Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country office, which is headed by the FAO Representative, is to assist government to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

FAO in Iraq is implementing and planning a number of projects aimed to strengthen the resilience and socio-economic cohesion amongst the vulnerable host communities in rural areas through support to agricultural livelihoods and access to employment in the agri-food sector.

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Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative, the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative in Iraq, technical guidance of the Senior Resilience Team Leader, and in collaboration Cash-Based team in HQs and FAO Iraq team, the Cash-Based Transfer Specialist will be responsible for the below mentioned tasks.

Technical Focus

Support policy, operational and analytical work on the role of cash-based transfers (CBT) in FAO Iraq’s portfolio, leveraging best practices, approaches and measures available in the Country, building on close coordination ties with other stakeholders, and ensuring their practical feasibility across the development and implementation of project activities.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Consult and collaborate with Country level CBT coordination mechanism as well as the OER cash teams in Head Quarters (HQ) for the development of effective cash-based programming, approaches and measures as they relate to the development and implementation of project activities;
• Research and analyze cash-based transfer modalities (eg conditional and restricted cash transfer/voucher systems) currently in place to identify good practices, opportunities and challenges and inform project design and implementation insofar as cash transfer modality and delivery mechanism;
• Act as a CBT focal point for FAO Iraq, within the office as well as towards government and development partners’, actively represent FAO Iraq in all CBT relevant coordination mechanisms, including the ones linking to social protection;
• Provide technical assistance for the design, implementation (including EU-funded projects) and monitoring and evaluation of project activities using cash-based transfer modalities, backstopping and coordinating field project activities with respective project manager or technical leads as needed;
• Manage the beneficiary databases for all projects ensuring FAO data-privacy protocols in transferring data to third parties/ financial service providers. This includes the specific requirements for the transfer modality of cash where additional requirements exist and support the process of proper cash disbursement through financial service providers to beneficiaries;
• Support the adoption of the new FAO beneficiary data management information system AACT in the country office.
• Manage a complaint mechanism for the office, including for CBT interventions, develop complaint database and generate periodical reports and recommendations.
• Contribute to writing reliable, relevant and timely monitoring reports of CBT/vouchers programmes;
• Assist in processing and analysis of data related to needs assessments, baseline, end line and post-distribution monitoring surveys for all individual programmes.
• Promote knowledge sharing and dissemination of good practices at relevant meetings and events;
• Produce as needed technical reports and inputs for technical documents;
• Backstop the preparation of periodic reports summarizing findings, conclusions and recommendations;
• Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in international development or other discipline relevant to the work of the Organization;
• Three years of relevant experience in different aspects of humanitarian and development assistance relevant to cash transfer programming preferably for food security purposes;
• Previous experience working with UN agencies is desirable;
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of Arabic. Working knowledge of Arabic and knowledge of the Kurdish language is an asset;

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement