Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion Officer

The World Service (WS) is LWF’s internationally recognized humanitarian and development arm. It has earned a distinguished record by linking timely, compassionate and professional emergency response with excellence in rehabilitation, reconstruction and effective long-term development efforts. Mandated by the communion of the LWF to carry out effective and empowering programing addressing human sufferings, injustice and emergencies, LWF World Service works with and for vulnerable and crisis-affected populations to achieve justice, peace and sustainable lives.

LWF Iraq has worked in Northern Iraq / Iraqi Kurdistan since 2014 and has been registered with the Kurdistan Regional Government since 2015. It has offices in Dohuk and Erbil.  As an active member in WASH, Livelihood & Social Cohesion and SGBV/Protection Working Groups, LWF Iraq cooperates closely with relevant UN agencies, other INGOs, local NGOs and local authorities. All LWF Iraq ongoing programs in the field of WASH, Protection (PSS), Peace-building and Livelihoods contribute to the Iraq Humanitarian Response Plan and comply with the Core Humanitarian Standard. LWF currently implements activities in the areas of Dohuk and Nineveh Governorates. Through partners, LWF Iraq has reached Salah Al-Din, Bagdad and Anbar Governorates serving IDPs, returnees and host communities in and outside camp settlements.

Scope of Work

The Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion Officer (PSC) will effectively ensure that communities of different faiths live and work in harmony to ensure a sustainable peaceful co-existence in Duhok and Ninewa to build cohesive societies for high levels of trust, a shared vision for a common future, and responsive and legitimate governance institutions. Through the Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion project, LWF Iraq’s social cohesion program seeks to build mutual understanding, tolerance, and trust among religious and ethnic groups in both Duhok and Ninewa governorates.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Project Management:

• Facilitate training focused on building leadership and life skills including respecting others, managing emotions, communication skills, and personal responsibility to youth, women and community leaders.
• Establish peacebuilding network groups among the different community groups.
• Support women and men with business development grants to set up their businesses and participate in work placement opportunities.
• Promote media partnership and mobilization on social cohesion at local level through social media.
• Collect and write results-based stories on youth and women’s engagement in the community.
•  Work closely with LWF’s Social Cohesion partners and coordinate with other partners and stakeholders.
• Bring detailed understanding of the local dynamics in Duhok and Ninewa Plains and leverage this awareness to support impactful programming.
• Submit monthly reports; contribute to donor quarterly and end-of-project reports and peacebuilding and annual reports. 
• Support with reviewing, editing and translation of social cohesion curricula and resources, standard operating procedures, and other project documents, as needed.
• Submit monthly financial forecasts, monitor project spending,
• Inform the direct line manager about any challenges, difficulties and concerns in the implementation of activities or issues in the social context.
• Attend relevant interagency, sector coordination, and representational meetings as required in coordination with the Program Coordinator.  
• Participate and take a lead in all strategic planning meetings and activities.
• Comply with LWF’s policies and practices with respect to the code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

Professional Standards:

LWF as an organization and LWF workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the code of Conduct.

 Required qualifications:   

• Bachelor’s degree in conflict mediation, peace studies, teaching, social work, child development/psychology, sociology or other relevant fields.
• Minimum of 100 hours of experience in conducting capacity building training or teaching.
• At least two years of experience preferably in Shared Future curriculum or working with ethnically and religiously diverse communities.
• International NGO experience preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills, and capacity to maintain relations with community leaders, members, children and youth.
• Proficiency in computer use, including internet research and Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Proficiency in English, Arabic, and Kurdish (written/spoken).

LWF values diversity in its staff and would therefore particularly welcome applications from groups underrepresented in its current team, including people living with disability.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their complete application (CV) by email to [email protected] Please indicate “ Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion Officer” in the e-mail title.

ENGLISH (CV) ONLY Only suitable candidates will be contacted.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.