United Nations Development Programme (Jordan, Regional Bureau for Arab States)

Anti-Money Laundering Project Team Leader

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Last update: Mar 22, 2023 Last update: Mar 22, 2023

Details

Deadline: Apr 4, 2023 Deadline for applications has passed
Location: Iraq Iraq
Job type:Contract, 4 to 12 months
Languages:
EnglishEnglish
Work experience: Min 7 years
Date posted:Mar 22, 2023

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Description

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.

BACKGROUND

UNDP has a global mandate to support the governments in good governance and security & justice sector reforms as well as play a significant role in producing policy advice and support to governments on SDG 16. At the requests of the Government of Iraq (GOI), UNDP has been engaging with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and a range of national and international interlocutors to provide technical advice and assistance to advance efforts in this sphere. Among others, the ongoing work focuses specifically in supporting the implementation of the GOI Security Sector Reform (SSR) Programme.

Within the scope of this work, UNDP SSR/RoL Programme works on enhancing the capacity of the GOI actors on strengthening the Anti-Corruption initiatives within Iraq, which is a development priority for the government and the international partners. In partnership with the United States Government and the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq, the UNDP SSR & RoL Team launched a multi-year training initiative, to strengthen and improve complex organized and financial crime investigations in Iraq. The training programme, called “Financial Investigations: Follow the Money,” focuses on the skills, expertise, techniques, and procedures necessary for Iraqi judges and other professionals to effectively investigate organised crime and complex financial crime cases. It also makes recommendations to improve policies and procedures for the investigation and prosecution of complex organised and financial crimes and establishes a roadmap for implementing those policies.

Another focus, related to financial investigations, of the SSR programme is institutional capacity building and strengthening the role of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Office of the Central Bank. In this regard, UNDP Iraq seeks to recruit one Anti-Money Laundering Project Team Leader who will be a member of the UNDP Security Sector Reform (SSR) Programme team. As Anti-Money Laundering Project Team Leader, s / he will supervise the implementation of one project: “A Unified Approach to Countering Illicit Finance: Expanding the Impact of Iraq’s Financial Intelligence Unit.” The main beneficiary of the project is the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML-CFT) which is Iraq’s financial intelligence unit – FIU). The AML-CFT Office receives, and analyses reports on transactions suspected to be related to criminal activity or linked to money laundering or terrorism financing. When suspicious transactions are identified, the AML-CFT Office is tasked to disseminate actionable intelligence regarding those transactions to the appropriate investigating authorities

The team leader reports to the Senior Technical Specialist on Criminal Justice and will direct the day-to-day management of the project team to provide technical support to improve the analytical and investigative capabilities of both the central AML-CFT Office and also anti-money laundering police units under the MoI in the Kurdish region. Thereby it shall be ensured that the AML-CFT Office operates as an effective financial intelligence institution that has the qualified personnel to conduct outside training for the institutions that report to it and encourages improved quantity and quality of suspicious transaction reporting to the AML-CFT Office.

Position Purpose:

UNDP Iraq seeks to hire an Anti-Money Laundering Project Team Leader to manage a team of anti-money laundering and countering of financing of terrorism specialists. The team leader will carry out his project implementation duties under the direct supervision of the Senior Technical Specialist on Criminal Justice and the overall guidance of the SSR Programme Manager.

The team leader will supervise, guide and support the team implementing the project titled: “A Unified Approach to Countering Illicit Finance: Expanding the Impact of Iraq’s Financial Intelligence Unit” (hereafter Counter Illicit Financing Project) - to develop wide-ranging capacities of the AML-CFT Office, with a consistently high level of expertise, under one legal framework, working collaboratively with operational and other government partners. This project further supports UNDP’s ongoing efforts focused on financial investigation techniques training and workshops for law enforcement and the judiciary. Under the supervision of the Senior Technical Specialist on Criminal Justice, the Anti-Money Laundering Project Team Leader will deliver on the following responsibilities:

• Management and Oversight of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Project in accordance with UNDP standards and support the establishment of a project team to facilitate project implementation in line with the project objectives and delivery.

• Provide technical support to the counter illicit financing project team by overseeing the delivery of all project objectives and establish and maintain strong relations with national counterparts.

• Ensure regular and effective networking and coordination with likeminded international partners active in strengthening Government of Iraq’s capacities and policies on countering illicit financing and anti – money laundering initiatives.

Finally, the project shall demonstrate a commitment to combatting illicit finance activities, which is especially important in 2023 when Iraq has its on-site visits for the second round of Middle East/North Africa Financial Action Task Force mutual evaluations and seeks to complete the requirements for joining the Egmont Group. It is the responsibility of the Anti – Corruption Project Manager to ensure these objectives of the project are met in coordination and cooperation with the National Government of Iraq stakeholders and likeminded international counterparts in Iraq.

The Project Manager will serve as a key interface among all UN agencies, international partners, GOI counterparts and relevant CSOs and NGOs (when needed / identified) on all aspects of the AML Project. He/she is also expected to build, maintain, and manage partnerships with key government counterparts, as well as civil society organizations, academia, and international partners on key aspects of UNDP’s agenda and strategic focus for the countering of illicit financing project.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Management and Oversight of the Counter Illicit Financing Project in accordance with UNDP standards and support the establishment of a project team to facilitate project implementation in line with the project objectives and delivery:

Ensure project implementation including management of human and financial resources, development and tracking of the team’s workplan.
Provide regular programmatic and financial progress reports for the Project Board and to the UNDP Country Office to the SSR/ROL Programme and Project Mangers.
Manage the project in accordance with the principles of results-based management (RBM), including the preparation of project AWP and integrating the inputs to SSR–ROL AWP, supporting the Programme Management Specialist in updating the RRF – Risk Log – and year end ROAR inputs to UNDP annual exercises.
Prepare timely & quality narratives for integrated SSR – RoL Quarterly Narrative reports and oversee Financial regular and ad-hoc reports, thematic briefing technical papers for senior management and policy notes for UNDP Country Office, when required.
Ensure that project reporting – both internal and external – is done on a timely manner by following UNDP CO and project reporting requirements and established procedures – and specifically support the SSR – ROL programme specialist in this regard for the integrated reporting requirements.
Support the SSR – ROL Programme Officer, in raising any procurement / tender requests for the AML Project delivery in Iraq, including the recruitment of any individual consultants for the project as well as other third-party contractors required for the project delivery of activities such as training, workshops, conferences, analysis, expert advice etc.
Support the SSR – ROL Team in resource mobilization efforts in collaboration with senior management and the programme team.

Lead the AML Project team by overseeing the delivery of all project objectives and establish and maintain strong relations with national counterparts:

Provide technical advise and develop a strategy to achieve that the KRG will implement the Federal AML-CFT Law (No. 39) of 2015 or, if the KRI insists to adopt its own law, provide support during the drafting of the law and its implementation to ensure that the mandate of the KRI AML-CFT Unit is harmonized and compatible with the competences of the AML-CFT Office of the Federal Central Bank and with FATF Recommendations, by demonstrating the value of “one fight” against illicit finance activities. Through the work in this program, KRG entities, including KMOI, all understand the role of the FIU, reporting requirements, and recognize the authority of the CBI, particularly concerning financial intelligence.
Expand the reach of the AML-CFT Office (Iraq’s FIU), including by designating officials as liaison officers and enhancing their capacities to KRI.
Identify UNDP initiatives to strengthen AML – CFT capacities to disrupt, and dismantle illicit finance activities by implementing consistent and modern private sector compliance, regulatory and investigative techniques, including through improved collection and analysis of suspicious transaction reports (STRs) and the creation and use of STR Review Teams improving collaboration among the FIU, the judiciary, and law enforcement, anti-corruption and auditing agencies, in close collaboration with UNODC leverage Iraq’s implementation of goAML system.
Supervise the project team to deliver on reducing the impact of illicit finance activities and improving the STR and currency reporting compliance by developing a broad “early warning system” through strategic training partnerships with Iraqi government institutions, including the Federal and KRG Real Estate Registry Offices, the Business Registration Authority, Ministry of Planning, Taxation Offices, the Customs Authority and other agencies supporting investigation and prosecution, to improve the quantity and quality of reporting.

Support the Programme Manger in coordination with likeminded international partners active in strengthening Government of Iraq’s capacities and policies on countering illicit financing and anti – money laundering initiatives:

Collaborate and coordinate with other UN Agencies, as well as within UNDP and the UNCT in Iraq engaged in any form of activities supporting the GOI on countering illicit financing and anti – money laundering initiatives.
Collaborate and coordinate with other like – minded international partners to support the GOI on countering illicit financing and anti – money laundering initiatives.
Collaborate and coordinate with like – minded international organizations (EU/NATO/CJTF/US CENTCOM) / NGOs engaged or likely to be engaged in the countering illicit financing and anti–money laundering initiatives.
Participate in any UN led or UNDP led international events, along wit GOI counterparts to demonstrate Iraq’s efforts on countering illicit financing and anti – money laundering initiatives.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:

Supervises and supports the performance of project experts and one project assistant.

.COMPETENCIES

Core Competencies

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found on the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy - Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.

Business Direction & Strategy - Effective decision making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.

Business Management - Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.

Business Management - Result-based Management: Ability to manage a project with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Management - Working with Data and Evidence: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.

Business Management - Change Management: Ability to prepare, support, and help individuals and teams in designing and implementing organizational goals.

Business Management - Evaluation: Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks – Ability to anticipate clients’ upcoming needs and concerns.

RECRUITMENT QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent degree) in economics, finance, law, law enforcement or related field. A Bachelor’s degree with additional 2 years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of a Master’s. A bar exam will be recognized in lieu of a Master’s degree.

Experience

Due to the unique characteristics of this assignment, it is vital that the candidate must have at least 7 (seven) years of overall experience in project administration and ability to manage senior project experts in the field of criminal justice and justice sector reforms in post conflict contexts is required. At least 2 (two) years of experience related to Anti-Corruption, Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing is required.
Minimum 7 years with Master’s degree, or 9 years with Bachelor’s degree of progressive professional experience in delivering training programmes and drafting analytical reports strongly related and relevant to the subject matters of Investigations, Anti–Money Laundering, Financial Crimes or Counter–Terrorist Financing is required (please make reference to this analytical work and the reports).
Experience in capacity building programmes related to criminal justice, finance, law or law enforcement is vital.
Experience with the UN or a comparable international organization in a post conflict-setting is desirable.
Experience as a judge, prosecutor or law enforcement officer on anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism, or suspicious transaction reporting is considered a strong asset.
Experience in applying international standards and norms on criminal justice, organized crime, anti-corruption, mutual legal assistance or tracking financial flows is an asset.

Language Requirements

Proficiency in oral and written English
Knowledge of Arabic and/or Kurdish language is an asset.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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