STTA Oversight and Accountability Specialist

STTA Oversight and Accountability Specialist

Fulltime- short term contract
June 24, 2021
July 07, 2021

Introduction

The purpose of the Iraq Governance and Performance Accountability (IGPA) project is to advance effective, accountable, and transparent governance in Iraq. This USAID effort, implemented by DAI, will work with the Government of Iraq (GOI) at all levels to better respond to citizen needs by supporting reform initiatives and Iraqi change agents on inclusive governance and public sector transparency, accountability, and economy. “Reform initiatives” include support to improve service delivery functions, public financial management, and open government initiatives. IGPA will support the GOI and the citizens of Iraq in forming partnerships and collaborative efforts to solve problems jointly. IGPA has four (4) objectives:

1. Enhance GOI service delivery capacity
2. Improve public financial management
3. Strengthen monitoring and oversight of service delivery and public expenditure
4. Support Iraqi change agents (cross-cutting objective)

Background

IGPA/Takamul works closely with stakeholders in Ninewa on enhancing the communication between the provincial government and citizens, promoting the role of the citizen in monitoring the delivery of essential public services (including but not limited to water and solid waste) and building trust between the public and provincial governments. 

The Oversight and Accountability Specialist will manage the implementation process for the mentioned activities in coordination with IGPA/Takamul technical staff.

Objective

The STTA will support implementation of two activities in IGPA/Takamul’s approved work plan. Specific objectives related to each activity are included below:

3.1.16 - Establish coordination board to coordinate and harmonize CSOs’ efforts. 

Through this activity IGPA will: 1) Establish CSO coordination boards at the provincial level and identify opportunities for regular interventions, 2) Build the capacity of CSOCB members and Secretariat to help coordinate and report on CSO activity in their provinces, 3) Ensure that citizen interests are represented and cultivate mutual trust and coordination between government and CSOs. The objective of this activity is to strengthen CSO coordination efforts and strengthen the relationship between CSOs and provincial governments.

3.2.7- Develop a system to follow-up or track citizen complaints and government response.

The overarching goal of this this activity is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the provincial government in responding to citizen concerns in Ninewa province. Increasing government responsiveness to citizen concerns builds increased confidence in governance – something lacking in today’s Iraq. Through this activity IGPA will: 1) Refine and scale up a system to follow-up or track citizen complaints, 2) Build the capacity of the Citizens’ Affairs Departments’ staff to address and respond to citizens’ concerns, 3) Increase citizen trust in governance by improving government responsiveness.

Specific Tasks of the Consultancy

The main purpose of this Consultancy is to support Objective 3 management in implementing the above activities in coordination with technical staff. The consultant will also assist with the overall objectives of Objective 3 and will coordinate with provincial government, the IGPA finance and operation teams, and Objective 3 staff to achieve the planned tasks.

A. TASKS/DETAILED REQUIREMENTS

Task 1: Reporting of INGO/CSO activity.

The selected consultant will support the CSOCB Secretary Board by adapting a reporting system that has been developed by IGPA/Takamul to the Ninewa context and ensuring that the system is operationalized by the CSOCB Secretary Board. The system will support the CSOCB Secretary in collecting information on INGO and CSO activities, needs and suggestions. The consultant will also develop procedures, appropriate for Ninewa and in consultation with relevant bodies, for the CSOCB to communicate updates to provincial CSOs and governors’ offices. The consultant will support the CSOCB in developing these formats and provide follow- on consultation to ensure that the Board and CSO offices are effectively reporting activities. The selected consultant should work closely with IGPA/Takamul Objective 3 management to achieve this task. Specific tasks required to accomplish this include:

1. Hold in person meetings with CSOCB members to understand current reporting procedures and requirements.

2. Provide recommendations to improve and build on existing reporting requirements and support the development of reporting forms that enable CSOs to report on their activities.

3. Meet with the CSOCB, preferably in person but virtually if COVID-19 or security restrictions do not enable in person meetings, to discuss findings and recommendations.

4. Finalize reporting system based on feedback and findings.

5. Provide ongoing consultation support through meetings to support continued use of new reporting system.

Task 2: Assessment of the current complaints system in Ninewa.

The selected consultant will work closely with the Citizen Affairs Department to identify the status of the current complaint system and implement a new process map for all aspects of the system. He\She will complete the following:

1. Hold a meeting with the Citizens Affairs Department in Ninewa to gather information about the functional processes of the existing complaint system and to assess the current capacities of staff. The information collected should help inform the consultant about the current operations of the citizen complaints system, what is and is not working, what staff are involved in the system, and what capacity building could help the staff to better utilize the complaints system.

2. Hold a meeting(s) (as needed) to analyze the gathered information. The consultant will review the existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and develop a revised procedure that addresses any problems identified under sub-task 1 above. The consultant will also develop explanations for staff to understand how to best implement the SOPs.

3. Hold a meeting with representatives from the Citizen Affairs Department to share the findings with the Citizen Affairs Department in Ninewa and collect recommendations from the Citizen Affairs Department for further improvements to the SOPs and explanation documents.

4. Based on inputs from the Citizen Affairs Department, the consultant will finalize the findings and recommendations into a report and develop a plan for capacity building required to implement the revamped complaints system.

5. Present the final SOPs, with all required inputs, to the stakeholder and implement an on-the-job training plan required to upgrade the system.

Task 3: Draft final report.

The final report must include a detailed description of the consultant’s work on each task, as well as include a detailed lessons learned section that captures the successes and challenges of the activity. This section should identify best practices that can be shared and replicated across future activities and include an analysis describing implementation or planning challenges, with recommendations for overcoming these challenges in the future. The Final Report will be not more than 15 pages long, written in both Arabic and English language.

ACTIVITY LOCATION

This activity will support the Objective 3 component in Ninewa with a possibility to travel to Anbar.

How to apply: You can address your application to: IGPArecruitment@dai.com Your application will not be taken into consideration if you do not insert the position title in subject line of your e mail. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. This position is for Iraqi nationals only.

DETAILED DELIVERY/PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The duration of the implementation of this SOW is (12) weeks from the date the contract is signed.

Requirements of this Statement of Work – as per deliverables included in the table below:

Required Qualifications:

The STTA must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• BS/BA and 3 years of work experience
• Experience working with civil society on advocacy campaigns
• Experience working with social media to undertake advocacy campaigns
• Prior experience working on USAID programs preferred
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills
• The ability to think creatively and be proactive in program design and management
• Fluency in English and Arabic required
• Demonstrated experience developing relationships and working collaboratively with provincial government agencies and local organizations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of civil society, media, and political and social contexts in Iraq.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, oral, and written communications skills.
• Self-motivated and well organized.