Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Operations Officer provides day-to-day procurement and contractual support for activities implemented by Expertise France under THRIVE. The role covers the preparation and follow-up of service, supply and works contracts, from procurement planning to contract closure, with a particular focus on heritage interventions under WP3.

This national position is based in Chișinău. The Officer works closely with the Heritage Technical Advisor and the international Key Expert mobilised on an intermittent basis, and acts as the operational focal point with the mutualised office and Expertise France Headquarters for procurement, contract administration, payment files and related logistical needs.

The Officer supports EF-led institutional and professional capacity development, pilot heritage interventions and community engagement under Outputs 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3, as well as EF-led support to the Moldovan Creative Europe Desk under Output 2.2. Financial approvals, accounting and payment processing follow the responsibilities assigned to the Project Manager and authorised support functions. Overall programme management, consortium coordination and consolidated partner reporting are led by the Project Manager.

The position covers the following responsibilities:

1.Procurement planning for EF activities

·   Prepare and update the procurement and contracting plan for EF-managed activities with the Project Manager, Heritage Technical Advisor and relevant support functions, covering technical expertise, training partnerships, studies, design and works-supervision services, supplies, works and community activities.

·   Build realistic procurement schedules, including preparation, reviews, publication, clarifications, evaluation, contract signature and mobilisation, and monitor their links with technical studies, authorisations and works milestones.

·   Contribute to market mapping and supplier identification, including Moldovan consultants, design offices, contractors and specialist suppliers, while maintaining transparency and equal treatment.

·   Support the preparation of procurement strategies and proposed contract packages with the technical team; refer procedural and legal questions to the authorised procurement and legal functions for validation.

2.Preparation and follow-up of EF procurement procedures

·   Prepare procurement files for EF-managed services, supplies and works, including expert assignments, technical studies, design and works supervision, training and cooperation activities, heritage rehabilitation and community engagement, using inputs from the responsible technical staff.

·   Check the completeness and consistency of administrative and contractual documents, eligibility requirements, evaluation grids, budgets and supporting records before submission for the required reviews.

·   Support tender publication, supplier communications, clarification processes, receipt and opening of offers, evaluation committee arrangements and documentation of award decisions, in line with assigned responsibilities.

·   Coordinate the administrative follow-up of evaluations and consolidate inputs from the technical evaluators, preserving confidentiality, traceability and conflict-of-interest safeguards.

·   Carry out or coordinate supplier verification and due-diligence checks using Expertise France's procedures and tools, and maintain complete procurement records.

·   Use knowledge of Moldova's public procurement framework, institutional requirements and local market practices to identify constraints affecting EF-managed contracts and beneficiary interfaces. Seek clarification of applicable requirements from the authorised procurement and legal functions, ensuring EF procurement follows Expertise France procedures.

3.Contract administration from mobilisation to closure

·   Prepare draft contracts, purchase orders and amendments for review and signature by the authorised persons, using approved templates and legal or procurement support where required.

·   Maintain an EF contract register covering contractual amounts, commitments, deliverables, implementation periods, payment milestones, guarantees, insurance documents and key deadlines; flag upcoming actions and overdue obligations to the responsible staff.

·   Track consultant, institutional partner and contractor deliverables and obtain review and technical confirmation from the Heritage Technical Advisor, Key Expert or Project Manager, as appropriate, before preparing the corresponding contractual or payment files.

·   Check the administrative and contractual completeness of invoices and payment requests, obtain the required technical confirmation and approvals, and transmit complete files to the mutualised office for processing.

·   Follow up contract variations, extensions, claims, delays and possible non-compliance; document their implications and prepare the files needed for decisions by the Project Manager and relevant support functions.

·   Support contract closure, keeping acceptance records, outstanding obligations and guarantee or defect-correction deadlines aligned with the technical team's handover follow-up.

4.EF budget tracking and preparation of payment files

·   Maintain the operational link between EF procurement planning, contractual commitments and the EF activity budget, checking the availability of budget allocations with the Project Manager and mutualised finance team before commitments are submitted for approval.

·   Maintain up-to-date tracking of the EF project budget, commitments, invoices and payments, reconciling information with the mutualised finance and accounting team and keeping supporting records linked to the relevant contracts.

·   Prepare EF expenditure forecasts and budget-monitoring inputs for the Project Manager, flagging potential overruns, uncommitted balances, delayed contracts and the budget implications of proposed amendments.

·   Prepare EF payment forecasts with the technical team and mutualised office, monitoring payment bottlenecks and their implications for consultants, contractors and delivery schedules.

·   Prepare EF contractual and expenditure information needed for financial reports, budget revisions and internal reviews, checking its completeness with the mutualised finance team and submitting it to the Project Manager.

·   Follow up missing supporting documents and outstanding payment files with the responsible parties and maintain the records required for internal control and audits.

5.Contractual and operational support to EF activity delivery

·   Prepare the administrative and operational arrangements for EF expert assignments, the international Key Expert's intermittent missions, site visits, training and meetings, working with the Project Manager, Heritage Technical Advisor and mutualised logistics function.

·   Prepare the required administrative documentation and follow up approved travel, accommodation, service-provider arrangements and mission-related expenses through the relevant support functions.

·   Anticipate and prepare procurement and contracting needs for institutional support, professional training, university and vocational partnerships, sectoral exchanges and study visits under Output 3.1, using the cooperation arrangements validated by the Project Manager and relevant support functions.

·   Support the contractual and logistical implementation of participatory documentation, civil society cooperation, interpretation, education, audiovisual production and dissemination activities under Output 3.3.

·   Provide procurement, contractual and operational support for EF-led activities strengthening the Moldovan Creative Europe Desk under Output 2.2, including arrangements with Relais Culture Europe, expert mobilisation, training and study visits.

6.Contract monitoring reporting and audit preparation

·   Provide the Project Manager with regular updates on EF procurement procedures, contract execution, deliverables, payment files and contractual risks, using reliable tracking tools and following up agreed corrective actions.

·   Liaise with UNESCO and CPVA operational counterparts when required for the practical arrangements of joint activities or for specific contractual interfaces, following the responsibilities and arrangements agreed by the Project Manager.

·   Prepare contract management and operational reporting inputs for EF-managed activities, including implementation status, outstanding deliverables, expenditure commitments and upcoming contractual deadlines.

·   Help compile activity records, participation data and monitoring evidence for EF-managed activities, and follow up contractual communication and visibility requirements with the responsible technical staff and support functions.

·   Maintain complete and accessible EF procurement, contract and financial files, including the records required for internal controls, audits and evaluations; respond to document requests through the Project Manager and responsible support functions.

·   Track the follow-up of procurement, contractual and audit recommendations relating to EF-managed activities with the responsible staff and support functions.