Background

Public administration in Iraq faces many challenges due to the rapid evolution of the government in recent years. Most ministries and government offices still follow outdated structures and systems, while others lack a coherent architecture and standard operating procedures, without sufficient automation of processes to ensure efficiency. While efforts are under way to address corruption, case-by-case gains are insufficient against systemic weaknesses in the public administration. The civil service in its current form is over-sized with an estimated 3 million persons on its payroll, yet its performance in service delivery is not commensurate with its size. This puts pressure on scarce resources that are increasingly spent on maintaining the government bureaucracy without sufficient service delivery or capital expenditure to support future capacity.

The UN Country Team in Iraq has developed a joint programme “Iraq – Public Sector Modernisation Programme” (I-PSM) to assist the Government with comprehensive public sector reform, in coordination with other international assistance partners in Iraq. The Joint Programme is focusing on two pillars: (i) Civil service reform and development of general management systems and e-governance to enable efficient and accountable public administration, and; (ii) Sectoral reform in key sectors (education, health and water and sanitation) to improve performance of service delivery, particularly of essential services related to the Millennium Development Goals. By focusing on social service delivery, the Government can show the people of Iraq that public sector reform has concrete and tangible benefits for the population as a whole. 

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Implementation of Local Iraq – Public Sector Modernisation Programme (I-PSM) project, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist in the implementation and monitoring of the PSM Project and support in the development and application of adapted monitoring tools and frameworks,
• Assist in performing the required and necessary desk and field research and analysis for the implementation of PSM project activities;
• Compile, summarize, and present basic information/data related to the PSM project and related topics or issues;
• Ensure participation and coordination with relevant CO units and making use of available information on donors’ priorities for Iraq,
• Assist with preparation of work plans, monitoring, and reporting on project achievements
• Assist in providing inputs for monitoring & evaluation and progress/donor reporting as required
• Preparation of accurate and timely reports on the progress of project activities with a specific focus on the indicators achieved, timely delivery and funds utilized
• Assist in the drafting Terms of Reference (ToR) for consultants and partnering entities;
• Help coordinate and consolidate the work of other UN Agencies in work planning and reporting
• Undertake accurate note taking, in addition to the preparation of minutes of meeting and notes to the file.
• Draft correspondence in Arabic and/or English for the Project and perform translation of relevant documents from English to Arabic and vice versa, as required.

2. Provide support in management of the multidisciplinary projects/initiatives, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Coordinate at project level  procurement, logistics and contracting processes.
• Perform follow-ups and processing, including obtaining the necessary administrative and programmatic clearances for ToR and contracting processes on behalf of the PSM project;
• Assist in the undertaking of the necessary preparatory arrangements and follow-ups towards the implementation of activities, including the drafting of bi-lingual invitation letters, preparation of mailings lists, info notes, and press releases, etc.
• Ensure trainings and workshops are relevant, well organized and managed within the set time frame and budget.
• Prepare minutes of meetings and disseminate them to the respective parties.
• Maintains monitoring sheet for Purchase Orders (POs), payments, receipts and other transactions to ensure consistency of day to day work operations for the project and perform necessary actions as required.
• Maintain a list of contacts of UN agencies, NGOs, Ministries and Local authorities in Iraq.
• Maintains, processes and analyses information on financial matters relevant to contracts and PCAs.

3. Provides administrative support to the I-PSM Project focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments, review of project’s Financial Reports.
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed and ensures that transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas.
• Timely corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers.
• Manage the inflow and outflow of all documentation generated on the projects and establish a robust and user-friendly filling system.
• Ensure uploading all project’s documentation on the share point of CO.
• Support administratively and logistically, the work of Joint Management Unit (JMU) as related to requirement for this unit.
• Support arrangements of travel, air ticketing, accommodation booking, transportation and any other logistics as required.
• Any other tasks required by the Project Manager

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

1. Organizational Awareness
2. Developing and Empowering People / Coaching and Mentoring
3. Working in Teams
4. Communicating Information and Ideas
5. Self-Management and Emotional intelligence
6. Conflict Management / Negotiating and resolving Disagreements
7. Knowledge Sharing / Continuous Learning
8. Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making

Functional Competencies:

• Managing documents, correspondence and reports
• Adaptation and Application of Knowledge / Innovations in Different Contexts
• Promoting Accountability and Results Based Management
• Promoting Organizational learning and Knowledge Sharing
• Client Orientation
• Strategic Alignment of Management Practice (HQ & RSCs)

Operational Effectiveness:

• Ability to perform a variety of specialized tasks related to Results Management, including support to design, planning and implementation of programme, managing data, reporting.
• Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new system, including new IT based systems
• Planning, organizing and multi-tasking
• Focuses on result and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field

Experience:

• Min 6 years of hands-on experience in, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects at the national or international level.
• Excellent Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, especially MS Excel, MS Word and Power Point, in addition to sound experience in handling web based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in the English written and spoken, essential.
• Excellent working knowledge of Arabic is essential. 

Min Monthly Remuneration:    US$ 3,163.16 (Including Danger Pay and Pension)

Instruction for submission of applications:

• Please fill out a P-11 form posted on http://www.iq.undp.org/content/iraq/en/home/operations/jobs.html and apply online. Please note that no other type of application form, including CVs, will be considered for such positions, other than the one found at the link specified above.
• Only candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.
• We strongly encourage qualified female candidates to apply.   UNDP seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities, and that staff members are able to keep an appropriate balance between work and private life.
• 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, as a matter of practice, does not charge any application, processing or training fee at any stage of the recruitment process.