Background

During 2024 – 2028, UNDP is implementing the Programme “Transforming education in Moldova through Model Schools”, funded by Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). The Programme’s general objective is to enhance quality and effectiveness of Moldova's education system through the transformation of district schools into Model Schools. To achieve this, the Program will target the following specific objectives:

Objective 1: Transform five schools into Model Schools with a modern learning environment and facilities enabling better learning outcomes and improved efficiency of the school network.
Objective 2: Facilitate the development of 21st century skills of students through improving teaching and learning practices and supporting organizational development.

Under this Programme, in close partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research, UNDP will support:

Under Component 1: Capital renovations in five model schools to ensure student friendly learning spaces and furniture, and accessible facilities for teachers/students with disabilities (ensuring accessibility of all learning, administrative, outdoor, WASH facilities).

Under Component 2:

The evaluation and revision of the national curricula, enhancing the quality of curricular materials and educational content.
Strengthening the initial and continuous teachers training in the implementation of STEAM and interdisciplinary approaches, use of active teaching methods such as project-based learning, problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning and others, with special focus on science disciplines, integration of green and sustainability practices into the curricula.
Improving local level education governance and school management and autonomy to enhance the quality of education.

The programme duration is 48 months, with a total budget of USD 18.9 million.

The Moldovan education system faces a complex set of challenges, including underperforming rural schools, an inefficient school network, limited resources, and a significant shortage of teachers. In this context, the modernization of pedagogical curricula is a critical component of the ongoing education reform in the Republic of Moldova, aimed at aligning teacher training with modern educational standards, societal needs, and global trends. In response to the evolving demands of 21st-century education, under the overarching objective of enhancing the quality and relevance of teacher education in the Republic of Moldova, the Ministry of Education and Research in close collaboration with UNDP and the National Institute for Education and Leadership (INEL), is supporting a series of reforms and interventions targeting both initial and continuous teacher training.

Since its establishment in 2024, the INEL has played a central role in strengthening the professional development of early career teachers in Moldova. INEL supports the integration and advancement of young teachers through initiatives such as improving pedagogical internships, coordinating a national mentoring network, and conducting evidence-based evaluations of teacher competencies. In 2024, INEL assessed the professional readiness of all first-year teachers, examining both theoretical and practical skills, and aims to refine this methodology further in 2025. The development of a national internship guide and efforts to align teacher training with classroom realities highlight INEL’s commitment to ensuring a smoother transition from teacher education to professional practice.

These interventions aim to modernize pedagogical curricula, strengthen practical components of teacher education, promote evidence-based approaches, and align teacher preparation with contemporary education needs and international best practices, particularly through partnerships with educational institutions in Europe.

This process involves a systemic transformation of initial teacher training programs, with a focus on strengthening the pedagogical and methodological competencies of future educators, integrating interdisciplinary and STEAM approaches, and improving the quality of pedagogical internships. Additionally, the effort also includes the development of new competency-oriented pedagogical curriculum frameworks, instructional materials, and normative guidelines that foster professional insertion, career development, and retention of early-career teachers.

In the Republic of Moldova, initial teacher training follows two main paths:

Educational sciences for pre-school and primary school teachers
Specialized subject-based programs for lower and upper secondary school teachers.

The first path of educational sciences includes study areas such as preschool pedagogy, primary education pedagogy, psychopedagogy, and special pedagogy. The focus is on a comprehensive understanding of the educational process, the development of teaching competencies, and the ability to organize effective learning experiences for young learners.

The second path - preparation for lower (Gymnasium) and upper secondary (Lyceum) school teachers is integrated into specialized bachelor's degree programs (e.g., in physics, chemistry, history). These programs include a psychopedagogical module to ensure that future teachers are equipped with both subject-specific expertise and pedagogical skills.

In 2014, an amendment to the Education Code introduced the master’s degree as a mandatory requirement for secondary education teachers. However, this requirement is often overlooked due to teacher shortages and the decreasing attractiveness of the teaching profession among young people.

The psychopedagogical module for secondary school teachers is centrally regulated and standardized across all institutions offering teacher education. According to a study "Modernization of Teacher Professional Development" (Otilia Dandara, 2015), the emphasis in Moldovan pedagogical universities is placed mainly on subject-specific teaching skills. Other essential aspects, such as communication, teacher-student relationships, and emotional intelligence are often under-addressed or assumed to be acquired informally.

The same study also highlights other characteristics of Moldova’s teacher training system, including a traditional approach to psychology, a didactic style of instruction, and teacher-centered methodologies.

Training programs in educational sciences still rely heavily on traditional, age-specific psychology, and lectures remain the dominant mode of instruction. While this approach may suit some contexts, it does not adequately prepare teachers to apply student-centered, participatory methods.

Contemporary developments in educational science emphasize the importance of equipping teachers with skills to navigate the complexities of the learning process and adapt to various contextual factors that influence student outcomes.

A 2024 study by the National Institute for Education and Leadership (INEL) confirms several persistent challenges faced by early career teachers in Moldova:

Professional unpreparedness – Many novice teachers feel ill-equipped for the realities of the classroom, underlining the need for more robust and practical training programs.
Use of student-centered teaching methods – There is a strong demand for professional development in active, engaging instructional strategies.
Support for students with special needs – New teachers often require targeted training and resources to effectively work with diverse learners.
Parental engagement – Establishing and maintaining constructive relationships with parents remains a key challenge.
Collaborative and supportive environments – Mentorship and peer support are critical for successful integration and continuous professional development.

These findings underscore the need for a more comprehensive, evidence-based approach to teacher training in Moldova, especially for initial teaching training, one that prepares educators to manage all facets of the teaching and learning process in a modern educational environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Pedagogical Education Coordinator primary responsibility is to ensure that all the activities of the Component 2 of the project supporting the revision of initial teachers training curricula and the promotion of the teaching profession produces the specified results outlined in the detailed concept document, meeting the required standards of quality, and staying within the specified constraints of time and cost.

Additionally, the Pedagogical Education Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of grant-supported activities aimed at strengthening the capacities of the National Institute for Education and Leadership (INEL), Young Teachers’ Association and Pedagogical Practice Bases in enhancing the quality of teachers’ education in Moldova. These include the development of methodological guides and curricula for pedagogical internships, the implementation of a support program for early-career teachers during their professional integration, and capacity-building activities for the Young Teachers’ Association and Pedagogical Practice Bases. The Pedagogical Education Coordinator will also oversee the piloting of the revised initial teacher training curricula within a selected educational institution. Furthermore, the incumbent will design and coordinate activities involving teachers, school managers, academia, university chancellors, students and other relevant educational stakeholders to ensure the effective operationalization of these initiatives, through applying human rights-based (HRBA) and gender equality (GE) approaches.

The Pedagogical Education Coordinator will work under the direct supervision of the Education Component Manager and in close collaboration with the Programme, Operations, Communications and other project teams in the UNDP Country Office (CO), as well as with key national stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and Research, the National Institute for Education and Leadership (INEL), pedagogical universities, Teachers Associations, Pedagogical Practice Bases, international educational partners etc. The incumbent will ensure full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement, and administrative rules, regulations, and policies, and contribute to the implementation of effective internal control systems.

Overall, the Pedagogical Education Coordinator will play a key role in the project by contributing to the enhancement of teacher education quality in Moldova. This will be achieved through supporting the revision and piloting of initial teacher training curricula, strengthening pedagogical internships, promoting evidence-based and innovative practices in teacher education, and contributing to national capacity development for the modernization of pedagogical curricula.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Coordination of effective planning and implementation of pedagogical education component and provision of technical oversight

Coordinate the implementation of activities related to pedagogical education at the national and local levels, as per Project Document and outputs, leading to the achievement of expected results;
Coordinate/ manage the day-to-day assigned activities and the overall implementation process, including planning and monitoring to optimize the use of resources and to ensure the successful achievement of targeted objectives specified in project document;
Provide subject technical advice and support and ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget and specified constraints, and to high-quality standards;
Provide support to the National Institute for Education and Leadership (INEL) in developing and implementing the concept for modernized initial teacher training and the curricular framework for pedagogical internship;
Coordinate the piloting of the revised initial teacher training curricula within one Pedagogical University, ensuring alignment with evidence-based practices, societal trends, and educational developments, in collaboration with INEL, subject matter experts, and other relevant stakeholders;
Provide support for institutional strengthening, capacity building, mentorship practice for Teachers’ Associations, Pedagogical Practice Bases hosting pedagogical internships, teachers, university faculty, educational professionals, etc.;
Lead and coordinate the organization of meetings, workshops, conferences, trainings, study visits and related activities relevant to the implementation of the Project’s pedagogical education interventions;
Ensure implementation activities are in alignment with UNDP policy and regulations and programme management procedures, and all project interventions integrate a gender equality perspective/gender equality mainstreaming to the extent local context allows;
Ensure operational management of assigned activities including through timely procurement of goods/ services (as relevant), HACT procedures, effective management of human, technical and financial resources, etc.

2. Monitoring, evaluation, and quality assurance

Provide support to the National Institute for Education and Leadership (INEL) in assessing early career teachers’ readiness for professional insertion;
Oversee the development of curricular materials, methodological guides, and learning resources, provide inputs, review and contribute to the refinement of contents as needed;
Ensure quality assurance for all education deliverables, including initial teachers’ training curricula, methodological guides, pedagogical tools etc.;
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of pedagogical interventions according to project indicators to achieve planned results;
Document lessons learned, challenges, and recommendations for improving implementation and sustainability of project’s pedagogical activities.

3. Stakeholder engagement and capacity development

Maintain active collaboration with INEL, higher education institutions, the Ministry of Education and Research, partner organizations, and other educational stakeholders to ensure ownership and alignment of interventions with national priorities and stakeholder expectations;
Develop/ facilitate partnerships and peer learning opportunities between Moldovan and European universities (e.g., Estonia) to promote evidence-based practices and align initial teacher training in Moldova with contemporary educational needs and international best practices;
Maintain regular communication with project beneficiaries, ensuring responsiveness to feedback and alignment with needs and priorities;

4. Communication and reporting

Contribute to the preparation of progress reports, work plans, monitoring frameworks, ToRs, calls for application, and relevant communication materials;
Ensure visibility of the project activities and results, in collaboration with the Communications team, including contributions to newsletters, media content, stakeholder consultations and stakeholder briefings etc.;
Support internal and external reporting obligations by consolidating data and narrative contributions related to pedagogical education activities.

5. Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy.

Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.

6. Other Duties

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

Key Results:

The key results have a direct impact on the overall successful achievement of the Transforming education in Moldova through Model Schools Programme. Accurate analysis and presentation of information enhances UNDP’s position as a strong development partner. The information provided facilitates decision-making of the Project Board, the Beneficiary and UNDP management.

Institutional Arrangement

The Pedagogical Education Coordinator will work under the supervision of the Education Component Manager and the Project Manager and will ensure the provision of development services and products commensurate with the scope of the Programme and assigned area of responsibility of the highest quality and standards to national and local counterparts and clients through applying HRBA and GE approaches.

The Pedagogical Education Coordinator works in close collaboration with the Project team as well as the team in the Country Office (CO) for effective achievement of results, anticipating and contributing to resolving complex programme/project-related issues and information delivery. The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems.

Competencies

Core

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

Business Management - Results-based Management:

Ability to manage projects and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Management - Project Management:

Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

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 Management - Monitoring & Evaluation:

Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively;
Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.
Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools.
Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks.
Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Digital - Agile' methodologies and practices:

Ability to manage projects and processes through continuous iteration, learning and improvement.
Ability to manage a self-organising cross-functional teams, foster a team culture of curiosity and learning.
Being nimble and being able to improvise and quickly adjust to unforeseen events or changes in conditions or context.

Business Direction and Strategy - Futures & 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.

Partnership Management - CSO Engagement:

Knowledge and understanding of CSOs and the ability to engage with CSOs.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Education Studies, Pedagogy, Educational Leadership, Social Studies, Economics, and other closely related fields is required, or
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master`s degree.

Experience:

A minimum of 2 years (with a master’s degree) or 4 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of progressively acquired experience in managing and/or implementing education programmes in the context of international development, education reform, or capacity-building projects;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.
Experience in teacher education, curriculum reform, pedagogical training, or educational program coordination.
Experience in designing, implementing, or overseeing pedagogical curricula or teacher professional development activities.

Additional desired skills and experience:

Experience with M&E tools, methodologies, and frameworks to assess the impact of education projects, track progress, and ensure project goals are met;
Knowledge of curricula development and evaluation frameworks;
Relevant professional experience of engagement with a large variety of stakeholders (public, private, LPAs, central public authorities, education, mass-media etc.) is an asset;
Previous experience in development assistance or related work for NGOs, national education authorities, academia, a donor organization, development partners, UN Agencies is an asset;
Prior experience with UNDP consultancy and/or UNDP project implementation requirements and procedures is an asset;
Demonstrated ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy is desired.
Demonstrated ability to achieve results and deadlines in a timely manner, maintaining a high standard throughout is desired.

Required Language(s):

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

Professional Certificates:

Additional training and certification in project management and/or business administration 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.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

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