Administration Associate (Protocol and Security Liaison)

The election law of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I) provides that parliamentary elections be held every four years, with a minimum of 30% of the 111 seats are reserved for women. 

Since the establishment of the KR-I, there have been five parliamentary elections, in 1992, 2005, 2009, 2013 and the last one was held on Sept. 30, 2018, electing the regional parliament for a four-year term. Over one million people participated in the vote, recording a turnout of 59%, the lowest in the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) history and a sharp decline from the 74% turnout recorded in 2013.  

In light of the disagreements between Kurdish political parties and parliamentary blocs over the current elections law preventing a new elections to be held on time, on 9 October 2022, the Kurdistan Parliament voted to extend the current four-year legislative term of the regional parliament for one more year, until October 2023, giving more time for the region and KHEC to build its capacity and move forward with electoral preparations. Over the past year, the status of KHEC remained unclear. Efforts were made to renew KHEC’s mandate, but no consensus was reached regarding its renewal. 

On 30 May 2023, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court ruled that the extension of the Kurdistan Parliament’s term for one year is “unconstitutional”, declaring the termination of the Kurdish legislature. 

Following the court’s ruling, the Kurdistan region now lacks legitimate institutions, hence the KRG and Kurdistan presidency are considered caretakers until new elections are held, and IHEC rather than KHEC are to oversee the next election. Initially, a decree issued by the Kurdistan Region Presidency on 26 March 2023 had scheduled the elections for 18 November 2023. However, amid ongoing political discussions between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the two major political parties in KRG, the elections have been postponed until 2024. In August 2023, the KR Presidency announced 25 Feb 2024 as the date for Kurdistan regional elections

The Admin Associate - Protocol and Security Liaison Associate will report to the Senior Project Manager.

The position is located at the Office of Electoral Affairs in the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), with duty station in Baghdad. The incumbent will be working closely with the Office of Electoral Affairs in the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) supporting the preparations for the upcoming elections.

• Support the security expert regular updates on potential changes in national security regulations to OEA structures as required, ensuring inputs are submitted in an efficient and timely manner.

• Support the security expert by following up with all relevant national authorities, including the MOFA and MOI, to ensure constant support from the same in obtaining all needed in and out-of-country travel clearances for the members of the team and wider UN if needed.

• Support the coordination and follow-up with all relevant authorities to ensure the provision of technical, logistics, and good office assistance are provided and all documents are processed in a fast and accurate manner.

• Assist the UNAMI team in identifying the timeframe needed for managing all processes related to in and out-of-country travel clearances and security processes to ensure smooth processing of the same.

• Liaise and follow up as necessary with Government bodies and officials to ensure smooth process of security clearances.

• Assist in the logistics operations of the UN electoral support team, ensuring smooth and timely onboarding of its members;

Education

• A first-level university degree in Political Science, International Relations, business or public administration, or related area.

Work Experience 

• A minimum of two years of relevant experience in managing security-related matters in an electoral environment;

• Demonstrated ability to work as a team member in a changing, and often, highly pressured and busy work environment.

• Superior client-service skills, composure, and cultural sensitivity when interacting with counterparts of various backgrounds.

• Previous experience of complex inter-agency relations are desirable;

Language Requirements

• Fluency in Arabic (both oral and written) is required. 

• Knowledge of English is desirable

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• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• The contract is for 2 months only.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.