Protection Officer (advocacy and outreach) – Tikrit/Salaheddin – (SAD/001)

INTERSOS is an international, non-profit, humanitarian organization on the front line of emergencies, bringing assistance to victims of armed conflicts, natural disasters, and extreme exclusion with particular attention to the protection of the most vulnerable people. Since 1992 our humanitarian workers have been helping people affected by humanitarian crises: we provide first aid, food, shelter, medical assistance, and basic goods. We ensure that basic needs, such as education, access to clean water, and health assistance, are met.

All INTERSOS employees are expected to perform their roles and responsibilities according to the INTERSOS charter of values, code of ethics, PSEA and Child Protection policies. The job description is mandatory for all positions within INTERSOS and shall be signed by the employee within the first week of employment.

Purpose/objective of the position:

The Protection Officer for Outreach and Advocacy will play a crucial role in advancing INTERSOS’ legal assistance and civil documentation initiatives in Salah Al Din, by leading the engagement, coordination and advocacy with Iraqi authorities, legal stakeholders, and communities to address the challenges associated with accessing civil documentation of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) with a particular focus on complex cases. 

Generic Duties:

• In collaboration with the Protection Programme Manager, provide technical guidance and support to the legal protection team, ensuring quality in the implementation of activities and services as well as the adherence to protection standards;
• Support the field teams with the development of technically sound (monthly & weekly) work plans, consistent with the goals and objectives of the project;
• Maintain regular and positive collaboration with colleagues to enhance synergies and ensure that intervention between the different project components is harmonized and that protection is mainstreamed into the other sectors of intervention;
• Contribute to the development of quality internal/external reports, insight and analysis on civil documentation issues
• Ensure that INTERSOS data protection, PSEA and CP policies are shared, understood and upheld by all staff in compliance with the highest standards of privacy and confidentiality;
• Establish and maintain collaborative relations with relevant partners and other project stakeholders
• working in the project areas;
• Contribute to the maintenance of an up-to-date service mapping of the service providers operating in the area and take proactive steps to remain informed about the available services
• Proactively participate in relevant coordination meetings, as requested by the Protection Programme Manager;
• Carry out all tasks respecting key protection principles including but not limited to: PSEA, do no harm, non-discrimination, confidentiality and accountability and need-to-know principles,
• Other duties as assigned by the Protection Manager.

Specific duties:

• Legal Awareness and Outreach:

• Identify key topics for legal awareness and develop relevant materials 
• Coordinate with local stakeholders and community leaders to mobilize relevant target groups for legal awareness sessions 
• Lead awareness campaigns on legal issues related to civil documentation, emphasizing the importance of documentation for accessing social assistance, education, and public services.
• Support legal team in legal counseling activities

• Legal Assistance and Civil Documentation for IDPs and Refugees:

• Conduct local-level civil documentation needs assessments.
• Support in planning and conducting of reverse CAD missions, and collaborate with the Civil Affairs Directorate (CAD) for the issuance of identity and civil documents.
• Work closely with the legal team, review and adjust eligibility criteria for legal assistance by focusing on complex cases for civil documentation, including proof of lineage, custody, divorce, guardianship, and curatorship documentation
• Work closely with the legal team to identify individuals and households at risk of being stateless, referring them for support, including representation for the acquisition of nationality and nationality documents.
• Conduct visits to the courts and local authorities in order to facilitate and coordinate the legal activities;.
• Participate in case meetings for complex cases with a legal issue, if requested by the Protection Program Manager.

• Trend Analysis and Advocacy:

• Regularly analyze data, elaborate on trends in the legal situation relating to civil documentation needs and barriers  to feed into relevant advocacy reports
• Define key advocacy messages, draft reports, briefs and other materials to be used in advocacy
• Analyze and advocate for the removal of legal barriers, especially for “complex cases” following the advocacy plans in place by the protection monitoring platform working group.
• Advocate for the elimination of additional procedures, not explicitly mandated by law, to streamline access to civil documentation processes.

• Government and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Liaise and network with relevant Government authorities and institutions to build relations to facilitate civil documentation processes 
• Advocate with Iraqi authorities to streamline the authorization process for visas, access letters, work permits, and movement-related permissions to facilitate swift humanitarian assistance.
• Advocate for the rights of displaced persons, freedom of movement, and protection from refoulement, particularly engaging with relevant government bodies for specific cases and on structural issues.
• Identify other key actors working in legal advocacy and strengthen alliances around common agendas
• Support facilitation of experience-sharing with other legal actors to identify and advance common advocacy issues

Main legal issues to be covered include:

• Legal identity including obtaining civil documentation necessary to access rights and services (birth registration, marriage registration, etc.)
• Family law;
• Gender-based violence and child protection;
• Citizenship and statelessness issues related to displacement.
• Refugees/ Detention/Complex cases

Person Specification:

Education and professional experience:

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Law, social sciences or related field
• A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in legal advocacy, outreach, and humanitarian assistance.
• Demonstrated experience in engaging with government bodies and legal stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of civil documentation issues IDPs and refugees
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Excellent analytical and reporting skills
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic and challenging environment.
• Strong knowledge of international protection and human rights legal standards 

Languages :

• Fluency in English and Arabic (both spoken and written

INTERSOS is an equal opportunity employer and reserves the right for everyone to apply to its vacancies without any discrimination.

INTERSOS is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups, and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

Kindly note that:

• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
• Your resume must be uploaded in PDF format.
• INTERSOS is reviewing applications on a rolling basis, and we reserve the right to close the vacancy before the mentioned closing date.
• The preference will be given to qualified candidates from the recruitment area.

إنترسوس تتمتع بتكافؤ الفرص وتحتفظ بالحق للجميع في التقدم للوظائف الشاغرة دون أي تمييز.

إنترسوس ملتزمة بتحقيق تنوع في قوى العمل من حيث الجنس، والجنسية، والثقافة. نشجع الأفراد من الجماعات الأقلية، والجماعات الأصلية، وأصحاب ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة على التقدم بطلباتهم للتوظيف مع انترسوس .

للمهتمين والذين يستوفون المعايير المطلوبة ، يرجى النقر هنا للتقديم.

لطفا لاحظ ذلك:

• سيتم الاتصال فقط لمن يكون ضمن قائمة المرشحين المختصرة.
• يجب تحميل سيرتك الذاتية بصيغة
• تقوم انترسوس بمراجعة التقديمات بصورة دورية ، ونحتفظ بالحق في إغلاق الوظيفة الشاغرة قبل تاريخ الإغلاق المذكور في حال ايجاد الشخص المناسب.
• سيتم إعطاء الأفضلية للمرشحين المؤهلين من سكان المنطقة