Erbil, Iraq
ILO Erbil, Iraq
Grade: P3
Vacancy no.: DC/BEIRUT/P/2019/07
Publication date: 13 November 2019
Application deadline (midnight Geneva time): 27 November 2019
Job ID: 2042
Department: ENTERPRISES
Organization Unit: ENTERPRISES
Location: Erbil
Contract type: Fixed Term
Contract duration: 2 years
Under article
- 2, paragraph (e) of the Staff Regulations, the filling of vacancies in technical cooperation projects does not fall under Annex I of the Staff Regulations and is made by direct selection by the Director-General.
In order to support the best informed process in the filling of the present vacancy by direct selection, the ILO invites interested candidates to submit their candidature online by the above date.
Technical cooperation appointments are not expected to lead to a career in the ILO and they do not carry any expectation of renewal or conversion to any other type of appointment in the Organization. A one-year fixed-term contract will be given. Extensions of technical cooperation contracts are subject to various elements including the following: availability of funds, continuing need of the functions and satisfactory conduct and performance.
The following are eligible to apply:
- ILO Internal candidates in accordance with paragraphs 31 and 32 of Annex I of the Staff Regulations.
- External candidates.
Introduction
Some of the major impediments to rapid growth and improvement of micro and small enterprises in Iraq include the lack of positive attitudes and initiatives geared towards entrepreneurship, the lack of required basic business start-up and management skills, absence of financial literacy, difficult access to start-up capital and finance and the absence of an effective service infrastructure for start-ups. It is particularly important that business skills training providers ensure small enterprises receive the training which could enhance their sustainability, expand their business, and achieve economies of scale in a business environment context often characterized by little physical support infrastructure and limited access to financial services and markets.
Formal financial inclusion in Iraq is low. The population displays a preference for cash, due in part of a general distrust in the banking sector after decades of financial sector instability, when private deposits were lost and not compensated. The 2017 Findex found the overall (formal) financial inclusion rate in Iraq to be 23%, up from 11% in 2014 but only 19.5% for women. A significant demand for both credit and savings services is thus needed in Iraq and remains unmet by the formal financial sector. Potential financial services’ customers are in need of financial literacy support and providers, which are mainly state-owned banks and a number of commercial ones, offer over-collaterized loans (typically 140% collateral is required).
The private sector in Iraq is underdeveloped due to the economy’s heavy reliance on oil exports (99% of all exports), an abundance of cheap imports, and competition from state-owned enterprises. Private sector development is a central government priority, but a lack of productive investment in the formal private sector has resulted in inadequate creation of decent jobs for Iraq’s growing labour force. The need to promote entrepreneurship among Iraqis, including women and youth, and build the national capacity for the provision of non-financial business development services (BDS) and financial literacy were depicted as priority areas of intervention in the transition to sustainable employment. In facts, during the last few years and within the framework of the transition from the humanitarian response to a more development-oriented phase; a number of projects funded by foreign governments and international agencies, targeting livelihoods and MSME development, have already been providing BDS. These services however were not needs based and remained mostly generic in nature without being provided in a common and standardized manner.
It is against this backdrop that the GIZ funded project entitled ‘Improved business development support services targeting MSMEs for the creation of Decent Work opportunities in KR-I’ was developed and focuses on strengthening the provision of needs-based standardized business support services and financial literacy. The project will introduce and institutionalize the ILO Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) programme and its financial literacy/inclusion package in selected local and national partners who in turn will provide these quality support services to existing and potential Iraqi/Kurdish entrepreneurs.
Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the Project, the Technical Officer will be responsible for providing direct technical support to the above project and contribute to the expected outcomes. The incumbent will promote ILO policies in the project related technical areas.
Reporting lines
The Technical Officer will work under the overall guidance of the DWT Arab States Director and the direct supervision of the ILO ROAS Enterprise Development Specialist. The incumbent will also receive technical guidance from the SME and Social Finance units of the HQ Enterprise Department. The position will be based in the recently established ILO offices in Erbil, Iraq.
Description of Duties
1. Assist the ILO ROAS Enterprise Development Specialist in coordinating, providing technical advice in and ensure quality of the setting up and running of the project’s SME management training as well as associated technical areas, including national partner organization selection and capacity building, trainer development, materials adaptations.
2. Rigorously apply the quality assurance system of the SIYB programme in coordination with the global SIYB coordinator and the Master Trainers in the Arab Region. This also includes the introduction of the Gateway reporting platform and ensure all project partners and trainers use it for timely reporting, follow-up and certification purposes.
3. Revise and adapt the SIYB training curricula and management tools as well as the ILO financial literacy tools to the needs in KR-I (like programme management guides, trainers’ guides, guides on follow-up procedures, M&E systems, quality assurance systems, Gateway etc.) in close coordination with the SIYB Master Trainers in the Arab Region. This could also include looking at the linkages of business management training to sectoral and value chain development approaches, the linkages of management training to finance, to workplace practices and other areas relevant to ILOs mandate.
4. In collaboration with project partners, develop a detailed action plan for the implementation of the project activities in a timely manner and ensure its regular update with the related financial implications.
5. Organise all project training workshops (SIYB trainings, financial literacy trainings, monitoring, and coaching, refresher workshops to be implemented) as well as the mapping, selection and capacity building of national Training Service Providers (TSPs).
6. Maintain close liaison with the KR-I Government, workers’ and employers’ organisations, project partners, to ensure smooth implementation of the project, and ensure coordination with other national and international actors working on similar livelihood and social stability initiatives in KR-I.
7. Prepare and submit technical reports related to project implementation and progress reports for submission to donors and other partners.
8. Undertake field missions in relation to project implementation and report on them.
9. Support the ILO ROAS Enterprise Development Specialist in providing technical guidance to governments and social partners on enterprise development in the Arab region.
10. Attend and participate in all UN cluster meetings and report accordingly.
11. Identify opportunities for project proposals, formulate submissions to public and private donors, identify potential new donors, negotiate with donor’s representatives and play an active role in resource mobilisation.
12. Perform any other duties as assigned by the ILO ROAS Enterprise Development Specialist.
Required qualifications
Education
Advanced university degree business administration, economics, development studies or other relevant field.
Experience
Five years of relevant professional experience at the national and/or international level involving project management, entrepreneurship and business start-up development, financial and non-financial business development service provision, livelihood support, local economic development, research and drafting. Knowledge of ILO enterprise development work is an asset.
Languages
Excellent command of written and spoken English, Arabic is an asset.
Competencies
- Excellent analytical skills
- Excellent drafting skills with a demonstrated ability to write reports and guidelines relating to programme development and implementation
- Excellent knowledge of enterprise development issues in conflict-affected settings.
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- Good understanding of the local economic and political context of Iraq and the refugee/IDP situation.
- Sound judgment and ability to show tact and be culturally sensitive during implementation of all activities.
- Ability to provide technical advice and to guide and coordinate the work of external collaborators, general service staff and young professionals in the area of enterprise development;
- Ability to formulate new concepts and methodologies;
- Ability to draft reports and prepare guidelines relating to programme development and implementation.
- Ability to provide technical support to senior specialists carrying out research, project formulation and implementation;
- Good computer skills
Conditions of employment
- Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to ILO Staff Regulations and other relevant internal rules. Any offer of employment with the ILO is conditional upon certification by the ILO Medical Adviser that the person concerned is medically fit to perform the specific inherent requirements of the position offered. In order to confirm an offer from the ILO the successful candidate will be required to undergo a medical examination.
- Any extension of technical cooperation contracts are subject to various elements including the following: availability of funds, continuing need of the functions and satisfactory conduct and performance.
For more information on conditions of employment, please visit: https://jobs.ilo.org/content/International/?locale=en_GB
Recruitment process
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application form. To apply, please visit ILO Jobs. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for a written test and/or an interview.
Depending on the location and availability of candidates, assessors and interview panel members, the ILO may use communication technologies such as Skype, Video or teleconference, e-mail, etc for the assessment and evaluation of candidates at the different stages of the recruitment process, including technical tests or interviews.
Fraud warning
The ILO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process whether at the application, interview, processing or training stage. Messages originating from a non ILO e-mail account – @ilo.org – should be disregarded. In addition, the ILO does not require or need to know any information relating to the bank account details of applicants.
More Information
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