Senior Coordinator – National – urgent

The Agence française de Développement (AFD) has set up a dedicated financing instrument for peace and resilience in the Middle East, called the Minka Middle East Initiative. This instrument finances projects aiming at increasing living conditions and access to essential services of crisis-affected population. These projects should also contribute to build trust between State and society and reduce tensions between communities.

In Mosul, AFD aims at launching activities in the newly rehabilitated MRCC established within and under the leadership of the University of Mosul. This project proposal received strong support from the Iraqi authorities and stakeholders met on AFD’s first mission in the health sector in Iraq, during the second quarter of 2019.

AFD expressed interest to participate in the final investments required to upgrade the current medical equipment and ensure the proper functioning of this site with a granted amount of 10 million euros. AFD would finance the acquisition, maintenance and/or repair of medical equipment and infrastructure. This may include small renovations as well as mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering to ensure the proper functioning of the material and equipment. AFD would also support the reinforcement of the MRCC management strategy, as well as training of medical, paramedical, and administrative personnel.

The overall objective of the project is to improve access to quality and accessible healthcare services for the population of Nineveh Governorate.

It breaks down into three specific objectives:

• To support the proper functioning of the newly rehabilitated Medical Research and Care Centers in Mosul University;
• To strengthen the capacity, skills and resources to attract and retain qualified employees of the Medical Research and Care Centers;
• To support the Mosul University’s management capacities to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.

A preliminary feasibility study was conducted between May and September 2021 by Expertise France through a team of technical experts in order to assess and define the needs in terms of rehabilitation and development of the Medical Research and Care Center (MRCC) of Mosul University, and to allow the design of a larger project in support of the MRCC that should be implemented in 2022. The specific objectives of this feasibility study were: 1) Assess the availability and proper use of the required equipment of the MRCC; 2) Assess the available Health human resources and planned governance mechanisms at the MRCC. The study resulted in a final report shared with AFD in September 2021 that included a list of strategic recommendations.

In order to define a comprehensive action plan within the framework of the future 2022 MRCC project funded by AFD, some of the recommendations from the feasibility study shall be completed by additional expertise. This will allow to accurately address the essential prerequisites for this project and to facilitate the elaboration of a complete strategy.

Expertise France is hiring a national Coordinator who will be in charge of coordinating these additional expertise from Erbil, liaising with national and local authorities and stakeholders.

Based in Erbil where Expertise France Office is located, the Coordinator will work under the supervision of the Health Department in Paris. She/He will work in close collaboration with the designated Project Manager, based in Paris, in order to implement the activities in Irak in line with the EF Health strategy. She/He will be accountable for the project deployment, operations related management, local office administration and official interactions with Irak representatives.

The Senior Coordinator will work closely with the Team Leader: an expert with international experience in the field of Health in charge of coordinating the experts’ technical Support activities for the project.

The Coordinator will carry on the following tasks:

Project management in coordination with the Team Leader and the project manager in Paris:

• Support the technical experts in the planning, implementation, monitoring of their activities
• Maintain a high level of communication within the technical experts,
• Set up regular update with EF project officer and the Team Leader.
• Support the timely production of expected deliverables and reports.

Project representation:

• Networking with relevant actors in Irak; developing and maintaining excellent working relationships with AFD – Agence Francaise de Development, the Ministry of Health, DoH and University of Mosul representatives;
• Facilitate local endorsement of decision taken and orientations given by the technical expert team;
• Representation of the project at high-level events related to the project themes.
• Lead the operations steering mechanisms, ensuring a full participation of local authorities and stakeholders,
• Contribution to the strategic and operational efficiency of the project
• Coordination and communication with any other relevant stakeholders.

Reporting and monitoring

• Collect contextual information related to activities deployment
• Report regularly to the EF Project Manager based in Paris on progress achieved and developments in the targeted fields of intervention;
• Provision of the first narrative report and participation to the final report of the technical team.
• Ensure proper and timely technical reporting in compliance with global internal and external reporting requirements and deliverables;
• Provide alternative suggestions, adjustments measures and comprehensive problem-solving detailed plans when required

Project development

• Prepare and develop a second phase of the project based on the initial and the complementary studies in coordination with national authorities and MRCC lead, EF Project Manager, Team leader and AFD.
• Draft a first version with a budget and planning activities

Security and Safety management

• The Coordinator will strictly follow the security guidelines provided the Security Director of Expertise France in Paris
• The Coordinator must provide EF Project Manager and Security Director both based in Paris any relevant information likely to have an impact on Security and Safety management of staff, materials and facilities without delay.