continue to operate with fragmented data systems, weak interoperability, and limited analytical capacity. These gaps hinder policy implementation, reduce the effectiveness of subsidies and services, and limit the state’s ability to engage the most vulnerable rural populations.

In this context, the Project seeks to contribute to labour market inclusion and agricultural modernization through digitally enabled service delivery. UNDP’s engagement is focused on integrated and inclusive approaches – linking social protection, employment, and agricultural services through modern digital infrastructure and case management. Building on past experience in digital governance and service modernization, the initiative is well positioned to deliver scalable results that can be institutionalized and sustained beyond the project’s duration. It will contribute to Moldova’s broader objectives of fostering decent work, rural development, and sustainable EU-aligned transformation.

The project aims to strengthen Moldova’s institutional and digital governance systems in order to expand access to employment and modernize agricultural service delivery for vulnerable rural populations. Its focus is on enabling hard-to-employ individuals and farmers to benefit from more efficient, inclusive, and transparent public services.
On the employment side, the initiative seeks to make social protection and labour market services more accessible and better integrated, supported by digitally re-engineered institutional frameworks. 

In agriculture, the project will help farmers across the country, including smallholders and underrepresented groups, access modernized services that are transparent, equitable, and aligned with Moldova’s reform agenda and EU commitments.

The project directly supports Moldova’s EU accession process by advancing the implementation of the Reform Agenda, in particular subdomain 1.7 on agriculture and subdomain 4.3 on employment and labour markets. Within the agricultural sector, the initiative contributes to the operationalization of the digital National Farmers Registry (dNFR) and the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS), both of which are prerequisites for Moldova’s compliance with the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) requirements under Chapter 11. The project also aims to strengthen transparency and accountability in agricultural governance through the introduction of conditionality and compliance mechanisms.

Institutional support will be provided to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) and the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA) to reinforce their capacity to manage digital tools, improve administrative frameworks, and ensure transparent subsidy management. These reforms will be complemented by inclusive outreach measures to ensure equitable access to digital agricultural services for smallholders, women, and rural youth, fostering resilience and participation across rural communities.

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 reference and background checks.

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization working to end poverty, inequality, and climate change. With a presence in 170 countries, UNDP partners with governments, civil society, and the private sector to help build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

Duties and Responsibilities

UNDP Moldova seeks to contract a Legal Analyst (hereinafter “the Analyst”) to provide legal expertise and advisory support to the UNDP Project team and national counterparts in advancing Moldova’s Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) reform in the agricultural sector. The assignment will primarily focus on the development, review, and alignment of the legal and regulatory framework required for the operationalization and institutionalization of the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) package, as a core prerequisite for EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)-aligned area-based support and compliance controls. In addition, the Analyst will support legal work related to other IACS modules and the digital National Farmers Register (dNFR), ensuring that the overall IACS legal architecture is coherent, implementable, and aligned with Moldova’s EU accession commitments under Chapter 11 and the Reform Agenda’s agriculture subdomain.

The Analyst will work under the framework of the “Promoting Rural Agriculture Development and Quality Employment for The Most Vulnerable” project as part of an interdisciplinary team of national and international experts supporting agricultural modernization and digital governance. 

The Analyst will engage with key national counterparts – including the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI), the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA), the State Chancellery, the Bureau of European Integration, and relevant inter-institutional working groups – to provide targeted legal advice, support legal drafting and approximation processes, and contribute to institutional capacity development for IACS implementation.

The assignment will also include a review of existing agricultural legislation and secondary regulations to identify gaps and overlaps affecting IACS deployment, and the preparation of legally consistent, publication-ready draft amendments, bylaws, and implementation guidelines.

Summary of key functions:

The Legal Analyst’s support will contribute to establishing a sound legal and institutional basis for Moldova’s agricultural IACS reform, with a primary focus on the operationalization of the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) and the digital National Farmers Register (dNFR). The assignment will ensure legal coherence with Moldova’s EU accession process, particularly alignment with CAP-related requirements under Chapter 11 and relevant commitments under the national Reform Agenda for agriculture.

The Analyst’s key responsibilities will include:

Legal analysis and drafting

• Provide legal expertise for the design, drafting, and review of primary and secondary legislation, government decisions, instructions, and other normative acts required to operationalize LPIS, dNFR, and related IACS modules.
• Support the legal design of implementation, governance, reporting, and monitoring arrangements for IACS within the agricultural sector, ensuring clarity of institutional mandates and enforceable administrative procedures.
• Draft or review supporting documentation (e.g. explanatory notes, regulatory impact assessments) to accompany proposed legal provisions.
• Ensure coherence of draft legal documents with Moldova’s existing legislation and their alignment with EU acquis and good legal drafting practices.

Support for legal reform and approximation

• Contribute to legal screening, approximation assessments, and legislative planning related to agricultural governance reforms required for IACS implementation and future Paying Agency readiness.
• Provide legal input to inter-institutional processes aimed at strengthening the legal and institutional framework for CAP-aligned subsidy administration, conditionality, and compliance controls..
• Draft, revise, and adjust legal acts and supporting documentation based on inputs received through stakeholder consultations, inter-agency coordination, and public feedback.
• Provide legal support for the development and refinement of government-level decisions and normative acts, including those establishing implementation, monitoring, or reporting mechanisms for reform initiatives related to IACS.
• Prepare and finalize complete legal package(s) required for formal submission and adoption, ensuring legal soundness and integration of feedback from institutional stakeholders and consultation processes.

Advisory support and coordination

• Participate in technical meetings and inter-institutional consultations to ensure that legal provisions are well understood and effectively implemented.
• Collaborate closely with policy, socio-economic, and institutional experts to ensure legal coherence across all aspects of the Growth Facility design and implementation.
• Provide targeted legal advice to UNDP and national partners to support the formulation and adjustment of legal frameworks and institutional arrangements.
• Contribute to knowledge products or briefs on legal and institutional requirements for CAP-aligned agricultural administration and IACS implementation.

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

Institutional Arrangement

The Legal Analyst will report to the Project Manager (NPSA-9) and will be under the supervision of the UNDP Moldova Policy Specialist. The Legal Analyst will be responsible for delivering legal support for the agriculture-related activities under Outcome 2, ensuring that all legal analyses, draft instruments, and advisory inputs are aligned with the project objectives, approved work plan, and Moldova’s EU-aligned agricultural reform priorities.

The Legal Analyst will work in close collaboration with the UNDP Moldova Policy Specialist and the Country Office Digital Development Specialist to ensure that the legal framework effectively enables the institutionalization and operationalization of the targeted digital agricultural governance tools and compliance mechanisms.
Externally, the Legal Analyst will serve as a key contact point for national counterparts, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) and the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA), as well as for farmers’ associations, cooperatives, and other relevant stakeholders engaged in the project for legal-related matters.

The incumbent is expected to ensure full compliance with UNDP’s administrative rules, regulations, policies, and strategies, and to maintain the highest standards of professionalism, quality, and policy relevance in all deliverables.

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 Direction & Strategy - Futures and Foresight:    

• Ability to look at information from the past and present, identify patterns and trends and use them to inform decision making with a long-term view. 
• Being sensitive and able to scan horizons and pick up weak signals of change, explore their potential implications and assess their impact and urgency. 
• Using creativity and imagination to communicate insights in compelling and engaging ways to challenge current mental models; ability to develop scenarios, speculative designs to present future visions or by making it experiential. 
• Being able to facilitate debate and discussion about possible futures; help people to feel comfortable with the discomfort of uncertainty.

Business Direction & Strategy - Strategic Thinking:    

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions;
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Direction & Strategy - System 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.

Business Development - Knowledge Facilitation:    

• Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information, and ideas.
• Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange

Legal - Legal advocacy and presentation skills:    

• The ability to articulate and present legal analysis orally, both in a persuasive and objective format and for a variety of different audiences (e.g. the governments, administrative tribunals, arbitrators, management, donors, and other partners). This skill requires an ability to identify lines of argument, anticipate counterarguments, interact in a dynamic and engaging way about legal issues, as well as the ability to think on one's feet and strategically, in a solution-oriented manner, when confronted with new facts or issues within the context of a discussion or presentation. 

Legal - Legal analysis skills:    

• The ability to digest a large amount of information and facts in order to frame and understand an issue, apply the legal framework to the particular set of facts and present a coherent and comprehensive analysis of the situation presented in order to deliver practical and meaningful advice. This skill includes the ability to provide an objective assessment of the case, the organization's best arguments for proceeding and a recommended course of action. It also includes the capacity to think creatively and flexibly, within the applicable legal framework.

Legal - Legal writing skills:    

• The ability to analyse fact patterns and present argumentation in written form. This includes the ability to draft memoranda, legal briefs and other submissions to external parties, in both an advocacy and objective format, and legal opinions. It also includes the ability to convey legal analysis and recommendations to internal parties in written form, with a particular view towards communicating for the particular audience who may not be a lawyer or have legal background.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Law, Public Policy, European Studies, Human Rights, or another relevant in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience is required; OR
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in one of the above fields, in combination with an additional four years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible relevant experience (at the national or international level) in legal drafting, regulatory reform, legal approximation to EU acquis, or related policy and institutional advisory roles.

Required skills:

• Proven experience in legal and/or regulatory drafting, legal approximation, and institutional or policy reform.
• Good understanding of the national legal and institutional context in Moldova.
• Proficiency in using computers and standard office software (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Desired skills:

• Experience in EU approximation and legal gap analyses aligned with EU directives/regulations, including preparation of compliance matrices, transposition notes, or approximation roadmaps, is an asset.
• Experience in legal/regulatory drafting of laws, by-laws, amendments, and related explanatory/justification notes 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 skills:

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

Professional Certificates:

• Additional training and/or certification in EU law, legal harmonization, and/or regulatory impact assessments would be 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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