Background
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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 and Organizational Context

Iraq has been dealing with conflict, insecurity, and instability for decades, creating deep-seated grievances. It has been exacerbated by socio-economic challenges, including the displacement of many vulnerable people who left their communities of origin for different places inside and outside of Iraq. The emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which exploited tensions and took control of large swaths of territory, triggered a new wave of violence and displacement. Consequently, around 3.3 million individuals were displaced during the ISIL insurgence, and around 1.2 million of them remain displaced. The rate of return varies considerably among the governorates throughout Iraq. The displaced people and returnees, including families perceived to be affiliated with ISIL and Iraqis returning from northeast Syria, have suffered multiple adverse shocks, including losing most of their assets, wealth, and jobs or businesses. IDPs and Returnees of children and women faced specific challenges that hindered their return and reintegration into their communities. Local conflicts, such as those over access to limited basic services, housing, land, and property, as well as insecurity, crime, and inter-tribal and interpersonal relations, further complicate the process and lead to social tensions among different population groups in some areas.

The lack of livelihood opportunities and psycho-social support also contributed to increased social tensions within the community or pushed the population to adopt negative coping mechanisms, including secondary displacement or resurfacing violence and extremism.

In line with the Country Programme Document for UNDP Iraq (CPD 2020-2024), which aims to support the Government of Iraq’s vision for a sustainable peaceful Iraq, UNDP Iraq has a program on Social Cohesion which works in main areas that include 1) Strengthening the national and local frameworks for peace and social cohesion, 2) Preventing violent extremism through community-led initiatives, and 3) community-based reconciliation and reintegration in Iraq for displaced persons, returnees and at-risk groups.

Going forward, UNDP will continue to capitalize on its long experience to support national and local frameworks for peace and social cohesion with a specific focus on the inclusion of women and youth. The social cohesion programme Specialist will support the social cohesion portfolio in preparing for, building, strengthening, and sustaining the programme’s efforts to mediate, resolve, and transform conflicts, with a view to mitigating further violence in Iraq and strengthen social cohesion in the long-term. He/she will report to the Team Leader Social Cohesion Portfolio under the overall strategic guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative for Programmes.
 

Position Purpose

The Social Cohesion Specialist will provide technical assistance and support the Social Cohesion Portfolio to conceptualize and execute activities to promote social cohesion in Iraq, research for assessments and knowledge products, developed and maintaining partnerships with national and local partners, and lead the relevant taskforces and technical working groups. She/he will work closely with the UNDP Iraq’s Operations and Finance units, the Programme Management and Support Unit (PMSU), and the Procurement Unit/Service Center. He/she is also expected to ensure mainstreaming of gender equality and inclusion of women and people with disabilities throughout all projects.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities
Effectively manage the social cohesion component by carrying out the following tasks:
 

• Build capacity of the local peace mechanisms (Women, youth, tribal leaders, religious leaders etc) and local governmental and non-governmental partners around conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity.
• Support mainstreaming conflict sensitivity and conflict analysis within the programme and through all projects and initiatives.
• Provide technical inputs to the design and development of concept notes and proposal to promote social cohesion, conflict management and prevention.
• Lead social cohesion substantive work, community engagements and dialogues to sustain peace, prevent conflict and address drivers of conflicts in communities.
• Support synergies of the social cohesion portfolio within other UNDP programmes.
• Provide support and technical advice to implementation partners/service providers to ensure compliance of activities with the work plans, budget, and expected results.
• Develop detailed annual work plans for the Social Cohesion component within the broader Social Cohesion Portfolio, including budget and assurance plans in accordance with UNDP's rules and regulations.
• Coordinate with and completement other Component of the Social Cohesion Portfolio- PVE and Displacement and Reintegration.
• Facilitate and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders, including national and local authorities, civil society, UN agencies, like-minded organizations, international organizations, and the private sector.

Leads research and innovation for the Social Cohesion Portfolio
 

• In partnership with the Communication Teams, conceptualize and produce knowledge management and comms/visibility products for the Social Cohesion Component.
• Contract local and international research partners to conduct additional field research and literature review.
• Capture and adequately communicate lessons learned on social cohesion and peacebuilding.
• Monitor and assess the country's political, social, and economic situation to stay abreast of challenges and updates related to social cohesion, communal peace, and the reintegration of IDPs and returnees in Iraq.
• Undertake conflict analysis and assessment on needs basis to keep abreast to the changing context in areas of implementation of the Social Cohesion Portfolio.
• Coordinate with the M&E team to gather, collate, and analyze data on project beneficiaries and impact to ensure achievement of expected results in the Social Cohesion Component.
   

Mainstream youth and gender and support women empowerment in the social cohesion address them in a timely manner;

• Support the women and your peace and security officer to identify entry points to strengthen women and youth engagement and inclusion all areas of work in social cohesion portfolio.
• Conduct gender sensitive conflict assessment to inform social cohesion programming.
• Coordinate youth and women low value grants agreements (LVGA) and RPAs to ensure implementation is aligned to the social cohesion component and in line with UNDP rules and Regulations.
• Build capacities of youth, women, and community-based groups in social cohesion to ensure greater impact of their work.
• Ensure coordination with UN system and especially UN Women and UNFPA in delivering women peace and security initiatives to ensure synergy and complementarity.

Contribute to facilitating partnerships with key actors for policy advocacy and resource mobilization;

• Analyze donor priorities to identify resource mobilization opportunities for social cohesion and peacebuilding and prepare substantive concept notes and project proposals as required.
• Establish and maintains partnerships with relevant actors at the national and international level as well as national and international organizations to build synergies and achieve greater impact of the UNDP interventions.
• Participate in inter-agency programming processes, including joint needs assessments.
• Participate in UN-wide task forces and working groups and represent UNDP when appropriate.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies

Core

• 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 work force and champion inclusivity.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Direction & Strategy

• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall processor system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• 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.
  • Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Management

• Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.
• Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
• 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.
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals. 

2030 Agenda: Peace

• Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions: Community engagement for prevention, response, and social cohesion

People Management:  UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Required Skills and Experience

 Education:

• Master's degree or equivalent in International Laws, Gender and Security Studies, International Relations, Conflict and Peace Studies, International Development, or related field is required, or
• A Bachelor's degree in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the Master's degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience with at least 2 years of experience in similar functions in crisis and post-conflict environment is required.
• Proven experience in excellent writing and communication skills are required.
• Experience in peacebuilding and/or social cohesion and/or PVE programming would be an asset.
• Previous experience of working with governments, NGOs, and UN agencies is an asset.
• Experience with UN/UNDP Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding guidance and implementation methods is an asset.
• Experience and knowledge of development and peacebuilding issues and challenges in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region is an asset.
• Experience in gender and conflict-sensitive programming and implementation would be an asset.
• Experience in knowledge of result-based management, including progress monitoring, would be an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Working knowledge of Arabic is an added advantage.

Please upload copies of your academic qualifications and 3 latest Performance Evaluations (if applicable)

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

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders) 
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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