Child and Women Protection Officer

Position Title: Child and Women Protection Officer

Position Type: Full-Time   

Contract Type:  Fixed Term    

Reports To: Sr. MHPSS Officer 

Location: Kikruk

Closing of Application Date:  18 January 2024

About Heartland Alliance International 

Heartland Alliance International’s (HAI) mission is to secure the rights and well-being of marginalized people and communities. HAI envisions a world in which those whose rights have been violated are safe and empowered to actively engage in their communities and be at the forefront of social change.In Iraq, HAI provides holistic services focusing on psychosocial support, legal aid, violence prevention, livelihoods strengthening, and social cohesion to diverse vulnerable populations. 

Position Summary 

HAI in partnership with UNHCR is conducting one-year project to support the Refugees and Asylum seekers and IDP/Returnees through Case management – PSS – MHPSS and Access to Justice, community engagement and participation plus protection monitoring and advocacy, The CP and Women Protection Officer will be based in Kirkuk with potential travels to Iraq governorates. The CP/Women Officer will work under the supervision of the Senior MHPSS Officer. The Child and Women’s Protection Officer is responsible for leading and managing the child and women’s protection intervention in the targeted areas. He/she will also be responsible for all the activities. He / She will ensure the quality implementation of child and women’s protection activities, including case management, psychosocial support, community awareness, and coordination with other service providers. He / She will also ensure that the minimum standards of child and women’s protection are met and that the rights and needs of the participants are respected and addressed. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

1. Case Management: 

Lead case management activities for women and children at risk, in accordance with the HAI Case Management SOPs, annexes, forms and handbook: 

• Conduct thorough needs assessments for women and children at risk. 
• Develop and implement personalized case management plans for each participant. 
• Providing follow-up on the progress of participants and adjusting plans as needed. 
• Facilitate timely referrals to specialized services, collaborating and coordinating with external organizations and service providers. 
• Collaborate closely with project team to continuously assess status of services implementation against project work plan and implement appropriate steps to ensure project is on track in meeting deliverables. 

1. Psychosocial Support: 

Provide non-specialized psychosocial support services to participants, including: 

Providing mental health awareness, women’s protection, and child protection to the community. 

Implement women’s protection and child protection initiatives in the community. 

Facilitate peer support groups for at-risk women to foster a supportive environment. 

Develop and implement youth resilience programs for children. Moreover, ensuring the availability of recreational materials and kits. 

1. Coordination and Collaboration: 

Collaborate with local service providers and organizations to ensure a holistic approach to participant care. 

Maintain strong working relationships with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and community leaders. 

Act as a liaison between the organization and external partners to coordinate services effectively. 

1. Community Outreach: 

Raise awareness about women’s protection and child protection issues within the community. 

Organize and participate in community events to promote psychosocial well-being. 

Conduct workshops and training sessions on relevant topics for community members. 

1. Reporting: Submit regular reports to the project manager/the Senior MHPSS Officer about CP/WOMEN case management activities and assist in the development of monthly and other periodic reports. 

1. Conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of the child and women’s protection activities, including collecting and analyzing data, documenting best practices and lessons learned, preparing reports and feedback, and ensuring accountability and learning. 

1. Ensure adherence to the child and women’s protection policies, standards, and guidelines, such as the Child Safeguarding Policy, the Code of Conduct, the Sphere Standards, the Core Humanitarian Standards, and the Do No Harm Principles, and ensure the mainstreaming of gender, age, disability, and diversity in the child and women’s protection intervention. 

1. Collect and document feedback from the field on the implementation of the methodology, including challenges and lessons learned. Moreover, regularly monitor the needs of targeted populations and ensure the technical appropriateness of the response. Moreover, Support and coordinate the mapping of resources and referral options useful to respond to needs at different levels. 

1. Visit field: To carry out the tasks and duties of the above position, the position may require 90 % travel to various project locations or travel to the governorates of the Kurdistan Region 

Other duties, as assigned by Sr. MHPSS Officer required by the interest of the project within the framework of the duties of the position. 

Languages  

English Proficiency Level Required: ​Advanced​ 

Arabic Proficiency Level Required: ​Advanced​ 

Kurdish Proficiency Level Required: ​Advanced​ 

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or a related fiel, or proven experience in the field. 
• At least three years of relevant experience in child and women’s protection [case management, psychosocial support] and a related field, preferably in humanitarian settings. 

Interpersonal and Technical Skills: add the required competencies and desired software knowledge 

• At least three years of relevant experience in child and women’s protection [case management, psychosocial support] and a related field, preferably in humanitarian settings. 
• Skills and abilities in planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating child and women’s protection activities, using participatory and inclusive approaches, and applying quality and accountability standards. 
• Knowledge and understanding of the child and women’s protection issues, concepts, and frameworks, such as the Child Protection Minimum Standards, the WOMEN Guiding Principles, the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and the Inter-Agency Case Management Guidelines. 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. 
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders. 
• Empathy, sensitivity, and a commitment to the well-being of women and children. 
•  Skills and abilities in using computer applications, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, and using mobile data collection tools, such as Kobo Collect or ODK. 
• Commitment to the child and women’s protection policies, standards, and guidelines, such as the Child Safeguarding Policy, the Code of Conduct, the Sphere Standards, the Core Humanitarian Standards, and the Do No Harm Principles, and commitment to the mainstreaming of gender, age, disability, and diversity in the child and women’s protection intervention. 
• Willingness and ability to travel and work in challenging and insecure environments, and to cope with stress and pressure. 

Work conditions  

Physical Demands: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.  
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.  

Work Environment:  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 
• The employee may be required to travel frequently to insecure and limited-resource environments. 

Sometimes the candidate may be required to work for extra hours to deliver emerging unprecedented priorities 

Please send you CV to:

https://heartlandalliance.bamboohr.com/careers/1034

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear back from us within 2 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization’s AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Human Resources and Administration Office at (312) 660-1431.