Project title: ‘’EU Facility supporting policy dialogue and technical assistance in Iraq’’

Brief description of the project: The specific objective of this assignment is to strengthen public institutions and develop capacities for policymaking, planning, and implementation in view of engaging with non-state actors, responding to citizens’ needs and contributing to general socio-economic development including domestic revenue mobilization. Within this framework, the purpose of this contract is to provide on-demand technical assistance open to all Government entities targeted by EU interventions in Iraq through EU Special Measures and the EU multi-annual indicative program 2021-2026, as well as technical assistance directly to the EU delegation and support to the EU delegation for policy dialogue.

The latter is a long-term € 4.5 million European Union (EU) funded initiative implemented under a service contract held with DAI Belgium, running from August 2022 to December 2026. The project focuses on strengthening the Iraqi public sector’s capacity to plan and deliver policy that is responsive to citizens’ needs and, in so doing, contribute to socio-economic development and a peaceful and just society. It does this through the provision of demand-driven technical assistance to EU cooperation, Government, and State actors on priority areas as articulated in the EU’s 2021-2027 Multi-annual Indicative Programme (MIP). These include strengthening policymaking and institutional capacity of key government institutions, the federal parliament, the judiciary, and civil society, along with cross-cutting support to responsive and conflict-sensitive EU programming. 
 

For an assignment: Comprehensive Assessment of Basic Education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Iraq

DAI is looking to recruit: NKE 2: SENIOR NON-KEY EXPERT: NATIONAL TVET EXPERT (LOCAL EXPERT)

ASSIGNMENT PURPOSE

The purpose of this assignment is to provide the European Union with a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of the Basic Education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sectors in Iraq. The assignment aims to generate a clear understanding of the current status, performance, and governance of these sectors, identify key challenges and systemic constraints, and highlight gaps that remain insufficiently addressed by government policies and donor interventions.
The assessment will support informed policy dialogue and strategic decision-making by identifying priority areas for reform, investment, and policy attention that can be pursued by the Government of Iraq and development partners, including the European Union. It will also assess the extent to which current and previous EU-funded interventions have contributed to improvements in access, quality, relevance, and outcomes in Basic Education and TVET.
In addition, the assignment seeks to strengthen data-driven programming by collecting and validating available sectoral statistics from relevant government institutions, thereby supporting evidence-based planning, monitoring, and reporting for future national and regional education and skills development initiatives.
 

ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVES

The overall objective of the assignment is to support evidence-based policy dialogue and programming by providing a clear and up-to-date understanding of Iraq’s Basic Education and TVET systems. The specific objectives are to:

• Assess the current performance, governance, and delivery of Basic Education and TVET in Iraq
• Identify key challenges, bottlenecks, and structural limitations from both government and donor perspectives
• Analyse the relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of existing policies, strategies, and regulatory frameworks
• Identify gaps not sufficiently addressed by current or previous interventions, including EU-funded actions
• Propose priority areas for reform, investment, and policy attention for government and development partners
• Collect and validate available quantitative data and statistics from government institutions to support data-driven programming and reporting.
   

SCOPE OF WORK
The assessment will cover two main components: 
(i) Basic Education and (ii) Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Basic Education (Primary and Lower Secondary)
The assessment of Basic Education will focus on the following dimensions:
 

• Access and Participation: enrolment rates, retention, dropout patterns, regional and governorate disparities
• Quality of Teaching and Learning: curricula relevance, pedagogy, assessment methods, student learning outcomes
• Learning Environment and Infrastructure: school facilities, classroom conditions, WASH facilities, post-conflict reconstruction needs
• Teacher Availability and Capacity: teacher supply, deployment, qualifications, training, and professional development
• Equity and Inclusion: gender disparities, rural–urban differences, displaced and vulnerable learners
• Policy and Regulatory Framework: legislation, national education strategies, sector plans, and implementation capacity
   

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
The assessment of TVET will examine:

• Accessibility and Attractiveness: participation levels, perceptions of TVET, pathways from basic education
• Labour Market Relevance: alignment of curricula with labour market needs and priority economic sectors
• Quality of Training and Facilities: equipment, workshops, teaching methodologies, and instructor qualifications
• Private Sector Linkages: partnerships with employers, apprenticeships, internships, and on-the-job training
• Policy and Regulatory Framework: governance arrangements, legislation, accreditation, and quality assurance
• Graduate Employability: transition from training to employment, tracer studies, and employment outcomes
   

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES:
The assignment is expected to produce the following deliverables:
1.    Inception Report: methodology, workplan, data sources, and stakeholder mapping
2.    Draft Assessment Report covering Basic Education and TVET, including findings and analysis
3.    Final Assessment Report, incorporating feedback from stakeholders
4.    Policy Brief / Executive Summary highlighting key findings, gaps, and priority recommendations
5.    Data Annex compiling available statistics and indicators collected during the assessment.
 

The expert will carry out the following tasks:
The Local Expert will support the Team Leader in data collection, stakeholder engagement, and contextual analysis, ensuring that the assessment reflects Iraq’s institutional realities and national priorities. He/she will:
 

Role Summary
The TVET and Labour Market Specialist will lead the technical assessment of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) component, with a particular focus on labour-market relevance, employability, private-sector linkages, and skills governance. The expert will work closely with the Team Leader to ensure coherence between Basic Education and TVET findings.

Key Duties and Responsibilities
 

The NKE 2: SENIOR NON-KEY EXPERT: NATIONAL TVET EXPERT (LOCAL EXPERT) will:

• Lead the assessment of the TVET system, including vocational schools, technical universities, and vocational training centres.
• Analyse accessibility, attractiveness, and societal perceptions of TVET pathways
• Assess the relevance of TVET curricula and training programmes to labour market needs and priority economic sectors
• Examine the quality of training delivery, facilities, equipment, and instructor capacity
• Analyse linkages between TVET institutions and employers, including apprenticeships, internships, and on-the-job training
• Assess governance arrangements, legislation, accreditation systems, and quality assurance mechanisms for TVET
• Analyse graduate employability, school-to-work transitions, and employment outcomes
• Review EU-funded and other donor-supported TVET interventions and assess their effectiveness and sustainability
• Contribute to stakeholder consultations with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, private sector representatives, and training providers
• Support the collection and validation of TVET-related administrative data and labour market statistics
• Contribute substantively to the Draft and Final Assessment Reports, Policy Brief, and Data Annex

• Provide clear, actionable recommendations for TVET reform, investment, and donor engagement

   

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Education, Economics, Labour Economics, Skills Development, or a related field
• Minimum 8–10 years of professional experience in TVET, skills development, or labour market analysis
• Demonstrated experience conducting TVET assessments, skills diagnostics, or employability studies
• Strong understanding of labour market systems, private sector engagement, and workforce development
• Experience working with government counterparts, training institutions, and employers
• Familiarity with EU-funded programmes or international donor frameworks is an asset
• Excellent analytical and drafting skills in English
• Experience in Iraq or comparable contexts is highly desirable 

Duration of the assignment:    Up to 30 days
Period of the assignment:    Expected to commence ASAP, subject to EUD approvals and coordination. Completion is expected within three months of commencement.
Place of assignment:    Baghdad, Republic of Iraq. 
Language requirements:    Fluent in spoken and written English. Knowledge of Arabic would be an advantage.
 

The interested candidates are invited to submit their CVs in English no later than 27th of March!

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted!