Reintegration Officer NPSA 10

Background
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The Government of Iraq (GoI) declared official victory against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in December 2017, and more than 4.3 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) returned to the areas of origin as of mid-2019 . However, the returnees still require support to reintegrate and find sustainable livelihoods, as basic infrastructure for social services and economic activities were adversely affected during the conflict. According to the Humanitarian Needs Overview, “significant population movements took place in the latter half of 2019 with government-initiated camp closures resulting in significant reductions in in-camp populations, considerable increases in out-of-camp displaced populations and returnees, and movements of people between governorates.” Unsuccessful attempts for IDPs to return and integrate in their areas of origin are increasingly leading to secondary, out-of-camp displacement. The needs of both returnees in areas of origin and out-of-camp IDPs are particularly severe in northern and central Iraq.

Displaced women and children, including widows and children, especially those with perceived affiliation to ISIL face additional challenges, including the threat of sexual exploitation and violence, with little accountability for perpetrators. The fact that gender-based violence is considered a taboo subject among displaced populations further complicates addressing the problem.

The returns of population have complex impacts on the socio-economic fabric of the host communities. Lack of, or decreased access to essential services in the host communities has led to social tensions among different population groups, as the returns took place rapidly while public infrastructure and services were still not fully restored. The lack of social and economic reintegration opportunities can also increase social tensions within the community or push the population to adopt negative coping mechanisms including secondary displacement.

Working in close partnership with the UNDP stabilization programme and other social cohesion projects, UNDP under Social Cohesion Portfolio has launched the Community-based Reconciliation and Reintegration in Iraq (C2RI) project which aims to assist the Government of Iraq with the arduous task of achieving the sustainable reintegration of Iraqi internally displaced persons, and specifically, persons formerly associated with ISIS.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Under the guidance and the direct supervision of the Programme Manager of the Social Cohesion Pillar, the Reintegration Officer will lead in the implementation of the C2RI project with focus on planning and implementation of the activities and oversee the day-to-day progress in close collaboration with the social cohesion team.

Ensures technical analysis and support to project delivery focusing on achievement of the following results:

Manage and oversee the C2RI project implementation as advised by the Programme. Manager of the social cohesion pillar.

Ensure overall monitoring and evaluation of assigned projects, including through undertaking project review processes where necessary

Ensure the development and delivering capacity building/ training workshops to project partners.

Ensure timely production and delivery of project progress reports.

Develop and ensure implementation of monitoring and evaluation work plans for C2RI Project

Ensure the identification of potential implementation problems and bottlenecks, articulate these and ensure institutional knowledge continues to be strengthened.

Identify best practices learnt from the programme and ensures dissemination to stake.

Ensures compliance with UNDP’s policies and procedures on project management in all

stages of the project cycle.

Ensures application of effective Results Based Management (RBM) tools and systems and advises on effectiveness.

Supports the design and formulation of the Country office Programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets, and milestones.

Ensure project implementation focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identify potential partners and support the development of proposals in the area of community-based reintegration.

• Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the project, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions.

• Regular liaison with stakeholders, donors, partners, and other relevant program/project stakeholders.

• Manage field coordinators and ensure timely implementation, results –orientation and accountability for project results.

• Review and finalization of letters of agreement/Micro capital grants or responsible partner agreements for the project, in preparation for Clearance

• Organizes regular monitoring visits to various parts of Iraq and project locations.

• Drafts regular progress reports in line with scheduled reporting deadlines, including risk framework.

• Identifies and provides recommendations to solutions to mitigate risks and overcome bottlenecks.

Supports the creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identify partnerships and coordinate with non-governmental organizations, UN Agencies, bi- lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector at the national and local level for to inform programing of the Community-based Reconciliation and Reintegration in Iraq (C2RI) project

• Draft timely and quality donor reporting and close coordination with the monitoring and data management colleagues.

• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Contribute to updated and new sources of information related to policy-driven issues.

• Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy goals.

• Support to development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other partners.

• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

• Promote learning and development by providing opportunities for training and capacity guiding to enhance the competencies/productivity of staff members.

• Promote critical thinking and innovative approaches and good practices in community reconciliation programming and operations to maximize efficiency and achieve concrete and sustainable results.

Institutional Arrangement

Project Authority: The work under this TOR will be directly supervised by UNDP; perfaomance evaluation and any other performance related issues will be made by the Programme Manager of the Iraq Social Cohesion Programme
Competencies

Core

Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies (insert up to 7 competencies)

Communication:

Good communication skill both in writing and oral including networking and interpersonal skills;
Proven ability to persuade and influence others to cooperate.

Client Orientation:

Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion;
Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients;
Proven ability to build strong relations with partners, clients for positive feedback

Partnership:

Build, coordinate and advise on strategic and programmatic partnership
Facilitate the engagement of major stakeholders or groups in environment and sustainable development decision making, their access to and sharing of information for effective compliance.

Communication and Outreach:

Advise on the development and management of the project communication strategy, outreach campaigns and activities to raise the project’s profile at the national and international levels.

Professionalism:

Demonstrate professional competence and mastery of subject matter
Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Speaks and writes clearly and effectively and demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. Willing to undertake other assignments as provided by the Programme Manager

Judgment/Decision-making:

Identifies the key issues in a complex situation
Gathers relevant information before making a decision,
Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them,
Proposes a course of action based on all available information, Checks assumptions against facts

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Public Administration, Business administration, political science, social science or any relevant field. Bachelor’s degree with additional 2 years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of Masters.

Min. years of relevant work experience

5 Years with Master’s degree, 7 years with Bachelor’s.

Required skills

Proven experience on working on Project management and program delivery
Experience in peacebuilding and or social cohesion and or community reconciliation and reintegration programming, including at the national and field level.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

Experience in post-conflict contexts is an asset
Previous experience of work governments, NGOs, and UN agencies is preferred

Required Language(s)

Fluency in English and Arabic, both spoken and written is required