Nineveh Field Facilitator (NFF) – YANHAD

Duty station: Based in Nineveh - Iraq

Duration of assignment: 9 months

Contract type: Service Contract (renewable)

Introduction

Expertise France (EF) is a public agency created on 1^st January 2015 and merging 6 French public agencies under the supervision of the French Ministries of (1) Foreign Affairs and (2) Economy and Finance with a strong inter-ministerial vocation. EF offers programme engineering and technical assistance by developing and implementing international cooperation actions worldwide. EF operates in various fields of development and institutional cooperation including safety and security reform, post-crisis/ stability, public health, human rights, strengthening of institutions and NGOs, and governance. Carrying out large-scale, multi-stakeholder programmes, EF can ensure the cooperation between individuals, teams and institutions with very different statuses, cultures and specialties. Besides, EF has acquired a sound experience in the administrative and financial management of large-scale international programmes.

Programme background

In line with the Iraq’s Reconstruction and Development Framework, Expertise France designed the Yanhad project to support the Iraqi authorities to tackle some of the underlying social and economic drivers, with youth unemployment as the top priority of the people and public authorities (met during EF’s scoping missions).

There is nevertheless a wave of change in Iraq and the potential for transformation is tremendous. Right now, from Baghdad to Mosul, the youth of Iraq are creating new start-ups, businesses, radio headquarters, and other new outlets to generate their own employment, possible income generation, citizenship involvement and dynamics[3]. Their resilience is key to rebuilding and stabilising the most harshly impacted areas such as Ninevah province that will be specifically targeted by the project. Through Yanhad project, EF will promote opportunities for Iraqi youth to constructively engage in addressing social problems within their communities by creating a strategic link between local NGOs, Mosul University Career Centers and local business incubators. Promoting youth engagement in local civil society and fostering dialogues with local authorities, the project will enable youth to better engage local decision-makers to meet their expectations and reinforce the bond of trust between government and population. Revitalising academic, social, and cultural life on the campus of the University of Mosul - the largest in Northern Iraq - the project will help restore the universities’ central role in producing knowledge and sharing ideas locally and nationally whilst fostering a counter-narrative to radical ideologies. By fostering job creation and providing livelihoods for young people in Baghdad, Mosul and KRI, the project will contribute to redress the impact of the current crisis and prevent future crises.

To do so, the Yanhad project will combine a three-fold approach:

Support to students of Mosul and Ninevah universities: to improve access to students of Mosul to more efficient career guidance services and to concrete opportunities for professional work experience, employment, and civic engagement.

Youth civic engagement: to engage youth through Iraqi CSO in community service projects and fostering dialogue with local authorities

Youth entrepreneurship: to encourage youth entrepreneurship through a network of accessible business incubators/accelerators programs for enterprises throughout the country

This 2-year project started on January 1st, 2020. It will be implemented in partnership with the NGO Coordination Committee for Iraq (NCCI), The American University of Iraq Sulaimani (AUIS) and The Station for entrepreneurship, all well-recognized organizations in the CSO and private sector ecosystems

[1] Based on population projections as Iraq last held a census in 1987.

[2] Mahdi Al-Alak, Iraq Youth Empowerment – Challenges and Opportunities, Central Statistical Organization, 2013.

[3] Mike Fleet, Youth and Civil Society in Iraq, Institute on Governance (IOG), March 2019.

Job Description / Assignment

Working under the authority of the Project officer, the Field Facilitator will support the implementation and monitor the project activities on behalf of project officer of Yanhad Project specifically those related to components 1 and 2 - in the governorate of Nineveh aiming at:

Component 1: Support to students at the University of Mosul

• Revitalizing the academic, cultural, and economic life on the campus of the University of Mosul through more-efficient career centers. The NFF will assist PO in monitor and reporting in the capacity-building programme designed to upgrade career counsellors’ skills, develop guidance tools and methodologies, equip student information centers, and provide support to enlarge the network of potential employers working on and around the universities, particularly the private companies and the NGOs involved in reconstruction.
• Enhancing opportunities for professional work experience, employment, and civic engagement for students. The NFF will assist the EF team in the field and accompany the deployment of a grant scheme, coupled with methodological and technical guidance, to support students’ ideas that promote academics and civic engagement, employment and entrepreneurship, and cultural heritage conservation.

Component 2: Youth civic engagement in Nineveh province

• Educating young people on civic engagement modalities within local NGO that can positively contribute to stabilization in conflict-affected communities. The NFF will Support the project officer in activity implementation and monitor a local Youth Empowerment NGO to provide awareness-raising and orientation activities to increase youth’s knowledge and interest in becoming involved in local NGOs.
• Fostering dialogue and coordination between CSOs and local authorities for increased youth participation in local governance. Work closely with PO in foster mechanisms for useful engagement of youth and the mainstreaming of youth issues in public authorities’ work, promoting the principles of democracy in decision-making processes on issues of concern to young people.
• Supporting local initiatives to increase civic engagement, employment and service delivery, and in Nineveh province. assist the PO will accompany the deployment of a grant scheme to support local CSOs and local authorities to deliver basic services and generate income at local level that contribute to building resilience and resuming functioning local governance in Nineveh province.

The position is based in Mosul, with regular travel to project sites within Nineveh province ,in particular the Universities of Mosul and Nineveh (component 1) and in priority districts of the province that will be further identified based on criteria established within the project steering committee (component 2).

Overall purpose of the role: The Field Facilitator will support and working under the supervision of Project officer of Component 1 and 2. where, he will support the PO in the implementation and monitoring of all activities within the project period as well as conducting any field survey and assessment required with team as required, with support from 2 community-liaison officers that he will manage. In this regard the Field Faciliatator might also be asked to represent PO or EF team at different events in Mosul and other localities in Ninevah (meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences, as needed etc.

Responsibility 1: implementation and monitoring of activities:

• Assist the Yanhad project activities related to components 1 and 2 on a monthly basis, including setting the objective, expected outputs and roles and responsibilities within EF project team.
• Prepare with the PO of component 1 and 2 detailed weekly work plans and follow up on the progress
• Assist the PO in trainings that related activities.
• Support the PO in the field in the implementing of training pre and post tests and evaluations
• Assist and support in monitoring the results and indicators related to the project activities through reporting, follow up, and monitoring.
• Identify and share with the PO and EF team any technical problems faced, potential risks and proposed solutions.

Responsibility 2: Partnership management and capacity building

• Assist the PO in deploying the grant mechanisms for students (component 1) and local CSO (component 2): development and dissemination of guidelines, selection processes, contracting…
• Working and Identify any support needed to improve the quality of student and CSO-led project
• Working to deliver the information needed to be shared in due time with partners (official letters, activity reports, minutes of the meetings …)
• Ensure that project partners respect confidentiality, security rules and follow EF ethical guidelines

Responsibility 3: Logistic and Administrative support

• Facilitate and support the logistics department in the logistic organization of training sessions, workshops, seminars, meetings in coordination.
• Work closely with PO to make sure that logistical, administrative procedures linked to programme implementation are followed
• Follow up and ensure that all administrative documents collected related to programme implementation are handed over on due time to EF team.

Responsibility 4: Reporting, documentation and knowledge management

• Report on a daily basis to the
• Draft the monthly/quarterly information sheet summing up monthly/quarterly achievements and planned activities PO, and PM
• Support the PO of component 1 and 2 ad hoc reports related to field visits and attendance at workshops, conferences, seminars, etc.
• Participate in follow up, taking pictures, creating communication tools between EF team and partners.

Skills

Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge

Education level

Master or Bachelor University degree in business administration Management, Economics, Political Science, and Social Sciences.

Qualifications

• 3 to 6 years of professional experience in Economic Development and Institutional Capacity Building, Project Management Assistance and/or support thereof), in particular in Stabilization, Recovery, Support to Civil society)
• Proven experience and knowledge of Nineveh province and able to move freely and willing to do so in Ninewa governorate
• Previous experience in capacity building projects.
• Experience in designing and conducting capacity-building activities for local partners.
• Good computer skills: MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Personal qualities

• Good communication and reporting skills.
• Strong relationship and management skills and the ability to work effectively with local stakeholders.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Excellent command in written and spoken English and Arabic.
• Previous experience work experience for international agencies would be an asset.

Candidates who are based in Mossul and are able to move freely in Ninewa governorate are encouraged to apply.

All applications must include the following (In English and in PDF format only) :

· CV of the proposed Expert, including references

· Coverletter (explaining suitability for the position)

• Expertise France reserves the right to close the announcement prior to the stated deadline as applications are screened on a rolling basis and only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.

• Applications should be sent to erbil.recrutment@expertisefrance.fr , using the following subject: Ninevah Field Facilitator – YANHAD

• INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.