Iraq: External Relations National Consultants
Country: Iraq
Closing date: 30 Jun 2013
No of Jobs: 04 (Four) Status: National - Iraqi Duty Station: Baghdad, with possible travel within Iraq Duration: 04 Months Starting Date: ASAP Closing Date:
OVERVIEW OF CTG GLOBAL CTG Global is a Personnel Management Service Company specialised in Recruitment, Management Consultancy, and Human Resources in countries experiencing or emerging from armed conflict, natural disasters, or acute social and economic crisis worldwide. CTG Global provides tailored personnel management support enabling a growing number of public and private sector agencies and individuals to achieve their objectives in complex and challenging environments. CTG Global clients currently comprise UN agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs), and different corporate organisations such as security companies.
OVERVIEW OF THE POSITION
Background As part of our client’s governance programme, our client is working to strengthen electoral processes in Iraq. This includes provision of electoral technical assistance, support to the institutional development of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) responsible for conducting elections, and the promotion of inclusive and accountable participation in electoral processes by all stakeholders, including voters, civil society organizations, media and political entities. This support is premised on the knowledge that strong and sustainable democracy is dependent on the existence of well-functioning political entities (parties). Political entities are crucial actors in bringing together diverse interests, recruiting and presenting candidates, and developing competing policy proposals that provide people with a choice. Indeed efforts by EMBs (Electoral Management Bodies) to enhance stakeholders’ confidence in electoral democracy can flounder if the key role of stakeholders including political entities is overlooked. In recognition of this and the greater objective of enhancing confidence in the transparent and accountable management of the electoral process, EMBs often create or look for existing spaces to engage with political entities.
The UNIEAT is therefore implementing a capacity support program with IHEC to deepen the Commission’s outreach and engagement with political entities and candidates.
Scope of Work As part of the Integrated Electoral Assistance Team (IEAT), the External Relations consultants to assist in the implementation of a series of activities aimed at enhancing IHEC’s engagement with external relations with political entities and candidates. The objectives of this support are to: • Strengthen the capacity of IHEC Political Entities section to conduct outreach programs to political entities. • Support the introduction of sustainable framework and process for IHEC relations and engagement with political entities
Our client seeks to engage the services of 4 National External Relations consultants to assist in conducting series of capacity building programs to enhance IHEC’s processes and framework of engagement with political entities. The consultants work closely with the humanitarian Political Entities Advisor and the humanitarian Electoral Assistance Team of Advisors and Iraqi counterparts of the IHEC and other partners in performing the following duties: • Co-facilitate trainings and capacity building activities to enhance skills and knowledge of EMB- political entities relationships. • Provide contextual information and knowledge for the development of sustainable framework and process for IHEC relations and engagement with political entities. • Assist with initiatives and activities, mainly workshops, to strengthen the capacity of IHEC Political Entities section to conduct outreach programs to political entities and candidates.
GENERAL FUNCTIONS
Expected Outputs and Deliverables Between June and September 2013, the consultants are expected to achieve and complete the following outputs and deliverables: Outputs • Strategic briefing and brainstorming session on Political Entities Support Implementation Plan • Political Entities Strategic Communication workshop • Stakeholders relations training for Political Entities, coalition, media and youths on Inter-party relations • Deliverables • IHEC Political Entities engagement strategic plan in place and implemented • Contextual knowledge on legal framework and political systems provided • Workshops and activities to deepen IHEC’s engagement processes with political entities and candidates facilitated.
Deliverables Output Location Target Date Payment % (US$) 1. Contextual knowledge on legal framework and political systems provided Strategic briefing and brainstorming session on Political Entities Support Implementation Plan Baghdad- 1
Basra- 1 9 June, 2013
11-12th June, 2013
40%
2. IHEC Political Entities engagement strategic plan in place and implemented
Political Entities Strategic Communication workshop Erbil June 23- 27 2013
3. 7 Workshops and activities to deepen IHEC’s engagement processes with political entities and candidates facilitated.
Stakeholders relations training for Political Entities, coalition, media and youths on Inter-party relations Baghdad- 3:
Erbil – 3
Basra-1 July- September 2013 60%
TOTAL 100
Institutional Arrangements The consultants will discharge their responsibilities: • Under the authority of our client’s Country Director and Governance Cluster Head; • Under the overall supervision of the Chief Electoral Adviser in his capacity as humanitarian system Chief Technical Adviser; • Under direct supervision of our client’s UNAMI Electoral Programme Advisor and Political Entities Specialist; and • In cooperation with the members of the humanitarian electoral support in Iraq takes place under the umbrella of the UNAMI-led Integrated Electoral Assistance Team (IEAT). Humanitarian agencies work in close cooperation as part of the joint IEAT under UNAMI leadership.
Corporate Competencies: • Ethics and Values • Organizational Awareness • Developing and Empowering People / Coaching and Mentoring • Working in Teams • Communicating Information and Ideas • Self-management and Emotional Intelligence • Conflict Management / Negotiating and Resolving Disagreements • Knowledge Sharing / Continuous Learning • Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making
Functional Competencies:
Job Knowledge and Technical Expertise: • Demonstrates thorough knowledge and understanding of political entities and elections. • Experience in working to strengthen relations between the Electoral Management Body and Political entities. • Knowledge of the key stakeholders in the electoral process and their positive engagement. • Familiarity with electoral best practices and international standards in elections. • Ability to work independently and show initiative. • Establishes goals and priorities and able to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan • Shows initiative and the ability to manage complex political situations. • Consistently approaches work with a positive, constructive attitude. • Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office and with stakeholders. • Demonstrates commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work, and in electoral processes.
Communication: • Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; is able to communicate complex technical issues and ideas in a clear and concise manner. • Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. • Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication. • Tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience. • Communicates sensitively and effectively across different constituencies. • Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Conceptual innovation in the Provision of Technical Expertise: • Actively seeks to improve programmes or services • Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas • Proven analytical and evaluative skills, and the ability to assess problems and formulate solutions; Offers new and different options to solve problems • Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
Client-Orientation: • Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect • Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions • Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback • Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep them informed, anticipate problems and identify opportunities.
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE
Education: • A Master’s degree in Political Science, Social Sciences, Public Policy, Public Administration, Public Relations, or related field.
Work Experience • A minimum of 5 years of functionally relevant professional experience, including experience working in capacity building programmes for electoral management bodies and political entities. • Comparative experience in electoral stakeholder relations, with specific emphasis on electoral management body and political entities relations. • Experience in working directly with Electoral Management Bodies, with a focus on provision of technical advice on strategic planning development. • Proven experience in designing and facilitation of workshops/seminars. • Experience in working in post-conflict or transitional countries required; and experience in the region an asset. • Experience working with humanitarian agencies or an international organization on electoral issues.
Other Qualifications • Competent in usage of MS Office programmes (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint). • Familiarity data collection and analysis, using statistical packages. • The candidate should be able to work in hardship conditions. • The post requires considerable cultural and political sensitivity.
LANGUAGES
• English and Arabic
How to apply:
Applicants should send a letter of application and their CV to careers@ctgglobal.com. Please subject your email with BHJOB2678_314.
