Economic Empowerment Officer - UNV- Baghdad, Iraq at World Food Programme

Baghdad, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

03 Oct, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

05 Jul, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Social Protection, Economic Empowerment, Livelihoods Programming, Labor Market Interventions, Private Sector Engagement, Institutional Capacity Strengthening, Multi-stakeholder Coordination, Social Research Methodologies, Program Evaluation, Policy Dialogue, Budget Planning, Risk Management, Training Of Trainers, Report Writing, English Fluency, Arabic Fluency

Industry

Non-profit Organizations

Description

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS 8 July 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 Arabian Standard Time (Baghdad) WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability. ABOUT WFP The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves. To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok. WHY JOIN WFP? WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment. WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities. A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe. We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement). BACKGROUND Iraq’s Social Safety Net (SSN), implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) through the Social Protection Authority (SPA), is the country’s primary poverty-targeted social assistance programme, providing regular cash transfers to vulnerable households including widows, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and low-income families to help meet basic needs. The programme reaches an estimated 1.5 million households (around 9 million individuals), but like many social assistance systems globally, it faces challenges related to fragmentation, targeting inefficiencies, and lacks linkages to employment and livelihood opportunities. As a result, MoLSA and SPA are increasingly exploring ways to transition the SSN from a purely consumption-support mechanism into a more dynamic system that promotes resilience and self-reliance. In this context, the Government of Iraq is seeking to test the feasibility of integrating economic empowerment interventions for SSN beneficiaries, with the objective of reducing long-term dependency on cash transfers and enabling access to more sustainable and diversified sources of income. This aligns with a growing body of international evidence showing that “cash-plus” and economic inclusion programmes that combine social assistance with skills development, asset transfers, and labor market linkages can significantly improve income generation, employment outcomes, and resilience among vulnerable populations, while supporting pathways out of poverty. In Iraq, WFP is part of an EU-funded UN Joint Programme with UNICEF and ILO on “ Leveraging Effective Response and Accelerating Reform for Social Protection in Iraq”. The programme aims to support the Government in strengthening and reforming Iraq’s social protection system by improving policy coherence, enhancing institutional capacity, and developing integrated, inclusive, and shock-responsive systems that better serve vulnerable populations. It focuses on linking social assistance, social insurance, and labour market interventions; expanding access to benefits and services for vulnerable groups. It also aims to strengthen delivery systems such as targeting, data integration, and national registries. The Changing Lives Transformation Fund (CLTF) of WFP is a catalytic financing mechanism designed to support country offices in piloting and scaling innovative approaches that move populations from humanitarian dependence toward sustainable livelihoods and resilience. Established under WFP’s broader “saving lives and changing lives” mandate, the fund provides targeted, multi-year investments awarded through competitive calls to initiatives that strengthen national systems, promote economic inclusion, and support transitions to self-reliance. It is structured around thematic windows such as transition pathways, systems strengthening, and climate adaptation, and places strong emphasis on embedding interventions within government systems while generating rigorous evidence on impact and scalability. By combining financing with technical support and a robust measurement framework, the CLTF aims to help governments design and implement transformative programmes that improve outcomes for vulnerable populations and inform policy and resource allocation at scale. CLTF has a global research partnership with C4ED to support the robust assessment and evaluation of all CLTF-funded initiatives in order to contribute to evidence-based decision-making. At the request of SPA, WFP will be implementing a Economic Empowerment Pathways (EEP) pilot targeting SSN beneficiaries in order to provide a proof of concept to inform a Government-led, national EEP programme. To support this request, WFP has received financing from CLTF and the pilot is also incorporated within the EU Joint Programme. The EEP pilot responds to structural challenges including poverty, unemployment, low labor force participation among women and youth, and limited access to finance. While Iraq has made progress in strengthening its Social Safety Net (SSN), existing systems remain fragmented and insufficiently oriented toward enabling sustainable livelihoods and graduation pathways. The pilot has 3 main objectives: 1. Government Capacity Strengthening: The pilot prioritizes building the institutional and operational capacity of Government of Iraq (GOI) entities, particularly MoLSA and SPA, to design, implement, and manage integrated economic empowerment programs. This includes investing in human resource capacities at both the central and field levels (including social workers) and systems strengthening to facilitate case management, implementation, and monitoring. Crucially, the pilot is embedded within national systems, ensuring government ownership from the outset and enabling a gradual transition toward full national implementation. 2. Improving Household Livelihoods and Employment Opportunities: The pilot supports vulnerable households to diversify and increase their income sources through a sequenced package of interventions, including skills training, productive assets, job placement, and coaching/mentorship. By enhancing access to economic empowerment interventions, the pilot aims to improve household resilience over time. 3. Generating Evidence for Government-Led Scale-Up: A central pillar of the pilot is its robust research and learning agenda, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to rigorously assess outcomes and implementation effectiveness. The evidence generated will inform design tweaks prior to scale-up, provide a credible basis for budget allocation, and provide recommendations on programmatic and policy priorities. Targeting 1,500 SSN beneficiary households in Taji district, the pilot will test two modalities: • Self-employment / entrepreneurship, including skills training, productive assets, financial literacy, and market linkages • Wage employment, including vocational training, job matching, wage subsidies, and private sector engagement PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT. Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Head of Social Protection, and with the support of a EEP Technical Advisor, the Economic Empowerment Officer provide strategic, technical, and operational leadership for the implementation, coordination, government capacity strengthening and learning agenda of the EEP pilot. The Economic Empowerment Officer will work with relevant government institutions and sectoral partners/stakeholders through the Technical Working Group and Project Oversight Team to ensure alignment, coordination and a smooth implementation of pilot activities. He/She will also engage with CLTF and C4ED counterparts and provide broad oversight to ensure alignment with research and learning activities. The Economic Empowerment Officer will also play a critical role in providing capacity strengthening support to GOI institutions and staff at both the central and field levels, as well as developing documentation and learning products such as the EEP manual to be handed over to SPA at the end of the pilot. ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES The incumbent will be responsible for carrying out the following tasks and responsibilities: Programme Implementation and Delivery 1. Oversee quality delivery of all EEP pilot activities across planning and implementation phases by coordinating with relevant WFP teams (including field office staff), cooperating partner(s), and stakeholders. 2. Supervise field-level implementation teams and coordinate closely with social workers, agricultural extension workers and local partners 3. Coordinate with SPA to ensure regular meeting of the Project Oversight Team (POT) and ensure proper documentation and follow up of agreed-upon actions. 4. Ensure gender-responsive and youth-inclusive delivery in line with the pilot’s design. Stakeholder Coordination 5. Coordinate with SPA to ensure regular meeting of the Technical Working Group (TWG) and provide the Secretariat function. 6. Lead day-to-day engagement with government counterparts including at MoLSA, SPA, MoA and MoP at the central and field levels 7.Support engagement with sectoral stakeholders including World Bank. GIZ, ILO, private sector, among others Government Capacity Strengthening and Systems Building 8.Lead engagement with MoLSA and SPA to strengthen institutional capacity for economic empowerment programming. Includes supporting the development and leading the implementation of the capacity strengthening plan. 9.Facilitate alignment and integration of pilot activities within government platforms (i.e. Mihan) and oversee the enhancement of government systems as part of the pilot, in coordination with relevant technical staff. 10.Oversee the cooperating partner’s support provided to government field-level staff and ensure a gradual transfer of responsibilities over the course of the pilot 11.Ensure a gradual handover of systems and responsibilities, in line with the capacity strengthening plan, to government institutions. 12.Identify opportunities to strengthen government capacity strengthening and provide strategic recommendations to the Head of Social Protection, as appropriate. Research and Learning Activities 13.Ensure that the pilot implementation is aligned with the research and learning agenda, respecting Lead the design and implementation of the pilot’s learning and evidence agenda. Includes coordinating with the Field Coordinator, Head of Social Protection, RAM and CLTF teams at the central and field levels. 14.Ensure that WFP-led monitoring activities are completed in a timely and high-quality manner in close coordination with Field Office and RAM teams. 15.Document and communicate lessons learned of the pilot, ensuring that these are properly highlighted in knowledge management products. Policy Engagement and Pathway to Scale 16.Lead the development of an EEP manual and EEP scale up roadmap to be handed over to the government as key knowledge management documents at the end of the pilot 17.Led the development of knowledge management documents including a case study of the pilot. 18.Organize knowledge dissemination and closure engagement and events for pilot activities engaging GOI and other relevant stakeholders. 19.Contribute to policy dialogue with GOI through the TWI on scale up considerations and evidence for scale up. Includes contributing to alignment and joint advocacy with key sectoral partners like GIZ, ILO and WB. Financial and Operational Management 20.Under the guidance of the Head of Social Protection, maintain strong oversight over budget planning, utilization, and reporting in line with donor requirements 21.Ensure compliance with WFP and partner procedures and standards 22. Manage risks and ensure timely mitigation actions QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Education Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Economics, Development Economics, Public Policy, Social Protection, Labor Economics, or a related field Experience •At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in social 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 employment programmes in complex settings. • Strong experience working with Iraqi government institutions, particularly MoLSA/SPA • Proven experience implementing institutional capacity strengthening programmes with government institutions, focusing on strengthening government systems and human resource capacities • Experience developing training materials/manuals and delivering Trainings of Trainers (TOTs) on economic empowerment, livelihoods or employment-related topics Familiarity with social research methodologies and experience managing programmes with robust evaluation components. • Proven track record in multi-stakeholder coordination including with UN agencies, IFIs, donors, and government counterparts. • Familiarity with Iraqi context Knowledge & Skills • Understanding of Agenda 2030 and respective targets – particularly SDG1, SDG2 and SDG17 - and how the work of WFP can contribute to achieving them; • Understanding of WFP’s mandate, Country Strategic Planning process, intervention modalities, programme and project lifecycle tools, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation desirable. • Knowledge of current thinking and developments in the field of social protection and economic empowerment; • Knowledge of key national and regional contexts and issues; • Problem solving and decision-making skills; • Ability to develop and maintain relationships with a variety of stakeholders, conveying an informed and professional demeanour toward internal and external partners and stakeholders; • Ability to work independently in a timely and organised manner; • Ability to work as part of a team, participating in open dialogues and valuing diverse opinions of others, regardless of gender, culture, background, experience, or country assignment. • Strong writing skills with the ability to author reports, briefs and policy papers. • Proficient computer literacy. Languages •Fluency (oral and written) in English and Arabic is required. WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission. Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: global.inclusion@wfp.org NO FEE DISCLAIMER The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web. REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel. We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application. If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply. At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process. All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks. No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service. 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It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status, physical or mental disability. The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change. Read more about WFP’s history here, and WFP’s mission here Want to hear what it’s like working for WFP? Check out our newsletter highlighting the career stories of our passionate staff here: Pathway to WFP | LinkedIn Integrity, collaboration, commitment, humanity, inclusion. These values inspire everything we do every day, allowing us to work towards a world with zero hunger. You can read more about the values here. Our behaviour guides us in how we accomplish our mission. All WFP employees are expected to demonstrate the standards of behaviour described in the WFP Leadership Framework. Learn more about the WFP Leadership Framework here. WFP is aware of fictitious employment offers being circulated via email or originating from online job boards. Many of these schemes consist of an alleged offer of employment or contract with WFP in return for the payment of fees or providing personal or banking information. Read more.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Economic Empowerment Pathways pilot, focusing on government capacity strengthening and the implementation of livelihood interventions. Coordinate with government entities and sectoral partners to ensure the pilot's alignment with national systems and the generation of evidence for scale-up.