PROSPECTS Coordination Associate, Erbil, Iraq

General

Description of assignment title: PROSPECTS Coordination Associate

Assignment country: Iraq

Duty stations: Erbil

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 05/02/2026

Duration: 12 months(with possibility of extension)Long-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal: 17. Partnerships for the goals

Host entity: UNICEF

Modality: Onsite

Type: National

Volunteer category: Associate UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule: Full-time

Number of Assignments: 1

Details

Mission and objectives:

• UNICEF has a long-term commitment to Iraq's children and young people, with the first formal cooperation agreement signed with the Government in 1963. UNICEF works in close partnership with the Federal through established Cooperation Agreements. UNICEF has a broad geographic presence in the country with four offices located in Basra, Baghdad, Erbil and Dohuk. UNICEF collaborates with UN agencies, international and national NGO partners to meet the humanitarian and development needs of most vulnerable children and young people.
• In recent years, UNICEF's work to support the unique needs of young people has gained momentum, as the challenges facing them have come more sharply into view. UNICEF is committed to deliver for all children and young people through its overall impact goal of 'realizing the rights of every child, especially the most disadvantaged. The UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2018−2021 recognizes the whole spectrum of young people, including young adults or youth over 18, and includes in its Change Strategies "supporting young people and children as agents of change." Taking its cue from the strategic plan, the Global Communication and Advocacy Strategy 2019−2021 (GCAS) asserts the important role that young people can play in the successful realization of UNICEF's mandate, and outlines the need to listen to, co-create and collaborate with young people and create meaningful engagement opportunities for them to make a difference. Being important drivers of change, children and young people are essential partners and contributors to both the development and implementation of UNICEF's Strategic Plan 2022 2025. With a new and ambitious SP, UNICEF intends to be deliberate and committed in fully involving children and young people in creating the solutions to accelerate the realization of the SDGs and driving change forward.

Context:

• UNICEF Iraq implements integrated, multi-sectoral interventions under the PROSPECTS partnership, supported by the Government of the Netherlands, together with partners. PROSPECTS aims to improve the medium- to long-term prospects of forcibly displaced persons and host communities across four pillars: Education and Learning; Livelihoods and Employment; Protection and Inclusion; and Critical Infrastructure.
• In Iraq, PROSPECTS interventions are implemented through multiple partners and across sectors, requiring strong coordination, shared learning, and clear articulation of collective results. There is a growing need to strengthen field-level coordination across pillars, systematic knowledge management, and coherent storytelling that demonstrates how PROSPECTS contributes to youth inclusion, social cohesion, and resilience.
• Within this context, the PROSPECTS Coordination Youth UN Volunteer will support UNICEF to enhance coordination with PROSPECTS partners, strengthen cross-pillar coherence, document and synthesize results, and contribute to building a clear and consistent narrative of PROSPECTS achievements in Iraq, with a particular focus on adolescents and young people.

Task description:

• Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Specialist (Erbil) complemented by the Partnership Specialist, with technical guidance from relevant programme sections, the UN Volunteer Associate will undertake the following tasks:
• - Support coordination and information-sharing across PROSPECTS pillars and partners, including initiatives related to learning, skills development, participation, and climate-responsive engagement, to support coherent delivery of PROSPECTS activities at the field level. This will include preparation of UNICEF coordination meetings, consolidation of inputs, and follow-up on agreed actions.
• - Support monitoring, documentation, and reporting on programme activities, lessons learned, and good practices emerging from PROSPECTS, including tracking implementation progress and consolidating basic data.
• - Support the development of clear, coherent narratives and stories that illustrate PROSPECTS results, pathways of change and youth impact, for learning, partner coordination, and donor visibility.
• - Work collaboratively with UNICEF programme sections to support the alignment and integration of activities across PROSPECTS pillars.
• - Support administrative and operational activities for meetings, field activities, workshops, and other programme-related tasks, as required.

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 1 month

Nationality: Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience:

• 1 year

Languages:

• English, Level: Working knowledge, Required
• Arabic, Level: Working knowledge, Required
• Kurdish, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Required education level:

• Secondary education

Competencies and values:

• (1) Builds and maintains partnerships (1)
• (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)
• (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (2)
• (4) Innovates and embraces change (1)
• (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)
• (6) Thinks and acts strategically (2)
• (7) Works collaboratively with others (2)

Skills and experience:

• - Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations.
• - Self-motivation and ability to adapt professionally in a challenging environment and work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel
• - Proficient digital skills to deliver the assignment, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet.
• - Demonstrate UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS)
• This opportunity is open only to:
• Refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and migrants aged between 20-32
• Individuals facing barriers to education-to-employment pathways due to displacement or migration.

Candidates must be based in the country of assignment and legally eligible to work.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

Area(s) of expertise:

• Community development

Driving license:

• -

Other information