National Project Officer (Livelihoods Government Coordination)

The National Project Officer will serve as the focal point for coordination with government related to implementation of livelihoods and private sector development activities in Iraq. The position supports engagement with government authorities, facilitates program implementation, and ensures alignment of IOM livelihoods interventions with government priorities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the point of contact for government engagement related to livelihoods and private sector development, focusing on the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA).
• Support coordination with relevant Government of Iraq counterparts including MoLSA, Ministry of Planning, relevant line ministries, and sub-national authorities to facilitate implementation of livelihoods activities and exchange information.
• Support IOM Livelihoods technical teams on day-to-day implementation of livelihoods related activities when required.
• Support organization of workshops and events in partnership with government and national partners on matters of joint interest.
• Coordinate with government counterparts within agreed legal, policy, and institutional frameworks to support operationalization of livelihoods projects, implementation arrangements, coordination mechanisms, and government ownership.
• Participate in technical coordination meetings, working groups, and bilateral discussions with government entities on livelihoods-related matters; prepare briefs, analytical inputs, and talking points for IOM management.
• Support drafting, follow-up, and operationalization of cooperation agreements, MOUs, letters of support, and official government correspondence related to livelihoods programming.
• Support coordination with line ministries and governorate-level authorities to facilitate coherence in planning and implementation of livelihoods activities including Enterprise Development Fund, individual livelihoods assistance, access to finance, and job creation initiatives.
• Maintain systematic records of government correspondence, agreements, and key discussions; prepare regular updates for internal use.
• Perform other government-engagement-related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in management, Business Studies, Economics, Social Sciences, Engineering, International Development, or a related field from an accredited academic institution; or University degree in the above fields with two years of relevant professional experience.
• Relevant professional experience in government engagement, public sector coordination, institutional partnerships, or development-related work, preferably within an international organization, UN agency, donor-funded programme, or comparable public institution.
• Experience working in an international environment and liaising with a variety of partners at all levels of the hierarchy.
• Experience working with government ministries or public authorities at national and/or sub-national levels.
• Familiarity with government systems and public administration processes, preferably in Iraq or similar contexts.
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with colleagues from varied cultures and professional backgrounds.
• Excellent English communication and writing skills, organizational skills; ability to prepare clear and concise reports in English.
• Basic knowledge of monitoring and evaluation concepts, approaches and methodologies.
• Experience in communicating and working with a wide range of people including people of culturally diverse backgrounds is required.
• Proven experience in developing project proposals and donor reports to the highest standard and in line with donor’s specific requirements and guidelines.
• Experience and knowledge of Excel and other Microsoft Office tools is required, including on data analysis and presentation of data.
• Experience working in an organization that has funded projects with (inter)national organizations, including specific experience in grant administration, is an advantage.
• Ability to work with accuracy under constraints and pressure; high sense of confidentiality, initiative and good judgment.
• Personal commitment, efficiency, flexibility, drive for results, creative thinking.
• Fluency in English and Arabic (oral and written) is required.

Skills

• Government Engagement
• Coordination with Public Sector
• Institutional Partnerships
• Project Implementation
• International Organization Experience
• Liaison with Ministries
• Government systems knowledge
• Public Administration Processes
• Communications Skills
• Negotiation Skills
• Report Writing
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Project Proposal Preparation
• Donor Reporting
• Excel
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Data Analysis
• Grant Administration
• Multicultural Communication
• Confidentiality Management

Languages

English, Arabic