Project Manager

Sustainable Peace Foundation (SPF) is an Iraqi feminist Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) striving to build and sustain peace through vertical and horizontal approaches and participatory methods; addressing root causes of tensions and conflicts challenging positive peace in Iraq. SPF strives to achieve this by working on the grassroots level to reinstate and strengthen the lost trust between Iraq’s diverse ethno-religious communities; increase community resilience, empower and building the capacities of the very effected communities so they can mitigate and transform conflicts through dialogue and non-violent means.

SPF strives to achieve these objectives by working with vulnerable groups such as, youth, women and girls, people with special needs and IDPs through developing their capacities to take leadership roles and to actively participate in the peace and reconciliation processes; economically empower communities by offering them vocational trainings and providing them with livelihood means to ensure stability and a dignified living standard.

SPF also strives to engage local authority and security actors with the local communities through advocacy, round table dialogue sessions and developing local peace mechanisms and structures capable to acts as soundboards conveying their communities’ needs and challenges. Another pillar of SPF’s efforts is to support and capacitate Iraq’s civil society for example, SPF provide the technical coordination and the secretariat of Nineveh Peace Forum, which it is a founder.  

SPF also provides consultations for local and international NGOs on peacebuilding and social cohesion programming, such as: context analysis, needs assessments, actor and service mapping etc.

SPF’s focuses on minority protection, but through its Do-no-Harm approach, which ensures that SPF programming and implementation creates cohesion instead of doing harm.

Project Aims

The Project Manager will lead the implementation of “Voices Without Hate: Promoting Ethical Media and Protecting Minority Rights in Dohuk”, a three-month intervention implemented by the Sustainable Peace Foundation.

The project aims to reduce online hate speech and the risk of violence affecting minority communities in Dohuk by empowering minority youth and local media actors to detect early warning signs of incitement, apply ethical and fact-based media practices, and produce positive counter-narratives that promote human rights, peaceful coexistence, and social cohesion.

Terms of Reference

• Develop a detailed project implementation plan and timeline aligned with Activities
• Coordinate all project components to ensure coherence between training, mentoring, media production, and hub establishment
• Ensure activities are implemented within the approved timeframe and budget
• Oversee the transparent design and application of selection criteria for 16 minority youth (30–40% women)
• Ensure inclusive, fair, and well-documented selection processes
• Maintain continuous engagement with youth participants and ensure their meaningful participation throughout the project
• Coordinate the organisation and delivery of the 3-day capacity-building workshop for minority youth and media actors
• Liaise with media experts and consultants to ensure high-quality, context-appropriate training content
• Supervise ongoing mentoring and expert media support provided to youth participants
• Oversee the rehabilitation, equipping, and operationalisation of the Minority Media Hub within SPF’s Dohuk office
• Ensure the Hub functions as a safe, inclusive, and ethically managed space for media production
• Support youth in co-managing the Hub and adhering to agreed ethical and safeguarding standards
• Supervise the production and broadcasting of 16 media shows (2 per week over 2 months)
• Ensure all content is fact-based, non-inciting, conflict-sensitive, and aligned with human rights principles
• Monitor online engagement and support youth in responding constructively to hate speech and misinformation
• Ensure safeguarding principles, do-no-harm approaches, and digital safety measures are applied throughout implementation
• Identify and mitigate risks related to online backlash, hate speech escalation, or participant exposure
• Ensure ethical standards are consistently upheld in both offline and online activities
• Track progress against approved quantitative and qualitative indicators
• Ensure proper documentation of outputs, attendance, content produced, and engagement metrics
• Prepare timely internal updates and contribute to the final narrative and financial reports in line with donor requirements
• Coordinate with SPF finance staff to monitor project expenditures
• Ensure activities are implemented within the approved budget and in compliance with donor regulations
• Support accurate financial documentation linked to project activities

Scope of Work

The Project Manager will be responsible for the following:

• Lead day-to-day planning, coordination, and implementation of all project activities
• Oversee the transparent and inclusive selection process of 16 minority youth participants (ensuring 30–40% female participation)
• Coordinate and supervise the organisation of the 3-day capacity-building workshop and all mentoring activities
• Manage the establishment and operationalisation of the Minority Media Hub in Dohuk
• Coordinate with media experts, trainers, journalists, and influencers involved in the project
• Ensure conflict-sensitive, gender-responsive, and rights-based implementation at all stages
• Monitor project progress against indicators and ensure timely documentation of outputs and results
• Manage the project budget in coordination with SPF finance staff and ensure compliance with donor financial regulations
• Lead internal coordination, reporting, and communication with SPF senior management and the donor

Deliverable

• A detailed project workplan and implementation schedule aligned with the approved application
• Transparent selection process and documentation for minority youth participants
• Successful delivery of one 3-day capacity-building workshop and ongoing mentoring support
• Operational Minority Media Hub established within SPF’s Dohuk office
• Supervision of the production and broadcasting of 16 ethical, rights-based media shows
• Regular internal progress updates and monitoring notes
• A comprehensive final narrative and financial report submitted on time and in line with donor requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, media studies, peace and conflict studies, international development, or a related field
• Minimum 3–5 years of relevant experience in project management, preferably in peacebuilding, social cohesion, media, or human rights projects
• Proven experience managing donor-funded projects with strict timelines and budgets

 

Preferred Skills and Competencies

• Strong understanding of media ethics, online hate speech dynamics, and conflict-sensitive communication
• Demonstrated experience working with youth, minorities, journalists, or media actors
• Excellent coordination, organisational, and problem-solving skills
• Strong reporting and documentation skills in English (Assyrian and Kurdish is a strong asset)
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver results within short implementation periods
• High ethical standards, cultural sensitivity, and commitment to human rights and inclusion

Interested candidates should submit their CV and a cover letter outlining their relevant experience and motivation for the role to hr@sustainablepeacefoundation.org. Please include “Project Manager – Dohuk” in the subject line of your email. Please note applications without cover letters will not be considered and female candidates are encouraged to apply. 

For more information about the Sustainable Peace Foundation visit our website at www.sustainablepeacefoundation.org.