Senior Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the lead United Nations agency focused on delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Established in 1969, UNFPA operates in over 150 countries and territories, employing approximately 4,000 staff members. The organization aims to address global challenges related to population and development, reproductive health, and gender equality, aligning its mission with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure that all individuals have access to essential health services and can exercise their rights.

Job Overview:
The Senior Consultant position at UNFPA Iraq is primarily focused on conducting a foundational study on Family Planning (FP) Financing and Public Financial Management (PFM) Integration. The consultant will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between Iraq's reproductive health policy goals and the financial mechanisms necessary for their implementation. This role involves mapping fiscal and administrative bottlenecks within the Iraqi public health system, facilitating technical dialogues between the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF), and developing a comprehensive, evidence-based roadmap for integrating family planning into the national budget. The consultant will be expected to adopt a three-phase approach to ensure compliance with PFM laws and to produce a strategic roadmap that aligns with Iraq's human capital development strategy.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for a variety of tasks, including:

• Developing a strategy for streamlined technical consensus among key stakeholders, including the FP Program and various departments within the MoH.
• Formulating an integrated Essential Health Service Package (EHSP) that outlines a three-level referral model for family planning services.
• Conducting a pilot implementation and normative costing in the Karkh Health Directorate, which includes operational tasking and dual-pillar budgeting.
• Preparing a negotiation dossier for the MoF that complies with PFM Law No. 6 of 2019, including an investment case demonstrating the efficiency of the proposed financial strategies.
• Engaging in targeted stakeholder workshops to facilitate consensus and conducting a bottom-up normative costing analysis.
• Performing legal and fiscal analyses to produce recommendations tailored to the Iraqi context.
• Ensuring ethical considerations are adhered to throughout the assessment process, particularly regarding sensitive financial information and the needs of marginalized populations.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s or PhD in Health Economics, Public Finance, or a related field. A minimum of 5 years of experience in public financial management reform, particularly in relation to Iraq’s Law No. 6 of 2019, is essential. Candidates should have deep technical knowledge of Article 26 of Law 22 of 2020 and experience in transitioning from line-item to program-based budgeting. Proven engagement with the Iraqi MoH Financial Planning Department at a high level is also required. Additionally, candidates should demonstrate integrity, cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to UNFPA's mandate.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Master’s or PhD in Health Economics, Public Finance, or a closely related field. This advanced education is crucial for understanding the complexities of public financial management and health economics, particularly in the context of Iraq's evolving health policies and fiscal frameworks.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in public financial management reform, specifically regarding Iraq’s Law No. 6 of 201

• Candidates should have a proven track record of high-level engagement with governmental financial planning departments and a deep understanding of the legal and fiscal landscape affecting health financing in Iraq.

Languages:
Fluency in oral and written English is mandatory for this position. Proficiency in Arabic or Kurdish is highly desirable, as it will facilitate direct engagement with government officials and stakeholders in Iraq.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy position is based in Baghdad, with required travel to Erbil (KRI) for consultations with the KRG Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance. The consultant will report bi-weekly to the UNFPA Iraq Deputy Representative and the Head of the SRHR Unit. The expected deliverables include an inception report, national treatment guidelines for family planning, a costing report for the Karkh pilot, a PFM-compliant budget request, and a final strategic roadmap. Local travel within Iraq is required, and all internal travel costs will be covered by UNFPA. The work environment at UNFPA promotes gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, encouraging applications from underrepresented groups.