Livelihood Officer

Position:                                  Livelihoods Officer

Location:                                Baghdad

Reports To:                             Project Manager

Application Deadline:             February 12, 2022

Transform the lives of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities and be at the forefront of social change.

About You:  A driven and passionate mid-career professional looking to work alongside an inspiring, dynamic team of leading human rights workers. The candidate will have exceptional project management skills and embrace a collaborative, team approach to the work they do. This person has experience living and working in challenging operating environments and is eager to gain experience working on innovative human rights projects that support some of the most vulnerable people in Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR). The candidate must also have an interest in, understanding of, and appreciation for religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq and the IKR.

The Project: Pathways Home: Livelihood and MHPSS Support for Returnees in Baghdad and Dhi Qar  is a one-year project funded by GIZ. This project seeks to support the Iraqi returnees who returned from Germany and other EU countries through livelihood, MHPSS, and legal services. Project activities will be implemented in Baghdad and Dhi Qar governorates. A mobile support may also extend to Anbar, Kerbala, and Basra. The project goal is increase livelihood support, comprehensive mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services, and legal services to Iraqis who have returned from the European Union, specifically Germany, Iraqi IDPs and host communities. The project consists of three activity groups: (1) Livelihood support; (2) Case management and MHPSS support; (3) Legal support.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  Under the direct line management of the Project Manager the Livelihoods Officer will work on developing tools, matrices, methodologies and guides to support the livelihoods component of the project.  Overall responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.  

• Ensure the implementation of the livelihoods component of the program against annual work-plan, targets, time-plans and result indicators;
• Develop internal monitoring and operational plans that help program implementation;
• Coordinate program-operations actions, including identifying appropriate implementation modalities, initiating procurement, grant and Human Resources actions, including formulation of scopes of works, managing procurement and recruitment processes including selection, contract and grant management;
• Monitor field-based implementation of livelihoods program activities, including providing guidance to area-based staff on field implementation and monitoring;
• Monitor program implementation of partners in accordance with agreements, work-plans, deliverables and timelines;
• Attend either in person or remotely the Emergency Livelihoods Coordination cluster meetings on a monthly basis;
• Review partner work plans as they relate to project activities and ensure quality and effective implementation of activities.
• Support the development and implementation of all livelihood and training related components of the project, including through assessment, design and stakeholder consultation;
• Collect information and analyze information on context for livelihoods;
• Identify opportunities for developing HAI’s profile in livelihoods and recommend actions to make use of these opportunities;
• Develop new livelihood initiatives that are in line with the program strategy for using livelihoods to strengthen social cohesion;
• Draft, or provide technical inputs and feedback to concept papers and proposals;
• Maintain regular interaction with national and local stakeholders in the livelihoods sector with the objective collecting information on ongoing and planned activities.
• Provide inputs and feedback to reporting;
• Ensure systematic documentation and filing by utilizing the project MS SharePoint database. Verify and validate all livelihood and training data on a monthly basis with M&E team and project partners.

Communication and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E):

• Has an ability to foster effective communication and teamwork with HAI staff and partner from a range of economic, cultural, ethnic, and social groups
• Develops, reviews, and finalizes regular internal reports in English.
• Ensure consistent communication with partner staff and HAI staff.
• Ensure coordination with HAI’s project managers, finance team and senior management team with regards to all livelihoods activities under the project.

Relationships:

• Reports to the Project Manager.
• Collaborates closely with Project team members and HAI senior management team on a daily basis
• Provides support and interacts with project partners in throughout Iraq and IKR.
• Communicates, as needed, with HAI Headquarters leadership and support staff 

Bachelor’s degree in International Development or related field preferred, plus 5 years of relevant organization development experience with an international or national organizations

• Demonstrated success in livelihoods, emergency stabilization, business management and project management
• Excellent communication, business, writing and financial management skills.
• Good understanding of project management cycle (project design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation).
• Proven ability to calmly, professionally, and successfully manage multiple priorities
• Knowledge and understanding of the unique, complex operating environment in the in Iraq and the IKR
• Experience with Windows platform, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.
• Excellent oral communication skills and ability to mediate to gain consensus among staff, project partners, and other key stakeholders
• Excellent negotiation and relationship management skills, with the ability to proactively problem solve and find solutions
• Demonstrates initiative and is comfortable working in a group, as well as independently
• Ability to reside and travel within the IKR; ability to provide clear direction and management for remote staff throughout Iraq

Language:  English fluency, including reading, writing, and speaking required. Arabic and/or Kurdish reading, writing and speaking ability required. 

Please send a cover letter (1 page maximum) explaining your interest and how your experience meets the qualifications required and a CV, to

https://heartlandalliance.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=626

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear back from us within 2 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.