Project Officer

MISSION DESCRIPTION Expertise France (EF) is looking for a Project Officer based in Baghdad to implement the Iraq Archives project, which aims to safeguard and valorize the film and audiovisual archives held by the Leading Committee for the Iraqi Visual Memory. Years of crisis in Iraq have caused profound damage to the country, including its infrastructure and historical heritage. Part of the cinema and media archives has been preserved under rudimentary conditions, accelerating their deterioration. However, these archives constitute a highly valuable historical and symbolic heritage. The project intends to train identified Iraqi cultural professionals in the techniques of managing and valorising audiovisual and films archives. Under the responsibility of the head office of Expertise France in Paris (Heritage and Culture division from the Sustainable and Inclusive Economy department), the Project Officer ensures the overall coordination and operational implementation of the project activities. Based in Baghdad, he/she will be responsible for the supervision and coordination of the project in close collaboration with a senior expert as well as short-term experts. He/she will also work closely with the project manager following the project from Paris headquarters team.

The main responsibilities of the position, and the core competencies required include:

1/ Operational management

 Represent Expertise France locally with the project’s institutional partners;

 Coordinate the overall project activities;

 Ensure the coherence of the programming of activities in relation to the contractual objectives of the project, in relation with EF headquarters;

 Coordinates the implementation of the activities and the respect of the operational planning and calendar;

 Coordinates contractual reporting to the donor: ensure the follow-up of deliverables, participates in the preparation of the financial report,

 Write terms of reference (TOR) for the experts mobilized in close collaboration with the senior expert and manage the related consultancy assignments;

 Ensure quality control of project deliverables.

2/ Management of the professionals trained in the assessment and inventory of archive collections as well as the cleaning, repairing, digitizing, and digital restoration of archives

 Supervise and accompany the professionals who will be trained in the framework of the project with the support of INA (the French National Institut for Audiovisual) and the senior expert

 Participate in the assessment of the trainees’ progresses

 Be the point of contact for the trainees during the entire program 2  Participate in the creation and updating of the archive database, the restoration and digitization of archives

3/ Administrative and financial reporting

 Monitor the project budget in close collaboration with the project manager based in Paris

 Ensures consistency between budgetary and operational planning

 Regularly reviews the commitments, disbursements and budget forecasts for EF

 Conduct in collaboration with the project manager in Paris the internal reporting on the project: financial monitoring, forecasts and budget closure

 Follow-up of human ressources (timesheets, invoicing, etc.)

4/ Institutional and partner relations, governance and reporting

 Contribute to the proper conduct of institutional relations with partners and stakeholders in line with the project’s objectives;
 Ensure the proper circulation of information related to the project and integrate each player in a relevant and balanced way, according to their respective roles;

 Organize and facilitate Steering Committee (COPIL) meetings, and ensure that these governance bodies are as constructive and effective as possible in achieving project results.

5/ Managing communication / project visibility

 Represent EF in events;

 Participate in the elaboration and implementation of the communication strategy to promote the project PROJECT OR CONTEXT DESCRIPTION The Culture and Heritage Division of Expertise France Expertise France (EF), the French agency for international technical cooperation, coordinates and implements projects on a national or regional scale in the main areas of public action. It operates as a subsidiary within the Agence française de développement Group. The Culture and Heritage Division of Expertise France plays a crucial role in not only safeguarding and restoring cultural heritage but also in effectively promoting local touristic and commercial assets. These efforts are aimed at enhancing the overall quality of life for local residents. Committed to strengthening the institutions of partner countries, supporting the transformation of organizations, and enhancing the skills of cultural and heritage actors, EF leverages local and international technical expertise, both from the public and private sectors in order to foster peer-to-peer dialogue, encourage know-how transfer activities and provide innovative and tailored made solutions. Through its role as an implementing agency, Expertise France has a broad multi-partner network of universities, training centers, national museums, cultural institutions and ministries, heritage architects, as well as experts in preservation, restoration, and digitization affiliated with local or international NGOs. 3 The Iraq Archives Project The Iraq Archives Project aims to safeguard and valorize the film and audiovisual archives held by the Leading Committee for the Iraqi Visual Memory. Years of crisis in Iraq have caused profound damage to the country, including its infrastructure and historical heritage. Part of the cinema and media archives has been preserved under rudimentary conditions, accelerating their deterioration. However, these archives constitute a highly valuable historical and symbolic heritage. Iraq lacks the expertise in the restoration and digitization of audiovisual archives as well as the necessary equipment. The project intends to train identified Iraqi cultural professionals in the techniques of managing and valorizing audiovisual and films archives. The project is divided into 3 components: o Component

1: Training Iraqi professionals in the assessment and inventory of archive collections. o Component

2: Training Iraqi professionals in cleaning, repairing, digitizing, and digital restoration of archives. o Component

3: Dissemination and promotion of these archives through the organization of an archive film festival in Baghdad. The project is designed to be implemented over a period of 30 months. The French National Audiovisual Institute (INA) has already been identified as a scientific partner for the program.

REQUIRED PROFILE

– Master’s degree or equivalent in audiovisual archive conservation or film/audiovisual production, with knowledge of reels and VHS media

– Pedagogical skills and ability to facilitate training sessions

– Proven experience in the field of international cooperation and project management

– Good understanding of the project management cycle, focusing on key performance indicator (KPI) tracking, reporting, and knowledge management

– Mandatory fluency in Arabic and English (written and spoken)

– Good Computer Literacy: English Typing, Email Communication, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Excel

– Excellent interpersonal communication skills; coordination, networking and liaison with public and private sector partners

The position is based in Baghdad and ONLY for candidates holding a valid residency and work permit in Iraq.

Application deadline: 2024/06/05

Starting date: June 2024 Document(s) to be submitted: cover letter and detailed recent CV

Please submit your application via the following link: https://expertise-france.gestmax.fr/11173/1/projectofficer-iraq-archives-h-f/en_US

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Expertise France reserves the right to close the announcement prior to the stated deadline.

Applications are screened on a rolling basis