Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
Following Japan's USD 5 billion aid pledge for Iraq in 2003, JICA signed 34 loan agreements worth about USD 11 billion with Iraq from January 2008 to August 2025.
The GoI, as the owner and executing agency of Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan-financed projects, carries out key implementation activities such as procurement, contract management, and financial management through dedicated Project Management Teams (PMTs) established in each of the implementing ministries and agencies. JICA’s mandate is to promote the efficient use of loans and ensure that projects are implemented in an accountable, transparent, and efficient manner in line with its guidelines to achieve project objectives expeditiously.
To ensure accountability, transparency, and efficiency in project implementation and loan utilization, the GoI, GoJ, and JICA established a joint Monitoring Committee (M/C) that convenes quarterly. The M/C reports to the Prime Minister and is chaired by the Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Commission (PMAC), with members comprising senior officials from the GoI, GoJ, and JICA.
In 2009, pursuant to JICA and UNDP Partnership Agreement, the Loan Management Unit (LMU) was established within UNDP Iraq to act as the Support Unit to the M/C. Since then, the LMU has facilitated the implementation of Japanese ODA loan projects by providing fiduciary and implementation monitoring, evaluation, and capacity development support to the M/C, the GoI and JICA.
Position Purpose
Under the overall supervision of the Loan Management Specialist - Head of the Loan Management Unit (LMU), the Fiduciary Monitoring Specialist conducts independent fiduciary monitoring activities for Japanese ODA Loan–financed infrastructure projects implemented by the Government of Iraq and contributes to related coordination and capacity development activities.
The role ensures systematic tracking of project implementation by the Government of Iraq and the arrangements by the financier (JICA), and facilitates coordination among Project Management Teams (PMTs), the ODA Monitoring Committee (M/C), oversight entities, JICA and the Government of Japan. Through these functions, the role contributes to facilitating effective project implementation in line with agreed procedures, while also advancing monitoring-informed capacity development in overall project management. In addition, the role supports the formulation and follow-up of new Japanese ODA Loan projects, including assistance related to project identification, preparation and pipeline development.
Separately, the role supports coordination and implementation of activities related to Japan Supplementary Budget–funded 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 Responsibilities
Ensure Independent Fiduciary Monitoring, Analysis and Quality Assurance
- Ensure high-quality independent fiduciary monitoring and analytical oversight of Japanese ODA Loan–financed projects.
- Conducts systematic fiduciary monitoring, including site visits, to assess compliance with procurement, contract management and financial management frameworks.
- Analyse implementation progress and identify fiduciary, procedural, contractual and coordination-related risks and bottlenecks.
- Produce structured analytical monitoring outputs and technical notes in a timely manner.
- Support the identification of toot causes of challenges or fiduciary concerns and contribute to the development and follow-up of practical mitigation measures.
- Coordinate with Project Management Teams (PMTs), relevant oversight entities and JICA, within the scope of fiduciary monitoring and coordinate and technically oversee the monitoring inputs produced by the LMU’s project monitoring team, ensuring effective deployment of team resources and a high level of consistent and evidence-based analysis, coherence and quality assurance across monitoring deliverables shared with JICA, the Monitoring Committee(M/C) and relevant counterparts.
Ensure Monitoring-Informed Capacity Development and Project Formulation Seminars
- Design and deliver capacity development and technical learning activities for Government of Iraq counterparts, including Project Management Teams (PMTs) and relevant oversight entities, informed by fiduciary monitoring findings.
- Design and implement advanced trainings, technical workshops and project formulation seminars on project management, procurement, contract management and financial management.
- Develop training concepts, materials and programmes based on monitoring findings and institutional needs.
- Deliver technical sessions as a resource person and guide contributions from LMU team members and external experts.
- Design and facilitate project formulation–oriented seminars to strengthen institutional understanding of Japanese ODA Loan requirements, formulation processes and implementation readiness.
- Provide technical inputs on sectoral priorities and fiduciary considerations to support the identification and early-stage preparation of potential new Japanese ODA Loan projects.
Ensure Technical Coordination to Monitoring Committee (M/C) Processes
- Provide comprehensive technical coordination and support to multi-stakeholder monitoring and oversight mechanisms related to Japanese ODA Loan financed projects.
- Support and ensure the full M/C cycle, including technical preparation, conduct and structured follow-up of preparatory meetings and formal M/C sessions.
- Conduct structured pre-M/C technical consultations with Project Management Teams (PMTs), oversight ministries, the Prime Minister’s Advisory Commission (PMAC), JICA and the Embassy of Japan, to clarify issues, risks and follow-up actions.
- Prepare, review and consolidate technical briefing materials, analytical notes and project discussion sheets to support informed deliberation and decision-making.
- Provide technical and operational support during M/C sessions and ensure systematic follow-up on agreed actions, decisions and next steps.
- Maintain continuous and structured technical coordination with relevant Government of Iraq counterparts, JICA and the Embassy of Japan on fiduciary monitoring findings, implementation issues and agreed follow-up actions, ensuring timely and accurate information flow to the Monitoring Committee.
Ensure Donor Reporting, Strategic Planning , Programme Support and Facilitate Knowledge Management
- Contribute to analytical reporting, planning and programming under the UNDP–JICA partnership.
- Draft, compile and validate inputs to donor reports, progress updates and technical briefing materials.
- Track deliverables across the LMU team members, including monitoring findings, risk assessments and implementation trends, ensuring consistency, accuracy and adherence to agreed formats and reporting timelines with the donor.
- Contribute to the preparation of the FMA Project Annual Work Plan (AWP), annual and multi-period activity plans and implementation schedules.
- Ensure linkage between FMA activities with UNDP Iraq’s Country Programme Document (CPD) priorities and relevant programme outcomes.
- Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
Coordinate and Implement Japan Supplementary Budget–Funded Project Development and Special Assignments
- Provide technical implementation and coordination support to supplementary projects and priority tasks.
- Support formulation, implementation and monitoring of Japan Supplementary Budget–funded projects.
- Coordinate with Government of Iraq counterparts, the Government of Japan and the Embassy of Japan, consultants, contractors and internal UNDP units.
- Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Head of the Loan Management Unit, as required for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervision and performance management of the project monitoring team.
Competencies
Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.
Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.
People Management
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
- Cross Functional and Technical Competencies:
Business Direction & Strategy - Systems Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Business Management - Portfolio Management
- Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity.
- Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment.
- Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.
Finance - Audit risk management: Ability to address risks and audit issues raised in the course of an audit and propose solutions in order to ensure a true and fair audit opinion is achieved.
Business Management - Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
Business Management - Partnership Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
Business Development - Knowledge Generation
- Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
- Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches.
- Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
Ethics - Ethical Implications of Policy Development: Consult on the ethical implications within all policy development and standard setting.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in International Development Studies, Public Administration, Development Policy, Project Management, Engineering, or other closely related fields is required. or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor's degree) in the above field of study in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Minimum of 5 years (with a Master’s degree) or 7 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible professional experience at the national and/or international level in fiduciary monitoring, project monitoring, programme coordination or implementation support for donor-funded or externally financed development projects, particularly large-scale infrastructure projects is required.
- Demonstrated experience working with a UN agency or similar international organziation in programme implementation, including involvement in the development, monitoring and reporting of Annual Work Plans (AWPs) and annual programme cycles, is required.
- Demonstrated experience in preparing and consolidating analytical reports and progress updates for donors/financiers, including compliance with formal reporting frameworks, quality review of technical inputs and submission of structured reports to funding entities, is required.
- At least3 years of experience related to Japanese ODA Loan projects (JICA, JBIC), bilateral or multilateral development finance, or projects financed by international financial institutions (IFIs), with demonstrated involvement in procurement processes, contract management, financial management follow-up and/or fiduciary compliance monitoring in an implementation or oversight context is desired.
- Demonstrated experience in conducting site-based monitoring missions and preparing analytical site monitoring reports for multiple Japanese ODA Loan–financed or externally funded infrastructure projects, within a fiduciary monitoring framework, is desired.
- Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering capacity development activities (trainings, workshops, seminars or on-the-job support) related to large-scale infrastructure project implementation, including topics such as project management, procurement, contract management, disbursements and fiduciary practices is desired.
- Demonstrated experience in planning, coordinating and implementing high-level official missions, study tours or policy dialogue visits to Japan or other third countries, including coordination with senior government officials, Japanese counterparts and relevant institutions, is desired.
- Demonstrated experience in organizing and coordinating project monitoring or Monitoring Committee–type meetings involving technical experts, senior government officials and donors/financiers, including preparation of comprehensive meeting documentation and technical materials (such as analytical notes, briefing papers, presentation slides and background documents), facilitation of discussions and structured stakeholder coordination, is desired.
- Demonstrated experience in the Japan Supplementary Budget–funded projects, including involvement in project formulation or application, implementation monitoring, coordination during execution, and technical support to implementing teams is desired.
- Demonstrated experience in Japan’s Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM)–related initiatives and/or climate change, environmental or low-carbon development projects, particularly in the context of externally funded or bilateral programmes, is desired.
- Demonstrated experience in conducting feasibility studies, market assessments or analytical studies on the potential participation of Japanese private sector companies in development projects in partner countries, including analysis of institutional, regulatory and implementation environments, is desired.
- Experience working with the Government of Iraq is desired.
- Knowledge of web-based management systems such as Quantum would be an asset.
Language
- Fluency in oral and written English is required.
- Knowledge of another UN language would be an asset
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Use of AI by candidates
Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection
Scam alert
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