Economic Empowerment Officer - Iraq Field Programs

General

Description of assignment title:

Economic EmpowermentOfficer

Assignment country:

Iraq

Duty stations:

Baghdad

Work location:

On UN premises

Expected start date:

06/21/2026

Duration:

3 months(with possibility ofextension)Long-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal:

17. Partnerships for thegoals

Host entity:

WFP

Modality:

Onsite

Type:

National

Volunteer category:

Specialist UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule:

Full-time

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Number of Assignments:

1

Details

Mission and objectives:

Iraq is an upper-middle-income country whose economic situation is gradually improving following the defeat of the Islamic State ofIraq and Levant and the resumption of oil exports. Food insecurity has persisted, however, particularly among internally displacedpersons, returnees and rural people in the south of the country.The challenges of rebuilding infrastructure, providing basicservices, promoting social cohesion, demobilizing militias,creating jobs and progressing towards gender equality whilemaintaining security have impeded the country''s efforts to makeprogress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal2 on zero hunger.

WFP''s country strategic plan for Iraq is informed by findingsand recommendations derived from a zero hunger strategic reviewcarried out in 2018 with the participation of core governmentpartners and other stakeholders. It has the overall goal ofsupporting the Government in accelerating progress on the 2030Agenda for Sustainable Development while shifting WFP''s role fromthe direct implementation of activities to the enabling of nationalprogrammes.

Context:

Iraq''s Social Safety Net (SSN), implemented by the Ministry ofLabour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) through the Social ProtectionAuthority (SPA), is the country''s primary poverty-targeted socialassistance programme, providing regular cash transfers tovulnerable households including widows, persons with disabilities,the elderly, and low-income families to help meet basic needs. Theprogramme reaches an estimated 1.5 million households (around 9million individuals), but like many social assistance systemsglobally, it faces challenges related to fragmentation, targetinginefficiencies, and lacks linkages to employment and livelihoodopportunities. As a result, MoLSA and SPA are increasinglyexploring ways to transition the SSN from a purelyconsumption-support mechanism into a more dynamic system thatpromotes resilience and self-reliance. In this context, theGovernment of Iraq is seeking to test the feasibility ofintegrating economic empowerment interventions for SSNbeneficiaries, with the objective of reducing long-term dependencyon cash transfers and enabling access to more sustainable anddiversified sources of income. This aligns with a growing body ofinternational evidence showing that "cash-plus" and economicinclusion programmes that combine social assistance with skillsdevelopment, asset transfers, and labor market linkages cansignificantly improve income generation, employment outcomes, andresilience among vulnerable populations, while supporting pathwaysout of poverty.

In Iraq, WFP is part of an EU-funded UN Joint Programme withUNICEF and ILO on \" Leveraging Effective Response and AcceleratingReform for Social Protection in Iraq\". The programme aims tosupport the Government in strengthening and reforming Iraq''s socialprotection system by improving policy coherence, enhancinginstitutional capacity, and developing integrated, inclusive, andshockresponsive systems that better serve vulnerable populations.It focuses on linking social assistance, social insurance, andlabour market interventions; expanding access to benefits andservices for vulnerable groups. It also aims to strengthen deliverysystems such as targeting, data integration, and nationalregistries.

The Changing Lives Transformation Fund (CLTF) of WFP is acatalytic financing mechanism designed to support country officesin piloting and scaling innovative approaches that move populationsfrom humanitarian dependence toward sustainable livelihoods andresilience. Established under WFP''s broader \"saving lives andchanging lives\" mandate, the fund provides targeted, multi-yearinvestments awarded through competitive calls to initiatives thatstrengthen national systems, promote economic inclusion, andsupport transitions to self-reliance. It is structured aroundthematic windows such as transition pathways, systemsstrengthening, and climate adaptation, and places strong emphasison embedding interventions within government systems whilegenerating rigorous evidence on impact and scalability. Bycombining financing with technical support and a robust measurementframework, the CLTF aims to help governments design and implementtransformative programmes that improve outcomes for vulnerablepopulations and inform policy and resource allocation at scale.CLTF has a global research partnership with C4ED to support therobust assessment and evaluation of all CLTF-funded initiatives inorder to contribute to evidence-based decision-making.

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Task description:

Under the overall guidance of the Head of Social Protection andan EEP Technical Advisor, the Economic Empowerment Officer will beresponsible for the following tasks:

Programme Implementation and Delivery

Oversee quality delivery of all EEP pilot activities acrossplanning and implementation phases by coordinating with relevantWFP teams (including field office staff), cooperating partner(s),and stakeholders.

Supervise field-level implementation teams and coordinateclosely with social workers, agricultural extension workers, andlocal partners

Coordinate with SPA to ensure regular meetings of the ProjectOversight Team (POT) and ensure proper documentation and follow-upof agreed-upon actions.

Ensure gender-responsive and youth-inclusive delivery in linewith the pilot''s design.

Stakeholder Coordination

Coordinate with SPA to ensure regular meetings of the TechnicalWorking Group (TWG) and provide the Secretariat function.

Lead day-to-day engagement with government counterparts,including at MoLSA, SPA, MoA, and MoP at the central and fieldlevels

Support engagement with sectoral stakeholders, including theWorld Bank. GIZ, ILO, private sector, among others

Government Capacity Strengthening and Systems Building

Lead engagement with MoLSA and SPA to strengthen institutionalcapacity for economic empowerment programming. Includes supportingthe development and leading the implementation of the capacitystrengthening plan.

Facilitate alignment and integration of pilot activities withingovernment platforms (i.e., Mihan) and oversee the enhancement ofgovernment systems as part of the pilot, in coordination withrelevant technical staff.

Oversee the cooperating partner''s support provided togovernment field-level staff and ensure a gradual transfer ofresponsibilities over the course of the pilot

Ensure a gradual handover of systems and responsibilities, inline with the capacity strengthening plan, to governmentinstitutions.

Identify opportunities to strengthen government capacitystrengthening and provide strategic recommendations to the Head ofSocial Protection, as appropriate.

Research and Learning Activities

Ensure that the pilot implementation is aligned with theresearch and learning agenda, respecting Lead the design andimplementation of the pilot''s learning and evidence agenda.Includes coordinating with the Field Coordinator, Head of SocialProtection, RAM and CLTF teams at the central and fieldlevels.

Ensure that WFP-led monitoring activities are completed in atimely and high-quality manner in close coordination with the FieldOffice and RAM teams.

Document and communicate lessons learned of the pilot, ensuringthat these are properly highlighted in knowledge managementproducts.

Policy Engagement and Pathway to Scale

Lead the development of an EEP manual and EEP scale-up roadmapto be handed over to the government as key knowledge managementdocuments at the end of the pilot

Led the development of knowledge management documents,including a case study of the pilot.

Organize knowledge dissemination and closure engagement andevents for pilot activities engaging GOI and other relevantstakeholders.

Contribute to policy dialogue with the GOI through the TWI onscale-up considerations and evidence for scale-up. Includescontributing to alignment and joint advocacy with key sectoralpartners like GIZ, ILO, and WB.

Financial and Operational Management

Under the guidance of the Head of Social Protection, maintainstrong oversight over budget planning, utilization, and reportingin line with donor requirements

Ensure compliance with WFP and partner procedures andstandards

Manage risks and ensure timely mitigation actions

Eligibility criteria

Age:

18 - 80

Required experience:

3 years

Nationality:

Candidate must be a national, legal residentor hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience:

5 years

Languages:

English, Level: Fluent, Required

Arabic, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level:

Bachelor''s degree in Economics, Development Economics, PublicPolicy, Social Protection, Labor Economics, or a related field

Competencies and values:

Accountability

Adaptability and flexibility

Creativity

Judgement and decision-making

Planning and organising

Professionalism

Self-management

Skills and experience:

A bachelor''s degree is required, and an advanced universitydegree (Master''s or higher) is asset in Economics, DevelopmentEconomics, Public Policy, Social Protection, Labor Economics, or arelated field.

At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience insocial protection, livelihoods, economic empowerment programming,labor market interventions, or private sector engagement.

Demonstrated previous experience working on either the design,implementation or evaluation of livelihoods or employmentprogrammes in complex settings.

Strong experience working with Iraqi government institutions,particularly MoLSA/SPA.

Proven experience implementing institutional capacitystrengthening programmes with government institutions, focusing onstrengthening government systems and human resourcecapacities.

Experience developing training materials/manuals and deliveringTrainings of Trainers (TOTs) on economic empowerment, livelihoodsor employment-related topics.

Familiarity with social research methodologies and experiencemanaging programmes with robust evaluation components.

Proven track record in multi-stakeholder coordination includingwith UN agencies, IFIs, donors, and government counterparts.

Familiarity with Iraqi context.

Area(s) of expertise:

Development programmes, Economics and finance

Driving license:

-

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