Public Finance for Children Specialist, Baghdad, Iraq

General

Description of assignment title: Public Finance for Children Specialist

Assignment country: Iraq

Duty stations: Baghdad

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 08/02/2026

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

Sustainable Development Goal: 1. No poverty

Host entity: UNICEF

Modality: Onsite

Type: National

Volunteer category: Expert 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:

• The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) was established in 1946 by the United Nations General Assembly to provide humanitarian and development assistance to children worldwide. UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to protect the rights and well-being of every child, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.
• In Iraq, UNICEF works closely with federal and regional government institutions to strengthen policies, systems, and public investments that improve outcomes for children. Through its Social Policy Programme, UNICEF supports evidence generation, public finance reforms, social protection, and child-focused planning and budgeting to ensure that children are prioritized in public policies and resource allocation.
• This United Nations Volunteer (UNV) assignment is part of UNICEF Iraq's Public Finance for Children (PF4C) portfolio. The programme supports the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government in strengthening the effectiveness, efficiency, equity, and transparency of public spending for children. Key interventions include conducting public expenditure analyses, strengthening evidence-based budgeting and planning, generating data on child poverty and child-focused spending, and supporting government institutions to integrate child-sensitive approaches into public finance management systems.
• Key stakeholders include the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Kurdistan Regional Government institutions, sector ministries, development partners, academia, civil society organizations, and other national stakeholders engaged in public finance and social sector reforms.
• The UN Volunteer will contribute to the implementation of UNICEF's Public Finance for Children agenda by providing technical, analytical, coordination, and operational support to strengthen child-focused public finance policies and investments in Iraq.

Task description:

• Under the supervision of the Social Policy Specialist, the UN Volunteer will support the implementation of UNICEF's Public Finance for Children programme through the following responsibilities:
• Support Public Finance Analysis and Evidence Generation
• Support the planning, implementation, and dissemination of Social Protection Public Expenditure Reviews (SPER), Fiscal Space Analyses (FSA), Child-focused Public Expenditure Measurement (C-PEM) and other PF4C analytical products.
• Assist in data collection, data validation, literature reviews, stakeholder consultations, and preparation of technical inputs, presentations, and reports.
• Support the dissemination and utilization of evidence to inform policy dialogue, planning, budgeting, and resource allocation for children.
• Support the Implementation of UNICEF's PF4C Strategy
• Contribute to the implementation and monitoring of UNICEF Iraq's Public Finance for Children Strategy and annual workplans.
• Support engagement with government counterparts and development partners to promote child-sensitive planning, budgeting, and public finance reforms.
• Assist in tracking progress against strategic priorities, milestones, and agreed actions.
• Support Coordination, Partnerships, and Knowledge Management
• Facilitate internal and external coordination related to PF4C activities, including technical working groups, task forces, consultations, workshops, and high-level meetings.
• Prepare agendas, presentations, meeting minutes, and follow-up action trackers, ensuring timely implementation of agreed actions.
• Maintain effective communication and coordination with government institutions, UN agencies, development partners, consultants, and other stakeholders.
• Support Programme Management and Resource Monitoring
• Support the management and monitoring of section grants, partnerships, and programme resources.
• Track budget utilization, expenditures, workplan implementation, and grant performance, and provide regular updates to the section.
• Assist in the preparation of programme reports, donor updates, and internal monitoring documents.
• Coordinate with operations, supply, finance, and programme teams to facilitate timely implementation of activities and compliance with UNICEF procedures.
• Support Capacity Development and Advocacy
• Assist in organizing and facilitating trainings, workshops, and learning events aimed at strengthening government capacities in child-sensitive public finance and evidence-based policymaking.
• Support advocacy and knowledge-sharing efforts to promote increased and more equitable public investments for children.
• Other Duties
• Perform any other programme, coordination, analytical, operational, or administrative tasks as required to support the effective implementation of UNICEF's Public Finance for Children programme.

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 7 years

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

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience:

• 7 years

Languages:

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

Required education level:

• Bachelor's degree in Economics, Public Finance, Public Policy, Development Economics, Statistics, or Public Administration

Competencies and values:

• 1 Builds and maintains partnerships
• 2 Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• 3 Innovates and embraces change
• 4 Drive to achieve results for impact
• 5 Manages ambiguity and complexity
• 6 Thinks and acts strategically Nurtures, leads and manages people
• 7 Works collaboratively with others
• Care, respect, integrity, trust, accountability and sustainability

Skills and experience:

• Experience in public management and budget allocations or other relevant programmes; experience working in the UN or other international development organization is an asset;
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills;
• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; cultural and social sensitivity; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;
• Self-motivated and proactive, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
• Sound security awareness;
• Have affinity with or interest in public finance and public policy

Area(s) of expertise:

• Economics and finance, Social work

Driving license:

• -

Other information