Job Identification : 13578

Locations : Iraq Home Based

Posting Date : 10/11/2023, 11:03 AM

Apply Before : 10/25/2023, 11:03 AM

Job Schedule : Full time

Agency : UNDP

Grade : IPSA-11

Vacancy Type : International Personnel Service Agreement

Practice Area : Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights

Bureau : Regional Bureau for Arab States

Contract Duration : 1 Year

Education & Work Experience : Master’s Degree – 7 year(s) experience OR Bachelor’s Degree – 9 year(s) experience

Required Languages : Excellent written and spoken English language skills are essential

Desired Languages : Arabic or Kurdish language skills are considered a strong asset

Vacancy Timeline

2 Weeks

Mobility required/no mobility

no mobility required

Job Description

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The UNDP Iraq Country Office, with generous funding from INL, implements a new project with the following name: “A Unified Approach to Countering Illicit Finance: Expanding the Impact of Iraq’s Financial Intelligence Unit” (hereinafter the AML-CFT project).

The project started in December 2022 and will last for 24 months. The project supports the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML-CFT) Office which functions as Iraq’s financial intelligence unit (FIU). The strength and effectiveness of the FIU directly impacts the level and quality of AML-CFT criminal enforcement. The AML-CFT Office is located within the Central Bank of Iraq in Baghdad.

Technical support will also be provided to improve the analytical and investigative capabilities of the AML-CFT Unit and Money Laundering Investigation Department of the MoI of the Kurdistan Region, to ensure that the AML-CFT Office operates as an effective financial intelligence unit and has personnel qualified to conduct outside training, and encourage improved quantity and quality of suspicious transaction reporting to the AML-CFT Office.

The AML-CFT enforcement regime – prevention and repression – is a whole-of-Iraq effort. Following UNDP’s programme, the AML-CFT Office and the MOI AML-CFT Unit of KRG will demonstrate a unified approach to countering illicit finance. The AML-CFT Office will improve its training capabilities, and expand its impact geographically, legislatively, and cooperatively. Developing a wide-ranging AML-CFT Office, with a consistently high level of expertise, under one legal framework, working collaboratively with operational and other government partners is an ambitious undertaking. This program further supports UNDP’s ongoing efforts focused on financial investigation techniques training and workshops for law enforcement and the judiciary.

Over a 24-month period of performance, the UNDP will make serious endeavours to reach the following aims:

•  Encourage the KRG to implement the Federal AML-CFT Law (No. 39) of 2015 or, if the KRI insists to adopt its own law, provide support during the drafting of the law and its implementation to ensure that the mandate of the KRI AML-CFT Unit is harmonized and compatible with the competences of the AML-CFT Office of the Federal Central Bank and with FATF Recommendations, by demonstrating the value of “one fight” against illicit finance activities. Through the work in this program, KRG entities, including KMOI, all understand the role of the FIU, reporting requirements, and recognize the authority of the CBI, particularly concerning financial intelligence.
•  Expand the reach of the AML-CFT Office, Iraq’s FIU, including by designating officials as liaison officers and enhancing their capacities.
•  Identify, disrupt, and dismantle illicit finance activities by implementing consistent and modern private sector compliance, regulatory and investigative techniques, including through improved collection and analysis of suspicious transaction reports (STRs) and the creation and use of STR Review Teams improving collaboration among the FIU, the judiciary, and law enforcement, anti-corruption and auditing agencies, leveraging Iraq’s implementation of goAML.
•  Reduce the impact of illicit finance activities and improve STR and currency reporting compliance by developing a broad “early warning system” through strategic training partnerships with Iraqi government institutions, including the Federal and KRG Real Estate Registry Offices, the Business Registration Authority, Ministry of Planning, Taxation Offices, the Customs Authority and other agencies supporting investigation and prosecution, to improve the quantity and quality of reporting.

UNDP, therefore, has identified the requirement to hire an Financial Intelligence Specialist to become part of a team of qualified anti-money laundering and countering of financing of terrorism specialists under the supervision of the Anti-Money Laundering Project Leam Leader based in Baghdad and the overall guidance and oversight of the UNDP SSR/RoL Senior Technical Specialist on Criminal Justice in the implementation of the above project activities in close collaboration with the AML/CFT Office. Due to the unique characteristics of this assignment, it is vital that the applicant must have in-depth knowledge or previous experience in investigations of illicit finance activities in Iraq or similar context.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the overall guidance of the Security Sector Reform/Rule of Law Programme Manager and direct supervision of the Lead Anti-Money Laundering Specialist – AML/CFT, the Financial Intelligence Specialist is expected to achieve the afore-mentioned deliverables during the contract period.

The Financial Intelligence Specialist will work together with other specialists of the AML/CFT project headed by a Team Leader of the AML/CFT Project and be required to engage closely with the UNDP Sr. Technical Specialist Criminal Justice, the experts’ team of the parallel Financial Investigation Project and the rest of the UNDP SSR/RoL team under the overall guidance of the SSR Programme Manager. The assignment will be conducted under the auspices of UNDP’s ‘Support to Security and Justice Sector Governance’ programme of work.

Duties and Responsibilities

The work will be Home-based with frequent travel to Baghdad, within Iraq and the KRI to assist the project in providing support to partners and to conduct training.

The “Financial Intelligence Specialist” is initially required to be in Iraq for the necessary inception duration to engage with the team & key stakeholder (FIU) involved in the project. Later, the “Financial Intelligence Specialist” is requested to work remotely and deliver findings related to the tasks (mentioned below) in due time, additionally with physical presence in Iraq on short term missions when deemed essential and to be decided upon.

The Financial Intelligence Specialist will work in close collaboration with the other experts of the project, to deliver the following tasks:

•  Provide technical support to the FIU to enhance their analytical capabilities and build policies and procedures in support of a professional development regime within the FIU. Work will include Developing a Guidance Note on Drafting Strategic Analysis Products (descriptive reports, typologies and trend reports), in line with FATF recommendations and the MENAFATF mutual evaluation outcomes.
•  Contribute to the development and delivery of technical assistance, mentoring and training to the central AML/CFT Office and its national partner agencies in areas of illicit financial flows and AML/CFT law enforcement, prosecutions, financial investigations, criminal asset forfeiture, capacity building for financial intelligence units, and cooperation with private and NGO sectors by liaising closely with relevant institutions in Iraq, Kurdistan Region and the Middle East
•  Assist the AML-CFT Office’s Financial Analysis Department and Training and Development Division in identifying the specific research and investigative skills and level of performance needed for financial intelligence professionals, have well planned and an up-to-date training curriculum and materials, have knowledge and skills-based testing for new hires and continuing performance and promotion examination.
•  Assist Develop a Guidance Note on Drafting Strategic Analysis Products (descriptive reports, typologies and trend reports), in line with FATF recommendations and the MENAFATF mutual evaluation outcome.
•  Assist stakeholders on how to identify levels of performance held by financial intelligence professionals and on skills-based testing procedures pertaining to new hires, and continuing performance and promotion examinations for its financial intelligence professionals.
•  Ability to identify change management procedural issues which shall include the identification of any specific KRG management and enforcement concerns of the Federal or KRG AML-CFT Law, as well as requirements for information sharing arrangements (secure e-channels, SoPs), and to draft recommendations regarding the procedural measures that are required to be adopted and implemented
•  Review the current notification methods that are used to advise, notify and update the financial community and other designated non-financial businesses and practices (DNFBPs) that have a high level of AML-CFT risk (based on the results of the National Risk Assessment) to promote a culture of proactive filing among regulated sectors by using the statistical data of filings. Comparison should be made between the quantities and amounts of statistical data with the notification method. As a result, a set of notification models should be introduced. The report from the review will be used to inform the Communication Strategy.
•  Develop communication products to inform reporting entities of their obligations to report STRs, sanctions for failure to report and violations of the AML/CFT law
•  Support the process of identifying any technology software/hardware hindering STR submissions or analysis by FIU personnel through conduct of an assessment
•  Identify key performance indicators to monitor and assess the performance levels of the liaison officers and STR Review Teams to identify any causes of performance losses or gains and thus enhancing the quality and quantity of filed STR and using the information exchange as a preventive measure and intelligence source during investigations
•  Work with the FIU in conducting an analysis of current submission rates of STRs to the FIU, identifying trends, risk areas and heatmaps by using the statistical data provided. Working in partnership with the Iraqi FIU, the consultant will assist in establishing Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) effectiveness review teams, establish criteria for the team and provide guidance on publishing anonymised reporting to assist the regulated sector in closing regulatory gaps.
•  Work as a subject matter expert to assist the FIU in developing its capabilities and building public-private partnerships across the AML/CTF landscape.
•  Facilitate the development of an “early warning system” through strategic training partnerships with Iraqi government institutions to improve the quantity and quality of reporting of illicit finance operations by identifying Federal Iraq and KRG AML-CFT partners in the Real Estate Registry, the Business Registration Authority, Ministry of Planning, Banking and Business Associations, and the Customs Authority offices.
•  Any other related task as described in the Project Document and advised by Anti-Money Laundering Project Team Leader, the UNDP Criminal Justice Specialist and the SSR/RoL Programme Manager.

The role is part of a wider support to the AML/CFT office and the Financial Intelligence Specialist may be asked to assist in other linked projects as required by the AML Team Leader.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management: N/A

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies (insert up to 7 competencies)

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

Business Direction & Strategy

System Thinking

Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Direction & Strategy

Effective decision making

Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.

Business Management

Communication

Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.

Business Management

Result-based Management

Ability to manage a project with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results

Business Management

Working with Data and Evidence

Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.

Business Management

Change Management

Ability to prepare, support, and help individuals and teams in designing and implementing organizational goals.

Agenda 2030: People

Gender

Women, Peace, and Security

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Academic Qualifications/

Education

Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent degree) in the fields of accountancy, finance, law, criminology, or other subjects related to financial analysis, auditing, or investigations is required OR

A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Professional training with certification from a recognized international/national police, specialization in strategic and operational analysis, AML/CTF, criminal investigation would be an asset.

Minimum Years of relevant Work Experience

•  Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism in a Financial Intelligence Unit, central bank (or other supervisory authority), law enforcement agency, judiciary, the private sector or international organization is required
•  Experience in conducting national and sectoral AML/CFT risk assessments or providing policy prescriptions for AML/CFT systems
•  Experience in undertaking strategic and operational analysis relating to AML/CTF and creation of products in support.
•  Professional experience in subjects related to criminal investigations, financial investigations, asset recovery, anti-corruption, policing, international sanctions regimes and related investigations, criminology, justice and security, or other related and relevant subject areas at national and/or international level.

Required Skills and Competencies

•  Knowledge of AML/CFT, and proceeds of crime/asset forfeiture legislation, as well as the relevant international instruments and mandates of the UN and UNODC, and FATF.
•  Ability to analyse and create FIU specific reports relating to AML/CTF
•  Understanding and knowledge of the problem of illicit financial flows from crime and terrorism.
•  Knowledge of recommendations and the mutual evaluation process; and those of the FATF Style Regional Bodies.
•  Ability to assist in the development of professional training materials and the delivery of expert-level training courses.
•  Knowledge of AML/CFT legislation and implementation capacities in general and is able to apply them to the situation of other countries.

Desired additional skills and competencies

•  Previous international mission experience in capacity building, analysis and conducting assessments is desired
•  Previous international mission experience in related fields (e.g. justice, financial analysis and investigations) in the MENA region, and particularly in Iraq is considered a strong asset.
•  Experience in different legal systems, globally and in Iraq/the Arab world is considered a strong asset.

Required Language(s)

•  Excellent written and spoken English language skills are essential.
•  Arabic or Kurdish language skills are considered a strong asset.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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