Historique

In mid-2014 The rapid advance of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) destabilized the governorates of Anbar, Salah al-Din, Diyala, Ninewah, Kirkuk and Babel. The occupation of several key cities, notably Mosul, Tikrit, and Ramadi led to a large-scale disintegration of the Iraqi Security Forces and the subsequent resurgence of militias as well as widespread popular mobilization of armed groups in an attempt to halt and reverse ISIL’s advance. To date, an estimated 3.3 million Iraqis have been displaced leading to the declaration of a Level III humanitarian emergency in Iraq. Attempts by the Iraqi Security Forces, Kurdish Peshmergha, and other associated armed groups to liberate areas occupied by ISIL are ongoing, with Tikrit, Ramadi, and Sinjar being recaptured in 2015. However, the security situation is tense and operations are ongoing. Communal, sectarian, and ethnic tensions as well as overall political instability are also heightened.

In March 2015 the Government of Iraq met with representatives of the UN and Global Coalition to Counter ISIL to discuss implementation of coordinated stabilization activities in the liberated areas. The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator (DSRSG RC/HC) has taken the lead in coordinating UN efforts to support the Government of Iraq to stabilize and reconstruct liberated areas. UNDP leads the stabilization efforts for the UN family, and a UNDP Stabilization Team is led by a Senior Stabilization Advisor. The Stabilization Team is comprised of a strategy, analysis, and advisory unit as well as a project implementation unit that manages implementation of the priority projects in liberated areas. The entire program is funded through the Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilization (FFIS). The Facility, supported by a wide range of partners and overseen by a Steering Committee, is focusing on four windows:

  • Public works and light infrastructure rehabilitation;
  • Livelihoods;
  • Capacity support;
  • Community reconciliation.

In support of the evolving role of the DSRSG RC/HC in stabilization efforts in Iraq and of the Stabilization Team led by the Senior Stabilization Advisor, the stabilization analysis/strategy/advisory unit has the following functions:

  • Build partnerships with Iraqi counterparts and advise on Stabilization planning and implementation;
  • Developing political and local conflict analysis to guide programming decisions;
  • Advising the DSRSG, Senior Stabilization Advisor on stabilization planning and operations;
  • Strategic Communications

The terms of reference of the Stabilization Specialist focus primarily on partnership building, political analysis and advisory support to stabilization planning and implementation as well as coordination of UNDP’s programmatic interventions. The expert will work in close coordination with the operational FFIS team as well as the project and advisors team. The Stabilization Specialist will work under the immediate supervision and direction of the Program Manager for the Funding Facility of Immediate Stabilization and the overall guidance by the DSRSG in Iraq.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Build partnerships and capacity of Government counterparts for stabilization planning and implementation at the subnational level in assigned region, focusing on achieving the following:

  • Embed, where possible, with assigned region’s Governor’s Office and Provincial Control Cell, building relationships with key counterparts;
  • Identify critical gaps and needs with Government counterparts stabilization team, and build capacity of counterparts to address those critical gap;
  • Identify critical gaps that will require UNDP capacity-building programmatic support through FFIS or other existing UNDP capacity-building programs;
  • Work with counterparts to develop stabilization plan for assigned region, as well as key liberated areas;
  • Work with counterparts to operationalize stabilization plan for assigned region, leveraging the UN family and other Government entities as required;
  • Conduct regular site visits to monitor stabilization planning and implementation, speak to local officials and civilians, prepare site visit reports, and advise DSRSG and UNDP.

Ensure planning , coordination and facilitation, focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Liaise with relevant government and nongovernmental partners as well as international community and UN partners as part of overall relationship management for stabilization;
  • Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with UN Common System colleagues and counterparts, Government representatives, civil society actors, military and law enforcement actors, academic and research institutions, and other national and international partners on information-sharing, policy and coordination matters, as well as transition measures from stabilization to longer term recovery;
  • Consult and cooperate with partners to develop strategies and plans of action to address political challenges, in pursuit of shared objectives; Monitor, evaluate and report on implementation;
  • Prepare terms of reference for stabilization activities through NGOs and advise on implementation from ? substantive point of view;
  • Support preparations for official meetings, events and visits, including through the provision of Secretariat services and by drafting talking points and speeches for senior UN officials. Participate in fact-finding and other missions, prepare written summaries of meetings/visits, and assist with follow-up activities, as appropriate.

Ensure timely provision of high quality political analysis and advice at the subnational level in assigned region, focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Identify, analyze and monitor political developments, trends and emerging issues with regards the returnees in newly liberated areas;
  • Assess implications and make recommendations to senior management on possible policies, strategies and other measures to address issues of concern and to advance mandated objectives, in particular implications for UNDP programming;
  • Support UN strategy for stabilization policies.

Ensure timely reporting and information management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Prepare summary and analytical reports including, but not limited to, situation reports, briefing notes, options papers, code cables and input for narrative reports either to partners supporting the FFIS or the DSRSG;
  • Prepare contextual information materials, such as background notes, political profiles and databases of relevance to the assigned portfolio; manage information to ensure its accessibility and utility;
  • Continuous analysis and monitoring of the situation in the liberated areas, support planning for UN activities and preparation of presentations to international partners or Government.

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and sharing in UNDP/UN and the stabilization team, focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Organization of training or knowledge sharing for senior UN staff or partners;
  • Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices on stabilization;
  • Sound contributions to analytical reports on stabilization, where required.

Compétences

Core Competencies:

  • Political analysis and facilitation;
  • Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
  • Building and promoting effective teams;
  • Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
  • Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
  • Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
  • Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
  • Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Functional Competencies:

Building Partnerships:

  • Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build alliances;
  • Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
  • Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

  • Understands advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines (political analysis with regard to stabilization);
  • Continues to seek new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;
  • Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
  • Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
  • Continually looking for ways to enhance financial performance in the office

Client Orientation:

  • Anticipates client needs;
  • Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;
  • Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, arts, social sciences, law, public administration, or a related field.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience at the international level in providing political analysis and maintaining a network as political advisor, diplomat or similar function, of which minimum of 2 years of experience in crisis country in political or programmatic capacity is required;
  • Good knowledge of political, human rights and humanitarian issues.

Language Requirements:

  • Proficiency in written and spoken English;
  • Knowledge of Arabic an asset.