Introduction

The ‘PROSPECTS’ Partnership for improving Prospects for host communities and forcibly displaced persons (FDPs), was launched by the Government of the Netherlands in 2019 in response to forced displacement crises, bringing together the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank. The partnership spans eight countries, namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Sudan, and Uganda.

The PROSPECTS partnership in Iraq supports the national agenda of promoting inclusion and socio-economic development, whilst working closely with local partners in two governorates, namely: Dohuk and Nineveh to identify, maximize, and realize opportunities on the ground. ILO’s efforts in this partnership focus on supporting Iraqi host communities and internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as Syrian refugees to access more and better livelihoods and decent job opportunities. It is doing so through an integrated approach, which includes supporting market-driven skills training, improving public employment services, implementing labour intensive infrastructure projects; and promoting financial inclusion and entrepreneurship.

Specifically, with regards to employment services, the ILO is working on enhancing the institutional capacity of the public employment offices to provide better quality services for job matching and referrals and increase their outreach to job seekers from the targeted communities in the two governorates. Moreover, the ILO is working towards putting in place better referral mechanisms to skills training and work-based learning opportunities, particularly for young people.

The objectives of the National Officer (NOB) will primarily be to lead on the current and planned work on employment services under PROSPECTS Iraq in the governorates of Nineveh and Dohuk. The incumbent will also provide inputs to the skills component and identify synergies between the two pillars. S/hewill be directly involved in activities to enhance meaningful youth engagement and employment in Nineveh through the additional funding received from the opportunity fund programmes both in Iraq and at the global level. The later will also integrate work on young people’s right to work and rights at work.

Introduction (continued)

Reporting lines:

The National Officer (NOB) will work under the direct supervision of the Regional Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) of PROSPECTS Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. For the skills component, the incumbent will provide inputs and support the PROSPECTS Skills Technical Officer for Jordan and Iraq and will receive overall technical backstopping from ROAS Senior Employment Policy and Skills Specialists, as needed.

The position will be based in the ILO Office in Erbil with frequent travel to Dohuk and Nineveh. Note that the location of the duty station is currently under review and may be moved in the coming months to Mosul in line with the requirements of the project.

Description of Duties

1. Prepare and update regularly the component on employment services, design new interventions, and ensure delivery of quality technical inputs under the employment services of the PROSPECTS Iraq Multi-Annual Country Programme (MACP) as well as the interventions on developing referral pathways for youth as part of the Opportunity Fund.  

2. Maintain close cooperation and coordination with relevant line ministries and directorates in the two governorates, employers’ and workers’ organizations, NGOs in the planning and implementation of the employment services and skills components in Dohuk and Nineveh as well as the work on youth employment and engagement. 

3. Conduct regular meetings with implementing partners and field visits to Dohuk and Nineveh to closely monitor the implementation of relevant activities on employment services and skills and ensure submission of timely and quality reports by implementing partners.

4. Prepare and conduct seminars, workshops, and consultative meetings, and implement capacity building interventions for selected local partner organizations in the relevant areas, including career guidance and counselling, job search, using ILO tools.

5. Liaise with PROSPECTS partners, other UN agencies and represent the ILO PROSPECTS Iraq team at meetings related to employment services, as requested by the CTA.

6. Support the Skills Technical Officer in providing inputs to the skills component of the project work plan, monitoring plan and technical progress reports of the PROSPECTS Iraq (MACP) as well as the skills interventions under the Opportunity Fund. Keep the Skills Technical Officer updated on the developments, studies, statistics, and interventions related to skills in Iraq.

7. As needed, analyse and prepare briefs, background information, statistical data, detailed technical inputs about the relevant project components that feeds into progress reports, presentations, advocacy materials produced by the PROSPECTs project, including the work on youth under the Iraq and Global Opportunity Fund interventions.

8. Coordinate with the Youth Employment Accelerator team (YOUTH) in EMPLOYMENT to ensure a smooth implementation of the youth participation programme under PROSPECTS and secure linkages to the rights work under the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth.

9. Assist in drafting follow-up phases of the project and provide the necessary support for related fundraising initiatives.

10. Undertake any other duties or tasks requested by the PROSPECTS CTA as needed.

Required qualifications

Education

First Level University degree in, economics, social sciences, development studies, education or other relevant field, with demonstrated expertise in the relevant technical field. Advanced University degree would be an advantage.

Experience

At least three years of relevant professional experience at the national level implementing and/or supporting employment services and livelihoods projects, two years of which with the UN or international organizations, preferably in Nineveh or Dohuk. In particular, prior knowledge of the local context and partners in Mosul and other districts in Nineveh is a major advantage. Experience in working in the field of skills training would also be an advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of Arabic (written and spoken) language and very good command of written and spoken English is needed. Proficiency in the Kurdish language will be an  advantage.

Competencies

• Good knowledge of tools used by the ILO and other international organizations on career guidance, career counselling, employment services, and skills training.
• Proven ability to implement projects in cooperation with project partners and key stakeholders
• Proven ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms
• Good understanding of the local economic and political context of Iraq and the situation of IDPs and refugees.
• Ability to develop clear strategic goals consistent with the programme’s objectives, and to design and synthesise strategies for programme development.
• Ability to work effectively in a team and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate reports and to build networks to obtain cooperation with partners.

optional section (if needed)

Candidates assessed by the Panel and considered to be eligible for appointment but who are not selected for this vacant post may be offered an assignment to another position at the same or lower grade provided that they meet the minimum qualifications required.