Near East Foundation (NEF)

Job Announcement

Title: International Team Leader

Reports to: Iraq Program Director

Location: Iraq

Travel: Frequent travel to project sites in Al Anbar province

Position contingent on funding. The anticipated start date is November 1, 2021.

The Near East Foundation (NEF) is seeking candidates for an International Team Leader for an anticipated GIZ development program focused on agricultural livelihoods, conflict, and economic development in Anbar, Iraq.

NEF is a non-profit international development organization that has supported livelihoods recovery and community-based economic development in the Middle East, Africa, and Caucasus since 1915. NEF draws on local teams, experience, and partnerships in these regions to create community-led solutions to improve livelihoods and local governance among conflict and crisis-affected groups, while maintaining neutrality and ensuring inclusiveness in our approach. Working through a network of country offices and local partners, NEF currently has operations in ten countries: Armenia, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Mali, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, and Syria. Our programs are organized around three themes: Inclusive Economic Development, Climate-resilient Development, and Stabilization and Peacebuilding.

Position Description

The International Team Leader is a key member of the Near East Foundation team in Iraq reporting to the Iraq Program Director.  The International Team Leader will oversee a development project that seeks to improve agricultural income in  Anbar Governorate. Working within NEF’s regional program structure, the International Team Leader will lead a team of technical and project management specialists in project delivery. The International Team Leader is responsible for overall leadership, administration, operations oversight, and management of the activity.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall responsibility for the project performance, team management, technical direction, administrative coordination, and financial and operations oversight;
• Ensuring the coherence and complementarity of the NEF services with other services delivered by the project at local and national level;
• Design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of capacity development measures for local partners in agricultural value chain development;
• Integrating cross-cutting themes, including gender mainstreaming, monitoring and evaluation, technology and innovation, capacity building and training into the project; 
• Staff management, in particular identifying the need for short-term assignments within the available budget, planning and managing the assignments and supporting local and international experts;
• Ensures that monitoring procedures are carried out;
• Oversee the timely and quality completion of all program technical and financial deliverables and reports (including quarterly, annual, and M&E reports) in accordance with the agreement and GIZ guidelines;

• Responsibility for checking the use of funds and financial planning in consultation with the officer responsible for the commission at GIZ;

• Work collaboratively with the project team and partners and coordinate closely with GIZ to develop and/or adapting the overall project strategy and direction and to develop and implement annual program work plans and performance milestones plans and in preparing a follow-on phase;
• Serve as primary project representative and contact point for GIZ, donors, and client relations;
• Work closely with the NEF program development team and other NEF teams to ensure a smooth and rapid start-up of the program;
• Adapt management systems in line with donor requirements and NEF operating procedures.

Qualifications

• University degree (bachelor’s/master’s) in agriculture, economics or related field;

• 10 years minimum of relevant professional experience in agricultural and rural development;
• 5 years of professional experience in (agricultural) value chain development;

• 5 years of management/leadership experience as project team leader or manager in a company;
• 3 years of work experience in the Middle East;
• 5 years of experience working on development cooperation projects;
• 5 years experience working in a humanitarian or post-conflict context;

• Experience in effective people and team management, including implementation of code of conduct, safeguarding and anti-corruption measures;
• Experience in managing the safety of staff and assets;
• Understanding of the concepts behind, and practical application of, humanitarian and development codes and standards such as Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability;
• Advanced proficiency in English (C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages);
• Basic proficiency in Arabic (A2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages);
• Ability to pass a comprehensive pre-employment background check.

NEF will accept a rolling application until the position is filled.  Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To apply:

Please apply by submitting the following documents to the Near East Foundation careers page at https://neareast.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=133&source=aWQ9MjE%3D

1. Cover letter outlining relevant experience and availability
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. List of three references (including one from current, or most recent, employer)

Applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Near East Foundation by visiting the NEF website at www.neareast.org.

The Near East Foundation promotes Equal Employment Opportunities for all applicants seeking employment and NEF employees.