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For every child, the right to equality

The Personal Assistance Service (PAS) is an important tool for social inclusion, enabling persons with disabilities to live independently and participate actively in community life, in line with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which the Republic of Moldova ratified in 2010.

Currently, the regulatory framework governing the organization and functioning of Personal Assistance is defined by Law No. 60/2012 on the social inclusion of persons with disabilities and Government Decision No. 314/2012 approving the Framework Regulation on the organization and functioning of the Personal Assistance Service, together with the Minimum Quality Standards. However, the existing modalities for employing personal assistants and delivering the service do not adequately meet real needs, resulting in inequities in coverage, quality, and financial sustainability. While the number of beneficiaries has steadily increased in recent years, the human and financial resources allocated have not evolved proportionally to demand.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP) intends to revise and improve PAS's contracting and delivery framework to ensure a more equitable, flexible, and needs-oriented system. This will include differentiating levels of support and exploring alternative financing and contracting mechanisms, with the ultimate goal of strengthening inclusion and improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities.

The consultant will prepare a costing analysis based on the legislative recommendations made by the legal expert. The legal expert and financial expert will work in close coordination.

How can you make a difference?

Terms of Reference - 2026 TOR_Nat Indiv Consultancy - Financial Expert VA.docx

1. Scope of work

Under the supervision of the UNICEF Moldova Social Policy Officer, the consultant will develop a comprehensive analytical review and a set of operational and legislative recommendations for revising the contracting and delivery modalities of the PAS. The review will analyse current practices, identify gaps, and propose feasible, costed, and legally viable alternatives to improve equity, efficiency, and sustainability of the service.

Specific Objectives:

Analysis of the financing mechanisms governing the PAS
Estimate the costs associated with each scenario developed in cooperation with the legal expert and identify sustainable sources of financing.
Facilitation of the approval of the proposed regulatory framework and scenarios through coordinated advocacy, stakeholder consultation, and institutional engagement.

2. Deliverables

Work Assignments Overview	Deliverables/Outputs	Delivery deadline (in weeks/months) and input days to complete the deliverable
Analysis of the financing mechanisms governing the personal assistants service. Existing financing mechanisms (state budget and local budgets), involving an analysis of funding sources (state budget and local budgets) and the allocation modalities, transfer, and utilization of these funds, including an assessment of the predictability and adequacy of financial resources in relation to actual needs; Administrative, financial, and operational barriers that restrict access to the service and/or adversely affect the quality-of-service delivery	Analytical report assessing existing financing mechanisms for the Personal Assistance Service	15 July 2026 (10 working days)
Cost analysis and financial sustainability For each scenario developed, the consultant will present: An estimation of the cost per beneficiary (by support level and type of contract); Estimate of the total cost at national level, based on service demand; Benchmarking of cost-benefit efficiency between different scenarios proposed; Funding options: state budget, local budget, grants, beneficiary contributions, etc.	Financial model (Excel) and narrative synthesis	18 September 2026 (10 working days)
Facilitation of the approval of the proposed regulatory framework and scenarios through coordinated advocacy, stakeholder consultation, and institutional engagement	Final report	30 October 2026 (5 working days)

3. Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission and acceptance of deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

Minimum requirements:

Advanced degree in Public Finance, Economics, Public Policy, Social Protection and other related fields
At least 6 years of solid professional experience in public finance, or financing of social services, with a focus on budgeting, costing, and expenditure analysis within the public sector.
Proven experience in assessing and designing financing mechanisms for social or public services, including intergovernmental fiscal transfers, cost estimation, and financial sustainability analysis.
Strong knowledge of public finance management, including state and local budget processes, fiscal decentralization, and funding mechanisms for social protection services
Demonstrated ability to conduct cost analyses, budget impact assessments, and financial modelling for policy scenarios.
Fluency in Romanian and high command of English

Desirables:

Demonstrated knowledge of international standards, particularly the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), would be an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Technical Proposal:
- Description of relevant experience in similar types of assignments (maximum 500 words).
- The submission should also include links to the candidate’s previous work that are relevant to the Terms of Reference (TOR).
A separate Financial Proposal. Template - Financial Offer_Financial Expert.docx

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from targeted underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

National Individual Consultant - Financial Expert for the revision of personal assistance service_Chisinau, Moldova (5 months, remote)