Project Manager / Assessment Researcher (Baghdad, Iraq)

Job Description: Project Manager / Assessment Researcher Program: Iraq Higher Education AI Workforce Readiness Program Location: Baghdad, Iraq (full-time, in-person) Duration: 12 months About Development Gateway Development Gateway: An IREX Venture (DG) is an international non-profit organization with approximately 80 team members based in more than 15 countries worldwide. By leveraging the combination of programmatic and IT developer capacity and skills within DG, over the last 20 years we have researched data ecosystems, built digital tools to support those data ecosystems, and advised on data strategy and digital transformation to strengthen decision-making, transparency, and service delivery. Position Summary The Project Manager / Assessment Researcher will serve as the senior in-country lead for Development Gateway (DG) on the Iraq Higher Education AI Workforce Readiness Program, a 12-month program implemented with IREX in coordination with institutional partners in Iraq. Based in Baghdad, the Project Manager will manage delivery of Development Gateway's workstreams while leading the research that establishes a baseline of AI readiness across Iraqi higher education institutions (HEIs). This is a role for a professional who is comfortable working on strategic questions and on technical detail. The Project Manager will manage the program workplan, budget, and reporting; lead the AI ecosystem mapping, the virtual university survey, and stakeholder interviews; and turn the findings into a visual baseline report and individual university factsheets. The role will also guide the design of the in-person AI workforce convening and the AI readiness roadmaps, and will advise program leadership on political, institutional, and technical risks as they emerge. The Project Manager will build and maintain relationships with Iraq government institutions, university leaders, U.S. technology firms, and the funder, and will guide and mentor the AI Technical Specialist and other technical colleagues so that their work stays complementary and linked to program goals. The role reports to DG's program leadership and works daily with the IREX Iraq team and a distributed DG team. Key Responsibilities Project Management and Delivery Lead day-to-day management of DG's activities under the program in Iraq, ensuring timelines, deliverables, and budgets are met. Develop, maintain, and update work plans, MEL plan, activity trackers, and budgets in coordination with IREX and DG colleagues, and adjust direction as new priorities or contextual realities emerge. Ensure accurate and timely programmatic reporting to IREX, DG, and the funder, coordinating inputs across the team and partners, in English and Arabic as required. AI Readiness Assessment and Research Lead the AI ecosystem mapping and rapid diagnostic of priority government institutions, private sector partners, and universities, in close partnership with the AI Technical Specialist and IREX counterparts and with supp