IC-049-21 Civil Society Empowerment Specialist

Strengthening accountability and tackling corruption are essential pre-requisites for Iraq’s long-term stability, economic recovery, and development. Both Iraqi and regional Kurdish governments have recently initiated steps to drive an ambitious anticorruption agenda including development of anticorruption strategies, the establishment of interagency task forces under the prime minister offices and the arrest of powerful individuals by federal authorities and the development of an access to information legislation. In this context, it is important to empower civil society that engages in a constructive dialogue and support anticorruption efforts.

UNDP developed the Anti-Corruption for Trust (ACT) in Iraq project with a double aim to: i) support public institutions to enhance preventive anticorruption measures notably the drafting of key legislations that would provide for and enhance a greater role for civil society as a key stakeholder in anti-corruption reform; ii) support civil society organizations to develop better capacity to engage in anti-corruption efforts. The project that started in April 2020 will end in June 2022 and is implemented by UNDP. The project is focused on legislative drafting, capacity building of public institutions, development of anticorruption strategies, e-governance and capacity empowerment of civil society.

UNDP is looking for a National Civil Society Empowerment Specialist (hereinafter “the Specialist”) that can enhance the capacity of Iraqi NGOs to implement anti-corruption activities. The objective is to build the capacity of 15 registered NGOs equally distributed across the Northern, Central and Southern regions of Iraq through a learning by doing exercise where UNDP will provide small grants for anti-corruption activities to NGOs that commit to improve their capacities in two ways: i) enhanced institutional integrity of the selected NGO; ii) anti-corruption activity aiming to increase transparency or enhance accountability of public institutions. Anti-corruption activities may include social audits, citizen report cards and community scorecard of public services, trial monitoring, budget or expenditure monitoring, legal centres, support to protect whistle-blowers, investigative reporting, corruption risk assessments, focused studies of corruption or anticorruption reforms, shadow reporting, legislative drafting etc.

Under the overall technical guidance of the head of Governance Pillar, the Specialist will train and coach NGO on designing and implementing anti-corruption activities. The training material and assessment tools and reports will be provided by the International Civil Society Empowerment Specialist with whom the Specialist will closely work and coordinate. The Specialist will work from Baghdad with frequent travels to regions and governorates. He/she will undertake the following activities:

1. Support the International Specialist in identifying NGOs aiming to fight corruption, build integrity, improve transparency and enhance accountability: contact NGO executives to collect data on anti-corruption mandate, experience, activities and tools on the basis of a format developed by the International Specialist.
2. Mobilize NGOs using promotional and information material made available by UNDP, coach and train (one workshop per region) at least 60 NGOs on how to take the baseline self-assessment and develop concept notes
3. Support the International Specialist in the implementation of the baseline self-assessment: coach NGOs on how to fill the questionnaire either online or in person; collect the questionnaires
4. Train at least 30 NGOs selected on the basis of their concept notes and self-assessment to develop each a project proposal for anticorruption activities
5. Coach the 15 selected NGOs to implement their projects, document and overcome their challenges, and find a mitigation to at least one key internal governance gap identified to be addressed during the life of the project, and report on project implementation
6. Support the International Specialist in the implementation of the endline self-assessment: coach NGOs on how to fill the questionnaire either online or in person; collect the questionnaires

1. Expected deliverables and Payments:

 The Specialist shall submit the following deliverable to UNDP ACT on the agreed timetable.

The price proposal should be an “all-inclusive” lump sum fixed rate.

The payment is deliverable based, i.e. upon satisfactory completion and UNDP’s acceptance of the deliverable.  Each payment claims must be approved by the UNDP focal point and head of Governance Portfolio. UNDP will make the payments within 30 days from receipt of invoice

1. Travel and accommodation:

UNDP will not reimburse separately the travel and accommodation costs of the Specialist, which must be included in the lump sum fee. For the period of this contract, the Specialist may undertake up to 12 travels from Baghdad to the regions.

1. Reporting:

Overall management: The Specialist shall report directly to the Head of Governance Portfolio to whom all deliverables should be provided within agreed timelines. 

The Specialist will closely work with the Chief Technical Anti-Corruption Adviser and coordinate with and support the work of the International Civil Society Empowerment Specialist.

Competencies Required:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to engage in substantive technical discussion with civil society organizations
• Problem-solving skills
• Leadership and self-management
• An energetic approach to work with a positive attitude
• An openness to new approaches for managing work complexity and unexpected issues
• Team spirit and excellent interpersonal skills
• The ability to model the UN’s values and ethical standards, and to promote UNDP’s and the UN’s vision, mission, and strategic goals
• Sensitivity and adaptability to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age.

The Specialist will have the following qualifications, experience, competencies and language skills. Only applicants who meet these criteria will be short-listed and will be contacted.

A. Education and Professional Qualifications Required:

• Master’s degree (or bachelors with two additional years) in law, political science, public administration or a related field of study field.

B. Experience Required:

• A minimum of 7 years of experience and proven track record in capacity building and coaching of civil society in Iraq
• Track record of facilitation, mobilization and presentation
• Experience working directly with UN agencies is desirable.

Application

The application should contain:

– Technical proposal (showing the candidate’s understanding of the assignment requirements, proposed approach, proposed analytical framework or analysis tools

– Offeror’s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability and Financial Proposal

• Updated CV to include qualifications/competencies and relevant past experience in similar projects and contact details of 2 professional referees who can certify the candidate’s competencies, professionalism, quality of presentation and overall suitability for this assignment.  

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When submitting your documents, please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application system only allows to upload maximum of one document.

**Failure to submit the above-mentioned documents or Incomplete proposals shall result in disqualification

The short listed candidates may be contacted and the successful candidate will be notified.

The Annexes are available in the following link:  

UNDP | Procurement Notices – 80156 – 100146 – IC-049-21 Civil Society

ANNEX 1- Terms of Reference (TOR)/Procurement Notice

ANNEX 2-Offeror’s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability and Financial Proposal

ANNEX 3- Individual Consultant General Terms and Conditions 

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