Education & Work Experience Master's Degree - 5 year(s) experience OR Bachelor's Degree - 7 year(s) experience

Job Description

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and

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 ResponsibilitiesEffectively 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 lin