National Project Coordinator - NOB (DC)

In September 2018, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Iraq notified five international organizations - World Bank, International Finance Corporation, UNICEF, UNHCR, and ILO - about a new global partnership on Inclusive Jobs and Education for Forcibly Displaced Persons and Host Communities (the “Partnership”). The Partnership will focus on three broad areas that are critical for refugees to overcome their specific vulnerabilities and host communities to pursue their own development agenda in a transformed environment: (1) jobs and social protection, (2) education and learning, and (3) protection and legal status. Actions of ILO under this partnership will focus on promoting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as sectors with potential with a view to create more and better jobs in Dohuk and Nineveh regions of Iraq. More specifically, the project is expected to contribute to broader and more inclusive economic growth through interventions in three main areas:

 Strengthening the financial sector

Actions will promote financial inclusion through working closely with the financial sector.

Promotion of MSMEs:

Actions will also focus on building the capacity of financial and non-financial service providers to provide local entrepreneurs with high-quality entrepreneurship and financial literacy training, coaching and loans.

 Promotion of sectors and value chains with potential

The ILO will be using its Approach to inclusive market systems (AIMS) that uses the market systems approach in the context of forced displacement to develop sectors and value chains with potential for inclusive employment creation.

Reporting lines

Under the overall responsibility of the Deputy Regional Director at the ILO Regional Office for Arab States, the National Project Coordinator/Enterprise Development will report to the ILO Iraq Coordinator and the Enterprise Development Specialist and ensure delivery of technical-related outputs.

• Provide advice on analysis of economic and labour market trends in host communities and refugees settlements in order to help design and implement interventions for enterprise development, small business promotion, financial inclusion and literacy as well as align them with the broader policy frameworks and employment creation potentials through a market system approach.
• Provide inputs in the development of knowledge products and tools that support ILO social partners and other project partners to undertake local economic development assessments such as market systems analysis and design, implement appropriate inclusive labour market and market systems development interventions.
• Facilitate the effective participation of employers’ organisations and trade unions in enterprise development and financial inclusion initiatives and programmes for host communities, IDPs and refugee settlements.
• Provide inputs, advice and lead capacity-building measures for local partners, training, BDS and financial service providers including partner banks and social partners.
• Provide input and support in the design and operationalization of competitive grant/loan schemes for entrepreneurship and business start-up for IDPs and refugee host communities aimed at promoting peaceful co-existence of host communities and refugees.
• Draft activities and oversee implementation of livelihoods, enterprise development and financial inclusion interventions and prepare technical progress reports.
• Support the design and regular update of the project work plan, both from an RBM and a financial perspective; alert and provide recommendations on delays and areas of criticality.
• Prepare terms of references for consultants and participate in sourcing and evaluation of local service providers/consultants as appropriate.

Participate in and as appropriate, lead the organization of conferences, seminars, workshops, training sessions and other project events.

• Support the effective monitoring and evaluation of project interventions and undertake periodic monitoring of project interventions at project field sites and provide support to project partners on effective use of tools and methodologies for planning, monitoring and reporting on project interventions.
• Represent the ILO at meetings related to the project themes, donor/partner meetings, UN agencies’ meetings (including related cluster and working groups meetings), related ministries and sector meetings of tripartite partners.
• In consultation with the technical specialists, liaise with other UN agencies and related ministries to promote ILO's values, increase the programme's visibility and facilitate the scaling-up of the ILO's interventions.
• Undertake local resource mobilization activities with the multilateral and bilateral donor community for the development of future activities linked to the programme in coordination with the technical specialists.
• Any other duties as assigned by the concerned technical specialists. 

First level university degree in business management, economics, finance or a related discipline/field.

At least three years of experience in design, management and  implementation of projects, experience in enterprise development, and livelihoods support to host communities and refugees, experience in conducting and supervising of research and surveys on livelihoods, private sector development, SMEs, employment, gender and youth. Experience with the market systems approach would be an advantage.

Familiarity with ILO policies, technical programmes and procedures, including experience working with the United Nations, Ministries of Labour or other government Ministries Departments and Agencies, would be an added advantage, as would experience of working in crisis and refugee settings.

Excellent command of English and Arabic, good knowledge of Kurdish is an asset.

• Proven ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms, and to meet all commitments within the prescribed time, cost and quality standards.
• Good knowledge of the market systems approach, financial literacy and entrepreneurship promotion tools.
• Ability to develop clear strategic goals consistent with the programme’s objectives, and to design and synthesise strategies for programme development.
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice.
• Ability to work effectively in a team and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to synthesise research and reach empirically based conclusions on related subjects by understanding both the qualitative and quantitative approaches in social science research.
• Ability to promote a knowledge-sharing and learning culture in the office.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate reports and to build networks to obtain cooperation with partners.
• Excellent computer/information application skills, including word processing, excel, power point etc.
• Ability to maintain effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or environment, and to adjust effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.
• Drive to seek or encourage others to seek opportunities for different and innovative approaches to organisation challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.