Legal consultant 2-Short Term

SOW Title: Assist the Sewage Directorate in Transferring Functions from the GOs to the Sewage Directorates.                    

Estimated LOE: 100 working days

Job Classification: (1) Local STTA    

Reporting to: Service Improvement Lead               

Estimated Start Date: 02/July/2024

Estimated End Date:   19/Dec/2024

Duty Station: Baghdad with frequent travel to the other locations in Anbar, Najaf, and Basrah          

A. Project Background:

The USAID Iraq Together/Ma’an (معاً) activity, launched in November 2023, supports selected Iraqi government entities at the national, regional, provincial, and district level to improve service delivery performance through use of technology and process standardization while increasing the availability of and access to information, particularly related to public services. The activity also fosters improved and inclusive relationships and engagement between the Government and the communities they serve. The activity goal is more equitable, efficient, and sustainable public services. The activity’s objectives are:

1- Targeted Iraqi government entities are improved and are more inclusive in service delivery. The government improves service delivery through responding to citizens’ needs, consultation with citizens, improved transparency, and use of green practices technology.

2- Strengthened democratic and participatory governance of targeted Iraqi service delivery institutions. Citizen perception of government changes through increased participation in governance, improved access to government information, and stronger role of Iraqi NGOs in advocating for communities as well as increased public education regarding citizen roles and responsibilities.

3- Response to windows of opportunity for change. Gaps in expertise and information required to improve government service delivery and increase citizen participation are addressed.

 

Iraq Together/Ma’an utilizes an Accountability Ecosystems Approach grounded in inclusion and localization to improve service delivery and build trust. The approach mobilizes Iraqi government entities, civil society organizations, emerging civic movements, issue-based groups, media, and the private sector to co-create interventions. This approach allows diverse local partners to exercise their rights and responsibilities, learn by doing, analyze performance data, and scale what works. In this SOW The sewage directorates have limited financial, technical, and administrative functions which affects their overall performance.

B. Purpose:

The sewage directorates have limited financial, technical, and administrative functions which affects their overall performance. Ma’an will assist the sewage directorate to advocate for the transfer of decentralized functions from the governors’ offices (GOs) to the provincial sewage directorates (PSDs).

In cooperation with Ma’an team, the consultant will work with appropriate entities in the 4 targeted provinces and the Coordination Commission among Provinces (CCP) to establish a specialized team representing all relevant stakeholders, including key civic actors such as the private sector and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The consultant will conduct a workshop to support the specialized team in reviewing and analyzing the incomplete functions and identify the gaps in functions based on specific criteria. The consultant will work with the specialized team to formalize the transfer of functions and submit the final recommendations to improve the PSDs’ performance and ability to provide more inclusive, quality, and transparent services. The consultant will also support the PSDs in implementing the transferred functions through identifying the required skillset.

Upon the completion of the intervention, decentralized functions will be transferred to the sewage directorate level and citizen-based services will be easier to access.

C. Objectives:

The main objectives of the legal consultant are to:

• Support the PSDs and GOs staff in identifying the decentralized functions that need to be transferred to improve service delivery.
• Support the PSDs in exercising the transferred functions to improve sewage service delivery.

D. Responsibilities and Key Tasks of the Consultant:

Under this Scope of Work, the legal consultant shall perform the following tasks:

The Iraq Ma’an activity, in coordination with CCP, will provide support to the PSDs and GOs in targeted provinces to review the existing decentralized functions at the directorate level and GO level and will analyze the gaps to identify the additional functions that the sewage directorates require to improve the service delivery.  Upon completion of this review and analysis of existing functions, the consultant will support the transfer of functions from the governor to the PSDs to improve the performance and efficiency of service delivery. Finally, the consultant will support the PSDs in implementing the transferred functions. The consultant will also share the gap analysis report and recommendations with the CCP and relevant entities to assist in the transfer of the functions to PSDs in other provinces.  The consultant will encourage women and youth participation throughout the implementation of this intervention.

Under this Scope of Work, the legal consultant shall perform the following tasks:

– Task 1: Hold Introductory Meetings with Appropriate Entities to Introduce Ma’an’s Intervention and Obtain Buy-In and Form a Specialized Team.

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the consultant will hold meetings with relevant stakeholders to introduce Ma’an, the interventions, the outputs, and outcomes that will be achieved upon the completion of the intervention. The consultant will obtain buy-in from all the relevant stakeholders and will request the formation of a specialized team per a pre-defined selection criterion.

– Task 2: Conduct a Desk Review of Decentralization Functions Transferred to the GOs.

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the consultant will provide the specialized team with appropriate tools to collect all the transfer orders i.e. all functions and authorities transferred from the governor to the PSDs

– Task 3: Conduct Analysis to Identify Gaps in the Transferred Functions

The consultant will conduct a workshop to support the specialized team in reviewing and analyzing the incomplete functions and identify the gaps in functions and authorities based on specific criteria. It is important to assess gaps in the decentralization process with a focus on functions granted by governors and proposed recommendations.

– Task 4: Finalize the Transfer of Function to the PSDs.

The consultant will work with the specialized team to finalize the transfer of functions and submit the final recommendations to the governor for approval.

– Task 5: Support to the PSDs in Implementing the Transferred Functions.

After obtaining the governor’s approval on the transferred functions, the consultant will support the PSDs in implementing the transferred functions through identifying the required skillset.

– Task 6: Develop the Final Report.

The legal consultant will develop a final comprehensive report including all supporting documents developed during the implementation of the intervention. The report will include a general description of gap analysis and the proposed recommendations. The report will highlight achievements and results accomplished for each task, next steps, challenges, lessons learned, and proposed future interventions (if any). The report should be submitted in Arabic and English.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in law or or equivalent; master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of seven (7) years’ experience in the related technical areas.
• Strong analytical and research skills, including access to information.
• Expertise in result‐based management, and capacity building is also important.
• Proven track record of managing similar projects, including upgrading the organizational structure of service delivery institutions.
• Minimum four (4) years’ experience with a USAID or other donor funded projects is strongly preferred.
• Overall Iraq contextual knowledge with demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with stakeholders.
• Clear and concise communication approach both orally and in writing, and lead presentations, trainings, and effective meetings with stakeholders.
• Excellent report writing skills
• Full professional proficiency in Arabic is required and good English language skills is desired.

Duty Station:

The Local STTA legal consultant will be based in Baghdad with travel to various locations in Anbar, Najaf, and Basrah. Under this SOW, Ma’an activity will cover all other indirect implementation costs, including air and ground transportation, and phone communications. This position is open to Iraqi nationals residing in Iraq.

 

Application Instructions:

To apply please fill out this form: Iraq Together Job Application Form (smartsheet.com)

 

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.  

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Position closes upon candidate selection. Early submissions encouraged for best consideration.