Program Manager - IREX

Location: Chișinău, Moldova

Who We Are

IREX is a global solutions provider that partners with communities and institutions in the United States and around the world to cultivate leaders, expand access to education, and create economic opportunity. With deep expertise, a forward-looking vision, and world-class practices in AI for Education, Future-Ready Workforce, Higher Education Solutions, Leadership Development, and Online Safety, IREX delivers innovative and proven solutions that help people, institutions, and communities thrive in a rapidly changing world.

IREX seeks a Program Manager based in Chișinău, Moldova, to manage an anticipated donor-funded project. The anticipated start date is December 2026.

Job Summary

The Program Manager will lead the day-to-day management and implementation of an anticipated donor-funded project in Moldova. Based in Chișinău, they will oversee project staff and implementing partners, lead work planning and delivery of project activities, and ensure that the project meets its targets, budget, and compliance requirements. The Program Manager will serve as IREX’s primary in-country point of contact with partners and stakeholders, coordinate closely with IREX headquarters on reporting and compliance, and use contextual knowledge of Moldova to adapt the project’s tools and approaches to local needs. This is an opportunity for an experienced, hands-on manager to lead a project from start-up through implementation and help strengthen communities and institutions in Moldova.

We're looking for our next team member-could it be you?

What You’ll Do

• Program Leadership & Implementation: Lead day-to-day planning and implementation of project activities from start-up through close-out. Develop and manage workplans, timelines, and project documentation, and ensure activities stay on schedule and meet targets. Provide technical oversight and guidance to staff and partners, adapting approaches as conditions change with attention to participant safety and long-term sustainability. Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and learning, including data collection, analysis, and the use of findings to improve implementation.
• Partner & Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as IREX’s primary in-country representative for implementing partners, government counterparts, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders. Coordinate and monitor partner progress, mentor partners, and ensure clear and effective communication between IREX and all partners. Build and maintain relationships that support smooth implementation, represent the project at meetings and events, and help prepare materials for donor and high-level stakeholder meetings.
• Finance, Grants & Compliance: Manage the project budget in coordination with IREX headquarters, monitoring spending and ensuring compliance with donor and IREX policies. Oversee subgrants and contracts, including drafting scopes of work, monitoring subgrantee performance, and collecting deliverables. Perform and approve financial administration tasks such as procurement requests, invoices, and payments within delegated authority, and ensure adherence to applicable Moldovan laws and donor procurement requirements.
• Team Management & Reporting: Supervise and mentor project staff and consultants, setting clear priorities and supporting their professional growth. Prepare high-quality internal and donor reports, briefings, and other deliverables that document progress, findings, and recommendations clearly and concisely. Work closely with IREX headquarters and technical colleagues to coordinate support and strengthen collaboration across teams. Travel within Moldova and the region as needed.
• Growth & New Business Support: Identify opportunities to expand IREX’s work in Moldova and the region by gathering market intelligence and cultivating relationships with potential partners and donors. Support proposal development, including strategy, writing, and review, and contribute to renewal and follow-on opportunities for the project.

At IREX, our culture is built on our people-and on how we work together to create meaningful impact every day. We look for colleagues who bring purpose, intellectual curiosity, collaborative problem solving, and a results driven, bias for action to help strengthen communities and advance our mission.

Successful candidates build trust across differences, move ideas into action, seek new perspectives, embrace change, and represent IREX with authenticity and professionalism. We value people who bring strong expertise and a generous team spirit to work that advances our mission.

Skills & Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience managing donor-funded international development projects, including supervising staff and implementing partners.
• Demonstrated understanding of Moldova’s political, social, and development context.
• Experience managing budgets, subgrants, and contracts, with knowledge of local laws and donor procurement and compliance requirements.
• Experience working with civil society, government, and other local partners.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with strong attention to detail and follow-up.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel).

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Professional fluency in English and Romanian; Russian is an asset.
• This is a local-hire position based in Chișinău, Moldova. Candidates must be based in, or able to relocate independently to, Chișinău and be available to start in December 2026. Relocation assistance is not available.

What We Offer

At IREX, you’ll work alongside committed, passionate, and collaborative colleagues who are united by a shared mission-making it a truly rewarding place to work. We offer learning, development, and growth opportunities, along with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being.

If you are excited by IREX’s mission and see yourself contributing to this work, we encourage you to apply-even if your experience does not align with every preferred qualification. We value a range of backgrounds and experiences and are especially interested in candidates who bring curiosity, initiative, strong collaboration skills, and a commitment to meaningful global impact.

Please note: While we aim to offer competitive compensation, not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range.

Disability Specifications

IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IREX seeks to attract the best-qualified candidates who support IREX’s mission and who respect and promote excellence through diversity. IREX is committed to equal opportunity and follows recruitment and selection practices that comply with all applicable employment laws. To this end, IREX recruits, hires, trains, and promotes individuals based on merit and experience.

We conduct background checks on all successful candidates.

This position is contingent on funding.

This position is not eligible for Immigration Sponsorship. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE