Communications Analyst ( NPSA-8)

Starting with October 2021, Moldova is facing a significant increase of gas prices as a consequence both of very tight global energy markets and a recently amended contract with Gazprom Moldova gas supplier. During the winter season 2021-2022, Moldova purchased its gas at prices about three or four times higher than in previous years which represented about $770/1000 cubic meters in October, $450/1000 cubic meters in November and December and $650/1000 cubic meters in January 2022. The prices are highly dependent of international gas market fluctuations which puts Moldovan Government in the situation to quickly react in case of unforeseen excessive price increases. This has put significant pressures on Moldova’s public finances and on the ability of the most vulnerable citizens to afford gas throughout the winter. The situation is becoming more complex as the Gazprom applies a rigid approach in terms of contractual deadlines for payments of advances, which has not been the case ever before.

In response to this energy crisis, the Government of Moldova introduced a State of Emergency on October 22, 2021 and January 20, 2022 and has prepared an urgent response to strengthen the social protection system’s ability to respond to increased energy tariffs. The Moldovan Government response is to ensure compensations measures for heating of all population in the proportion of 67% (from tariff increase) in December 2021 to 80% in January 2022.

Given the increase of gas tariffs will lead to subsequent increases of the electricity prices, the entire national economy and population will be affected. In this circumstances, Moldovan Government is looking to diversifying gas and electricity supply, to strengthen its energy security and enabling a transparent, fully open and well-functioning energy market.  

For a country in which nearly two thirds of the population lived on less than $10/day before the pandemic began, where the expenditure on food and energy absorbs the vast majority of vulnerable household incomes, and where the vulnerable households generate the lion’s share of its electricity from gas, the current energy price increase has already shown significant implications. Energy poverty is to deepen, particularly for the poor households that are having to face a three to four- fold increase in energy prices (for gas and electricity) during the 2021-2022 heating season and beyond.

Combined with the country’s aggravated context by the COVID-19 pandemic (5th COVID19 wave as the Omicron variant outbreaks) and on-going macroeconomic social distress, the energy shocks also pose major risks to the Government’s reform program, which seeks to strengthen Moldova’s alignment with European and global good governance practices and is central to Moldova’s hopes for achieving the SDGs. The current geopolitical situation brings additional urgency to pursue these actions.

The acute gas supply crisis in Moldova has also been subject of discussions within the Moldova-EU Association Council meeting on October 28, 2021. The EU and Moldova stressed the importance of resilience against any potential efforts by third parties to use energy as a geopolitical lever. The Association Council recalled the importance of continued energy market reform to strengthen competition and transparency in this sector. The EU has urged Moldova to ensure that the energy sector reform demonstrates full respect of the Energy Community acquis and is in line with the EU Third Energy Package. The EU side confirmed its support to the objective of Moldova to synchronize its electricity network with the Continental European Network (CEN), an important step towards the integration into the EU energy system and market.

Under these circumstances the Government of Moldova will be assisted to tackle the current energy crisis and energy poverty, and addressing prioritized systemic elements in the energy sector to cope with potential future energy crisis. In partnership with EU, UNDP Moldova will therefore, support the Government of Moldova: 

• To tackle the current energy crisis and energy poverty, and addressing prioritized systemic elements in the energy sector to cope with potential future energy crisis
• To support the Government of Moldova in building its capacities towards strengthening the national energy security, as well as in improving the legal and regulatory framework and operationalizing specific rapid large-scale interventions to tackle energy poverty and support most vulnerable and affected groups of population and businesses.

The Programme duration is envisaged between 2022- 2023 with support from Foreign Policy Instrument (herewith FPI) of EU.

The Communication Analyst will ensure, in line with the Programme scope, the provision of the following development services and products pertaining to an effective communication and public outreach:

Ensure the effective management of the project’s communication plan, focusing on achievement of the following

• Review, implement and continuously monitor the project’s communication, using appropriate feedback mechanisms and monitoring tools;
• Establish meaningful partnerships with mass-media, at the local and national levels;
• Coordinate the activity of the project’s national consultant(s) in the field of communication and public outreach;
• Ensure synergies with other programmatic partners on joint outreach, communication and capacity building activities;
• Identify appropriate suppliers for the provision of goods/services required for the implementation of the communication plan;
• Ensure compliance with all corporate rules and regulations of UNDP and EU on in the field of communication and visibility promotion, efficiently cooperate with the UNDP and NPSA Communication Officers/Analysts;
• Provide solid inputs to project’s analytical products, work plans, progress reports, and fundraising efforts, in the area of responsibility, etc.

Ensure the visibility of the project’s component results, focusing on achievement of the following

• Document best practices (via articles, success stories, interviews, press releases, etc.) and ensure wide dissemination and visibility of project achievements in the national media as well as in the local and regional media/websites;
• Design concepts for communication products and oversee their implementation;
• Organize press trips in Programme partner communities and ensure media coverage;
• Prepare and conduct communication trainings for the Programme team, consultants and stakeholders;
• Support the communication capacities of partner communities (LPAs) and coordinate the support offered to programme partners in the area of communications and visibility (Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Energy Efficiency Agency, National Agency for Energy Regulation, Energocom, Premier energy), with a focus on their development initiatives and opportunities.

• 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 & Technical competencies

1- Business Direction and 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
• Negotiation and Influence: Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates ‘win-win’ situations.

2- Business Development

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need
• Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animinate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
• Human-Centered Design: Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process

3- Business Management

• Communication: Ability to 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.
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree in Journalism, Communication, Public Relations, Sociology, International Relations, or another relevant field.
• Bachelor’s degree with 2 years of relevant experience can be taken into consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.

• 2 years (with Bachelor's degree) of progressive experience in communication, mass-media and/ or public relations.
• Experience in the development and implementation of media/communication strategies and plans.
• Experience in conceptualizing and implementing national and local public outreach/communication campaigns.

• Excellent written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to identify relevant findings.
• Ability to creatively communicate concepts in an engaging and simple way.
• Ability to share knowledge and experience within the team and with external partners / stakeholders.
• Experience in the design and delivery of trainings and workshops, as well as facilitation of public events.
• Pursuit of continuous personal learning and ability to apply newly acquired skills.
• Analytical capacity and ability to identify relevant findings and prepare communication materials in a clear and result-based manner.

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

• Proven experience in similar positions in development programs will be considered an advantage.
• Experience in mainstreaming gender and human rights aspects will be an advantage.

Professional Certificates

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
2. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
3. Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as  reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Programme Manager, the Communication Analyst shall contribute to an effective and efficient implementation of the programme’s communication and outreach plan, contributing to an increased visibility of the policy and local development components’ results.

Disclaimer