Business Development & Grants Manager

Country Programme: Moldova

Contract Length: 1 year

Base: Chisinau

Starting date: September 2026

Line Manager: Deputy Head of Programmes

People in Need (PIN) is a Czech-based international non-governmental organization (NGO) that has been providing humanitarian and development assistance worldwide since 1992. Today, PIN operates in more than 40 countries, responding to humanitarian crises and supporting long-term development through programmes in education, human rights, climate resilience, and social inclusion. As one of the largest organizations of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, PIN works across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe to support vulnerable communities, strengthen civil society, and promote democratic values and human dignity.

 
About the Moldovan Programme of People in Need:

People in Need (PIN) has been operating in Moldova since 2003, delivering development and humanitarian assistance across social protection and inclusion, civil society empowerment, agriculture and economic development. Following the escalation of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, PIN significantly scaled up emergency programming, including protection, cash assistance, education, winterization, and livelihoods support for refugees and host communities.

PIN Moldova currently manages a large and diverse portfolio of emergency and development projects implemented nationwide and funded by a range of institutional donors, while increasingly shifting toward long-term development assistance, particularly in the context of Moldova’s EU integration and the need to support local CSOs and line ministries in meeting EU accession commitments.

About the role:

The Business Development and Grants Manager works closely with Programme, Grants, and Partnership teams to secure funding and build sustainable donor relations. The role drives strategic resource mobilization for the Country Programme – identifying, mapping, and pursuing donor opportunities aligned with the Country Programme’s strategic direction.

The position collaborates with Programme Leads in Moldova and HQ Technical Advisors and partners to co-create high-quality concept notes, pitches, and funding proposals, including leading complex multi-stakeholder proposals, and ensures that all concept notes and pitches reflect dignified, non-paternalistic narratives that respect local knowledge and partner expertise.

The role also ensures communication, with donors and maintains strong donor relationships through high-quality reporting and proactive relationship management, including with the Czech Embassy and the Czech Development Agency (CzDA), the European Union Delegation, and other current and prospective donors (e.g. GCF, U.S. Government donors, FCDO, and Swiss Cooperation, etc.). Additional responsibilities include supporting visits of international experts and study visits to countries outside Moldova, conducting institutional funding and proposal design, development and writing mentorship sessions for local team and local partners, and providing broader support to the Programme and Grants functions.

The Business Development and Grants Manager reports to the Deputy Head of Programmes and works in close cooperation with senior CP management (HoP/CD/HoSo/Head of MEAL) and relevant HQ departments.

The Business Development and Grants Manager supports the Grants and Reporting Team on grants health review and oversight, particularly on compliance and donor communications, and may also act as a secondary focal point for external liaison, including representing PIN vis-à-vis donors and in other coordination forums (clusters, working groups, etc.).

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Pipeline Management and Donor Intelligence

• Maintains and regularly updates the donor mapping and funding strategy, tracking funding trends and donor priorities, with particular attention to diversifying the portfolio into development sector in line with PIN’s Country Programme Strategy; keeps management informed of opportunities and strategic trends.
• Continuously monitors emerging and anticipated funding opportunities through donor websites, humanitarian assistance portals, clusters, and bilateral scoping with existing and potential donors; leads funding opportunity review (Go/No-Go) meetings.
• In coordination with the line manager and/or HoP, engages with donors during field visits to build and nurture relationships and promote PIN’s work in its strategic domains; documents donor intelligence and engagement efforts.
• Liaises with HQ funding advisors to strengthen donor knowledge and support proactive fundraising for the Country Programme.
• Maintains up-to-date grant files, donor guidelines, and resource materials, coordinating with relevant HQ desk colleagues.

2. Proposal Development and Co-Creation

• Collaborates with Programme Leads in Moldova and HQ Technical Advisors and partners to design high-quality concept notes, pitches, and funding proposals, facilitating a collaborative proposal-design process.
• Leads complex, multi-stakeholder proposals, coordinating the development process across all relevant departments — including supporting the design of logical frameworks, setting realistic and measurable targets, and supporting the development of narrative proposals and budgets.
• Ensures concept notes and proposals reflect dignified, non-paternalistic narratives that respect local knowledge and partner expertise.
• Supports proofreading and translation of proposals and budgets ahead of submission.

3. Grants Compliance and Reporting Oversight

• Supports the Grants and Reporting Team on grants health review and oversight, with particular focus on compliance and donor communications.
• Ensures reports meet donor requirements in structure and content, including mainstreaming issues (protection, gender, do-no-harm, conflict sensitivity), and that programme staff receive timely guidelines, templates, and examples to develop quality reporting contributions.
• Oversees compliance with donor guidelines on programme implementation, information collection and storage, and project deliverables.
• Maintains standardized reporting formats and an internal tracking database of reporting timelines by donor/grant, coordinating with the Deputy Head of Programmes, Programme/Project Managers, and MEAL to ensure timely, quality data collection and compilation.
• Drafts, proofreads and compiles interim and final donor reports.
• Prepares documentation and collects inputs from finance and programme teams to facilitate regular project review meetings, using standardized tools provided by PIN.
• Supports administration of project documentation in ELO and Navision (IRPs and other project documentation).

4. Donor and Stakeholder Relations

• Ensures communication, with donors and maintains strong donor relationships through high-quality reporting and proactive relationship management, including with the Czech Embassy and the Czech Development Agency (CzDA), the European Union Delegation, and other current and prospective donors (e.g. GCF, U.S. Government donors, FCDO, and Swiss Cooperation, etc.)
• Acts as a focal point for selected donors and grant contracts, both in external representation and in internal coordination with programme and operations teams on programme development and reporting matters.
• May act as secondary focal point for external liaison, representing PIN with donors and in other coordination forums (clusters, working groups, etc.).
• Supports visits of international experts to Moldova and study visits to countries outside Moldova, and coordinates and finalizes related documentation with the regional desk and CP senior management.

5. FSTP Schemes, Subgranting and Partners Management

• Oversees the design and set-up of Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) schemes, ensuring the scheme’s objectives, eligibility criteria, and financial ceilings comply with EU and other donors’ grant agreement requirements.
• Leads or supports the launch of calls for proposals to sub-grantees (e.g., local CSOs, community structures), including drafting guidelines for applicants, organizing information sessions, and managing the selection and evaluation process.
• Coordinates capacity and due diligence assessments of prospective sub-grantees, ensuring findings inform award decisions, tailored support plans, and risk mitigation measures.
• Ensures sub-grant agreements are properly contracted, with clear deliverables, budgets, and reporting obligations, in line with PIN’s internal grant management policy and donor rules.
• Maintains a subgrant tracking system/database recording contract values, disbursement schedules, reporting deadlines, and compliance; flags, and provides regular updates to the line manager and relevant donors.
• Identifies and flags subgranting risks (financial, reputational, safeguarding) in a timely manner and proposes mitigation measures, including site visits and spot-checks as needed.
• Ensures proper close-out of sub-grants, including final financial and narrative reporting, asset verification/transfer where applicable, and archiving of documentation for audit purposes.

6. Capacity Strengthening and Partner/Programme Support

• Conducts institutional funding and proposal design, development and writing mentorship sessions for local team members and local partners.
• Provides general support, direction, and advice to staff as workload and time permit.
• Supports internal coordination of meetings and events.
• Updates the grants management tools provided by PIN and liaises with other departments (Finance, MEAL, etc.).
• Supports proofreading and translation of project documents during implementation.
• Compiles documentation and supports related administrative tasks as needed.

Main requirements:  

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in development and/or humanitarian programming, with demonstrated involvement in program and project implementation in Eastern Partnership or comparable contexts.
• At least 2 years of experience in senior or middle management roles, such as Program Manager, Portfolio Manager, or similar positions with responsibility for overseeing and supporting project teams.
• Proven experience in program and project design, program development, and preparation of project proposals for institutional donors.
• Solid experience in humanitarian and development sectors relevant to PIN Moldova's portfolio, such as civil society support, including governance, protection, social inclusion, livelihoods, education, agriculture, or climate resilience programming.
• Proven experience managing and coordinating multi-partner or consortium-based initiatives.
• Experience engaging and collaborating with governmental stakeholders, including representatives of central and local government institutions, and representing programs in institutional and policy dialogue.
• Experience supporting Project Managers across the full Project Cycle Management, including planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and project closure.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to guide, support, and coordinate Program Managers and Project Managers and engage effectively with donors, partners, and internal teams.
• Good contextual understanding of the Moldovan operating environment, including humanitarian needs, development challenges, and coordination mechanisms.
• Strong program planning and coordination skills, ensuring coherence between project objectives, donor requirements, work plans, and budgets.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in complex, high-pressure, and evolving environments, including emergency and politically sensitive contexts.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, enabling timely identification of implementation risks and support to practical, solutions-oriented responses.
• High commitment to quality programming, accountability, and continuous improvement, including the use of monitoring data to inform decision-making.
• Demonstrated commitment to safeguarding, protection mainstreaming, and accountability to affected populations, in line with PIN policies and humanitarian
• Languages – English - Fluent in all aspects

We Offer:

• Working environment in a well-established humanitarian organization in a challenging context;
• Salary & Benefits: Salary based on PIN’s salary scale and HR policies; expected salary range between 2900 - 3350 EUR super gross (based on the assessment of the candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities and previous experience)
• Additional allowances include:

• • Monthly Subsistence Allowance of 1440 EUR;
  • Accommodation provided by PIN/Monthly Housing Allowance of up to 750 EUR;

• Time off and Rest:

• • 25 days of holiday annually;
  • 10 sick days

• Travel benefits:

• • Reimbursement of travel expenses with travel to the country of residence once every 6 months of work;
  • Reimbursement of costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with the visa application procedure;
  • Reimbursement for the medical check-up before and after the deployment;
  • Travel health insurance covering medical care, incl. the repatriation;

• Health and Well-being:

• • 24/7 Medical Support available online;
  • Free psychological consultations available online;
• Professional Development: Free access to e-learning platforms and PIN Learning Hub; PIN’s global Induction Training, and tailored capacity-building opportunities;
• This positions is unaccompanied.

Application Deadline – August 16, 2026, by COB.

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Candidates will be assessed as applications are received, and the recruitment process may be closed before the stated deadline if a suitable candidate is identified.
 

How to apply:

If you are interested in this position, send us your CV and short cover letter via our application form.Please note only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Interviews will be conducted on rolling basis and the vacancy will be closed when filled.

People in Need is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct and committed to promoting the welfare of children and adults with whom People in Need involves. People in Need expects all staff to perform job duties and responsibilities in accordance with People in Need code of conduct and key policies (available at: https://www.peopleinneed.net/key-policies-4142gp). People in Need Staff will undertake the appropriate level of training.All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.
We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.