Senior Project Officer

The Council of Europe Office in Chisinau facilitates, maintains and strengthens working relations between the Council of Europe and the national authorities (mainly the government and parliament), regional and local authorities, representatives of civil society, political parties and the media, as well as members of the international community. 

You will be part of the team implementing the Project “Supporting the Republic of Moldova in addressing the risks and harms related to drug use and addictive behaviors within the Council of Europe International Co-operation Group on Drugs and Addictions, also known as Pompidou Group. 

This 24-month project, which started in January 2025, aims to improve well-being and mental health through a comprehensive approach to addressing the risks and harms of drug use and addictive behaviours, including in custodial settings. It will focus on assisting the Republic of Moldova in developing its first all-encompassing national strategy on drugs and addictions, as well as institutional capacity building of allocating responsibility for drug policy coordination and implementation.

As a Senior Project Officer, you will:

• ensure the planning, organisation, implementation, and follow-up of project activities in accordance with the project work plan and in line with the Council of Europe's procedures and the Project Management Methodology (PMM), with a concern for quality, efficiency, accuracy, and confidentiality;
• ensure coherence with the mission and mandate of the Pompidou Group, drawing on its unique expertise in the drug policy field, in co-ordination with the project team in the headquarters;
• design project activities and financial work plans and ensure close monitoring and follow-up of expenditures in accordance with the Council of Europe regulations and procedures and in co-operation with the Programme Manager; 
• ensure the implementation of project related procurement procedures and verify the purchase files, draft contracts, deliverables, and payment documents; 
• support and organise the work of short-term consultants, including ensuring follow-up and quality of progress and final submissions; 
• prepare and draft documents in accordance with the quality and style requirements of the Council of Europe (e.g. progress, annual, and mission reports, terms of reference for various contractual engagements; briefings, speaking notes, official speeches, relevant meeting documentation and minutes etc.), including editing documents prepared by non-native speakers (in English/Romanian);
• assist in the preparation of files and information for the internal and external evaluations and audits; 
• contribute to raising the visibility of the project by drafting web news, press releases and disseminating information;
• establish and maintain close working contacts with relevant project partners and local stakeholders, international organisations and NGOs working in the field of drug policy and criminal justice; 
• undertake official journeys in connection with project activities and participate in meetings, seminars, working groups, etc. related to project activities;
• contribute to the efficient functioning of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau and regularly inform the Head of the Office and the Deputy Head of Office on the implementation of the project and co-ordinate work within the broader framework of the overall activities of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau and the Pompidou Group; 
• monitor developments at national level (legal, policy, institutional) in the areas covered by the Project and keep the Programme Manager, Head of Office, Deputy Head of Office and the project management at headquarters regularly informed, including on project results, further needs and risks and opportunities for further interventions;
• contribute to the development of new project proposals and activities;
• perform other duties as required to ensure the efficient implemnetaion of the project;
• promote Council of Europe values internally and externally.

You must: 

• hold a completed full course of general secondary education and appropriate professional qualifications; 
• have a minimum of four years of relevant professional experience in the areas relevant for drug and addiction policy implementation, and experience in project management/implementation of technical cooperation or policy-oriented programmes at an international and/or national level; 
• have an excellent knowledge of Romanian (mother tongue level) and a very good knowledge of one of the two Council of Europe’s official languages (English, at least C1 level).
• be a citizen of the host country or one of the 46 member States of the Council of Europe and fulfil the conditions for appointment to the civil service of that state;
• be present in the Republic of Moldova;
• have discharged any obligation concerning national service (military, civil or comparable);
• not be the parent, child, stepchild or grandchild of a serving staff member of the Council of Europe;
• be under the age of 65 years.

Your application must demonstrate to what extent you have the competencies listed below. To help you doing so, feel free to consult our competency framework.

• Operational - Planning and work organisation
• Operational - Analysis and problem solving
• Operational - Drafting skills
• Operational - Results orientation
• Interpersonal - Teamwork and co-operation

Professional and technical expertise:

• good knowledge of Council of Europe and other international standards in the field of design and implementation of national drug and addiction policy;
• good knowledge of and experience in applying internationally recognised project management methodologies and tools;
• good understanding of contemporary health-oriented drug policy approaches; 
• good knowledge of the Moldovan socio-cultural context of drug use and addictive behaviours as well as the national drug policy framework;
• sound computer skills and experience in using standard tools in office applications (word processing, presentations, outlook, spreadsheets, databases, internet publications).

• Operational - Concern for quality
• Interpersonal - Relationship building
• Interpersonal - Communication

These would be an asset:

• higher education degree in law, public administration, political or social science, health care management, or another field relevant for drug and addiction policy implementation; 
  
• good knowledge of the Russian language;
• knowledge in the Pompidou Group's areas of activity, in the fields of prevention, treatment, harm reduction, repression, as well as tackling drug use in criminal justice settings;
• experience in working with governmental actors and managing multistakeholder discussions;
• knowledge of the Council of Europe Project Management Methodology and corresponding IT tool.

This job vacancy is for a local external recruitment based on temporary contracts. Employment is limited to 31 December of the current year and may be extended. You can consult the conditions of employment (salaries, allowances, pension scheme, social insurance etc.) on the webpage What we offer.

For more information on how we recruit, you can consult the page Our recruitment process. This recruitment is carried out in accordance with Rule No. 1234 laying down the conditions of recruitment and employment of locally recruited staff members working in Council of Europe Duty Stations located outside of France. The deadline for applications is indicated in the General information section of this vacancy notice (see above) and is fixed at 23:59:59 Central European Time (CET). When applying, make sure your motivation shows how your competencies make your profile the best for the role.

As an equal opportunity employer, the Council of Europe welcomes applications from all suitably qualified people, irrespective of sex, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, disability, religion or belief. Under its equal opportunity policy, the Council of Europe is aiming to achieve gender parity in staff employed in each category and grade.At the time of appointment, preference beetwen suitable people shall be given to the person of the gender which is under-represented in the relevant grades within the category to which the vacancy belongs.

Applicants with specific needs are encouraged to request reasonable accommodations at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact us at [email protected], we will ensure that your request is handled.

The information published on the CoE’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication of the vacancy notice. Any changes to these conditions during the recruitment process will beupdated on our Portal and will apply at the time of the job offer. Our career's website is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have. Should you have remaining questions, please contact us at [email protected].