Education & Work Experience Master's Degree - 7 year(s) experience OR Bachelor's Degree - 9 year(s) experience Desired Languages Working knowledge of Arabic language would be an asset.

Job Description

BACKGROUND

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 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.

Since the Government of Japan’s (GoJ) announcement of USD 5 billion assistance package to support Iraq’s reconstruction at Madrid Conference in October 2003, which initially consisted of USD 3.5 billion Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan and USD 1.5 billion ODA grant, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) concluded 33 ODA loan agreements with the Government of Iraq (GoI), comprising 31 project loans and 2 budgetary support loans amounting to approximately USD 11 billion over the period January 2008 - December 2023.
The GoI is the owner and executing agency of the Japanese ODA loan-financed projects. Key project implementation activities, such as procurement, contract management and financial management, are undertaken by the implementing ministries and agencies of the GoI. As a standing mandate, JICA promotes efficient use of the loans and needs to ensure that the project implementation is undertaken in an accountable, transparent, and efficient manner in line with JICA guidelines and procedures and that the loans are properly used for the purpose of achieving each project’s objectives expeditiously.
As one adequate and sound monitoring mechanism to ensure accountability, transparency and efficiency in project implementation and usage of the loan, GoI, GoJ and JICA agreed to establish a joint Monitoring Committee (M/C) to meet on a quarterly basis. The M/C, reports to the Prime Minister’s Office, is chaired by the Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Commission (PMAC) with membership of senior officials from the Ministry of Planning (MoP) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the Embassy of Japan (EoJ) and JICA consists of high-level officials from the line ministries.
The Loan Management Unit (LMU) has been established within UNDP Iraq Country Office (CO) in 2009 to facilitate and accelerate implementation of the Japanese ODA loan-financed projects in Iraq by providing fiduciary monitoring on behalf of the GoI and JICA, implementation monitoring and evaluation and capacity development support to the M/C in particular and the GoI in general. The support targets procurement, contract management and financial management for the ODA Loan project implementation, as well as developing the capacities of oversight and implementing ministries.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Loan Management Specialist - Head of Loan Management Unit shall direct, supervise and administer the LMU activities, represent the LMU as a component of the Development Finance Unit (DFU) within the CO, the Monitoring Committee (M/C) and GoI counterparts as well as JICA, ensures that the LMU adequately delivers the duties, responsibilities and tasks sets in the Project Agreement between JICA and UNDP for Partnership Services for Support Unit to the M/C on the Japanese ODA Loan Projects and assures the quality, reliability and timeliness of the deliverables and services provided. S/he is also responsible for the performance development of LMU’s staff and for developing and implementing the LMU’s annual work plan and budget. S/he shall report to the Head of the Strategic Advisor-Head of Development Finance Unit.
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.
Key duties and accountabilities include:

Ensure GoI - GoJ inter- and intra-governmental coordination and processes to facilitate Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) plans and memoranda / legal agreements within GoI system in accordance with Iraq’s legal and regulatory framework and internal processes / practices, Japanese public administration and IFI operations policy, and lead the coordination within triangular coordination framework among GoI-GoJ/JICA-UNDP:

Review and analyse GoI’s development policies, strategies, plans, needs and challenges and GoJ’s Country Development Cooperation Policy for Iraq, then provide advice and recommendations to the GoI and GoJ on prospects development cooperation interventions and assistance. Facilitate communication and coordination among relevant GoI and GoJ parties for new ODA Loan projects formulation, endorsement and commitment. Facilitate the legal and regulatory processes within the GoI, particularly Ministry of Planning (MoP) and Ministry of Finance (MoF) and ensuring Council of Ministers (CoM) approval of new ODA Loan project proposals, memoranda, legal notes and agreements. Advance deliberations, communication and legal steps within the GoI to expedite listing of new ODA Loan projects on the Annual Investment Programme and the Investment Budget component of Federal Budget Law and the pursuant effectuation of legal documents. Pursue with GoJ, particularly JICA, the internal processes and legal steps for new ODA Loan projects. Lead the coordination with the M/C and JICA for the preparation of the quarterly M/C meetings, the preparation of aggregated progress report and presentation on procurement. Contract management (including procurement and technical / engineering theme), disbursement and overarching issues and oversee the preparation of the minutes of meeting. Promote the ODA Loan monitoring set – up and mechanism, particularly the ODA Loan M/C, as model for GoI – and other IFI – funded development projects in Iraq. Attempt to replicate Iraq’s experience with GoI-GoJ/JICA-UNDP monitoring set – up and mechanism as model case for triangular cooperation among developing nations. Provide advice and consultations to the GoI and GoJ / JICA and promote the culture of triangular cooperation within the UN System and IFIs.

Direct, supervise and improve the fiduciary and site monitoring activities of the LMU:

Direct and supervise fiduciary monitoring activities of the LMU to ensure compliance with JICA guidelines and internationally accepted procurement, contract management and financial management guidelines, procedures and practices. Direct and supervise the site inspection and verification activities of the ODA Loan projects to ensure adequacy, quality and timeliness of reporting to the M/C and JICA. Identify, examine and analyse project – specific, e.g., procurement, contractual and engineering issues, and overarching issues and challenges, particularly those related to enforcement of GoI laws, regulations, instructions and interministerial coordination and provide advice, recommendations and solutions to the implementing Project Management Teams (PMTs), the M/C and JICA to address them. Promote awareness of the M/C, oversight ministries and implementing ministries with the mandate, duties, responsibilities and tasks of the LMU and ensure these parties’ collaboration and coordination with the LMU. Enhance the capacity of the LMU staff in fiduciary and site monitoring, communication and reporting.
**Design and implement effective third-party project monitoring mechanism for large-scale Japanese ODA Loan projects in Iraq in compliance with international procurement guidelines, especially on Design-Build (D/B) a