Protection and Inclusion Officer (Iraq nationals ONLY)

PURPOSE OF DIVISION:

Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) is an international relief and development charity that envisages a caring world where people unite to respond to the suffering of others, empowering them to fulfil their potential. We are an independent Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) founded in the UK in 1984.  Working in 40 countries, we promote sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and disease. We also respond to disasters and emergencies, helping people in crisis. Islamic Relief provides support regardless of religion, ethnicity, or gender and without expecting anything in return.

Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) has been working in Iraq for more than 20 years. IRW-Iraq was amongst the few aid agencies those were on the ground since 2003. Islamic Relief Worldwide Iraq is implementing several projects in the sector of livelihoods, WASH, Education, and Protection.

Responsibility for Resources:

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

The job holder is accountable for fulfilling his or her roles and responsibilities in line with Islamic values and principles of fairness, humanity, honesty, respect and fair treatment of his/her colleagues and staff.

Key Accountability 1: Lead the gender, protection, ageing and disabilities priorities on behalf of IR Iraq

• Collect and compile key gender, protection, ageing and disabilities data (including GBV data, sexual exploitation and abuse issues in the Iraq context.
• Assist in development/update of organisational inclusion strategy outlining identified rationale, objectives, and opportunities to contribute to gender, protection, age and disability inclusion in organisational policy and practice.
• Ensure that assessments, registration methods and other sources of information about affected people employed by IR Iraq and its partners are respectful of the GBV and protection principles.
• Facilitate development of an Organisational Action Plan, to be endorsed by senior management, outlining the concrete actions to be taken by the organisation to deliver the strategy.
• Streamline needs assessment and analysis tools/processes including templates, team composition and methodologies to ensure that they are gender and protection sensitive.
• Conduct assessment of protection needs of different target groups with focus on most vulnerable groups including women, girls and children, elderly and disabled.
• Support preparation and development of proposals, with focus on protection and inclusion actions and lead in discussion with relevant stakeholders in the area of protection & inclusion, including donors, peer agencies and sectors leads.

Key Accountability 2: Supporting Internal Teams on Protection and Inclusion Issues 

• Identify training needs and build the capacity of IR local staff on inclusion, protection and CHS accountability components.
• Conduct briefings and training for newly recruited staff as necessary upon coordination with HR staff
• Ensure that the staff as well as our partners adhere to the PSEA policies.
• Advise on establishing accessible, efficient, confidential and safe referral, feedback and complaints mechanisms.
• Facilitate and support the integration of protection and GBV perspectives including the IASC GBV Guidelines in the programming across sectors.
• Advocate for the implementation of gender, protection, age and disability sensitive humanitarian/development programming across the parent organisation’s policy and practice.

Key Accountability 3: Project Design, Monitoring and Reporting 

• Lead assessments, information collection, analysis and use of sex and age-disaggregated data (SADD) in project design, implementation and evaluation in order to be more effective in meeting the affected populations’ needs.
• Review project plans and budgets (or provide written guidelines for such a review) to ensure that adequate attention is paid (and resources allocated) to the promotion of protection and inclusion (e.g. gender equality and women’s participation across all sectors, etc..).
• Conduct assessment of protection & inclusion gaps in IR Iraq capacity and recommend key actions on how to build/ improve the IR Iraq protection and inclusion capacity.
• Provide technical support to identify opportunities for the development of relevant advocacy and communication/information materials to address protection and inclusion issues.
• Prepare and share technical reports on protection and inclusion issues. Drafts relevant sections of reports required for donors, management, annual reports.

Key Accountability 4: Case Study Collection, Dissemination and Networking  

• Develop, maintain and disseminate good practice examples of effective mainstreaming of gender, protection, ageing and disability carried out within and outside the organisation.
• Develop and establish linkages with key external stakeholders to find areas of collaboration, best practice, innovation, knowledge sharing and partnerships.
• Attend/participate in sub-cluster/technical working group of protection, GBV, Child protection
  • To have regular contact with all Programme and MEAL staff in CO. Close coordination with the Programme Manager.
  • To work closely with Programme Manager, technical focal people such as MEAL, Accountability, safeguarding and others to ensure mainstreaming of inclusion, protection and gender into IR country programmes.
  • To work with key stakeholders within country to build their capacity on protection and inclusion, which includes child protection, prevention of GBV, inclusion of all ages and abilities and accountable systems.Familiarity with the Sustainable Development Goals, KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

SCOPE AND AUTHORITY

• Planning:

  • To assist in identifying training needs and build the capacity of IR local staff on inclusion, protection and gender.

  Responsibility for Resources:

  • All working machines and tools under his responsibility; computer, printer, scanner, Etc.  

  Key Responsibilities

  • To support on the protection and inclusion agenda within the CO including child protection, gender mainstreaming, age and disability inclusion and the inclusion of other socially excluded groups.
  • To carry out an organisational assessment on inclusion and protection across all operations at the country level and develop strategies to integrate protection and inclusion across CO operations and in coordination with all relevant departments within the CO.
  • To ensure that IRW’s Inclusive approach to programming is consistently applied through all CO projects/ programmes/ operations.
  • To assist in Building/ strengthening active partnerships with relevant government agencies and specialised NGOs/ CSOs partners and strengthen referral systems in areas of Child protection and GBV and age and disability.
  • To provide support in networking with key external stakeholders to find areas of collaboration, best practice, innovation, knowledge sharing and partnerships.
  • To identify training needs and build the capacity of IR local staff on inclusion and protection.
  • To ensure data collection mechanisms are in place and data is collected and analysed periodically
  • To provide technical support on inclusion and protection aspects for new bids and proposals to ensure P&I concepts are  early weaved from planning phase.
  • To ensure CO protection and inclusion approaches are in line with international standards such as Core humanitarian standards, inclusion humanitarian standards and Child Protection standards, IASC gender guidelines.
  • To create a protection and inclusion working group that support the deliverables of organisational change within the CO.
  • To proactively exchange learning and synergy with all involved stakeholders.
  • To assist in drafting relevant sections of reports required for donors, management, and annual reports.
  • To participate and influence external platforms on protection and inclusivity.

  Other:

  • To perform other related duties that may be assigned by the line manager and/or his supervisor.

• PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

  ESSENTIAL

  Qualifications

  • University degree in one of the relevant areas- International Law, Human Rights, or Social Science, preferably in a development and/or humanitarian related field.
  • Fluency in both English and Arabic languages.
  • Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills;

  Experience

  Minimum 3 years’ experience of working with International NGOs in Iraq, preferably 2 years of relevant professional work experience in human rights issues, protection and/ or child protection and GBV. Working in emergency or conflict situations in developing countries is an asset.

• Required Skills/Competencies

• Planning and organizing
• Communication skills
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good advocacy, analytical skills
• Teamwork/working with people
• Drive for results Learning Elements
• Be familiar with IR overall programming in unstable situations;
• Articulate methodology of programme and project management;
• Articulate rights based and results based programming in IRW;
• Demonstrate a good understanding of IRW policies and strategy to address child protection and GBV issues;

Knowledge

• Demonstrate enhanced knowledge of protective and inclusive programming
• Good understanding of CHS Commitments, SPHERE, and international standards for child protection, gender and inclusion.
• Good written and spoken English; able to contribute to written reports and proposals.
• Committed to IRW values and code of conduct
• Willing and able to travel for up to 40% of role
• Sensitivity to cultural differences.

• Dear Applicant: If you are a programme person, experienced, competent, reliable, service minded, dedicated and a highly motivated professional, with a strong commitment to IRW’s values and beliefs, please apply by downloading the application pack from the below link and forward the filled and completed form Form to: [email protected] before the closing time & date (Monday, 04:00 pm,2 December 2024).

– Please write the position title: (Protection and Inclusion Officer) in the subject of the email.

– CVs will not be accepted.

– Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Islamic Relief is an equal opportunities employer. Our values and commitment to safeguarding IRW is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom IRW engages. IRW expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organization. All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records checks. IRW also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.