Project Officer (Durable Solutions)

Position Title : Project Officer (Durable Solutions)

Duty Station : Erbil, Iraq

Classification : Professional Staff, Grade P2

Type of Appointment : Special short-term graded, Six months with possibility of extension

Estimated Start Date : As soon as possible

Closing Date : 05 October 2023

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM is committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. Read more about diversity and inclusion at IOM at www.iom.int/diversity.

Applications are welcome from first- and second-tier candidates, particularly qualified female candidates as well as applications from the non-represented member countries of IOM. For all IOM vacancies, applications from qualified and eligible first-tier candidates are considered before those of qualified and eligible second-tier candidates in the selection process.

For the purpose of this vacancy, the following are considered first-tier candidates:

1. Internal candidates
2. Candidates from the following non-represented member states: Antigua and Barbuda; Barbados; Botswana; Cabo Verde; Comoros; Congo (the); Cook Islands; Dominica; Fiji; Grenada; Guinea-Bissau; Holy See; Iceland; Kiribati; Lao People’s Democratic Republic (the); Madagascar; Marshall Islands; Micronesia (Federated States of); Namibia; Nauru; Palau; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Seychelles; Solomon Islands; Suriname; The Bahamas; Tonga; Tuvalu; Uzbekistan; Vanuatu

Second-tier candidates include:

All external candidates, except candidates from non-represented member states.

Context:

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCoM) in Erbil, Iraq, the direct supervision of the Durable Solutions Technical Working Group (DSTWG) Coordinator and in close coordination with the Durable Solutions Senior Programme Coordinator in Transition and Recovery Division (TRD), the Project Officer (Durable Solutions) will be responsible for providing technical and administrative support to the Durable Solutions Coordination Mechanism, including Returns Working Group (RWG), Durable Solutions Technical Working Group (DSTWG), as well as TRD operations with government and partner liaison and coordination.

In Iraq, IOM is the co-lead agency for several working groups within the Iraq Durable Solutions architecture. At strategic level, IOM co-leads the Durable Solutions Task Force (DSTF), and at technical level, IOM leads the RWG, and co-leads the DSTWG. IOM also actively participates in, and in some cases leads, a number of area-based coordinationgroups (ABCs).

The Durable Solutions architecture is responsible for assuring inter-agency coordination as well as close partnership with the government on issues related to the resolution of displacement in Iraq, a “nexus” structure bridging humanitarian, development and peace.

Core Functions / Responsibilities:

1. Provide technical information and guidance to facilitate adherence to frameworks and standards developed by the national DSTWG.
2. Provide technical and administrative support to the coordination with humanitarian, stabilization and development organizations, the relevant staff in the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG) Office, and recovery, stabilization and development actors to assist with programme prioritization, strategy development and resource mobilization efforts that advances durable solutions in Iraq.
3. Maintain positive working relationships with relevant ministries and relevant sub-national ministerial offices and authorities in the Government of Iraq (GOI) and Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) with a view to systematizing liaison and regular engagement on issues related to Durable Solutions.
4. Draft internal IOM and external situational reports and analysis based on field visits, engagement with authorities and other stakeholders related to new developments in terms of national and sub-national policies and regulations, displacement, and durable solutions in relation to the political, social and economic context.
5. Draft portions of advocacy notes and papers on internal displacement, durable solutions policy issues and contribute to policy and program formulation where required.
6. Work closely with relevant government ministries and departments on issues mentioned above including livelihoods and economic recovery to help identify potential areas of collaboration and the provision of technical support and coordination.
7. Support durable solutions capacity building of government and non-government actors on durable solutions by drafting training materials, reviewing applications, and setting up training sessions.
8. In close coordination with the Information Management (IM) team and DSTWG Coordinator, track and follow up on the mapping and response analysis matrix for durable solutions activities in Iraq.
9. In close coordination with the Durable Solutions Monitoring and Analysis Sub-Group, provide technical inputs to support the development and implementation of monitoring systems.
10. Provide administrative and logistical support for the organization of meetings, including drafting and/or coordinating the preparation of meeting summaries and workshop reports.
11. Assist with the supervision of the RWG/ DSTWG support team at KRI and Federal Iraq levels, as well as field staff.
12. Undertake mandatory travel within area of responsibility.
13. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

Education

• Master’s degree in Humanitarian Affairs, Political or Social Sciences, Development Studies, Human Rights, International Relations, Law or a related field from an accredited academic institution with two years of relevant professional experience; or
• University degree in the above fields with four years of relevant professional experience.

Experience

• Experience working in a coordination capacity, in international humanitarian, transitional, post-conflict and development contexts and the ability to advise and promote collaboration among internal teams and other organizations.
• Experience working on durable solutions and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) response is an asset.
• Experience at the international level with specialized international agencies (UN agencies, international organizations, and specialized international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), preferably in emergency, recovery, migrant/refugees/IDPs assistance, and humanitarian assistance in the Middle East and/or North Africa.
• Experience in liaising and building effective partnerships with government authorities, other national and international counterparts, including UN agencies, national and international NGOs, coordination fora.
• Experience developing or delivering training, in international contexts.
• Experience with report writing and data analysis.

Skills

• Knowledge of UN, IOM, international organizations, and NGO mandates and programmes in the area of internal displacement, refugee responses and durable solutions and humanitarian assistance;
• Knowledge of operational contexts, movement operations and travel planning an advantage.

Languages

IOM’s official languages are English, French, and Spanish.

For this position, fluency in English and Arabic is required (oral and written). Working knowledge of Kurdish is an advantage.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

Notes

1 Accredited Universities are the ones listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database (https://whed.net/home.php).

Required Competencies:

Values – all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

CoreCompetencies– behavioural indicators level 2

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link.

https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/about-iom/iom_revised_competency_framework_external.p df

Competencies will be assessed during a competency-based interview.

Other:

Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile.

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

This selection process may be used to staff similar positions in various duty stations. Recommended candidates will remain eligible to be appointed in a similar position for a period of 24 months.

The list of NMS countries above includes all IOM Member States which are non-represented in the Professional Category of staff members. For this staff category, candidates who are nationals of the duty station’s country cannot be considered eligible.

Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. Subject to certain exemptions, vaccination against COVID-19 will in principle be required for individuals hired on or after 15 November 2021. This will be verified as part of the medical clearance process.

Vacancies close at 23:59 local time Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.